Professor Dr. Heiner Flassbeck is editor of Makroskop, an internet magazine that provides macroeconomic analysis. He advises governments, political parties and other institutions in macroeconomic affairs. Prior to that he has served from 2003 to 2012 as Director of the Division on Globalization and Development Strategies of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He was the principal author and the leader of the team preparing UNCTAD's Trade and Development Report.

Dr. Flassbeck was UNCTADs delegate to the G 20 Finance Minister meetings. He is the author of numerous books and articles on macroeconomic issues, in particular on the current financial crisis and the crisis in Europe. He teaches macroeconomics at the University of Hamburg.

Prior to joining UNCTAD, Mr. Flassbeck worked as a staff member of the German Council of Economic Experts, Wiesbaden between 1976 and 1980, followed by the Federal Ministry of Economics until January 1986. He was chief economist in the German Institute for Economic Research between 1988 and 1998, and State Secretary (Vice Minister) from October 1998 to April 1999 at the Federal Ministry of Finance responsible for international affairs, the European Union and IMF.

He graduated in April 1976 in economics from Saarland University, Germany and he obtained a Ph.D. in Economics from the Free University, Berlin, Germany in July 1987. In 2005 he was appointed honorary professor at the University of Hamburg.