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With the recession in full swing, what does the economic situation mean for our jobs, savings, pensions and lifestyle? The Daily Politics has five financial experts to guide us through these turbulent times and give their take and advice on what is happening. Meet the Downturn Britain Wise Council in the biographies below; first, the latest Council session. How to stop the recession Professor Tim Congdon | Current job: Fellow of the Society of Business Economists and commentator Worst job: Demolishing a stable block as a student Hero: John Maynard Keynes Hobbies: Playing too much computer chess and listening to too little poetry |
Professor Tim Congdon CBE, was one of the Treasury's Panel of Independent Forecasters (the so-called wise men) advising the Chancellor as the economy recovered from its previous recession between 1992-97. He is a member of the Institute for Economic Affairs' shadow monetary policy committee and in 2007 wrote a book on the history of government intervention in the economy: Keynes, The Keynesians And Monetarism. He was the founder of forecasting consultancy Lombard Street Research and in 1997 was awarded the CBE for services to economic debate. In 2000 he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Business Economists. He is a regular contributor to the Times, the Telegraph and Standpoint magazine. Howard Davies | Current job: Director of the LSE Worst job: Treasury Principal for monetary policy 1980-82. Hero: Colin Bell Hobbies: Cricket, sailing and fiction |
Sir Howard Davies is the Director of the London School of Economics & Political Science. He has a wealth of experience throughout the country's foremost financial institutions. He was Chairman of the Financial Services Authority 1998-2003, having previously served two years as the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. Prior to this, he led the Confederation of British Industry as their director general for three years. His CV also includes stints as a Special Advisor to the Treasury and the Controller of the Audit Commission. He is the author of Global Financial Regulation: The Essential Guide (2008) and The Chancellors' Tales (2006) and chaired the Man Booker Prize in 2007. Oliver Kamm | Worst job: ghostwriting an article about "football and finance" for Germany's premier football magazine, while knowing nothing about football Hobbies: opera and classical music Hero: Sidney Hook |
Oliver Kamm is a leader writer and columnist at The Times. He began his career at the Bank of England, where he was an analyst on the International Capital Markets Group and the North America Group in the International Division. He then worked successively as an investment strategist for a specialist global equities manager, HD International; as European Equity Strategist at HSBC Securities and as Head of Strategic Research at Commerzbank Securities. In 2004, he was a founder of WMG Advisors LLP, an alternative asset manager. In 2008, he moved to The Times full time, where he has written extensively on the global financial crisis. In addition to The Times, he has written for The Guardian, Prospect, The New York Times, The Jewish Chronicle and elsewhere. His book Anti-Totalitarianism, on foreign policy, was published in 2005. Martha Lane Fox Martha Lane Fox co-founded lastminute.com in 1998 at the age of 25 with business partner Brent Hoberman. Lastminute became one of the most famous brands of the dot com boom and was valued at �577m when it floated on the stock exchange in 2000. With Lane Fox at the helm, the company survived the subsequent decline in internet stocks and when she left in 2004 it had just posted its first full-year pre-tax profit. She remained on the Board of Directors until the company's sale in 2005. Martha suffered horrific injuries in a car accident in 2004 but has since returned to the business world launching Lucky Voice, a private room karaoke club which now has four venues across the UK. Martha is also a non-executive director at Marks & Spencer and Channel 4 Television as well as the recently launched mydeco.com. At the end of 2007, she founded her own grant-giving foundation, Antigone.org.uk which gives small grants to unfashionable causes - this year it has supported six growing charities. Martha is a trustee of Reprieve, an organisation that provides frontline investigation and legal representation to those facing the death penalty. Jo Valentine | Current job: Chief Executive of London First Worst job: Washing up in Post Office canteen Hero: Nelson Mandela Hobbies: Walking, bridge, accompanying my daughters singing on the piano, travelling |
Baroness Jo Valentine is the Chief Executive of London First, an organisation that aims to make London the best city in the world in which to do business. Jo presents business-tested practical proposals addressing the needs of London and Londoners to national and local government. Under her leadership, London First's key achievements have included securing support for Crossrail, the creation of a London mayor and the Greater London Authority as well as the introduction of congestion charging in the city. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.
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