Chief Economist, Aletheia Capital

Dr. Jim Walker

Jim Walker is the chief economist at Aletheia Analyst Network Limited, an independent research platform for the Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining Aletheia he was the founder and chief economist at Asianomics Group an economics and strategy research consultancy company formed in late 2007. 

Before establishing Asianomics he was the chief economist at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets. He joined CLSA in late 1991. Over the years Dr Jim achieved numerous ‘best economist’ rankings in the Asiamoney, Institutional Investor and Greenwich surveys of fund managers. In 1995 he wrote about the prospect of Asia being forced off its de facto dollar peg “within the next two-three years”. The Asian Crisis, precipitated by the Thai baht devaluation, began in July 1997.

In recent years he is best known for forecasting the US 2007 downturn and financial sector meltdown in his series of ‘Apocalypse’ reports. He remains deeply sceptical of the prevailing wisdom in central banks’ approach to monetary policy.

Over the years he has also developed an approach to analysing Asian economies based on profit and credit cycles where the importance of investment spending as the driver of economic activity is explained.

Early in his career he worked in his native Scotland as a research fellow at the Fraser of Allander Institute for Research on the Scottish Economy, and then at The Royal Bank of Scotland’s Edinburgh headquarters. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree and a doctorate in economics from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Chief Economist

The Backlash Spreads: Investors Need to Prepare for More Disruption

Phase-One US-China Trade Deal: Just a Patch

China and Hong Kong: When Parasite Turns Predator

One Economy, Two Parasites: Part 1 - Hong Kong's Economy

Independent and original Asian investment research

Aletheia Capital

Aletheia Capital (HK) Ltd. (previously known as Asianomics) combines the extensive knowledge of its experienced team with technology and regulatory changes to disrupt Global Markets business in Asia. The firm is completely independent with no conflicts of interest either on Investment Banking advisory or Capital Markets execution.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p>Hong Kong is headline news for all the wrong reasons these days. An out-of-touch, appointed government of civil servants (all of the business people approached to serve in high office after the last chief executive “election” refused positions) has been forced to withdraw a bill – the Extradition Law – that no-one in Hong Kong wanted and no-one in Beijing demanded. It is an utter mess but the inevitable consequence of having the head of government elected by 1200 appointees who have no interest in anything except ingratiating themselves with their masters in Beijing and whose choice of candidates is defined by pliability, not ability. </p>

Hong Kong is headline news for all the wrong reasons these days. An out-of-touch, appointed government of civil servants (all of the business people approached to serve in high office after the last chief executive “election” refused positions) has been forced to withdraw a bill – the Extradition Law – that no-one in Hong Kong wanted and no-one in Beijing demanded. It is an utter mess but the inevitable consequence of having the head of government elected by 1200 appointees who have no interest in anything except ingratiating themselves with their masters in Beijing and whose choice of candidates is defined by pliability, not ability. 

The Legacy: The Electoral Fudge that Is Hong Kong