Stefano Scarpetta, an Italian economist, has been appointed as the chief economist of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as announced in a recent statement by the agency. He succeeds Alvaro Santos Pereira, who has transitioned to the role of governor of the Bank of Portugal. Scarpetta's appointment is set to take effect on April 1. This role places him at the head of the OECD's Economic Department, a position he returns to after a long tenure within the organization where he began his career in 1991.