ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TOP ECONOMISTS OF THE 2023 BMR/UNISA ECONOMIST OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
The Bureau of Market Research (Pty) Ltd (BMR) and the University of South Africa (Unisa) has been hosting the Economist of the Year Competition since 2022. The winner and two runners-up of the 2023 BMR/Unisa Economist of the Year competition were announced at an awards ceremony held in Pretoria on 20 June 2024.
The winner of the 2023 competition is Ms Elize Kruger, an independent economist. Ms Kruger has nearly three decades of experience in both macro and microeconomic analyses and forecasts. She has worked in the financial, health, transport and energy sectors. As an independent economist, she provides consulting services to a wide variety of clients, compiling forecasts of key macroeconomic indicators and publishing in-depth reports, while also delivering frequent media commentary and research briefs on important economic events. Although Ms Kruger has participated in the competition for several years, this is her first time winning the competition after she was a runner-up in the 2022 competition.
The two runners-up, in alphabetical order, of the 2023 competition are Mr Dawie Klopper, a financial advisor and investment economist at PSG Wealth and Mr Jee-A van der Linde, a senior economist at Oxford Economics Africa.
Overall, the three top economists provided the most accurate and consistent forecasts for eight economic variables during 2023. Given that more than thirty of South Africa’s top economists participated in the competition, the accuracy with which the top three economist predicted 2023 economic outcomes should be applauded. The competition is subject to an adjudication process whereby the winner is determined through a formula that has remained unchanged since the competition’s inception.
Enquiries on the 2023 competition outcome:
Ms J Meiring
Senior Researcher
Personal Finance Research Division
Bureau of Market Research (Pty) Ltd
Jacolize.meiring@bmr.co.za
Cell: 082 354 5777
Enquiries on the trends underlying the 2023 forecasts:
Prof CJ van Aardt
Research Director
Market Intelligence Research Division
Bureau of Market Research (Pty) Ltd
Carel.vanaardt@bmr.co.za
Cell: 082 950 4325