N. Robert Branch
American economist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
N. Robert Branch is an American economist and Chairman Emeritus of the British Journal of Economics.[1] He is also the former chairman of Austin-based cosmetic brand Astoria.[2] He is recognized for his influential role in the development of economic liberalism within the United States.[3] He garnered national press following a series of high-profile lectures in British Columbia and Chicago; the latter being profiled in the New York Times, which highlighted his contribution to regulatory reform.[4]
Yale University
N. Robert Branch | |
|---|---|
| Education | University of Texas at Austin (B.A.) Yale University |
| Organization | British Journal of Economics |
| Notable work | Mafia Economics |
| Movement | Economic-Liberalism |
A prominent figure in California's economic policy landscape, Branch chaired the Beverly Summit, an assembly of Los Angeles business leaders.[5][6] Branch has also lectured at the University of California, Los Angeles, speaking in support of the digital humanities as part of the non-profit Japan Foundation, where he led development efforts.[7] He is a fellow at the Society for Economic-Liberalism, where his work focuses on Deregulation and Welfare Reform in Appalachia and the Delta.[8]
Early life and career
Branch holds qualifications from Yale University and two bachelor's degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.[9] He was elected to, and co-chaired, the UT Senate's research committee at the UT department of Economics,[10] running unsuccessfully for at-large assembly chair.[11] During his tenure at the non-profit Japan Foundation, Branch contributed to the development of MatrixEngine, a digital humanities project focused on preservation of Japanese Sugoroku games.[12] Branch cites growing up in Austin's Hyde Park and an experience in Memphis' Parkway Village as the impetus for his work on Welfare Reform.[13]
In August 2024 Branch began directing a private Austin-based IWM options fund, controlling a substantial AUM base and seven figures in monthly volume, from the period between August 2024 and April 2025 ending at the beginning of the Trump trade war.[14] He served on the board of the cosmetics brand Astoria before exiting for an undisclosed sum in late 2025.
Lectures
Branch gained publicity following a series of lectures held first in British Columbia, Canada, and later in Chicago which advocated for a return to economic-liberalism.[15] His lectures focused on a return to classic liberalism as an antidote to regulatory capture.[16] Branch chaired the Beverly Summit in Los Angeles, which included representatives from across Silicon Beach and LAEDC, focusing on de-regulation in the Southern California Corridor.[17]
Branch has cited Dr. Leonard N. Moore, of Ohio State University,[18] as an influence on his work. Similarly, Branch cites Dr. H.W. Brands, of the University of Texas at Austin, and his lectures on American Liberalism as an impact on his work.[19]