After earning his PhD, Karahan started his professional career as an economist at the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He was the head of the labor and product market department and advisor for monetary politics until 2022. He taught as an adjunct professor at
Columbia University and
New York University in 2022. Karahan became a senior economist at US-based
Amazon in 2022 and was appointed principal economist there in November the same year. His main research interests include labor market policies, and macroeconomic effects of income risk of the housing market and firm dynamics. In addition, Karahan’s research focused on the role of geographic mismatch in unemployment during the Great Recession (2008-2012), the persistence of income shocks over the life cycle, and the effect of skill returns on college premium. Prior to his appointment to the Central Bank, Karahan was reportedly considered for a deputy ministerial position under
Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek. In March 2025, Fatih Karahan was honored with the Foreign Policy Association Medal in recognition of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye’s efforts to enhance relations with international institutions and global central banks as well as to increase public awareness. == Personal life ==