Who Is Lawrence Summers? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Lawrence Summers, born on November 30, 1954, is an influential American economist and government official, widely recognized for his contributions to both academia and public policy. As of 2025, he is 70 years old. Over the years, Summers has held significant positions, including serving as the U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton and as the President of Harvard University. His work has primarily focused on macroeconomics, public finance, and international economics, playing a pivotal role in shaping economic policies in the U.S. and globally.
| Occupation | Presidents |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | November 30, 1954 |
| Age | 70 Years |
| Birth Place | New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
Lawrence Summers's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Lawrence Summers stands at approximately 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall and weighs around 160 lbs (73 kg). Although specific body measurements are less public, his stature and presence have always been notable in both academic and political circles.
In an October 2001 meeting, Summers criticized African American Studies department head Cornel West for allegedly missing three weeks of classes to work on the Bill Bradley presidential campaign and complained that West was contributing to grade inflation. Summers also claimed that West's "rap" album was an "embarrassment" to the university.
West pushed back strongly against the accusations. "The hip-hop scared him. It's a stereotypical reaction", he said later.
West, who later called Summers both "uninformed" and "an unprincipled power player" in describing this encounter in his book Democracy Matters (2004), subsequently returned to Princeton University, where he had taught prior to Harvard University.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
As of 2025, Lawrence Summers is known to be in a committed relationship, though specific details about his boyfriend have not been publicly disclosed. He has generally kept his personal life private; previously, he was married to Victoria Guida from 1973 until their divorce in 1990. They share three children, reflecting Summers' role as both a dedicated professional and a family man.
Following the end of Clinton's term, Summers served as the 27th president of Harvard University from 2001 to 2006.
Summers resigned as Harvard's president in the wake of a no-confidence vote by Harvard faculty, which resulted in large part from Summers's conflict with Cornel West, financial conflict of interest questions regarding his relationship with Andrei Shleifer, and a 2005 speech in which he offered three reasons for the under-representation of women in
science and engineering, including the possibility that there exists a "different availability of aptitude at the high end", in addition to patterns of discrimination and socialization.
Net Worth and Salary
Lawrence Summers has amassed a substantial net worth over his extensive career, estimated to be around $50 million in 2025. His earnings come from various sources, including his roles in government, academia, and as a consultant. Summers is known to command high speaking fees due to his expertise and reputation in economic policy.
In December 1991, while at the World Bank, Summers signed a memo that was leaked to the press. Lant Pritchett has claimed authorship of the private memo, which both he and Summers say was intended as sarcasm.
The memo stated that "the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that. ... I've always thought that under-populated countries in Africa are vastly underpolluted." According to Pritchett, the memo, as leaked, was doctored to remove context and intended irony.
Career, Business, and Investments
Throughout his career, Lawrence Summers has made significant contributions to economic policy, having served in various important roles. After his time as Treasury Secretary, he transitioned into academia, becoming a professor at Harvard University. Summers has also been involved in numerous business ventures and investments, including serving on the boards of several major companies and financial institutions. His insights on economic issues have made him a sought-after advisor for both private firms and governmental organizations.
Lawrence Henry Summers (born November 30, 1954) is an American economist who served as United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1999 to 2001 and as the director of the National Economic Council from 2009 to 2010. He also served as president of Harvard University from 2001 to 2006, where he is the Charles W.
Eliot University Professor and director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at Harvard Kennedy School. In November 2023, Summers joined the board of directors of artificial general intelligence company OpenAI.
Social Network
Lawrence Summers maintains a professional presence on various social media platforms, including Twitter and LinkedIn, where he shares insights on economic trends, policy analysis, and scholarly articles. His social network serves as a platform for engaging with fellow economists, policymakers, and the public, further extending his influence.
Summers became a professor of economics at Harvard University in 1983. He left Harvard in 1991, working as the Chief Economist of the World Bank from 1991 to 1993. In 1993, Summers was appointed Under Secretary for International Affairs of the United States Department of the Treasury under President Bill Clinton's administration.
In 1995, he was promoted to Deputy Secretary of the Treasury under his long-time political mentor Robert Rubin. In 1999, he succeeded Rubin as Secretary of the Treasury.
While working for the Clinton administration, Summers played a leading role in the American response to the 1994 economic crisis in Mexico, the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and the 1998 Russian financial crisis.
He was also influential in the Harvard Institute for International Development and American-advised privatization of the economies of the post-Soviet states, and in the deregulation of the U.S. financial system, including the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act.
Education
Summers' educational background is robust. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College in 1975, graduating summa cum laude. He then went on to earn a PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1982. His academic prowess laid a foundation for his impressive career and established him as a leading figure in economic discourse.
He was the son of two economists, Robert Summers (who changed the family surname from Samuelson) and Anita Summers (of Romanian-Jewish ancestry), who were both professors at the University of Pennsylvania.
He is also the nephew of two Nobel laureates in economics: Paul Samuelson (brother of Robert Summers) and Kenneth Arrow (brother of Anita Arrow Summers). He spent most of his childhood in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, where he attended Harriton High School.
