Peter Orszag is an American economist, financial executive, and former senior government official whose career has connected economics, public policy, healthcare, federal budgeting, and global finance. In 2026, he serves as CEO and Chairman of Lazard, one of the world’s major financial advisory and asset management firms.
Before reaching the top position at Lazard, Orszag held two of the most influential economic policy positions in Washington. He served as Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) from January 2007 to November 2008 and later became Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) during the Obama administration.
His career also includes work in the Clinton administration, academia, economic research, and the private financial sector. He joined Lazard in 2016 and eventually became CEO of its Financial Advisory business before being named CEO of the entire firm in 2023. His role expanded to CEO and Chairman in January 2025.
This Peter Orszag Biography 2026 explains his age, education, early career, government service, Lazard leadership, wife, family, professional achievements, and current work.
Peter Orszag Biography at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Peter Richard Orszag |
| Born | December 16, 1968 |
| Age in 2026 | 57 |
| Birthplace | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Profession | Economist and Financial Executive |
| Current Position | CEO and Chairman of Lazard |
| Lazard CEO Since | October 2023 |
| Lazard Chairman Since | January 2025 |
| Education | Princeton University and London School of Economics |
| CBO Director | 2007–2008 |
| OMB Director | 2009–2010 |
| Wife | Bianna Golodryga |
| Known For | Economics, fiscal policy, healthcare policy, government service, and finance |
Lazard’s current leadership information confirms that Orszag remains both CEO and Chairman in 2026.
Who Is Peter Orszag?
Peter Orszag is an economist who has spent much of his career studying how government policy, economic conditions, healthcare costs, and financial decisions affect individuals, businesses, and institutions.
His professional path is unusual because it crosses several major fields. He worked in the Clinton administration, led the Congressional Budget Office, directed the Office of Management and Budget under President Barack Obama, worked in private finance, and later became the leader of Lazard.
His government career established him as a prominent voice on federal budgeting and healthcare economics. His later work in finance allowed him to apply that economic knowledge to corporations, governments, mergers, acquisitions, and strategic financial decisions.
Today, he leads Lazard at a time when companies and governments face complicated issues involving interest rates, geopolitics, technology, regulation, inflation, and global markets.
Peter Orszag Age in 2026
Peter Orszag was born on December 16, 1968.
Therefore, he is 57 years old in 2026 and will turn 58 on December 16, 2026.
His age is particularly interesting when viewed alongside his career. He entered professional life as an economist and researcher, moved into senior government positions, and eventually became the CEO and Chairman of a global financial firm.
Rather than following a single career path, Orszag gradually expanded his expertise from economics and public policy into corporate finance and executive leadership.
Peter Orszag Early Life
Peter Richard Orszag was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts.
His family had a strong academic background. His father, Steven Orszag, was a prominent mathematician, while his mother, Reba Orszag, was involved in business and research.
Growing up around academic work helped give Orszag an early exposure to analytical thinking. However, he eventually chose economics rather than mathematics as his primary field.
His interest in economics later developed into a career focused on the practical relationship between research and public policy.
Peter Orszag Education
Education has been an important part of Peter Orszag’s career.
He attended Phillips Exeter Academy before entering Princeton University. At Princeton, he studied economics and graduated summa cum laude. Lazard confirms that he later earned his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics as a Marshall Scholar.
His education gave him a strong foundation in economic theory, public finance, and policy analysis.
Princeton University
Orszag earned his undergraduate degree in economics from Princeton University.
His academic work already showed an interest in government institutions and economic policy. His undergraduate research examined congressional oversight of the Federal Reserve.
That interest became relevant throughout his later career because monetary policy, federal budgeting, and economic decision-making became recurring themes in his professional work.
London School of Economics
After Princeton, Orszag studied at the London School of Economics as a Marshall Scholar.
He earned advanced degrees in economics and completed his Ph.D. there. Lazard identifies the London School of Economics as the institution where he earned his Ph.D.
His graduate education strengthened his research skills and prepared him for work in economic policy and government.
Peter Orszag Career Timeline
Peter Orszag’s career can be summarized through several major stages:
| Period | Career Milestone |
| Early career | Economic research and public policy |
| Clinton administration | Council of Economic Advisers and White House economic policy |
| 2007–2008 | Director of the Congressional Budget Office |
| 2009–2010 | Director of the Office of Management and Budget |
| After government | Private-sector financial and economic advisory work |
| 2016 | Joined Lazard |
| 2019 | Became CEO of Lazard Financial Advisory |
| 2023 | Became CEO of Lazard |
| 2025 | Became CEO and Chairman |
| 2026 | Continues as Lazard CEO and Chairman |
Lazard’s official biography confirms his progression from government service to Lazard leadership.
