Simon’s earlier professional experience includes working for the Victorian Government in New York City, with responsibility for attraction of foreign direct investment to Victoria and assisting Victorian exporters. He has also worked at the Reserve Bank of Australia as a research economist and US and China country expert; the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, DC; and the Australian Productivity Commission.
Simon holds a PhD and an Honours Degree of the Bachelor of Economics from Monash University. His PhD thesis, published as The Rise and Fall of Monetary Targeting in Australia (2005), received rave reviews.
Simon was a Cub Scout leader for ten years.
Simon enjoys the outdoors, cooking and books, and spending time with his two young children. He agrees with the assessment that ‘Flying High’ is the greatest comedy of all time.