Jürgen Matthes heads the research unit International Economics and Economic Outlook at the Cologne Institute for Economic Research (Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln - IW Köln), the largest privately financed economic think tank in Germany. Before taking this position in 2015, he held several positions in the IW Köln which he joined in 1995. His economic studies were undertaken in Dortmund and Dublin (1988-1995). He has published on a wide range of issues such as EMU, trade policy, the globalization debate, international competitiveness, structural change and particularly on Germany's export model.