Aleš Michl

Michl earned his Ph.D. in finance from the Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE) in 2020, having graduated with a master's degree from the same institution in 2002.

Michl is an admirer of Alois Rašín,{{cite web |url=https://ekonom.cz/c1-67156050-pet-rasinovych-myslenek-ktere-pomohou-i-dnes |title=Pět Rašínových myšlenek, které pomohou i dnes |publisher=Economia |website=ekonom.cz|date=5 January 2023 |access-date=5 June 2024 |language=cs|orig-date=5 January 2023}} a key figure in the establishment of Czechoslovakia's economic policy and independent currency, and the first Czechoslovak Minister of Finance. He considers himself a monetarist and is an admirer of Milton Friedman's work.{{Cite news |last=Michl |first=Aleš |date=2022-03-28 |title=Jestřábi a holubice: Matematizace Shakespeara |work=Mladá fronta Dnes |page=8 |language=cs}}

Michl worked as an economic and investment strategist at Raiffeisenbank from 2006 to 2015.{{cite web |title=Aleš Michl – CNB Governor |url=https://www.cnb.cz/en/about_cnb/bank-board/current-members-of-the-cnb-bank-board/ales-michl/ |access-date=5 June 2024 |publisher=Czech National Bank}} He co-founded an algorithmic asset-management fund specialising in US stocks and the Czech money market. He later sold his share in the fund and ceased all investment activities due to his position at the Czech National Bank.{{Cite news |last=Pokorná |first=Zdislava |date=2024-08-26 |title=Michl se zbavil podílu v investičním fondu Quant, koupil ho Stuchlík |url=https://denikn.cz/1135732/michl-se-zbavil-podilu-v-investicnim-fondu-quant-koupil-ho-stuchlik/}} Additionally, from 2014 to 2018, he served as an external economic advisor to the Czech Ministry of Finance, focusing on macroeconomic analysis and government debt stabilisation. He has been a member of the Czech National Bank's Board since 1 December 2018.{{Cite news |date=2022-05-11 |title=Od července bude novým guvernérem ČNB Aleš Michl, chce stabilitu sazeb |url=https://www.ceskenoviny.cz/zpravy/2203552 |access-date=2024-08-26 |work=České noviny |language=cs}}

Michl was appointed Governor of the Czech National Bank (CNB) by the President of the Czech Republic, Miloš Zeman, effective from 1 July 2022, for a six-year term. Since assuming the role of governor, he has navigated the institution through a period of significant economic challenges. When Michl took office, inflation in the Czech Republic stood at a staggering 17.5%, peaking at 18% a few months later{{cite web |url=https://vdb.czso.cz/vdbvo2/faces/en/index.jsf?page=vystup-objekt&z=T&f=TABULKA&skupId=2218&katalog=31779&pvo=CEN08B3&pvo=CEN08B3&evo=v1877_!_CEN-SPO-MEZIR-EM_1 |title=Consumer price index according to ECOICOP - year-on-year index |website=Czech Statistical Unit |access-date=5 June 2024}} - the highest rate since the transition to a market economy in the 1990s.{{cite web |url=https://english.radio.cz/inflation-september-rose-18-percent-y-y-8763882 |title=Inflation in September rose to 18 percent y-on-y |publisher=Czech Radio |website=Radio Prague International |date=11 October 2022 |access-date=5 June 2024}} Additionally, the bank was dealing with the largest loss in its history,{{cite report |title=Roční zpráva o výsledku hospodaření České národní banky - 2022|publisher=Czech National Bank|url=https://www.cnb.cz/export/sites/cnb/cs/o_cnb/.galleries/hospodareni/download/cnb_vysledky_hospodareni_2022.pdf |language=cs}} prompting the need for rationalisation and cost-cutting measures.

