Date: Wednesday 16 March 2011
Time: 10.30am-4.45pm
Speakers: Vince Cable, Jonathan Coppel, Howard Davies, Siddharth George, Joe Grice, Angel Gurria, Dr John Llewellyn, Jim O'Neill, Pier Carlo Padoan, Professor Danny Quah, Gabriela Ramos, David Ramden, Professor Keith Smith

Now in its 50th year, the OECD has established itself as the leading international economic organisation for socio-economic analysis, best practice policy based on peer review, benchmarking and internationally comparable indicators and statistics. Its achievements have made a major contribution to both economic development within its membership and global economic issues.

Bringing together business, think–tanks, academia, government and the media, the seminar will address the economic challenges facing policy makers working to transition the world economy from crisis to a period of strong, sustainable and balanced growth. The seminar will also foster a debate on future challenges that tomorrow’s economic policy makers will face, as the OECD looks forward to the next 50 years.

Programme

Morning Session: Growth, Skills and Jobs

The world economy continues to recover, although unevenly and many countries around the world, face an era of fiscal constraint at a time when promoting growth, jobs and skills is the policy priority. What are the most effective policies and interventions, both domestically and internationally, to promote private sector-led growth, job creation and a more skilled labour force?

10.30am: Welcome/Keynote speeches

Howard Davies: Welcome. Review of OECD achievements over past 50 years and forward look, with particular emphasis on shift in world economic centre of gravity.

Howard Davies is director, London School of Economics and Political Science

Angel Gurria: In response, brief historical perspective. OECD as a pioneer of concepts that have created Better Policies for Better Lives.

Angel Gurria is OECD secretary general, following a distinguished career in public service, including serving as Mexico's minister of foreign affairs from December 1994 to January 1998 and Mexico's minister of finance and public credit from January 1998 to December 2000. As OECD secretary-general, since June 2006, he has reinforced the OECD's role as a 'hub" for global dialogue and debate on economic policy issues while pursuing internal modernization and reform.

Vince Cable: Creating a policy framework for growth and jobs, including the UK Growth Review, Trade policy and fostering international economic policies to increase trade and international investment.

Vince Cable is secretary of state for Business, Innovation and Skills.

11:40am: Panel Session

How do we promote domestically and internationally private sector led growth, job creation and better skills at a time of fiscal constraint?

With Jim O'Neill, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management International; Pier Carlo Padoan, deputy secretary-general and chief economist at OECD; Professor Danny Quah, professor of Economics at LSE; and David Ramsden, HMT chief economist.

Afternoon Session: Future Global Economic Challenges

2.30pm: Howard Davies, LSE director, welcome address.

Siddharth George: Future socio–economic challenges – case studies: South-East Asia region and governance.

Siddharth George is a final year undergraduate studying Econometrics and Mathematical Economics at the LSE. His primary research interests are in development economics and political economy, and he is currently writing a dissertation on the success of mandatory disclosure laws in keeping criminals out of the Indian parliament. Last year, he co-presented joint research at the Carroll Round, an undergraduate economics conference at Georgetown University.

Jonathan Coppel: Looking ahead, how the OECD is geared to future challenges and what it can offer future policy makers addressing these challenged.

Jonathan Coppel is economic counsellor to the OECD Secretary General. Since joining the OECD, he has held a range of positions, including executive manager of the NEPAD-OECD Africa Investment Initiative, senior economist and expert on foreign direct investment, deputy counselor to the chief economist, head of the EU and UK Desks and energy market analyst.

3pm: Panel Session

Consideration of the most likely future challenges and how the evolving global economic governance system can best address them, including; corporate governance, low carbon economy, education, demography and long-term fiscal sustainability, international global standards, competing in an expanding rebalanced open global economy and engagement with emerging economies.

With Joe Grice, chief economist and and director responsible for economic, labour market and social analysis Office of National Statistics; Dr John Llewellyn, a partner in Llewellyn Consulting, which specialises in macroeconomics and the economics of climate change; and Gabriela Ramos, chief of staff and G20 Sherpa, OECD and former head of the OECD’s Mexico and Latin American Centre; and Professor Keith Smith, director of science and innovation, BIS.

4.15pm: Closing Remarks- Angel Gurria

Podcast

A podcast of the welcome addresses by Vince Cable, Howard Davies and Angel Gurria is now available to download from the LSE public lectures and events podcasts channel.

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