Stanley Fischer, Influential Central Banker, Dies at 81

Stanley Fischer, an influential economist and central banker, died at 81 from complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. Fischer served as governor of the Bank of Israel from 2005 to 2013, leading the country through the 2008 global financial crisis, and as vice chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2017. He was the first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund during the 1990s and served as chief economist at the World Bank. As an MIT professor, he mentored future central banking leaders such as Ben Bernanke, Mario Draghi, and Kazuo Ueda. Born in Zambia, Fischer held both U.S. and Israeli citizenship and was widely recognized for his consensus-building and impact on global economic policy. He is survived by his three children; his wife Rhoda died in 2020.