Killian Destremau

Killian has followed a long-held passion for economics from working as a consultant to his current role in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

My journey as an economist started at 15 when I stumbled on the book Economics for Dummies at my cousin’s bach. I read it in a few days. Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations and other classics followed soon after. I was hooked. Majoring in Economics at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington was an obvious choice.

I’m continuously rediscovering the reason why economics appealed to me in the first place. Economics is a way of thinking and a way to understand the world. Ideas are powerful and economics is full of them—at times enlightening, counterintuitive, and sometimes downright controversial.

Hence, my first message is, because it is a way to view the world, economics is a community. Economists (such as the students I was with at university, whom I work with today) have a flair for debating each other with different perspectives. This sense of community still to this day surprises me and keeps me passionate. Economists share a language, a way to think about the world and a willingness to get to the bottom of things.

After completing my Honours degree, I joined the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.  Only a minority of graduates join consulting after university. Since then, I’ve worked for ANZ Bank, the Treasury, and, most recently, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. In the meantime, I’ve also completed a Master of Public Administration at the National University of Singapore. Hence, my second message is, as my early mentor put it to me, “Economics is a door that leads to other opportunities.” There is no such thing as an ‘economist job’. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to apply your skills to any sector, industry, government department, academic department, or NGO.

For those contemplating taking Economics as a major, my best advice is to embrace thinking critically—meaning be prepared to rethink how you approach socio-economic issues in light of what Economics teaches. Doing so will allow you to build your own perspective, logic, and position and take them to the world with confidence, regardless of whether they are leaning to the left, right, or centre of political and ideological spectrums.