Rupert Harrison, who served as Chief of Staff to George Osborne, is one of four new members of the council.
(Picture: Handout)This afternoon Jeremy Hunt told the House of Commons he had appointed a new “Economic Advisory Council.” The UK’s latest chancellor said the council would offer him advice – independent from the Treasury and the Bank of England – that would assist him in his new rule at number 11.
But who are the members of the four-strong council? Here’s a quick look at some of the names announced.
Rupert Harrison is an economist who served as Chief of Staff to George Osborne between 2006 and 2015, from when Osborne was Shadow Chancellor and while he served as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Until recently Harrison was also a columnist for the Evening Standard.
A graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford, he now works as a portfolio manager for American investment management firm Blackrock.
Sushil Wadhwani is a former member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, serving between 1999 and 2002.
He began his career as an academic at the London School of Economics, earning a PhD in Economics. He went on to found an asset management firm, PGIM Wadhwani, of which he is Chief Investment Officer.
Karen Ward is the Chief Market Strategist for EMEA at American investment firm J.P. Morgan Asset Management.
She was previously Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers for the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, until 2017. In this role she advised the Chancellor on macroeconomic issues including fiscal strategy and Brexit. She holds a Masters in Economics from University College London.
Gertjan Vlieghe is a former economic assistant to the governor of the Bank of England. After working at Deutsche Bank he joined London hedge fund Brevan Howard, and in 2015 he became an external member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee.
He holds a PhD from the London School of Economics.