In his speech upon being appointed Governor in mid-2022,{{Cite web |last=Michl |first=Aleš |date=2022-05-11 |title=Projev Aleše Michla při jmenování guvernérem |url=https://www.cnb.cz/cs/verejnost/servis-pro-media/vystoupeni-konference-seminare/prezentace-a-vystoupeni/Projev-Alese-Michla-pri-jmenovani-guvernerem/ |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=Česká národní banka |language=cs}}{{cite interview |interviewer=Jakub Svoboda |title=Aleš Michl: We have chosen stability |url=https://www.cnb.cz/en/public/media-service/interviews-articles/Ales-Michl-We-have-chosen-stability/ |access-date=5 June 2024 |website=Czech National Bank |publisher=Právo |date=7 August 2022}} Michl pledged to bring inflation under control within two years. He emphasised the need to maintain higher interest rates than those seen in the past decade, advocating for an economy driven by savings rather than debt. Under his leadership, the bank's strategy in combating inflation expanded to include a strong koruna policy, which reduced the cost of importing expensive raw materials at the time, and, in turn, helped lower inflation.{{Cite web |last=Michl |first=Aleš |date=2023-09-17 |title=The road to the target III |url=https://www.cnb.cz/en/public/media-service/speeches-conferences-seminars/presentations-and-speeches/The-road-to-the-target-III/ |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=Czech National Bank}} By spring 2023, the CNB had achieved the strictest monetary conditions in two decades, with the koruna reaching its strongest level in history.{{cite speech |url=https://www.cnb.cz/en/public/media-service/speeches-conferences-seminars/presentations-and-speeches/The-target/ |title=The target |website=Czech National Bank |access-date=5 June 2024 |first=Aleš |last=Michl |location=University of Pardubice, Pardubice |date=23 April 2024 |event=CNB Discussion Forum 2024}} In February and March 2024, the CNB successfully reduced year-on-year inflation to the target of 2%, a level not seen since December 2018.{{cite web |last=Laca |first=Peter |date=11 March 2024 |title=Czech Inflation Hits Goal in Support for Further Rapid Cuts |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-11/czech-inflation-slows-to-target-in-boost-for-more-rapid-cuts |access-date=5 June 2024 |website=Bloomberg}} This marked the restoration of price stability, fulfilling the bank's legal mandate. Michl has emerged as one of the first central bankers in Europe to deliver on this goal.{{Cite news |last=Laca |first=Peter |date=2024-06-19 |title=Czech Central Bank Chief Says No Victory Yet in Inflation Fight |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-19/czech-central-bank-chief-ales-michl-says-no-victory-yet-in-inflation-fight |access-date=2024-08-26 |work=Bloomberg}}

Under Michl's leadership, the CNB began purchasing gold and increasing the share of equities in its foreign exchange reserves. The goal of these actions is to enhance the expected return on the bank's assets so that, in the future, these returns will exceed the expected costs of liabilities, thereby enabling the bank to recover from its financial losses.

Additionally, under his leadership, the CNB reduced its workforce in 2023 for the first time in ten years, as Michl inherited an institution facing record operational expenditure growth. In response, a comprehensive rationalisation effort was undertaken in 2023, which included reducing the top management team from seventeen to fourteen directors and decreasing the total number of positions by 5.1% - the first such large-scale reduction in a decade.{{cite press release |title=Mzdy v ČNB porostou příští rok o 4,4 % |date=30 November 2023 |url=https://www.cnb.cz/cs/cnb-news/tiskove-zpravy/Mzdy-v-CNB-porostou-pristi-rok-onbsp44-/ |language=cs|access-date=5 June 2024 |publisher=Czech National Bank}}

For the first time in its history, the bank commissioned an external review of its monetary policy, the results were published in November 2024.{{Cite web |title=CNB publishes the results of the external review of its monetary policy analytical and modelling framework - Czech National Bank |url=https://www.cnb.cz/en/cnb-news/press-releases/CNB-publishes-the-results-of-the-external-review-of-its-monetary-policy-analytical-and-modelling-framework/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.cnb.cz}}

