Ekniti builds policy team as Santitarn tipped for role

The new finance minister, Ekniti Nitithanprapas, is forming an advisory team as part of his efforts to drive economic policy, which is expected to include Santitarn Sathirathai, who is known for his extensive experience in economic policy and global financial analysis.

Santitarn, 44, could be appointed as a vice minister to Ekniti, who also serves as a deputy prime minister.

His current duties include overseeing the centre for monitoring the situation in the Middle East, addressing and managing energy prices, chairing the Board of Investment and setting the overall direction of the national economy.

Given the scale of these responsibilities, an advisory team will be established, consisting of highly capable experts, to support the minister.

Reports indicate that Santitarn, a former member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Thailand, has already submitted his resignation from the post and is preparing to take on the role as Ekniti’s vice minister.

Bluebik Group Plc also announced that Santitarn has resigned from his positions as director, independent director and member of the Corporate Governance, Risk Policy and Sustainability Committee due to other commitments, effective March 30.

Santitarn holds a PhD in public policy, with a focus on economic policy, from Harvard University, a master’s degree in public administration in international development, also from Harvard, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

His career spans multiple sectors. He has served as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of Thailand and as an adviser on the future economy at the Thailand Development Research Institute.

In the private sector, Santitarn was group chief economist and managing director at Sea Group, the parent company of Garena, Shopee and SeaMoney.

He previously led Asian economic research at Credit Suisse, where he oversaw economic forecasting and investment advice across 10 Asian economies.

He is also the only Asian economist to have won the Consensus Economics award for best global economic forecaster for three consecutive years, and was ranked Thailand’s top economic analyst by Asia Money in 2015.

On the policy front, Santitarn contributed to drafting Thailand’s 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan in the SME sector and worked on legislation related to electronic transactions.

He was also appointed by the Singapore government to its Digital Readiness Council, focusing on reducing digital inequality, and previously worked at Thailand’s Ministry of Finance.