Sergey Aleksashenko is an expert on the economies of Russia and Ukraine as well as the global economy and financial system. He is well known for his publications and commentary on economic change in Russia. His work focuses on macroeconomic issues and the structural transformation of the Russian and Ukrainian economies after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He leads NEST Centre’s research on economic issues.
Between 2021 and 2024, he ran his own consultancy business, advising clients on political and investment development in Russia, Ukraine, and other countries of the former Soviet Union.
From 2019 to 2021, he served as an adviser to the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and the Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine.
He left Russia as a political refugee in 2014, and from 2015 to 2019 he was a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution (Washington, D.C.). In 2017–2018 he contributed to the drafting of Alexey Navalny’s presidential programme.
From 2008 to 2014, he was Director of Macroeconomic Research at the Higher School of Economics (Moscow, Russia) as well as being a member of the Expert Council of the Government of Russia, and a board member of several Russian public companies (Aeroflot, United Grain Company, United Aircraft Corporation, National Reserve Bank). Earlier, he served as the Chairman and CEO of Merrill Lynch Russia (2006 to 2008), President and Member of the Board of Antanta Capital (2004 to 2006), and Managing Director/Board Member of Interros Holding (2000 to 2004) responsible for group strategy and business development. He also served as a Board Member of Norilsk Nickel, Rosbank, Power Machines and Rusia Petroleum.
From December 1995 to October 1998, he served as First Deputy Chairman and Board Member of the Central Bank of Russia. He was responsible for monetary and foreign exchange policy, accounting and payment systems, and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. He earlier served as Deputy Minister of Finance from May 1993 to March 1995.
From April 1991 to May 1993, he was Deputy Director at the Expert Institute of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE). From January 1990 to April 1991, he was a leading specialist in the USSR Government’s Commission on Economic Reform.
He graduated from Moscow State University in August 1986 and holds a doctorate in economics from the Central Economic and Mathematical Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
