Jacob Amis, Research Fellow - Foreign Policy & Security, 2009-2010
Jacob is travelling the Middle-East researching for his doctoral thesis. Before joining Policy Exchange he completed his degree at Christ Church, Oxford University, where he was awarded the top History First of his year-group, for which he won the Gibbs Prize and the Christ Church Ancient History Prize. Jacob also studied Persian at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London.
Nick Boles, Director, 2002-2007
Nick Boles is currently the Conservative MP for Grantham and Stamford and has also served as Chief of Staff to the Mayor of London. Nick was the founding Director of Policy Exchange. He read PPE at Oxford before going on to study at Harvard University in the US. Prior to helping found Policy Exchange Nick had set up his own DIY company and served as a local councillor for Westminster, where he was Chairman of the Housing Committee.
Nick Boles in the news at Policy Exchange
Anthony Browne, Director, 2007-2008
Anthony Browne is now Adviser for Economic Development for Boris Johnson. He also sits on the board of the London Development agency. Prior to joining Policy Exchange, Anthony had been economics correspondent for the BBC; economics correspondent, health editor and environment correspondent for the Observer; and environment editor, Europe correspondent, and chief political correspondent for the Times.
Anthony Browne in the news at Policy Exchange
Jamie Burn, Research Fellow, 2008
While at Policy Exchange Jamie co-wrote two publications for the Health unit as part of an investigation into reforming the NHS. He has a first class degree in Philosophy from the University of Sheffield, and an MSc with distinction in Social Policy from the University of Edinburgh.
Publications • All Change Please • School Funding and Social Justice • Weighing In
Ben Caldecott, Head of Environment & Energy Unit, 2008-2009
Ben is now the lead on UK and EU climate change and energy policy at Climate Change Capital (CCC), a specialist investment banking group. Ben is developing CCC’s in-house policy think tank and also advises CCC’s funds and clients on the development of policy-driven markets.
Prior to joining Policy Exchange he held a research directorship at The Henry Jackson Society. Ben has also worked in Parliament and for a number of different HM Government departments and international organisations, including the United Nations Environment Programme and Foreign & Commonwealth Office. He read economics and specialised in China at Cambridge, London and Peking universities.
During his time at Policy Exchange, Ben co-authored or edited 10 publications and contributed to many others.
Publications • Warm Homes • Litterbugs • Knowledge is Power • A Wasted Opportunity • Green Skies Thinking • Delivering a 21st Century Infrastructure for Britain
Ben Caldecott in the news at Policy Exchange
Julian Chant, Arts & Culture and Education Research Fellow, 2007-2009
Julian has now returned to Australia. While at Policy Exchange Julian co-authored several education reports, including our upcoming report on university fees. Prior to joining Policy Exchange, he worked in both marketing and research roles in publishing and financial services. He has a degree in Economics from the University of New South Wales, Sydney.
Publications • You're Hired! • The Hard Truth About 'Soft' Subjects • Sink or Swim? • Educating Rita?
Julian Chant in the news at Policy Exchange
Ed Condon, Fundraising Manager, 2008-2010
Ed is now Senior Parliamentary Aide to Damian Hinds MP. Whilst at Policy Exchange Ed managed the individual giving programme.
He has an honours degree in Theology from the University of Surrey and attended the Republican Party’s Campaign Finance College. Prior to joining Policy Exchange Ed worked for the Shadow Secretary of State for International Development as the project manager for Project Umubano; the Conservative Party’s annual social action project in Rwanda and as a donor recruitment manager for Conservative Campaign Headquarters.
Rhodri Davies, Government and Philosophy Research Fellow, 2007-2009
While at Policy Exchange, Rhodri Davies worked on issues around Public Service Delivery, looking at the potential for transformation of UK public services and the role of the not-for-profit and private sectors.
Publications • Give and Let Give • Building Bridges • Value in Public Services
Rhodri Davies in the news at Policy Exchange
Anna Fazackerley, Head of Arts & Culture and Education Units
Anna is currently on maternity leave.
Publications • Blocking the Best • More Fees Please? • Simply Learning • Innovation and Industry: The Role of Universities • Science Fiction? • Educating Rita? • Building Blocks
Anna Fazackerley in the news at Policy Exchange
Sam Freedman, Head of Education Unit, 2006-2009
Sam now works as an adviser in the Department for Education. During his time at Policy Exchange Sam oversaw an extensive research programme on increasing choice and competition in the school system, and on increasing the supply of good teachers. He was previously Head of Research at the Independent Schools Council. He has a first class degree in history from Magdalen college, Oxford; a Masters degree in international history from Oxford and a Research Masters in Public Policy from Birkbeck.
