Gerard Lyons Profile Picture

Keynote SpeakerGerard Lyons

International Economist

Described by The Times as ‘one of the most influential analysts of the global economy’, Gerard Lyons was a candidate for Governor of the Bank of England in 2019, having previously served as the Lead Advisor to Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s 2008 Business Council; chief economic advisor to Boris Johnson... Read more

Biography

Described by The Times as ‘one of the most influential analysts of the global economy’, Gerard Lyons was a candidate for Governor of the Bank of England in 2019, having previously served as the Lead Advisor to Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s 2008 Business Council; chief economic advisor to Boris Johnson from 2013-16 when he was Mayor of London; an inaugural member of the EU Commission’s Network of China Experts, as well as sitting on several Councils of the World Economic Forum.

Gerard Lyons is a charismatic, sought-after speaker and an active contributor to the economic policy debate. He has spoken to business, financial audiences and appeared on global policy fora in 84 countries, spoken at the EU-China Summit in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, and was asked by the Institute of International Finance to represent the financial sector in The World Debate at Davos, which was televised live globally by the BBC. He has testified to committees of the US Senate and House of Representatives as well as to committees of both Houses of the UK Parliament. His paper ‘Banking the Unbanked’ was presented at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ Conference and his report Qatar 2020 was commissioned by and presented to the Emir.

Gerard’s analysis of the global economy – particularly emerging economies across Asia, Africa, India, the Gulf and Middle East – has regularly been sought by policymakers, including politicians and central bankers. From 1999-2012 he was Head of Global Research and Chief Economist at Standard Chartered, the emerging markets bank, where he was credited as one of the few economists to predict the 2008 global financial crisis and where his team was rated in 2010-11 by Bloomberg as the most accurate forecaster globally.

Gerard Lyons has hosted a podcast, Elfonomics, with his daughter, the acclaimed comedian Elf Lyons; his first book, The Consolations of Economics, was published by Faber & Faber; and his next book Borrowed Time, which looks at the economics of debt, will be published in 2026.

Popular Talks by Gerard Lyons

  • Macroeconomics and the world economy
  • Central banking and monetary policy
  • Geopolitics
  • Climate and energy transition finance
  • UK economic policy
  • Financial markets
  • Rise of China and emerging markets
  • Green agenda