This week, we speak with Christopher Whalen, an investment banker and former Federal Reserve researcher. He is the founder of Whalen Global Advisors, and the author of Inflated: How Money and Debt Built the American Dream, and most recently, Ford Men: From Inspiration to Enterprise.
Whalen grew up in D.C. — his father was a speechwriter for Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Both parents were politically active in the GOP at a time when the Capitol was a very Democratic town. He met and spent time with several Federal Reserve Chairman, including Arthur Burns, Paul Volcker and Alan Greenspan.
Early in his career, he worked at the Federal Reserve, eventually rising to supervisor of Citibanks international credit. He was in the Investment Banking and Fixed Income departments of Bear Stearsn before launching his own firm.
Whalen explains some of the mechanics of how the Federal Reserve provides both credit and liquidity to the fixed income markets. Whalen is concerned that a third or more people who have requested a forbearance on the current mortgage will ultimately default.
His favorite books are here; A transcript of our conversation will be available here Monday.
You can stream and download our full conversation, including the podcast extras, on Apple iTunes, Spotify, Overcast, Google, Bloomberg, and Stitcher. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here.
Next week, we speak with Jim Chanos, famed short seller and founder Kynikos Associates. Chanos helped to expose a number of financial frauds, most famously Enron, Baldwin-United, and Drexel Burnham.
Christopher Whalen’s Authored Books
Inflated: How Money and Debt Built the American Dream by Christopher Whalen
Ford Men: From Inspiration to Enterprise by Christopher Whalen
Financial Stability: Fraud, Confidence and the Wealth of Nations by Frederick Feldcamp and Christopher Whalen
Christopher Whalen’s Favorite Books
Dark Towers: Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump, and an Epic Trail of Destruction by David Enrich
Banker’s Life by Moore George
1984 by George Orwell
Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice by Bill Browder