Publications • Choice? What Choice? • Helping Schools Succeed: Lessons from Abroad • Helping Schools Succeed: a framework for English education • Slipping Through The Net: tackling incompetence in the teaching profession • More Good Teachers • School Funding and Social Justice • Rising Marks, Falling Standards
Sam Freedman in the news at Policy Exchange
Janan Ganesh, Research Fellow, 2005-2007
Janan has been the political correspondent for The Economist since 2007. He joined Policy Exchange in 2005, and co-authored Compassionate Conservatism with Jesse Norman the following year. He also co-wrote Measure for Measure, a report on health care.
Publications • Measure for Measure • Compassionate Conservatism
Roger Gough, Head of Government & Constitution Unit, 2006-2009
After reading PPE at Magdalen College, Oxford, Roger worked as an international investment analyst for fifteen years. He lived in Japan from 1988 to 1991 and later specialised in the European banking industry. At the 1997 General Election he stood as Conservative candidate. Roger specializes in constitution, machinery of government and local government.
During his time with Policy Exchange, Roger contributed to five publications. Roger is now focussing on his work as a local councillor in Kent, where he is Cabinet Member for Corporate Support Services and Performance Management. He also works for the LGA Urban Commission.
Publications • Regime Change • Global Political Monitor 2007 • Paying for the Party • 2056: What future for Maggie's Children?
Roger Gough in the news at Policy Exchange
Dr Oliver Marc Hartwich, Chief Economist, 2005-2008
Oliver was born in 1975 and studied Business Administration and Economics at Bochum University (Germany). After graduating with a Master's Degree, he completed a PhD in Law at the universities of Bochum and Sydney (Australia) while working as a Researcher at the Institute of Commercial Law of Bonn University (Germany).
Having published his award-winning thesis with Herbert Utz Verlag (Munich) in March 2004, Oliver moved to London to support Lord Matthew Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay during the process of the Pensions Bill. During his time with Policy Exchange, Oliver oversaw research into economic competitiveness, housing and welfare and was the UK Representative for the German think tank the Institute for Free Enterprise. Oliver has now emigrated to Australia, where he is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies, Australia's largest independent think tank.
Publications • Unaffordable Housing • Bigger, Better, Faster, More • Better Homes, Greener Cities • Science vs Superstition • The Best Laid Plans • More Mirage than Miracle • Cities Limited • Towards better transport • Quelling the Pensions Storm • Success and the City • Paying for Success • Cities Unlimited • When Hassle Means Help
Dr Oliver Marc Hartwich in the news at Policy Exchange
Simon Horner, Research Fellow, 2006-2008
Simon is now Public Affairs Manager for the BVCA. Since leaving Policy Exchange he has also been an adviser to the Shadow Treasury team.
During his time at Policy Exchange Simon co-authored the report School Funding and Social Justice. Previously he had been a researcher in the office of the Leader of the Opposition for David Cameron MP.
He studied Philosophy at Kings College London before completing a Masters in Social Policy Research at the London School of Economics.
Publications • School Funding and Social Justice
Lawrence Kay, Research Fellow - Economics Unit, 2008-2010
Lawrence is now an Alfa Fellow and lives in Moscow. In his two-and-a-half years at Policy Exchange he worked on many parts of our economics work, but particularly concentrated on welfare reform. Lawrence used to write about bonds and rates for a trade paper in the City and was educated at the University of Essex and London School of Economics.
Publications • Paying for Success • When Hassle Means Help • The Cost of Complexity • The Case for a Basket • Public Sector Pensions • Escaping the Poverty Trap
Lawrence Kay in the news at Policy Exchange
Dr Steven King, External Relations Director, 2006-2008
Dr King is now an associate director at APCO. Dr. King was External Relations Director for Policy Exchange, responsible for media, events, business relations and legal matters.
Before joining Policy Exchange, he was responsible for dealing with the reputational issues arising from the Office of Fair Trading inquiry into alleged fee-fixing for the Independent Schools Council. Prior to that, for six years, Dr. King was political advisor to David Trimble, having worked as a Ulster Unionist Party negotiator in the multi-party talks leading to the Good Friday Agreement.
Dr. King holds a first class Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Master of Social Science in Humanities and a Doctor of Philosophy for his thesis into Irish constitutional republicanism.
Charlotte Leslie, Research Fellow
Charlotte is now the Conservative MP for Bristol North West. Whilst at Policy Exchange Charlotte’s research focused on school choice and education systems. After leaving Policy Exchange Charlotte worked as an adviser to David Willetts and edited Crossbow Magazine for the Bow Group.
Before joining Policy Exchange Charlotte worked in television for the BBC and independent companies. Charlotte has also served as a part-time teacher of ancient and modern languages and as a school governor of Oxford Gardens School in Kensington and Chelsea. She has also been a debate organiser for Prospect Magazine.
She read Classics at Balliol College, Oxford.