Peter Orszag and the Clinton Administration
Before joining the Obama administration, Peter Orszag worked in the Clinton administration.
He served at the Council of Economic Advisers and later worked as a Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy. Lazard lists these positions among his major government roles.
This experience gave him an early opportunity to work directly on national economic issues.
It also helped establish a pattern that continued throughout his career: combining economic research with practical policy decisions.
Peter Orszag as CBO Director
One of the most important steps in Peter Orszag’s career was becoming Director of the Congressional Budget Office.
He served from January 18, 2007, through November 25, 2008. The CBO’s official history confirms these dates.
The Congressional Budget Office provides Congress with objective analysis of economic and budgetary issues. Its work can influence debates about taxes, government spending, deficits, healthcare, and other federal policies.
Orszag led the agency during an especially important period in the U.S. economy.
Peter Orszag and the 2008 Financial Crisis
Orszag was CBO director during the period surrounding the 2008 financial crisis.
The economic environment was changing rapidly, and lawmakers faced difficult decisions about financial stability, federal spending, and economic recovery.
CBO analysis during his leadership covered major issues affecting the federal budget and the broader economy. For example, Orszag signed CBO analysis concerning the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.
The CBO later praised his leadership for maintaining objective and nonpartisan analysis while expanding attention to subjects such as healthcare and climate change.
Peter Orszag and the Obama Administration
In late 2008, President-elect Barack Obama announced Orszag’s nomination to become Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Orszag resigned from the CBO in November 2008 to take on the new role. His own final CBO blog entry confirms that transition.
He became OMB director in January 2009.
This was a major responsibility because the OMB plays an important role in the federal budget process and in coordinating management and policy across the executive branch.
Peter Orszag’s OMB Work
As OMB director, Orszag worked on federal spending, fiscal policy, economic analysis, and the administration’s broader budget strategy.
The timing was challenging. The Obama administration entered office during the aftermath of the financial crisis and a severe economic downturn.
His background at the CBO gave him direct experience with federal budget analysis before he moved into the executive branch.
Peter Orszag and Healthcare Policy
Healthcare policy has been another important part of Peter Orszag’s career.
At the CBO, he emphasized the long-term fiscal impact of rising healthcare costs. The agency’s farewell statement specifically highlighted his work on healthcare and the long-term fiscal threat associated with rising healthcare spending.
His healthcare expertise also became relevant during the Obama administration, when healthcare reform was a major national policy issue.
Rather than looking at healthcare only as a medical subject, Orszag approached it from an economic and fiscal perspective.
That approach focused on questions such as how healthcare costs affect government budgets and how policy changes could influence long-term spending.
Why Peter Orszag Left Government
Orszag’s government career ended after his service as OMB director.
His departure did not mark the end of his involvement in economics or public policy. Instead, he moved toward private-sector work where his knowledge could be applied to financial and strategic decisions.
This transition eventually led him to Lazard.
His career demonstrates how expertise developed inside government can later become valuable in corporate finance and financial advisory work.
Peter Orszag Financial Career
After leaving government, Orszag moved into the financial sector.
He worked at Citigroup, where he took on senior responsibilities involving investment banking and economic strategy.
This period was important because it marked a shift from primarily advising governments and policymakers to working more directly with businesses and financial institutions.
His knowledge of economics and public policy gave him a different perspective from a traditional investment banker.
He could evaluate not only financial figures but also the economic, regulatory, and policy environment surrounding major decisions.
Peter Orszag Joins Lazard
Peter Orszag joined Lazard in 2016.
Lazard’s official biography states that he joined the firm that year and later became CEO of its Financial Advisory business.
His arrival brought government, economics, and financial expertise into one of the world’s best-known financial advisory firms.
At Lazard, he worked on strategic and financial matters involving corporations and governments.
His responsibilities expanded over time.
Peter Orszag as Lazard Financial Advisory CEO
Before becoming CEO of the entire firm, Orszag led Lazard’s Financial Advisory business.
This was a major step because Financial Advisory is central to Lazard’s work with companies and governments.
Lazard provides advice on areas including mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, capital raising, and other strategic financial matters.
Orszag’s experience in economics and government policy complemented this work.
It also positioned him to take on broader leadership responsibilities at Lazard.
Peter Orszag Becomes Lazard CEO
Peter Orszag became CEO of Lazard in October 2023.
Lazard’s official biography and Orszag’s own FAQ confirm that he took the CEO role at that time.
