Daniel Altman

Daniel Altman is an economist and internationally bestselling author who decodes global economic trends and translates them into practical guidance for businesses and individuals navigating an uncertain financial landscape. He served as economics correspondent for The Economist and as one of the youngest members of The New York Times editorial board, and created the Baseline Profitability Index ranking countries for investment attractiveness whilst senior editor at Foreign Policy. His book Outrageous Fortunes predicted twelve trends reshaping the global economy, and his forthcoming November 2026 release, The Best Decisions You'll Ever Make, equips audiences with economic tools to optimise everyday choices around money, time, and opportunity, empowering organisations to make smarter strategic decisions grounded in real-world economic insight.

Daniel Altman predicted twelve financial trends that would reshape the global economy in his internationally bestselling book Outrageous Fortunes, establishing himself as an economist unafraid to look beyond immediate crises towards the deeper patterns that define our economic future. His forthcoming book, The Best Decisions You'll Ever Make, arriving in November 2026 from Crown Currency, turns that same rigorous analytical lens towards the everyday choices that determine financial wellbeing, offering practical economic tools to help individuals and organisations make smarter decisions about money, time, and opportunity. From his earliest days as the London-based economics correspondent for The Economist to becoming one of the youngest members of The New York Times editorial board, Altman has built a career translating complex global trends into accessible, actionable insight.

His credibility stems from a rare combination of journalistic clarity, academic rigour, and real-world advisory experience. Between journalism roles, he served as an economic advisor in the British government, gaining firsthand understanding of how policy shapes markets. As senior editor for economics at Foreign Policy, he created the Baseline Profitability Index, a ranking system evaluating over one hundred countries for foreign direct investment attractiveness that continues to guide multinational strategy today. His analysis has been featured across The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Economist, and The New Yorker, whilst his television appearances on CNN and CNBC have brought economic literacy to wider audiences. Praise from figures including Google's former chief economist Hal Varian and Eurasia Group president Ian Bremmer reflects the respect his work commands amongst both practitioners and thought leaders.

Altman equips audiences with frameworks they can apply immediately, whether navigating emerging market investments, understanding consumption trends, or balancing profit maximisation with social benefit. He demonstrates why combining smaller, safer markets often delivers better returns than chasing headlines in Brazil or China, and why his concept of the long-term single-bottom line serves shareholders and society more effectively than traditional corporate social responsibility models. His presentations on the data-driven economy explore how organisations can extract value from information without drowning in it, whilst his insights into workforce competitiveness reveal how distinctly human skills remain vital even as technology advances. Audiences leave with clarity about which trends matter, which risks to monitor, and how to position themselves for sustained success rather than short-term gains, transforming uncertainty into strategic advantage through economic understanding that lasts well beyond the event itself.