Publications • More Good School Places
Briar Lipson, Research Fellow, 2007-2008
Briar is now training to become a Maths teacher. During her time at Policy Exchange Briar co-wrote reports on Economic Competitiveness and on Education, in particular how to increase the supply of good teachers. Before joining Policy Exchange she worked as a Parliamentary Researcher for an MP. Briar has an MA in Economics from the University of Edinburgh.
Publications • Slipping Through the Net • Towards Better Transport • More Mirage Than Miracle
Gavin Lockhart, Head of Crime and Justice Unit, 2006-2009
Gavin is now working as an adviser in Number 10.
While at Policy Exchange, Gavin Lockhart was responsible for all crime and justice research. After graduating in 2002 with a first-class degree, Gavin worked as a management consultant before joining Policy Exchange in August 2006.
Publications • Fitting the Bill • Measure for measure • Gun and Knife Crime in Great Britain • Unlocking the Prison EstateFooting the Bill • All Change Please • Out of Sight, Out of Mind • Going Ballistic • You're Hired! • Getting to the Point • Inside Out
Gavin Lockhart in the news at Policy Exchange
James Mackenzie Smith, Research Fellow, 2009
James is now an Investment Researcher for Record Currency Management. During his time at Policy Exchange, James worked on our publication on public sector pensions and supported the work of the Economics team. He holds a degree in Engineering, Economics and Management from Balliol College Oxford.
Publications • Will the Splurge work? • Public Sector Pensions
Jonathan McClory, Research Fellow, 2006-2009
Jonathan is now a researcher at the Institute for Government.
He graduated from the University of Michigan with a dual degree in economics and politics. In 2006 he completed a MSc in Public Policy at University College London. Jonathan has previously worked at the American Consulate in Hamburg, Germany and for the BBC at Television Centre in London.
Jonathan worked for the Crime and Justice Unit, specialising in policing and violent crime.
Publications • Fitting the Bill • Gun and Knife Crime in Great Britain • Unlocking the Prison Estate • Footing the Bill • Going Ballistic • Getting to the Point
Jonathan McClory in the news at Policy Exchange
Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens, Research Fellow, 2008
Alex is now a researcher at the Centre for Social Cohesion. During his stay at Policy Exchange, Alexander researched for publications providing policy recommendations on creating a robust defence against the threat of terrorism in the UK and abroad.
Previously he worked for the political and cultural monthly magazine Standpoint. He has also worked at the Stanford University based think tank, the Hoover Institution for War, Revolution and Peace, and the Washington DC based think tank, Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD).
He holds an MA in International Relations from Brunel University, and a BA in Classics from King's College London.
Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens in the news at Policy Exchange
Daisy Meyland-Smith, Research Fellow, 2008 - 2009
Daisy is now Research Director at the Centre for Policy Studies and has also served as Briefing Officer to David Cameron. While at Policy Exchange, she worked on projects involving school choice reform; building schools; and innovation and enterprise in universities. Prior to this, Daisy had been both a press officer and candidate for the Welsh Conservatives. She holds a first class degree in Politics and Economics from the University of Bath.
Publications • A Guide to School Choice Reforms
Daisy Meyland-Smith in the news at Policy Exchange
Munira Mirza, Development Director
Munira is now Cultural Advisor to the Mayor of London. Whilst at Policy Exchange she served as Development Director and also worked on a range of research publications.
Munira has worked for a range of cultural and charitable organisations including the Royal Society of Arts and Tate. She has presented a number of programmes for BBC Radio 4 and has taught at the University of Kent and University of East London.
Munira read English at Mansfield College, Oxford, and completed her PhD in Sociology at the University of Kent in 2009.
Publications • Living Apart Together • Culture Vultures
Munira Mirza in the news at Policy Exchange
Louisa Mitchell, Head of Family and Philanthropy Unit, 2006-2008
During her time at Policy Exchange, Louisa oversaw research on family and philanthropy. Prior to this she wrote for the Financial Times, ran two charities and was an investment banker in London, New York and Hong Kong. She read Chinese at Cambridge University.
Publications • Give and Let Give • Little Britons • Building Bridges
Greg Munro, Education Research Fellow, 2010
Greg is currently working as Research Assistant for Sarah Newton MP.
During his time at Policy Exchange, Greg conducted research into the higher education policy area and authored a major report into the involvement of the private sector in higher education.
Before joining Policy Exchange, Greg worked for both Anne Milton MP and Iain Duncan Smith MP in their parliamentary offices.
He has a Bachelors degree in Political Studies and a Masters degree in British Politics and Parliamentary Studies, both from the University of Leeds.
Jesse Norman, Executive Director, 2005
Jesse is the Conservative MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire and a member of the Treasury Select Committee. Jesse was a director at Barclays before leaving the City in 1997 to teach at University College London. He was educated at Oxford University (BA) and UCL (MPhil, PhD), where he holds an honorary fellowship in philosophy.
