AG Schneiderman Appoints New Chief Economist
New York, NY - March 7, 2014 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the appointment of Dr. Guy Ben-Ishai to serve as the new Chief Economist at the Office of the Attorney General. Dr. Ben-Ishai has served as an expert and economic consultant on numerous high-profile, complex legal matters in recent years and will bring his wealth of economic knowledge and experience to bear on key matters handled by the Attorney General’s Office. Dr. Ben-Ishai is expected to play a major role in shaping and reinforcing the office’s aggressive and innovative law enforcement efforts, especially in the antitrust and securities areas.
“Sound economics is at the very core of effective law enforcement, and I am delighted to welcome Guy to my team,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “I look forward to working with Guy to continue our efforts to protect New Yorkers and our economy by ensuring that companies operating in our state compete fairly and honestly.”
As Chief Economist at the Office of the Attorney General, Dr. Ben-Ishai will be charged with leading economic analysis in support of investigations, litigation, and policy development on behalf of New York and its citizens. He will oversee complex economic projects throughout the Office of the Attorney General, especially in the Antitrust, Investor Protection, and other bureaus in the Office.
Dr. Guy Ben-Ishai said, “I am thrilled to join one of the most creative and dynamic government agencies in the country. Attorney General Schneiderman has gained a reputation for actively and responsibly enforcing antitrust, securities, and other laws to the benefit of all New Yorkers. I am grateful for the opportunity to join the Attorney General’s dedicated and effective team.”
Dr. Ben-Ishai’s main areas of expertise include industrial organization and applied microeconomics. Dr. Ben-Ishai has conducted economic analysis on matters involving tying, bundled discounts, resale price maintenance, exclusive dealing, predatory pricing, monopolization, mergers, price fixing, and patent misuse. His experience spans a broad range of industries, including payment cards, financial services, telecommunications, semiconductors, internet technology, and pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Ben-Ishai received a Ph.D. in economics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a BA in economics from UCLA. Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, he was a Visiting Researcher at the University of Toulouse and held positions at NERA, Compass Lexecon, and the Israel Antitrust Authority.