{{Short description|New Zealand economist}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=December 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Sir Alan Roberts Low''' (11 January 1916 – 18 April 1999) was a New Zealand economist. He was the fifth governor of the Reserve Bank.
==Early life== Low was born in Blenheim in 1916, the son of Benjamin Low.<ref name="Who's Who">{{cite book |title=Who's Who in New Zealand, 1978 |last=Traue |first=James Edward |year=1978 |edition=11th |publisher=Reed Publishing |location=Wellington |page=172}}</ref> His father became headmaster of Timaru Main School and Alan Low attended there before going to Timaru Boys' High School.<ref name="TDC bio">{{cite web|title=Sir Alan Low |url=https://www.timaru.govt.nz/community/our-district/hall-of-fame/category-three/sir-alan-low |publisher=Timaru District Council|accessdate=29 July 2015}}</ref> He then attended the University of Canterbury (1934–1937) and graduated with a Master of Arts (honours) in economics.<ref name="TDC bio" />
Low served in WWII from 1942 to 1944, and belonged to the 24th Field Ambulance of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force.<ref name="Who's Who" /><ref name="TDC bio" />
==Professional career== Low joined the Reserve Bank in 1938. He became assistant economist in 1949, economic adviser in 1951, assistant governor in 1960, and deputy governor (under Gilbert Wilson) in 1962.<ref name="Who's Who" /> Low was Governor of the Reserve Bank from 21 July 1967 to 11 February 1977.<ref>{{cite web|title=Governors of the Reserve Bank - past and present |url=http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/about_us/management_and_board/0092786.html |publisher=Reserve Bank |accessdate=28 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828163156/http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/about_us/management_and_board/0092786.html |archivedate=28 August 2013 }}</ref> Low was a member of various New Zealand delegations to international conferences, including Havana (Cuba, 1947/48), Annecy (France, 1949), London (Great Britain, 1951), and Sydney (Australia, 1954).<ref name="Who's Who" /> He published various articles in economic journals.<ref name="Who's Who" /> He was a director of the National Bank of New Zealand.<ref name="TDC bio" />
==Honours and awards== In the 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours, Low was appointed a Knight Bachelor.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=47237 |date=11 June 1977 |page=7127 |supp=4}}</ref> In the same year, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Canterbury (LL.D.).<ref>{{cite web |title=Honorary Graduates |url=http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/theuni/council/Honorary%20Graduates/Annual_Recipient_List_2014.pdf |publisher=University of Canterbury |accessdate=14 June 2014 |pages=1–3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304040618/http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/theuni/council/Honorary%20Graduates/Annual_Recipient_List_2014.pdf |archive-date=2015-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Family== On 19 December 1940, he married Kathleen Harrow, the daughter of E. J. Harrow. They had one son and two daughters.<ref name="Who's Who" /> In 1978, the Lows lived in Lower Hutt.<ref name="Who's Who" /> His hobbies included music, gardening, and reading.<ref name="Who's Who" /> He died on 18 April 1999.<ref name="TDC bio" />
==References== {{Reflist}} {{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=Gilbert Wilson}} {{s-ttl|title=Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand|years=1967–1977}} {{s-aft|after=Raymond W. R. Knight}} {{s-end}} {{subject bar|auto=y|d=y|portal=New Zealand}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Low, Alan Roberts}} Category:1916 births Category:1999 deaths Category:People educated at Timaru Boys' High School Category:University of Canterbury alumni Category:New Zealand bankers Category:Governors of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Category:People from Lower Hutt Category:New Zealand Knights Bachelor Category:New Zealand public servants Category:New Zealand military personnel of World War II