Max J. Zenglein is the Economy, Strategy and Finance Center Leader, Asia, and Asia Pacific Senior Economist at The Conference Board in Singapore. He joined the organization in July 2025. His research focuses on economic systems, industrial policy, labor markets, and the evolving dynamics of globalization and economic security.

Previously, Max served as Chief Economist at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin, where he led the institute’s economic research on China, specializing in macroeconomic trends, industrial policy, and foreign economic relations. Before that he worked in China as an economic analyst for the German Chamber of Commerce, where he was responsible for flagship reports on business confidence and labor market developments.

He has collaborated extensively with research partners across Asia, including in Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, and is experienced in delivering tailored economic analysis. His work is regularly cited by major media outlets, and he is a frequent speaker at corporate and government events.

Max is an economist having studied at University of New York at Buffalo, the Berlin School of Economics and Law, the University of Hong Kong and the University of Kassel, from where he holds a Ph.D.