The Future of Energy

Jerry Nickelsburg joined the UCLA Anderson School of Management and the UCLA Anderson Forecast in 2006. Since 2017, he has served as faculty director of the Forecast. He earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Minnesota, specializing in monetary economics and econometrics.

Nickelsburg plays a key role in the economic modeling and forecasting of the national, California and regional economic forecasts. He researches labor economics, industrial organization, statistics and international monetary economics, focusing on the development of new data and the application of economic theory and statistical methods to sector-specific policy issues. His current research encompasses transportation and environmental economics, and the relationships between highly skilled persons and their demand for social insurance. He has conducted special studies into the future of manufacturing in Los Angeles, the economic impact of the writers’ strike, the undocumented construction and manufacturing labor force, and the garment industry.

Formerly a professor of economics at the University of Southern California, Nickelsburg held executive positions with McDonnell Douglas, FlightSafety International and FlightSafety Boeing during a 15-year span in the aviation business. He developed forecasting tools for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and has advised banks, investors and financial institutions. From 2000 to 2006, he was the managing principal of Deep Blue Economics, a consulting firm he founded.

Nickelsburg teaches economics in UCLA Anderson’s MBA program, with a focus on business forecasting and international business economics. He travels regularly with students to Asia as professor and advisor in their global immersion courses.

Nickelsburg is cited by the national media, with frequent mentions in the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Reuters. He has published more than 100 scholarly and popular articles on economic policy, monetary economics, statistics, labor economics and industrial organization, and he is the author of two books on monetary economics and exchange rates.

Michael K. (Mike) Wirth, 61, is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Chevron Corporation. He was elected to these positions by Chevron’s board of directors in September 2017 and assumed the roles on February 1, 2018.

Prior to his current role, Wirth served as vice chairman of the board in 2017 and executive vice president of Midstream & Development for Chevron Corporation from 2016 – 2018. In that role, he was responsible for supply and trading, shipping, pipeline and power operating units, as well as corporate strategy; business development; and policy, government and public affairs.

Wirth was executive vice president of Downstream & Chemicals from 2006 to 2015. Prior to that, he served as president of Global Supply and Trading from 2003 to 2006. Wirth serves on the board of directors of Catalyst, the board of directors and executive committee of the American Petroleum Institute, and the executive committee of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum. He is also a member of The Business Council, the National Petroleum Council, the Business Roundtable, the American Society of Corporate Executives, and the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable.

In 2001, Wirth was named president of Marketing for Chevron’s Asia/Middle East/Africa business, based in Singapore. He also served on the board of directors for Caltex Australia Limited and GS Caltex Corporation in South Korea.

Wirth serves on the board of directors of Catalyst, the board of directors and executive committee of the American Petroleum Institute, and the executive committee of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum. He is also a member of The Business Council, the National Petroleum Council, the Business Roundtable, the American Society of Corporate Executives, and the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable.

Wirth joined Chevron in 1982 as a design engineer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Colorado in 1982.