Sir Nicholas Stern

Sir Nicholas Stern will step down as Head of the Government Economic Service in March next year to take up a new position at the London School of Economics (LSE). The Director of the LSE, Howard Davies, alongside Dr Manmohan Singh, the Indian Prime Minister, announced in New Delhi this morning that Sir Nicholas has accepted the IG Patel Professorship at the LSE.

Sir Nicholas will take up his appointment in June 2007, becoming the first holder of this Chair.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown MP said:

"I would like to thank Nick for his major contribution to the Treasury, leading the Government Economic Service and producing two path breaking and influential reports on development in Africa and climate change. Both reports have led to major policy changes of global significance. I congratulate Nick on his appointment to this prestigious academic post and wish him well for the future."

Sir Gus O'Donnell, Cabinet Secretary, said:

"As well as his towering contributions to the Government's work on climate change and Africa, Nick has raised the profile and standard of economics across the whole of Government and has been an influential voice at the top levels of the civil service. I am delighted by his appointment and am sure the LSE will also benefit from his outstanding economic expertise."

Notes for editors

Professor Sir Nicholas Stern, 60, was appointed Head of the Government Economic Service and Second Permanent Secretary to HM Treasury in October 2003. Sir Nicholas was subsequently appointed Director of Policy and Research for the Commission for Africa, which reported on March 2005. On 19 July 2005 the Prime Minister and the Chancellor asked Sir Nicholas to lead a review of the economics of climate change. Sir Nicholas published his report on 30 October 2006.
Prior to joining the Civil Service, Sir Nicholas was Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President at the World Bank, from 2000 to 2003. From 1994 to 1999 he was Chief Economist and Special Counsellor to the President at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Sir Nicholas has held Chairs at Warwick University and the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has also taught and researched at a number of universities, including the University of Oxford, Warwick University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, the Indian Statistical Institute in Bangalore and Delhi, and the People's University of China in Beijing. Sir Nicholas was made a Fellow of the British Academy in July 1993.
Sir Nicholas Stern is to become the first holder of the IG Patel Chair at the London School of Economics and Political Science, heading a new India Observatory within the LSE's Asia Research Centre. Subject to clearance under the business appointment rules in the normal way, Sir Nicholas will take up this appointment on 1 June. His successor as Head of the Government Economic Service will be announced in due course.
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