Monika Schnitzer

Monika Schnitzer is Professor of Economics and Chair for Comparative Economics at Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich. She serves as chairwoman of the German Council of Economic Experts (Sachverständigenrat) since 2022, co-chair of the Franco-German Council of Economic Experts since 2023, and member of the European Commission's Economic Advisory Group on Competition Policy since 2020.

Her academic journey began with Economics studies at Cologne, Bonn, and the London School of Economics, culminating in a PhD from Bonn University (1991). She held visiting professorships at Stanford, Yale, UC Berkeley, and Harvard. Leadership roles include Dean of LMU's Economic Faculty (2006-2009) and chairwoman of LMU's University Research Board since 2007.

Professor Schnitzer's research centers on innovation mechanisms, competition policy frameworks, and multinational enterprise dynamics. Her work critically examines digital market regulation, antitrust enforcement efficacy, and financial constraints in global trade. She investigates how regulatory design impacts technological diffusion and consumer welfare, with particular focus on platform economies and intellectual property systems.

Her recent publications (2020-2024) reveal a concentrated research trajectory on digital competition policy, analyzing the Digital Markets Act, interoperability standards, and venture capital spillovers. A consistent thread connects historical antitrust cases (like the Bell System breakup) to contemporary digital governance challenges, emphasizing evidence-based policy design for innovation ecosystems.

• Akademiepreis der Nordrhein-Westfälischen Akademie (1996)
• Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (2005)
• Bavarian Order of Merit (2012)
• Gustav Stolper Award (2022)
• Europamedaille (2022)
• Leopoldina Academy membership (2022)
• Kiel University honorary doctorate (2022)

Professor Schnitzer's policy influence extends through continuous service on Germany's Scientific Advisory Council (since 2001), presidency of the German Economic Association (2015-2016), and leadership in the 2025 Spring Report addressing economic slowdown and structural transformation. Her dual academic-policy career demonstrates how rigorous economic research directly shapes national and EU-level competition frameworks and innovation strategies.