The Founding and Impact of CESifo
Laying the Foundations: CES at LMU Munich
In 1991, Hans-Werner Sinn founded the Center for Economic Studies (CES) as an independent institute within LMU Munich’s Faculty of Economics. Its goal was to strengthen economic research in Germany by establishing the country’s first structured graduate program in economics and creating an international visitor network. CES quickly evolved into a hub for global academic exchange, launching the CES Working Paper Series, whose first paper was authored by Richard Musgrave and David Bradford.
From Concept to Opportunity: The Road to CESifo
Professor Sinn envisioned a broader European research network and presented a proposal to the Bavarian state government. Although initially shelved due to funding constraints, the idea resurfaced in 1998 when he was invited to lead the ifo Institute. Initially hesitant, he accepted after the ministry offered renewed support for his earlier network plan – a decisive turning point.
1999 – The Founding Year
In 1999, CESifo GmbH was established, linking the ifo Institute with the Center for Economic Studies (CES) at LMU Munich. The merger combined CES’s theoretical expertise with ifo’s empirical strength. Today, ifo, CES, and CESifo form an integrated research ecosystem that has firmly placed Munich on the global map of economics.
The CESifo Research Network began with three research areas—Employment and Social Protection, Public Sector Economics (both until 2019), as well as Macro, Money and International Finance (until 2025). As the network expanded its scope, further research areas were established: Applied Microeconomics (until 2019), Global Economy, Economics of Education, Energy and Climate Economics, Behavioral Economics, Economics of Digitization (until 2024), Public Economics, and Labor Economics.
Detailed information on the research areas and former CESifo Network Area Directors can be found here.
Today
Since Clemens Fuest assumed the presidency of the ifo Institute and CESifo in 2016, CESifo has gone from strength to strength. Together with CESifo Program Director Oliver Falck, his aim has been to further enhance the scientific potential of both institutions by deepening the intellectual and personal connections between the ifo and CESifo Research Areas.
An important goal of CESifo’s strategic direction is to integrate a new generation of outstanding young scholars into the network. The aim is to build stronger bridges between established CESifo Fellows and emerging research talent worldwide, fostering exchange, collaboration, and long-term intellectual momentum across generations.
Official Bodies
The Scientific Advisory Council consists of internationally respected, independent academics and experts. It was established to provide independent, external quality control and to advise the Executive Board and the Administrative Council on the long-term planning of research and development as well as on future appointments of Executive Board members. The Scientific Advisory Council advises both the ifo Institute and CESifo. Scientific Advisory Council members are elected for four years and can be re-elected for one term only.
The chairmen of the Scientific Advisory Council to date were: Prof. Dr. A. Abigail Payne, University of Melbourne, Australia (2021-2025), Prof. Dr. Anthony J. Venables CBE, University of Oxford, UK (2016-2021), Prof. Robin Boadway Ph.D., Queen’s University London, Canada (2013 – 2016), Prof. Robert Haveman Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA (2008 – 2013), Prof. Assaf Razin Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Israel, and Cornell University, USA (2005 – 2008) and Prof. David Bradford Ph.D. (2000 – 2005).
Prof. Kimberley Scharf, Ph.D. (Chairwoman from Nov. 2025)
University of Nottingham, UK
Prof. Dr. Nadine Riedel (Vice Chairwoman)
University of Münster, Germany
Prof. Ran Abramitzky, Ph.D
Standford University, USA
Prof. Ruben Enikolopov, Ph.D.
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
Prof. Simon Jäger, Ph.D.
Princeton University, USA
Prof. Beata Smarzynska Javorcik, Ph.D.
University of Oxford, UK
Prof. Dr. Sarah Lein
University of Basel, Switzerland
Prof. Dr. Matti Liski
Aalto University, Finland
Prof. Sandra McNally, Ph.D.
University of Surrey, UK
Prof. Ralph Ossa, Ph.D.
University of Zurich, Switzerland
Prof. Tommaso Valletti, Ph.D.
Imperial College London, UK
Prof. Dr. Andrea Weber
Central European University, Austria
The Executive Board runs the Institute’s business and is responsible for strategic planning and research management. Its members are appointed by the Administrative Council, and contract renewal is allowed. The chairperson of the Executive Board is the president, who is appointed jointly by the ifo Institute and LMU Munich.
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Clemens Fuest, President of CESifo (and the ifo Institute) since April 2016.
Dr. Stephanie Dittmer, member of the Executive Board of CESifo (and the ifo Institute) since September 2017.
Today, CESifo is one of the largest networks for economic research. It is registered as Münchner Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wirtschaftswissenschaft – CESifo GmbH, a limited company. Owners are the ifo Institute and LMU Munich in equal parts. CESifo receives institutional funding from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy.
Celebrating Excellence: CESifo‘s Nobel Laureates
Today, the CESifo network stands as one of the largest economic research collectives globally. Regular gatherings in Munich and around the world foster an exchange of ideas among international researchers, enhancing their understanding of complex economic issues. The prestige of this network is underscored by the exceptional caliber of its members, including 17 Nobel laureates from its ranks of over 2,300 members.