Publications • Compassionate Conservatism • Living for the City: A New Agenda for Green Cities • Compassionate Economics
Jesse Norman in the news at Policy Exchange
James O'Shaughnessy, Deputy Director, 2004-2007
James is now a Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, having left Policy Exchange in September 2007 to rejoin the Conservative Party as Director of Policy and Research. James read PPE at St Hugh's College, Oxford. After graduating he taught at the Mathieson Music School, Calcutta, and then worked in advertising and new media. James joined Conservative Central Office in 2001 where he was special adviser to Shadow Education Secretary Damien Green. After leaving CCO James was Head of Research at LLM Communications before joining Policy Exchange in 2004, first as Research Director and then as Deputy Director.
Publications • More Good School Places • The Leadership Effect
James O'Shaughnessy in the news at Policy Exchange
Tom Richmond, Education Research Fellow, 2008-2009
Tom is now Public Policy Adviser on Skills for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
While at Policy Exchange Tom worked on the Skills Programme on skills both in schools and the workplace. Before joining Policy Exchange, he spent three years as a secondary school teacher and went on to work as a Researcher at the Social Market Foundation.
He has a Masters degree in Psychology, having completed his undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Birmingham.
Publications • Simply Learning • Science Fiction? • Rising Marks, Falling Standards
Tom Richmond in the news at Policy Exchange
Chris Skidmore, Research Fellow
Chris was elected as MP for Kingswood in 2010 and is a member of the Health Select Committee.
Chris has worked as the Conservative Party’s education adviser (2006-2009), and was also Director of the party’s Public Services Improvement Group (2007). Chris is a former chairman of the Bow Group, and has published articles for a variety of think tanks including the SMF and the Smith Institute. Chris has also taught history at Bristol University and is the author of two books, Edward VI (2007) and Death and the Virgin (2010). He has also recently been elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
Hannah Staunton, Head of Events, 2008 - 2010
Hannah was responsible for Policy Exchange’s programme of events and conferences.
Before joining Policy Exchange, she freelanced in the UK and China after a career in network television.
Carol Storey, Health and Social Care Research Fellow, 2009
Carol has been involved in freelance research since leaving Policy Exchange including, most notably, work on alcohol following on from her research for our publication Hitting the Bottle. In addition to Hitting the Bottle, Carol also worked on a project looking at choice in primary care.
Publications • Hitting the Bottle • Which Doctor?
Thomas Sweetman, Environment & Energy Research Fellow, 2008
Thomas is now Senior Policy Officer for Climate Change Mitigation and Energy at the Greater London Authority. During his time at Policy Exchange, Thomas co-wrote four reports for the environment and energy unit and wrote several opinion pieces for the media, including the Guardian.
Publications • Is Britain Ready For Carbon Capture and Storage? • Green Dreams • Six Thousand Feet Under • The Root of the Matter • Warm Homes • Litterbugs
Thomas Sweetman in the news at Policy Exchange
Helen Thomas, Economics Research Fellow
Helen now works as a Director for the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
Helen was responsible for research into Financial Markets and the potential reform of regulation in the wake of the credit crunch.
Prior to Policy Exchange she worked in the Office of the Shadow Chancellor and has 7 years’ experience working for investment banks, analyzing and trading currencies. She is a CFA Charterholder.
She read PPE at Oxford.
Publications • Saving Grace • Financial Instability • The Balanced Incentive Scheme • Beyond Inflation Targeting • What Really Happened? • Will the Splurge work?
Helen Thomas in the news at Policy Exchange
Ben Ullmann, Crime and Justice Research Fellow, 2007-2009
Ben has gone on to become Public Affairs Officer and Legacy Heritage Fellow at the Jewish Leadership Council.
While at Policy Exchange, Ben was responsible for the Crime and Justice Unit’s work on crime reduction, prison reform and the justice system. He co-authored and project managed five major reports for Policy Exchange. He has a joint honours degree in Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Bristol where he also served a year as President of the Students’ Union.
Publications • Gun and Knife Crime in Great Britain • Unlocking the Prison Estate • Out of Sight, Out of Mind • You're Hired! • Inside Out • Less Crime, Lower Costs • Lasting Change or Passing Fad?
Ben Ullmann in the news at Policy Exchange
Lilly Whitham, Health & Social Care Research Fellow, 2010
Lilly has returned to Canada to pursue a career in health policy.
During her time at Policy Exchange Lilly co-authored reports on cancer and social care, and contributed to the research and writing for a report on the management of long-term conditions.
Before joining Policy Exchange, Lilly completed her MSc in Health, Population and Society, at the London School of Economics and Political Science, where she also worked as a Research Assistant within LSE Health.
Publications • Careless • The Cost of Cancer
