Dr David Skilling is the founding Director of Landfall Strategy Group, a research and advisory firm established in 2011 that provides insights on global economic, geopolitical, and policy developments to firms, investors, and governments.  David serves clients in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US. 

David served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand between 2011 and 2015, providing insight on global economic and political developments.  David also served as Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Co from 2011 until 2017, and was a Fellow at Singapore’s Civil Service College for several years.

Prior to founding Landfall Strategy Group in 2011, David was an Associate Principal with McKinsey & Company in Singapore, as well as being a Senior Fellow with the McKinsey Global Institute, McKinsey’s in-house economic think-tank.  Before joining McKinsey, David was the founding Chief Executive of the New Zealand Institute, a privately-funded think-tank.  Until 2003, David was a Principal Advisor at the New Zealand Treasury, advising on various strategic economic policy issues. 

David writes a widely read note on global economic and political issues, and has written op-eds in publications such as the Straits Times, the Wall Street Journal, Project Syndicate, The Times, Foreign Affairs, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, and the Nikkei Asian Review. 

David has a Ph.D. in Public Policy, and a Master in Public Policy degree, from Harvard University, as well as a Master of Commerce degree in Economics from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.  David was named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2008.