David Benatia is an associate professor in the Department of Applied Economics at HEC Montréal and an associate editor of "Resource and Energy Economics". He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Montreal and served as an assistant professor at CREST-ENSAE (France) before joining HEC Montréal in 2020.

His research develops methods of causal inference and applies them to empirically evaluate public policies in health, energy, and the environment. His work focuses in particular on health inequalities, the supply of medical services, electricity markets, and the energy transition. He has collaborated with public institutions and major players in the energy sector, including INSEE, DRESS, and the French Ministry of the Economy, the OECD, the Canadian Ministries of Health and Social Services and Transport, as well as Hydro-Québec and EDF.