APPEA 2026 Conference and Exhibition

Bill Evans is one of Australia’s most respected and enduring economists, widely known for his three-decade tenure as Chief Economist at Westpac. With a career deeply rooted in both the public and private sectors, Bill has built a reputation for clear, plain-spoken analysis and trusted economic forecasting.

Dubbed by The Australian Financial Review in 2019 as “the man who moves markets” Bill initially studied at the University of Sydney, where he earned a Bachelor of Economics with First-Class Honours and a University Medal. He then went on as a Commonwealth scholar to complete a Master of Science degree at the London School of Economics.

He began his professional career in central banking and finance, working as a Research Manager for the Reserve Bank of Australia where he gained valuable experience in macroeconomic analysis. Later he became Domestic Treasurer at the Commonwealth Trading Bank of Australia and then spent eight years as Director and Head of Capital Markets at Schroders Australia.

In 1991, he joined Westpac Banking Corporation as Chief Economist and Head of Research—a role he would hold for more than 30 years. During his time at Westpac, he also spent two years in New Zealand leading the bank’s institutional banking business, managing corporate and financial markets operations.

As Westpac’s economic spokesman, Bill was responsible for the bank’s economic research, advising the board, corporate and institutional clients, and the public alike. His forecasts, especially on interest rates, were widely followed by markets and policymakers. Known for his ability to communicate complex economic ideas in accessible terms, he became one of the nation’s most trusted voices on economic policy.

Over his tenure, Bill helped guide Westpac through numerous major economic events: the early 1990s recession, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis of 2007–08, and more recently, the economic turmoil triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bill is a life member of the Australian Business Economists. He was Chairman for eight years.

Presentation details

Plenary 3
Plenary Panel: The evolving energy landscape
Wednesday 20 May 2026
8:30am – 10:15am

Detailed program can be found here.