Economists can be funny, Gonski banishes himself

It's possible to be a funny economist after all. Economist Saul Eslake reckons BT Financial Group's chief economist Chris Caton would make an excellent comedian.

Eslake went so far as to tell BRW that indeed, Caton could give up his day job and enter into the world of stand-up comedy.

"It's very difficult being next to Chris on a panel because he steals all the limelinghts," Eslake said.

But Caton has other ideas: "Perhaps if I gave up comedy I could become an economist."

BRW claims Caton, and even Eslake, are part of a new breed of rockstar economists, the kind that know how to work an audience, as well as they can work the numbers, and can even make economics ... sexy. 

Now that's got to be a special kind of power. 

Gonski banishes himself to the shadows. If we needed any proof that David Gonski likes to work his clout well away from the spotlight, then yesterday's announcement that Mark Burgess will be the Managing Director and President of the Future Fund would surely be it.

Essentially a title change for Burgess (he was previously General Manager), the move formalises Gonski's determination to take on a less visible role at the fund, but be no less significant in putting his skills to work behind the scenes.

When Gonski got to work with a series of interviews yesterday, he said he'd only chaired one board meeting in the role – before stepping out of the limelight to allow Burgess to become the public face of the fund.

"If he ceases to be the face, we should be worried," Gonski told the Australian Financial Review.

It's no surprise then that he's a strong contender for our upcoming CEOs and Chairs power list.