Lisandra Flach

Lisandra Flach serves as Head of the ifo Center for International Economics and Professor of Economics, especially Economics of Globalization, at the Faculty of Economics, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich since July 2020. Previously, she held positions as Temporary Academic Councillor (2014-2020) and Postdoctoral Researcher (2011-2012) at LMU.

Her educational background includes a PhD in Economics (summa cum laude) from the University of Mannheim (2007-2012), an Affiliate Graduate Student position at UC San Diego (2010), and dual undergraduate degrees in Economics and Business Administration from Brazilian universities (UFSC and UDESC/ESAG, 2001-2006).

Flach's research focuses on empirical foreign trade economics, with particular expertise in trade policy, global value chains, supply chain resilience, and the economic effects of trade agreements. Her work bridges theoretical trade models with empirical analysis of real-world trade dynamics, examining how firms respond to trade policy changes and global disruptions.

Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent contributions to top international economics journals, with recent work increasingly addressing contemporary challenges including supply chain disruptions, geopolitical trade tensions, and the economic implications of US-China trade relations. Her research demonstrates methodological sophistication in analyzing multi-product firm behavior and trade price formation.

• Capital Top 40 under 40 (2021, 2022)
• Handelsblatt 100 Frauen die Deutschland bewegen (2021)
• Wirtschaftswoche 10 Deutschlands spannende Nachwuchs-Ökonomen (2021)
• Modigliani Research Grant (2018)
• DFG Research Grant (2016-2018)
• Brazilian Prize in Economics (2007)

Flach leads numerous research projects funded by entities including the European Commission, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and industry associations. Her current projects examine semiconductor industry economics, resource substitution trade, German industry global value chains, and EU internal market integration. She serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Comparative Economics and Review of International Economics, and participates in multiple scientific advisory boards including the Research in International Economics and Finance network.

Her leadership extends to directing the ifo Center for International Economics, where her team produces influential policy analysis on trade policy, supply chain resilience, and Germany's position in global trade networks. Recent work includes high-impact studies on German dependency on Chinese imports, maritime chokepoint vulnerabilities, and the economic consequences of potential Trump administration trade policies.