David Pinkus
David Pinkus joined Bruegel in May 2023, working as an Affiliate Fellow until May 2025. He is an applied economist with a strong interest in social welfare policies, as well as the intersection of financial markets and the real economy.
His work focuses on the challenges social security systems face due to an ageing population. He is also interested in the wider economic effects of funded pension systems and institutional investors. From 2014 to 2016, he worked as a consultant at the OECD’s Long-Term Investment Project, researching policies to enable institutional investors to finance infrastructure under a G20 mandate.
David holds a PhD in Economics from Copenhagen Business School and is affiliated with the university’s Pension Research Centre (PeRCent). David also holds an M.Sc. in Economics from Bocconi University in Milan and a B.Sc. in Economics from Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich.
David is fluent in German, French and English.
Disclosure of interests
Featured work
The macroeconomic impact of ageing, EU immigration policy and pension expenditures
The EU faces ageing-driven fiscal strain, slower growth and rising pension costs, making employment-focused migration increasingly vital
Europe’s savings debate should focus on the bigger picture
Contrary to common belief, savings do not flee Europe for the United States, but the EU could still do more to put its savings to work domestically
Plugging Europe’s investment gap: understanding the potential of leveraging institutional investors
Expanding funded pensions via auto-enrolment could boost long-term investment and saver security, allowing the EU to address its investment gap
Where do insurance firms and pension funds invest?
Europe needs long-term, patient capital to meet its investment needs. Where is the money going and how can policymakers help?
All work
Working paper
07 October 2025
The macroeconomic impact of ageing, EU immigration policy and pension expenditures
The EU faces ageing-driven fiscal strain, slower growth and rising pension costs, making employment-focused migration increasingly vital
First Glance
11 September 2025
Europe’s savings debate should focus on the bigger picture
Contrary to common belief, savings do not flee Europe for the United States, but the EU could still do more to put its savings to work domestically
Working paper
28 August 2025
Plugging Europe’s investment gap: understanding the potential of leveraging institutional investors
Expanding funded pensions via auto-enrolment could boost long-term investment and saver security, allowing the EU to address its investment gap
Podcast
16 July 2025
Where do insurance firms and pension funds invest?
Europe needs long-term, patient capital to meet its investment needs. Where is the money going and how can policymakers help?
Newsletter
12 May 2025
Policy Brief
27 March 2025
The demographic divide: inequalities in ageing across the European Union
Demographic changes will pose challenges to all EU countries, but not in a uniform way
Policy Brief
23 January 2025
Prepare now: Europe must get ready for the coming long-term care surge
In many countries, demand for long-term care services outpaces supply, leading to a ‘care gap’
Working paper
17 December 2024
Long-term care policies in practice: a European perspective
A comprehensive study of the long-term care (LTC) systems in Germany, France, Slovenia, Italy and Denmark
Memo
04 September 2024
Analysis
08 July 2024
The European Investment Bank can afford to take more risks
Significant reserves built up through decades of profit-making should enable the bank to absorb volatility of riskier investments