Howard Davies (economist)

Sir Howard Davies is the Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science, having taken over the post in 2003 from sociologist Anthony, now Lord Giddens.

Born in 1951 he was educated at Manchester Grammar School, the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Merton College, Oxford, where he gained an MA in Modern History and Modern Languages. in 1979 he was awarded a Harkness Fellowship to attend Stanford Graduate School of Business in California where he completed an MSc in management sciences.

Davies has worked for McKinsey and Company in London, and as Special Advisor to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He had previously worked at the Treasury and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including two years as Private Secretary to the British Ambassador in Paris.

His notable appointments have included Chairman of the Financial Services Authority from 1997-2003 and Deputy Governor of the Bank of England from 1995 to 1997. Prior to this, he served for three years as Director General of the Confederation of British Industry. From 1987 to 1992 he was Controller of the Audit Commission. He was also a non-executive director of GKN between 1989-1995, and a member of the International Advisory Board of Natwest bank.

Since 2002 he has been a Trustee of the Tate and is a member of the governing body of the Royal Academy of Music. In 2004 he was given an Honorary Fellowship at Merton College and became a non-executive Director of Morgan Stanley. He was appointed to the Board of Paternoster in 2006 as a non-executive Director. Davies is also a member of the advisory boards of the China Banking Regulatory Commission (since 2003) and the China Securities Regulatory Commission (since 2004).

He Chaired the judges of the Man Booker Prize in 2007. He is a supporter of Manchester City.

Davies has published two books. Chancellors Tales (Polity Press, 2006) and, with co-author David Green, Global Financial Regulation: the Essential Guide (Polity Press 2008).

He was appointed Knight Bachelor in the Queen's Official Birthday Honours 2000.

External links

• Knighthood for bank governor, BBC News (5 December 2000)
• LSE - Meet the Director