Dave Grimmond is an independent consulting economist based in Wellington, New Zealand. Dave grew up in Dunedin and studied at the University of Otago.

Dave started his career working at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research where he had a leading role preparing economic forecasts, editing the Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion, and undertaking customised projects for clients. Dave next worked at the Treasury where he led the team preparing economic forecasts for the Budget and later managed the Macroeconomic Policy team, which had oversight over medium term fiscal strategy as well as providing advice on the performance of the Reserve Bank. Dave also spent four years as the Department of Labour’s economic adviser, in which time he also established the Department’s Future of Work unit, and at separate times managed their Research and Evaluation and Labour Market Information units. More recently Dave was the economist for the Greater Wellington Regional Council from 2016 to 2020.

For a large part of his career, Dave worked at Infometrics Ltd, later becoming a Director. For many years he led their economic forecasting activities, but increasingly focused on consulting activities, contributing to around 150 projects for clients. The types of services that Dave has provided for clients include:

• Project assessment (including cost benefit analysis, social returns on investment, risk analysis)
• Customised forecasting services (including the development of client specific forecast models and facilitating scenario development)
• Policy and strategic analysis advice
• Expert witness services in relation to employment, environmental, and investment performance issues

Dave has provided advice to clients on labour market performance, education issues, skill requirements, immigration policy, building sector performance and prospects, environmental issues (such as waste management and trade-offs associated with species protection), tax policy, the contribution of social investments to national wellbeing, and tobacco control policies.

Dave has a BA (Hons) in economics from the University of Otago and is a member of the American Economic Association. Dave is an active member of the Wellington Masters Cycling Club.