The Board of Trustees of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA)
is delighted to announce that will become Director General
and Ralph Harris Fellow of the Institute in January 2026.
His appointment marks the beginning of a new chapter for the IEA,
one focused on rebuilding public understanding of how freedom,
markets, enterprise, and limited government create prosperity.
, a former Cabinet Minister and
diplomat, is one of Britain's most prominent advocates of exactly
these ideas. He will now make the case for them from the IEA. As
the head of a charity, he will no longer take the Conservative
whip and will sit in the House of Lords as a non-affiliated peer.
is known for his clarity of
thought, strategic leadership, and ability to deliver
institutional change. As the UK's Chief Brexit Negotiator and
then as a Cabinet Minister, he oversaw perhaps the most complex
negotiations the UK has ever undertaken, demonstrating a rare
capacity to combine principle with practical leadership. Earlier,
both as a British ambassador and later as the head of a major
trade association, he has shown the ability to lead and modernise
organisations successfully.
Lord , incoming Director General at
the free market think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs,
said:
“I am delighted to be able to make the case for freedom from
this new vantage point, as Director General of the IEA, one of
Britain's oldest, greatest, and certainly most pro-freedom think
tanks. The IEA helped create the conditions for Britain's free
market revolution in the 1980s by refusing to compromise on its
principles and by advocating them so clearly that they entered
into the political bloodstream. That now needs to happen again if
we are to defeat the current bleak outlook of statism and
collectivism.
“The IEA is an educational charity and does not engage in
party politics. Accordingly I will no longer take the
Conservative whip in the Lords. I will continue to contribute
there as a non-affiliated peer. I will not be joining any other
party.
“I look forward to having even greater freedom to say what I
think and (to adopt the famous phrase of FA Hayek) to argue ever
more strongly against the socialists of all parties.”
Linda Edwards, Chairman of the IEA Board of Trustees,
said:
“I am delighted to welcome as the Institute's next
Director General. He brings deep conviction, strong leadership,
and a proven record of turning vision into action. He has led
teams through major challenges, modernised complex organisations,
and shown how clear principles can produce real results.
"The IEA was founded seventy years ago to change the climate
of opinion and to move the boundaries of political possibility —
what we now call the Overton Window — in the direction of a
freer, more prosperous Britain. That mission is as urgent today
as it was then.
"Times have changed, but the need for independent education
and rigorous research on how free people and free markets create
progress has not. With David at the helm, the IEA will renew its
focus on education and ideas: inspiring students, shaping debate,
and giving future leaders the confidence to stand up for
freedom.
"We are genuinely excited to begin this new chapter under
strong leadership, determined to reassert why economic liberty,
personal responsibility, and limited government remain the surest
foundations for a flourishing society.
"I would also like to thank Tom Clougherty for his excellent
work as Executive Director over the past two years. He guided the
IEA through a successful transition and strengthened and
amplified its voice in public debate. We wish him every success
in the future.”
ENDS
IEA spokespeople are available for live and pre-recorded
broadcast
Contact: media@iea.org.uk / 07763
365520
Notes to Editors
About
, the Rt Hon of Allenton PC CMG, was Chief
Brexit Negotiator and Europe adviser to Prime Minister (2019-21), and subsequently
served as Cabinet Minister responsible for EU relations during
2021 in the Johnson government. He spent most of his career prior
to this as a UK diplomat, with postings in Brussels, New York,
Paris, and Nicosia, finishing as British ambassador to Denmark.
Between 2013 and 2016 he was CEO of the Scotch Whisky
Association, a prominent UK trade association.
