Naohiko Baba Joins Barclays as Chief Japan Economist and Head of Japan Research

(Source: Barclays)

Barclays today announced the appointment of Naohiko Baba as Managing Director, Chief Japan Economist, and Head of Japan Research for Barclays Securities Japan Limited, effective January 1, 2024.

Reporting to Christian Keller, Head of Economics Research, Mr. Baba will lead Barclays' macroeconomic research for Japan, as the company strives to strengthen its economic research capabilities on both a local and global scale.

Christian Keller commented: "This appointment underpins our commitment to attract and invest in the best talent. We are confident that our clients locally and globally will benefit from his deep knowledge and expertise of the Japanese economy."

Having accumulated more than three decades of experience in the industry, Mr. Baba possesses extensive expertise and a deep understanding of Japan's economy, particularly in the realm of monetary policy. Previously serving as the Chief Japan Economist at Goldman Sachs for 13 years, he now joins Barclays.

Prior to his tenure at Goldman Sachs, Mr. Baba held the position of Senior Economist & Director at the Bank of Japan (BOJ), where he oversaw multiple divisions including the Financial System Research Division and the Money Markets and Fixed Income Division. Furthermore, he also worked as a Senior Economist specializing in global financial markets at the Bank for International Settlement (BIS) in Switzerland.

Mr. Baba obtained his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1999.

The addition of Mr. Baba significantly strengthens Barclays's leadership team in Japan. Last July, Akihiko Yamada​, a specialist with over 17 years of extensive experience in Telecom (TMT) client coverage, also joined the group as Managing Director and Head of TMT, Investment Banking for Japan.