We’re delighted to share Magdalen alumnus Professor Hyun Song Shin (1982) has been nominated as the next Governor of the Bank of Korea. Hyun Song’s incredible career spans academia, public policy, and global financial leadership, and this appointment is a huge achievement.
In 1982, Hyun Song came to Magdalen to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics before going on to study for his MPhil and Dphil at Nuffield College. He returned to College as a Research Fellow and later a Tutorial Fellow at University College in Economics before moving into international policy. He’s since spent his career bridging the gap between top tier research and real world policy, becoming one of the most respected figures in global economics today.
He advised the Korean President during the G20 summit, held a chair at Princeton, and has lately been at the Bank for International Settlements – often called the bank for central banks.
His work on financial stability has shaped how countries handle economic crises. He was one of the first to map out how global banking networks actually function. Instead of just looking at abstract models, he tracked the balance sheets of banks to understand how debt moves across borders, giving policymakers a much clearer picture of how financial shocks travel through the global system. He also helped launch the BIS Innovation Hub in 2019, which focuses on things like digital currencies and fintech.
Huge congratulations to Professor Shin. He takes up the governorship in Seoul this month.