In January 2025, during a meeting of the bank's board, he commissioned an analysis to assess the feasibility of investing foreign exchange reserves into additional asset classes.{{Cite web |title=CNB to assess options for broadening investment to include other asset classes - Czech National Bank |url=https://www.cnb.cz/en/cnb-news/press-releases/CNB-to-assess-options-for-broadening-investment-to-include-other-asset-classes/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=www.cnb.cz}} The analysis will also explore the possibility of establishing a small test portfolio in Bitcoin.{{Cite news |last=Minder |first=Raphael |date=2025-01-29 |title=Czech central bank head wants it to buy billions of euros in bitcoin |url=https://www.ft.com/content/a3c06f8f-34ad-4065-bcf4-97670230824f |access-date=2025-02-03 |work=Financial Times}} Michl became the first governor of a central bank from a developed country to publicly discuss the potential of investing the bank’s reserves in Bitcoin. He emphasised that the idea remains in the stage of analysis and discussion.{{Cite web |last=Michl |first=Aleš |date=2025-01-30 |title=Tweet on X |url=https://x.com/MICHLiq_/status/1884976443190337956?mx=2 |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=X.com}} According to him, Bitcoin's value exhibits significant volatility, which complicates the use of its currently low correlation with other assets. Michl believes that the value of this cryptocurrency could reach either extreme in the future—zero or a significant high. In response, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde expressed her opposition to the idea of purchasing Bitcoin for reserves.{{Cite web |last=Canepa |first=Francesco |date=2025-01-30 |title=ECB's Lagarde slaps down Czech proposal for bitcoin reserves |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/ecbs-lagarde-slaps-down-czech-proposal-bitcoin-reserves-2025-01-30/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Reuters}}

• The Road to the Target I (Speech at the University of Economics and Business in Prague, Discussion on Inflation: The Road to the Target){{Cite web |last=Michl |first=Aleš |date=2023-05-16 |title=The road to the target |url=https://www.cnb.cz/en/public/media-service/speeches-conferences-seminars/presentations-and-speeches/The-road-to-the-target/ |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=Czech National Bank |place=Prague University of Economics and Business}}
• The Road to the Target II (Speech at the Assembly of Members of the Czech Banking Association){{Cite web |last=Michl |first=Aleš |date=2023-06-15 |title=The road to the target II |url=https://www.cnb.cz/en/public/media-service/speeches-conferences-seminars/presentations-and-speeches/The-road-to-the-target-II/ |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=Czech National Bank |place=Czech Banking Association, Prague}}
• Aleš Michl: The Current Level of Inflation Still Makes it Impossible to Lower Interest Rates (Speech delivered during the Discussion of the Financial Market Supervision Report for 2022 in the Senate of the Czech Republic){{Cite web |last=Michl |first=Aleš |date=2023-07-27 |title=Aleš Michl: The current level of inflation still makes it impossible to lower interest rates |url=https://www.cnb.cz/en/public/media-service/speeches-conferences-seminars/presentations-and-speeches/Ales-Michl-The-current-level-of-inflation-still-makes-it-impossible-to-lower-interest-rates/ |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=Czech National Bank |place=Senate of the Czech Republic, Prague}}
• The Road to the Target III (Speech at the Tomas Bata University in Zlín, Discussion on Inflation: The Road to the Target)
• The Target (The Governor's speech at the CNB Discussion Forum in Pardubice)
• Taming Inflation from 18 to 2% and Paving the Way for ESG Financing (Governor Aleš Michl's Address to the Central Banking Summer Meetings Conference in London){{Cite web |last=Michl |first=Aleš |date=2024-06-13 |title=Taming Inflation from 18 to 2% and Paving the Way for ESG Financing |url=https://www.cnb.cz/en/public/media-service/speeches-conferences-seminars/presentations-and-speeches/Taming-Inflation-from-18-to-2-and-Paving-the-Way-for-ESG-Financing/ |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=Czech National Bank |place=London}}

