Early in her career, Cécile discovered the think-tank world in the US while finishing her PhD in economics. Convinced of the power of ideas to get impactful policy changes, she set up institutes back in Belgium and France that she has been leading since then. In her capacity as director, president and economist, she raised several millions, build a team and partnerships. She developed the institute as a reputed and trusted brand and founded research in the most important macro-issues: pension, the environment, agriculture, fiscal policies, education, housing and health.

 

As President of the Institut économique Molinari, Cécile has led the strategy (vision and commercialization), product design (reports, opeds, books, events) and communication of the organization. The Institute has produced more than 200 reports, and in just 2023, it reached an audience of 80 million people in France and Europe (Belgium, Spain, Italy, etc.) and 30 million on social media.

 

Since its origin and starting from scratch, Cécile has raised several millions in a very challenging environment for not-for-profit organizations promoting ideas and policy changes. While the biggest organizations are public funded, Cécile made sure to remain independent from any public funds and diversified the institute portfolio between foundations, individuals, companies.

 

Back in 2003, Cécile’s think tank was completely unknown. It went from zero presence to some 400 mentions in the media per year. The expertise’s institute is called upon by journalists and policymakers on a vast area of issues. The institute is recognized as a trustworthy source of information and inspires policy reforms.

 

Cécile surrounded herself and the institute with a team of economists and partners all around the world. She recruited and managed a team of 15 associate researchers and an international network of 150 researchers. It is a founding partner of Epicenter, a network of 12 European think-tanks active since 2014. It is an independent member of the Atlas Network, promoting global prosperity by strengthening a network of more than 500 independent partner organizations that promote individual freedom and are committed to identifying and removing barriers to human flourishing. Since 2010, it partners with EY in publishing an annual report on the European tax and social burden of EU employees. It is a founding member of a new coalition in order to promote a consensual pension reform recreating conditions of growth.

 

In its incessant quest to understand the world as it is and offer constructive solutions to economic and social challenge, Cécile and her team continue to investigate new issues and innovate in terms of communication to the public opinion. That is why when Covid struck, Cécile investigated links between economics and systemic risks. She was lead author on the economic analysis of comparative strategies in fighting Covid. These reports gathered national and international recognition in the mainstream media on the entire political spectrum (far left-right-center). Cécile Philippe published in The Lancet (2023) and Nature (2022).  

 

Cécile is the author of numerous newspaper articles published in French as well as in English on economic issues (some 560). She writes a monthly column for Les Echos, the business leading newspaper in France. She is the author of three books. Her first book, titled C’est trop tard pour la terre (It’s too late for the Earth), was published by Éditions JC Lattès in 2007. The second was published in 2014, Trop tard pour la France? Osons remettre l’État à sa place (Too late for France? Let’s dare to put the State at its place). In 2015, she contributed to a third collective book on innovative public policy reforms (50 Wake-Ups Call for France).

 

More than anything else, Cécile believes in value pluralism as philosopher Isaiah Berlin developed the concept. She strongly believes it is a difficult job to defend some values without incurring costs. That is why she supports tolerance as a core value and works at finding tools, solutions, innovations that solve systemic issues while preserving freedom, prosperity and wellbeing.

 

Cécile Philippe holds a PhD in economics from Paris-IX Dauphine University and a Master in Advanced Studies in business management in developing countries.