Guest Lectures
Reflecting Warwick’s unique approach, our Summer School offers an enjoyable programme of interactive guest lectures with eminent figures from the public and private sector.
The talks are delivered in a variety of formats including conversations, debates and panel discussions which provide excellent opportunities for you to engage with the speakers and other students. The speakers that come to the Summer School cover a range of topics to broaden your education, insights and views, and allow you to ask questions and debate the topics they discuss.
Quick Links
2023 Guest Speakers to be confirmed
Previous Speakers
Professor George Akerlof
George Akerlof is an American economist and University Professor at Georgetown University. He won the 2001 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
Kelly Gallagher MBE
Kelly Gallagher MBE is a visually impaired alpine ski racer from Northern Ireland. Kelly won Britain’s first ever Winter Paralympic gold medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 for the Super Giant Slalom competition.
Vicky Pryce
Vicky Pryce is a Greek-born British economist and author of the book ‘Greekonomics’. Vicky Pryce's recent posts have included: Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting; Director General for Economics at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS); and Joint Head of the UK Government Economics Service where she was responsible for evidence based policy and for encouraging measures that promoted greater productivity in the UK economy.
Professor Daniel Sgroi
Professor Daniel Sgroi’s work focuses mainly on game theory and the intersection of Economics and Psychology, including behavioural economics, subjective wellbeing and language. Professor Sgroi also leads part of the ESRC-funded CAGE centre which seeks better ways to understand and measure subjective wellbeing and related behavioural concepts.
Priya Lakhani OBE
Award winning, Priya Lakhani OBE is an entrepreneur who developed Masala Masala, a fresh Indian food brand stocked by retailers including Waitrose, Harvey Nichols and Ocado.com.
Professor Andrew Oswald
Professor of Economics at Warwick whose work lies mainly at the border between economics and behavioural sciences, and includes the empirical study of human happiness.
The Right Honourable Hazel Blears
A Member of Parliament for 18 years, holding various roles including Health Minister, Police and Counter Terrorism Minister and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
Lord Gus O'Donnell
Former Cabinet Secretary and non-Executive Chairman of Frontier Economics.
Dr Tali Sharot
A neuroscientist by trade and a leading expert on human decision-making, optimism and emotion.
Marie-Claire Villeval
Director of GATE Lyon St Etienne.
Jacqui Smith
Served as the first female Home Secretary from 2007-2009
Sir George Cox
Sir George is the University's Pro-Chancellor. He serves on the Finance and General Purposes Committee, the Nominations Committee, the Honorary Degree Committee and the Remuneration Committee.
Professor Nick Crafts, CBE
World renowned Economic Historian, and Director of the ESRC funded Research Centre CAGE (Competitive Advantage in a Global Economy).
Professor James Robinson
University Professor at the University of Chicago and author of award winning book ‘Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power’.
David Myatt
Professor David P. Myatt focuses his academic research on the tools of game theory applied to diverse settings, including business strategy; macroeconomic coordination; and political science.
Claudia Senik
A Professor at the University Paris-Sorbonne, France with her main research interest areas being income distribution and subjective well-being.
Previous talks:
- Economic Growth and Happiness Equalization
- Journey to the Olympic Games
- Thinking About Inequality
- Why Nations Fail?
- The NHS: Can it Survive?
- Building Entrepreneur Country – for the future from the future.
The guest lectures were definitely engaging and the speakers were top in their respective fields.
I never imagined I would communicate with a Nobel Prize winner face to face.
2022 Guest Speakers
Labour and Cooperative MP and Seema Malhotra
Seema Malhotra is the Labour and Cooperative Member of Parliament for Feltham and Heston and Shadow Minister of State for Business and Consumers. Her primary policy interests are in the economy, business, and equalities. She has been a member of the influential House of Commons Select Committee on Exiting the European Union and its successor from 2016-2020. Seema served as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2015-2016. She founded and chairs a local charity Hounslow’s Promise focussed on education attainment, social mobility and employability. From 2014-2015, she served as Shadow Home Office Minister for Preventing Violence against Women and Girls where she led on aspects of the Serious Crime Bill for Labour. Seema also chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Assistive Technology APPG Entrepreneurship and APPG on Mortgage Prisoners. Prior to entering Parliament, Seema was a business and public service adviser working with the video game and film industries. She has over ten years’ experience with leading firms Accenture and Price Waterhouse Coopers. She is on the Executive of the Fabian Society, a national think tank, and is the Founder and President of the Fabian Women’s Network.
Entrepreneur and Chief Tea Mixologist, Krisi Smith
Krisi is a 'Chief Mixologist', Author, Creative Director and Co-founder of Brighton based tea company, Bird and Blend Tea Co. Starting nine years ago in her mum's back bedroom Krisi, along with her partner Mike Turner, have built their brand to be the UK's most loved independent tea blenders. They employ over 100 people across their 15 sites nationwide and at the heart of Krisi's approach to business is a strong commitment to putting people first, creating fantastic customer experiences and having fun along the way. This talk will be particularly interesting to any aspiring entrepreneurs and if you have a chance to visit Brighton, do pop into Krisi's first Bird and Blend Tea shop on the iconic North Laine during your trip!
England Blind Football Team Captain, Owen Bainbridge
Owen Bainbridge is proud member of the England Blind Football Team and has collected 70 caps so far for his team, winning silver and bronze medals at tournaments across the world. Due to congenital glaucoma, Owen had minimal sight in one eye, before going totally blind when he was seven. However, despite his disability, he was brought up with a love for football, and during his A-level studies, became involved with blind football. Blind football is five-a-side, with sighted goalkeepers. The ball contains ball-bearings to make it rattle, and the skill and fitness levels have to be seen to be believed. Owen made his first appearance for England in a victory against Germany when he was 20.
Owen has combined studying sports massage with building up his tally of England caps and he continues to develop his skills both on the massage table and on the football pitch, adding nutrition to his business repertoire. In this talk, Owen will share his individual approach to business and how communication is key to leadership and teamwork. Having captained his country on two occasions, he knows how it feels to lead under pressure; a key skill for any business owner.