David MAYES Obituary

An amazing lecturer and figurehead during my studies. Rest in peace

A source of friendship and advice in person and electronically for me for the past two decades, from my days as a graduate student to my time at the Federal Reserve Board. Always generous and encouraging, and a master at making one feel at home, at ease,and in good company at the numerous conferences at which we met over the years.

Although we came to see you on Waiheke Island last Friday, we would like to write some words for you. As your PhD students, we benefited immensely from your continuous support. You encouraged us to find solutions through our own efforts but were always in the background offering us encouragement. You not only involved yourself in our academic studies but also cared about us personally. You will always be remembered for your dedication and passion to academic teaching, research and service but for us, your PhD students, you will most often be remembered for your encouragement and dedication to our academic and personal success. What we achieve in the future will be in no small part due to you. You will always be missed and respected, Professor David Mayes.

Your PhD students at Auckland University Aria, Citra, Grace and Vu.

I'm saddened to hear about David. He was a wonderful person, a good friend, and a fine economist. The profession will miss him. The world needs more people like David.

"Although I do not remember the first time that we met, I remember very vividly his invitation to participate in a conference that he organised during his time at Bank of Finland in 2003. Ever since, David and I have been friends and coauthors of one of our most cited papers with Larry Wall on the design of an incentive compatible safety net for banks in Europe. Over the years, we both visited the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; participated in several international banking conferences at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; seminars organised by Central Banking Publications as well as other fora. David was not only a fabulous colleague of high intellectual capacity and a person of integrity but also a very good friend and supporter of my work. He will be missed."

I was shocked and saddened to hear of Davids passing. It came so quickly and unexpectedly. We were exchanging emails just three days before his death. My thoughts are with Davids wife Janet and their family.
Our paths crossed on a variety of occasions over the years. It has been a privilege to have known him and to have worked with him on academic projects. David was far ahead of his time when in April 2002 he organised a conference in Helsinki on bank insolvency and crisis management. At the time bank failure resolution was an obscure research topics. Now 15 years later it is core to the G20s agenda to end too big to fail and has become a regulatory discipline and research field in its own right. David made significant contributions and was there from the beginning.
I was looking forward to seeing him in Auckland in April 2018 together with many other colleagues from around the world at a symposium he was organizing. We shall miss him.
Eva Hüpkes, Financial Stability Board Secretariat, Basel, Switzerland
10th December 2017

I shall remember David as an academic of international standing; I shall also remember him as a modest, down-to-earth person with a big heart. Always impeccably dressed, composed (even in the most difficult situations) and gracious, David rose to every occasion, be it on the world stage or in New Zealand. I shall also remember his interesting and colourful ties David was no ordinary professor. He mentored and inspired many students and colleagues. To me he was a very dear friend. I shall miss him.

Hamba kahle, David

Farewell David,

I never got to thank-you personally for all you did in helping start my career and the trust you showed in me sending me to your beloved Bank of Finland. I will always be appreciative of this, and your kindness towards me.

Peter