Vipin Arora was named the new Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, bringing decades of economic experience to the post. His new status is effective immediately.
Before joining BEA, Dr. Arora was acting Deputy Assistant Director of the Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate at the National Science Foundation (NSF). He also served as Deputy Director of the NSF’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics.
At BEA, Dr. Arora oversees the production of closely watched official economic statistics, including gross domestic product (GDP), that provide an objective and timely picture of the U.S. economy.
"I am pleased to have Dr. Arora leading the BEA. He brings a wealth of knowledge and wide-ranging experience in economic analysis, statistical operations, and data dissemination at a time when the American public relies more than ever on trusted economic data,” said Jed Kolko, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Commerce Department, in making the announcement.
BEA Deputy Director Mary Bohman had been running the Bureau in an acting capacity since March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. She took on that role after BEA Director Brian Moyer departed to become Director of the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One of the federal government’s leading statistical agencies, the non-partisan BEA produces essential data used by business leaders, policymakers, and Americans to make informed decisions. BEA, part of the Commerce Department, produces national statistics, state and local data, foreign trade and investment statistics, and industry data. BEA also produces detailed data on outdoor recreation, the marine economy, the digital economy, and other topics.
At the NSF’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Dr. Arora directed data analysis, information dissemination, operations, human capital management, and multiple special projects. Before joining the NSF, Dr. Arora led economic analysis at the U.S. Energy Information Administration. He also served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army and an analyst at the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Dr. Arora holds a Ph.D. in economics from the Australian National University, a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University, and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois.