Knight Frank appoints Christopher Payne as Chief Economist
Knight Frank, a real estate consultancy with numerous offices across MENA, has appointed Christopher Payne as its new Chief Economist for the region.
Christopher Payne brings around 30 years of expertise in economic analysis, real estate, and financial markets, strengthening Knight Frank’s team that delivers economic insights to clients across the region.
“The real estate sector in the Middle East and North Africa is one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving markets in the world. I am eager to leverage my extensive experience in economic analysis and real estate to provide our clients with the strategic guidance they need to navigate this complex and fast-changing landscape,” said Payne.
Before joining Knight Frank, Payne served as Chief Economist at Peninsula Real Estate. He led strategic asset allocation efforts in this role and wrote extensively on the GCC economy and real estate markets.
Payne’s extensive career includes his tenure as Chief Economist Advisor to the Governor and CEO of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Authority. Additionally, he was the Head of Research and Consultancy at the Kuwait Institute of Banking Studies.
His professional journey includes roles in the United States and the UK. In the US, Payne was Senior Economist for Bloomberg in Washington DC, where he wrote extensively on banking regulation, monetary policy and fiscal policy, often presenting his findings on Capitol Hill.
In the UK, he worked at JPMorgan and F&C Asset Management, focusing on global economic trends, emerging market equities and financial analysis. Payne is a Chartered Accountant, having qualified from PwC.
On the next chapter in his career, Payne said: “I am absolutely delighted to join Knight Frank, a firm renowned for its exceptional track record and market-leading research and insights.”
Faisal Durrani, Partner and Head of Research MENA at Knight Frank, said: “We are delighted to welcome Chris to our Research team. His tremendous experience and deep understanding of the GCC macroeconomic environment will be invaluable in unlocking value for our clients and underpinning our property intelligence.”