• MICHLiq - průvodce ekonomií a investicemi (A Guide to Economics and Investment), 2014{{Cite book |last=Michl |first=Aleš |title=MICHLiq: Inteligentní průvodce ekonomikou |publisher=R Media |year=2014 |isbn=978-80-905629-2-9 |location=Prague |language=cs |trans-title=A Guide to Economics and Investment}}
• Jestřábi a holubice (Hawks and Doves), 2019{{Cite book |last=Michl |first=Aleš |title=Jestřábi a holubice |publisher=Pragma |year=2019 |isbn=978-80-7617-917-2 |location=Prague |language=cs |trans-title=Hawks and Doves}}
• Reset ekonomiky (How to Reset the Economy), 2021{{Cite book |last=Michl |first=Aleš |title=Reset ekonomiky - Co nás čeká po covid-19? |publisher=Universum |year=2021 |isbn=978-80-242-7689-2 |location=Prague |language=cs |trans-title=How to Reset the Economy}}
• Matematické hádanky guvernéra ČNB (The CNB Governor's Mathematical Puzzles), 2024{{Cite book |last=Michl |first=Aleš |title=Matematické hádanky guvernéra ČNB |publisher=Universum |year=2024 |isbn=978-80-242-9579-4 |location=Prague |language=cs |trans-title=The CNB Governor's Mathematical Puzzles}}

• The Rushin Index: A Weekly Indicator of Czech Economic Activity, Tomáš Adam, Ondřej Michálek, Aleš Michl, Eva Slezáková{{cite journal |url=https://www.cnb.cz/export/sites/cnb/en/economic-research/.galleries/research_publications/cnb_wp/cnbwp_2021_04.pdf |title=The Rushin Index: A Weekly Indicator of Czech Economic Activity |first1=Tomáš |last1=Adam| first2=Ondřej |last2=Michálek |first3=Aleš |last3=Michl |first4=Eva | last4=Slezáková |date=14 September 2021 |journal=Czech National Bank}}
• Balancing Volatility and Returns in the Czech National Bank's Foreign Exchange Portfolio, Tomáš Adam, Aleš Michl, Michal Škoda{{cite journal |url=https://www.cnb.cz/export/sites/cnb/en/economic-research/.galleries/research_publications/irpn/download/rpn_1_2023.pdf |title=Balancing Volatility and Returns in the Czech National Bank's Foreign Exchange Portfolio |first1=Tomáš |last1=Adam |first2=Aleš |last2=Michl |first3=Michal |last3=Škoda |date=15 September 2023 |journal=Czech National Bank}}
• Money and Inflation: Lost Cointegration, Aleš Michl{{Cite journal |last=Michl |first=Aleš |date=2019-09-03 |title=Peníze a inflace: ztracená kointegrace |url=http://polek.vse.cz/artkey/pol-201904-0003_penize-a-inflace-ztracena-kointegrace.php |journal=Politická ekonomie|volume=67 |issue=4 |pages=385–405 |doi=10.18267/j.polek.1255|doi-access=free }}
• Ten Years Later: Lessons for DSGE Builders and Czech Policy Makers, Aleš MichlMICHL, Aleš. Ten Years Later: Lessons for DSGE Builders and Czech Policy Makers. Review of Economic Perspectives's Cover Image Review of Economic Perspectives. 2019, roč. 19, č. 3, s. 159 - 174
• New Euro Convergence Criteria, Aleš MichlMICHL, Aleš. New Euro Convergence Criteria. Online. Politická ekonomie. 2016, roč. 64, č. 6, s. 713-729. ISSN 0032-3233. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.18267/j.polek.1105. [cit. 2024-08-23]

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Category:1977 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Prague

Category:Prague University of Economics and Business alumni

Category:20th-century Czech economists

Category:21st-century Czech economists

Category:Governors of the Czech National Bank