Frank Martin-Buck, PhD
Experienced economist skilled at quickly assessing new and unfamiliar issues, producing reliable analyses under tight timeframes, and communicating complex ideas to non-technical audiences.
Professional Experience
Litigation Support & Economic Consulting
Senior Economist
Cornerstone Research
August 2025 – Present
- Conduct economic research in support of litigation in consumer finance, antitrust, and consumer product liability
- Lead teams of junior staff to produce rigorous analyses, presentations, and reports for attorney clients
- Leverage AI tools including LLMs to accelerate research and coding processes
- Review academic literature in economics, marketing, and consumer behavior to support expert analyses
Senior Consultant
Bates White Economic Consulting
October 2011 – April 2013
- Estimated overcharges by a major energy firm during the California energy crisis, serving as primary client contact and writing expert reports
- Built Python models to simulate mortgage-backed security payment waterfalls to estimate investor harm
- Combined data from dozens of asbestos-injury settlements to assess total compensation received by individuals
Staff Analyst
ApplEcon Economic Consulting
November 2007 – August 2010
- Assessed anticompetitive harm from restrictive licensing of mainframe operating system software
- Led team gathering data on advertising firm contracts, resulting in a $500 million judgment in client's favor
- Analyzed video game pricing data to identify anticompetitive effects of exclusive licensing arrangements
Government & Regulatory Experience
Enforcement Economist
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
June 2024 – August 2025
- Led data and economic analysis for investigations and litigation from inception to resolution
- Created dozens of alternative damages methodologies using large datasets from major financial firms for settlement negotiations on tight timelines
- Combined disparate datasets from mortgage servicers to identify tens of millions in illegally-assessed interest
- Served as banking subject matter expert for other economists in their investigations
Senior Financial Economist
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
January 2018 – June 2024
- Researched risks to the U.S. economy and banking system, with focus on financial market vulnerabilities
- Served as expert in corporate debt and leveraged lending, authoring FDIC's annual Risk Review publication and regularly briefing the FDIC board
- Designed Monte Carlo simulations to assess impact of economic scenarios on bank solvency and capital levels
- Collaborated with Federal Reserve and OCC officials to develop annual bank stress testing scenarios
Acting Section Chief
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
August 2022 – December 2022
- Managed a team of seven PhD economists and two student interns responsible for academic research and analytical models
- Developed feedback and performance plans for each staff member based on input from previous managers and coworkers
- Helped team members balance examination work with independent research to meet publication targets
Economist (Detail)
Federal Trade Commission
March 2022 – July 2022
- Analyzed medical device markets to determine potential anticompetitive effects of proposed mergers
- Examined large datasets from card payment networks to identify scope and effects of alleged violations
- Prepared written reports and recommendations on investigations for presentation to FTC commissioners
Education
Ph.D. Economics
University of Texas at Austin
2017
Dissertation: "Driving Safety: Empirical Analyses of Alternative Transportation's Effect on Drunk Driving"
M.S. Economics
University of Texas at Austin
2015
B.A. Economics
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
2007
Awards and Honors
-
Executive Potential Program Graduate
Competitive year-long leadership training program. Produced a report on best practices for hybrid work environments, presented to senior FDIC leadership to inform their shift from remote to hybrid.
- FDIC Mission Achievement Award, 2021
Research & Publications
Ridesharing and Alcohol-Related Crime
Empirical analysis examining the relationship between ridesharing services and alcohol-related criminal activity.
Read PaperLate-Night Bus Study
Research on the impact of late-night public transportation on drunk driving and public safety.
Read PaperRapid Transit Study
Analysis of rapid transit systems and their effects on alternative transportation usage and safety outcomes.
Read PaperLeveraged Lending and Corporate Borrowing
Examination of leveraged lending practices and their implications for corporate borrowing markets.
Read Paper