His appointment represented the latest stage in a career that had already included academia, government, economic research, and investment banking.
Lazard was also celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2023, making the leadership transition especially significant for the firm.
Peter Orszag Becomes Chairman
In November 2024, Lazard announced that Orszag would become Chairman of the Board, effective January 1, 2025.
That meant his role expanded from CEO to CEO and Chairman.
This remains his position in 2026.
Lazard’s current leadership page lists Peter Orszag as CEO and Chairman, while the company’s 2025 annual letter, published in April 2026, is also signed by him in those roles.
Peter Orszag Current Role in 2026
As of 2026, Peter Orszag is the CEO and Chairman of Lazard.
His responsibilities include helping guide the firm’s global strategy and working with clients on complex financial and strategic issues.
Lazard’s business includes financial advisory and asset management, with advisory work covering mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, capital solutions, and other strategic matters.
Orszag has also remained active in economic discussions.
In January 2026, he appeared at the World Economic Forum in Davos and discussed the economy, geopolitical trends, tariffs, and U.S. inflation risks.
This illustrates how his role continues to combine finance with his long-standing interest in economics and public policy.
Peter Orszag and Lazard’s 2030 Strategy
As Lazard CEO and Chairman, Orszag has also been involved in the firm’s long-term strategy.
Lazard’s Lazard 2030 plan focuses on the firm’s future growth, relevance, revenue, returns, culture, and use of technology such as artificial intelligence.
This is important to understanding what Peter Orszag does today.
His role is not simply about overseeing individual financial transactions. He also has responsibility for shaping the long-term direction of the company.
Peter Orszag Wife
Peter Orszag is married to Bianna Golodryga, a journalist associated with CNN.
Lazard’s official biography confirms that Orszag is married to Golodryga.
Golodryga has built her own career in journalism and international affairs.
Because both have prominent professional careers, they are occasionally mentioned together in public sources. However, they generally keep many details of their private family life away from the public spotlight.
Peter Orszag Children and Family
Peter Orszag has a family that includes children, but detailed information about his children is not a major part of his public professional biography.
For that reason, it is better not to repeat unverified claims about individual family members.
Reliable public sources focus primarily on Orszag’s professional life and his marriage to Bianna Golodryga.
This approach also avoids turning a professional biography into speculation about private family matters.
Peter Orszag Professional Interests
Peter Orszag’s career has consistently revolved around several major subjects.
Economic Policy
Economic policy has been central to his work since his early career.
He has studied how government decisions affect economic growth, federal finances, and households.
Fiscal Policy
His positions at the CBO and OMB placed him directly in the world of federal budgets, spending, revenues, and deficits.
Healthcare Economics
Orszag has repeatedly focused on the economic impact of healthcare spending and healthcare policy.
Financial Markets
His move into banking and Lazard expanded his professional focus to financial markets, corporate transactions, and strategic finance.
Global Business
As Lazard’s CEO and Chairman, he now deals with global business conditions and the economic forces affecting companies and governments.
Peter Orszag Awards and Professional Recognition
Orszag’s professional recognition extends beyond government and finance.
Lazard identifies him as a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Aspen Economic Strategy Group.
He also serves on boards including the Institute for Advanced Study, the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and Mount Sinai Hospital.
These affiliations reflect the breadth of his interests in economics, healthcare, research, and international affairs.
Peter Orszag Achievements
Some of the most important achievements in Peter Orszag’s career include:
- Serving as Director of the Congressional Budget Office
- Serving as Director of the Office of Management and Budget
- Advising the Clinton and Obama administrations
- Contributing to economic and healthcare policy discussions
- Leading Lazard’s Financial Advisory business
- Becoming CEO of Lazard in 2023
- Becoming Chairman of Lazard in 2025
- Continuing as CEO and Chairman in 2026
Together, these positions show the unusual range of his career.
He has moved from academic economics to government leadership and then into global finance.
Peter Orszag Net Worth in 2026
There is no reliable public source establishing Peter Orszag’s exact personal net worth in 2026.
Because he is the CEO and Chairman of a publicly traded financial company, information about Lazard executive compensation can be available through corporate filings. However, compensation is not the same thing as personal net worth.
For that reason, it would be misleading to present an exact net-worth figure from an unofficial estimate as fact.
Readers searching for Peter Orszag net worth should distinguish between verified compensation information and speculative wealth estimates.
Peter Orszag Salary and Compensation
Peter Orszag’s compensation as Lazard CEO can include multiple components rather than simply a fixed salary.
Executive compensation can involve base salary, annual incentives, stock awards, and other forms of compensation.
