Phil
Whittington

Phil Whittington combines a deep interest in policy and economics with a focus on how real decisions get made in practice. He cares about structuring problems so the assumptions and judgment that matter most are visible and manageable.

Phil has spent over a decade in senior roles at the New Zealand Treasury and Inland Revenue, most recently as Chief Economist and Policy Director at IRD, where he led economics, forecasting, and evaluation functions. He has worked closely with several Ministers of Finance and Revenue on major policy decisions.

Phil led the analytical work on the 2023 wealth tax proposal, leading the design work and assessing fiscal and economic impacts. He also advised the Tax Working Group on the design and economic effects of the 2020 capital gains tax proposal. He also led the Policy unit’s generative AI pilot, which built the evidence base for organisation-wide adoption.

Phil holds degrees in economics and law from Victoria University of Wellington and successfully completed the three CFA exams. He is known for his ability to cut through complications to identify key levers, and for translating analytical depth into advice that leaders can use: clear about trade-offs, honest about limits, and focused on the decision at the centre.