Financial Services

Tim Harford

The BBC presenter, Oxford Fellow, data detective and million-selling author is a compelling storyteller on economics, psychology and the unexpected bits in between. Tim explores innovation and how ideas spread, what disasters teach us about ourselves, the power of price, and the use of uncertainty as a competitive weapon. He also reveals truths and myths in data – whether public information, misinformation or deliberate disinformation.

Stephanie Flanders

The former US Treasury advisor, Newsnight reporter and BBC Economics Editor has cycled around Britain to get a close look at the economy. She assesses the quality of the economic recovery, the impact of central bank and government policy, and issues of growth and productivity.

Ed Balls

Noted as one of the leading economic voices in the Labour governments of the 1990s and 2000s, Ed was a key architect of policies from the independence of the Bank of England to the minimum wage. Having left frontline politics his new life has encompassed academia in the US and UK, presenting documentaries, analysing the big stories alongside George Osborne on Political Currency, and, of course, a celebrated turn on Strictly Come Dancing.

Rt Hon George Osborne

After serving as Shadow Chancellor, George entered Number 11 with an economy struggling in the wake of the financial crisis. Taking tough decisions, he steered the UK towards a recovery that surpassed many other developed economies. He now lends his political energies and economic and strategic insight to his Northern Powerhouse project, is a partner at boutique investment bank Robey Warshaw LLP, and with Ed Balls hosts the podcast Political Currency.

Professor Trevor Williams

The former Chief Economist at Lloyds Bank provides insightful economics overviews and considers how politics, demographics and climate change are shaping the economy. As part of the Institute of Economic Affairs’ Shadow Monetary Policy Committee, Trevor has a close eye on the Bank of England’s decisions. In speeches, he makes complex economic theories and trends understandable and relevant to any organisation.

Paul Johnson

Before heading the independent economic research institute, Paul was the Treasury’s Director of Public Spending. As head of the IFS he led arguably the country’s most influential commentators on economic policy. Paul considers the choices government have to make in areas from welfare to tax to investment. He examines changes in policy, the behaviour of the labour market, inequality, inflation and the fall in living standards.

Rt Hon Rory Stewart

Before serving as a cabinet minister and making a widely-praised contribution to the Conservative Party leadership contest, Rory governed two Iraqi provinces, set up a charity, trekked across Afghanistan, and lectured at Harvard. Together with Alastair Campbell, he hosts the podcasts The Rest is Politics and Leading.

Vicky Pryce

The former Joint Head of the Government Economic Service, Vicky has also held senior positions in the banking and oil sectors, and published Economics For Voters. She now advises a leading independent consultancy. In presentations she weighs up the risks; as well as China’s slowdown and uncertainties following the Brexit vote, she points to uncoordinated monetary policy and high non-performing loans continuing to put pressure on the world’s banking systems.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen

One of Europe’s most respected politicians, Anders has played a key role in European politics for three decades. He served as both Prime Minister and Economics minister in his native Denmark leading change at home and within the EU. At NATO he dealt with a wide range of political and military challenges as well as establishing plans for the future of the alliance. He now turns his vast experience and insight to topics from populism to the future global roles of the US and EU.