Because these figures can change annually, the most reliable place to check them is Lazard’s official regulatory disclosures rather than biography websites that publish unsupported estimates.
This distinction is important when researching Peter Orszag salary.
Peter Orszag Height
Peter Orszag’s height is not a major part of his verified professional biography, and a reliable primary source does not establish a specific height.
Therefore, an exact height should not be presented as fact simply because it appears on low-quality biography websites.
For an accurate Peter Orszag Biography 2026, career achievements and verified public information are more useful than unsupported physical statistics.
What Is Peter Orszag Known For?
Peter Orszag is best known for his work in economic policy, federal budgeting, healthcare economics, government service, and financial leadership.
His two major government positions are particularly important.
He was Director of the CBO before becoming Director of the OMB. His own biography notes that he is one of only two people who have served as both CBO director and OMB director, alongside Alice Rivlin.
He is now equally associated with Lazard, where he serves as CEO and Chairman.
What Makes Peter Orszag’s Career Unique?
The strongest feature of Peter Orszag’s career is its combination of public policy and private finance.
Many economists spend their careers in academia or government. Others move directly into banking.
Orszag has worked across both worlds.
His government experience taught him how policy decisions are made and evaluated. His financial career exposed him to corporate strategy, capital markets, and global business.
That combination is particularly valuable in an environment where business decisions are increasingly affected by government policy, regulation, geopolitics, and economic conditions.
Peter Orszag Biography 2026: Key Takeaways
The most important facts about Peter Orszag in 2026 are:
- He was born on December 16, 1968.
- He is 57 years old in 2026.
- He studied economics at Princeton University.
- He earned his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics.
- He served as CBO Director from 2007 to 2008.
- He served as OMB Director during the Obama administration.
- He joined Lazard in 2016.
- He became Lazard CEO in October 2023.
- He became Chairman in January 2025.
- He remains CEO and Chairman in 2026.
- He is married to Bianna Golodryga.
- His career combines economics, government policy, healthcare analysis, and global finance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Peter Orszag in 2026?
Peter Orszag is 57 years old in 2026. He was born on December 16, 1968.
What is Peter Orszag’s current job?
Peter Orszag is the CEO and Chairman of Lazard. He became CEO in October 2023 and his role expanded to CEO and Chairman in January 2025.
Is Peter Orszag still CEO of Lazard in 2026?
Yes. Lazard’s current leadership information identifies Peter Orszag as CEO and Chairman in 2026.
Who is Peter Orszag’s wife?
Peter Orszag is married to Bianna Golodryga of CNN, according to Lazard’s official biography.
What did Peter Orszag do before joining Lazard?
Before joining Lazard, Orszag held senior positions in government and finance. He served as Director of the CBO, Director of the OMB, and worked in the Clinton administration. He also worked in the private financial sector.
Was Peter Orszag the Director of the Congressional Budget Office?
Yes. He served as CBO Director from January 18, 2007, to November 25, 2008.
What did Peter Orszag do in the Obama administration?
He served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget during President Barack Obama’s administration.
Where did Peter Orszag study?
He studied at Princeton University and later earned his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics as a Marshall Scholar.
What is Peter Orszag known for?
He is known for his work as an economist, CBO director, OMB director, healthcare policy expert, financial adviser, and Lazard executive.
What is Peter Orszag’s net worth?
His exact personal net worth in 2026 is not reliably established by a primary public source. Unverified internet estimates should not be treated as confirmed figures.
What is Peter Orszag’s salary?
His complete annual compensation can include salary, incentives, and equity awards. The most reliable figures come from Lazard’s official corporate filings rather than unofficial biography sites.
Conclusion
Peter Orszag’s biography is a story of academic economics, public service, fiscal policy, healthcare analysis, and global finance. Born in Boston in 1968, Orszag developed an early interest in economics and went on to study at Princeton University and the London School of Economics. His academic background eventually led him into government, where he became Director of the Congressional Budget Office and later Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
His career changed direction after government. He entered the financial sector and joined Lazard in 2016. Over the following years, he took on increasingly senior responsibilities, eventually becoming CEO of Lazard in 2023. In January 2025, Lazard expanded his role to CEO and Chairman, a position he continues to hold in 2026.
I am Lucas Martin, a passionate digital content creator and website author at nameszly.com. I am focused on writing helpful, clear, and engaging content that makes complex topics easy to understand for readers. I am dedicated to providing valuable information that helps visitors learn something new in a simple and practical way. I am always exploring new ideas and improving my writing to deliver high-quality content that builds trust with readers.
