C. Fred Bergsten

C. Fred Bergsten (born April 23, 1941) is an American economist, author, think tank entrepreneur, and policy adviser. He has served as assistant for international economic affairs to Henry Kissinger within the National Security Council and as assistant secretary for international affairs at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He was the founding director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, until 2006 the Institute for International Economics, which he established in 1981 and led through 2012. In addition to his academic work, he has been an influential public commentator and advisor to the American and global economic policy community, writing for influential periodicals such as Foreign Affairs magazine and by writing numerous books.

Education and career Bergsten received a BA from Central Methodist University, during which time he was valedictorian of his class and a championship debater, and then earned MA, MALD, and PhD degrees from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He was a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations from 1967 to 1968. In 1969 he became assistant for international economic affairs to Henry Kissinger at the National Security Council where he coordinated US foreign economic policy until 1971. From 1972 to 1976 he was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

From 1977 to 1981 he served at the U.S. Treasury Department as Assistant Secretary for International Affairs during the Carter administration.

Personal life Bergsten is married to Virginia Wood Bergsten. They have one son who is a doctor.