Gabriel Felbermayr (45) studied economics and international business administration at the JKU in Linz and received his doctorate from the European University Institute in Florence in 2004. He then worked as an associate consultant at McKinsey & Company in Vienna, from 2005 to 2008 as an assistant professor at the University of Tübingen, and then as a professor of international economics at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart. From 2010 to 2019, he was director of the Ifo Center for International Economics at the University of Munich, where he was also taught as a professor of international economics. In 2019, he was appointed president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), working simultaneously as a professor at Kiel University.

Research focus: International business and trade policy

In his research, Gabriel Felbermayr focuses on international aspects of trade policy, migration, climate policy, and development. He also focuses on European integration. He has published a large number of academic articles in international journals and also speaks publicly on current issues, not least through his work as head of the IfW. He has won a number of awards for his research work. Gabriel Felbermayr will also be taking up a directorship at the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) in October. For the duration of his appointment at WIFO, Felbermayr will be working a reduced number of hours at WU. He is looking forward to his research and teaching at WU: „Auf seine Tätigkeiten in Forschung und Lehre an der WU freut er sich: “It is well known that academic excellence also depends on close ties to universities. This makes it a particularly special honor for me to have the opportunity to put down roots at such a renowned institution as WU. It is my stated goal to strengthen the cooperation between WU and WIFO, facilitating a sustainable transfer of research and consulting expertise between both institutions.”

Gerlinde Fellner-Röhling (44) studied economics and psychology at the University of Vienna, then worked as an assistant professor at the Max Planck Institute of Economics in Jena before receiving her doctorate from the University of Jena in 2004. In the course of her academic career, she has held positions at the University of Bonn and at WU, among others, where she also completed her habilitation in 2011. In 2012, she was appointed professor of economics at Ulm University.

Research focus: the impact of digitalization on markets and people

In her research work, Gerlinde Fellner-Röhling's focuses primarily on behavioral, interdisciplinary aspects of economic decision-making processes and on how markets function. With increasing digitalization, new business models, digital platforms, and alternative forecasting methods based on Big Data have emerged. Gerlinde Fellner-Röhling says, “Far less attention is currently being paid to how these structural changes in and through the digital economy are affecting human decision-making and behavior. On the one hand, digitalization enables the rapid transfer of information, which supports social learning. On the other hand, the sheer volume of available information is a challenge. In addition, digital processes may increasingly replace face-to-face communication, and that too has implications - both on an economic and on a human level.” The newly appointed professor on her return to WU: “I am very excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the high level of economics-related education and research at WU and I’m looking froward to passing on my knowledge to students and to the diverse and stimulating work environment.”