LSE launches £10m Huth Initiative to shape global economic thinking
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has received a transformative £10 million gift from LSE alumnus Johannes Huth to launch the Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy (HINPE) - a major programme that will unite world-leading research and policy engagement to shape a new economic model for the 21st century.
Led by Professor Sir Tim Besley and Dr Daniel Chandler, the Huth Initiative will bring together experts from economics, politics, and philosophy to reimagine the relationship between markets, government and society. The Initiative will develop world-leading research and practical ideas for fairer, more sustainable prosperity. A dedicated Policy Hub, led by Professor Richard Davies, will ensure research directly informs decision-making in government, business, and civil society. Equally central is a commitment to training the next generation of outstanding researchers, ensuring the Initiative’s impact endures for decades to come.
LSE President and Vice Chancellor, Professor Larry Kramer, said: “The world faces a daunting set of challenges. Structural economic and political shifts are driving inequality, insecurity and public unrest, and it is increasingly clear that existing policy approaches are not adequately addressing these pressures. We urgently need new economic thinking, policies and frameworks grounded in the realities people face every day and better suited to the twenty‑first century. Johannes Huth’s commitment to long-term institutional change and practical impact is central to the ambition of this Initiative, and I am deeply grateful to him for this transformative gift, which will enable us to pursue the ambitious agenda that this pivotal moment requires.”
Johannes Huth said: “I am proud to support LSE in its mission to develop new economic thinking that addresses the challenges of our time. The Initiative is about bringing together the best minds across different disciplines to develop and shape a new economic paradigm that appropriately addresses the issues of today.”
Professor Sir Tim Besley, Director of the Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy, School Professor of Economics and Political Science and W. Arthur Lewis Professor of Development Economics in the Department of Economics at LSE, said: “A thriving economy is shaped not only by policies and markets but by the communities it nurtures and the political processes that sustain them. We aim to bring these elements together to create a framework for productivity, fairness, and resilience. I am hugely appreciative of Johannes Huth for his vision and support for addressing these urgent global challenges. The Huth Initiative will deliver world-leading research on the most pressing economic challenges, shape public debate, influence policy, and nurture the next generation of scholars.”
Dr Daniel Chandler, Executive Director of the Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy, said: "We are in a moment of transition, as the so-called neoliberal era comes to an end – but what comes next is up for grabs. While many of the building blocks for a new economic paradigm already exist, they remain fragmented across disciplines. The Huth Initiative will support cutting-edge research, draw these insights together into a coherent whole, and ensure they shape real-world policy. It's the first effort of its kind on this scale, made possible thanks to Johannes Huth’s extraordinary generosity."
The Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy will be hosted and managed by STICERD until it becomes fully independent.
Mr Huth’s generous support significantly advances LSE’s Shaping the World Campaign, which is helping LSE to lead the social sciences response to some of the major global challenges of our time.
Notes to editors
Johannes P. Huth – Managing Director, GBL / Senior Advisory Partner, KKR
Johannes Huth joined Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (“GBL”) as Managing Director in 2025. He is also Senior Advisory Partner and the former Chairman and Head of KKR’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
An LSE alumnus, Mr. Huth earned a BSc with Highest Honors in Economics in 1984 and is currently an Independent Member of LSE Council and Chair of its Finance and Estates Committee. He has an MBA from the University of Chicago.
He joined KKR in 1999 and became a Senior Advisory Partner in 2024. Prior to that, he was a Partner of KKR and Chairman of KKR’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Mr. Huth has participated in investments including Wincor Nixdorf, Zumtobel, Dermag Holdings, MTU Aero Engines, DSD, Selenia, Kion Group, NXP Semiconductors, Pro7 Sat1, BMG, Wild, Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik AG (WMF), SoftwareOne AG, Upfield, Hensoldt AG, Axel Springer SE, Coty Inc. and Wella. Mr. Huth is a member of the Boards of GBL, Axel Springer SE, Marshall Wace Ltd and Imerys S.A.
Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Huth was a member of Investcorp’s management committee and was also responsible for the firm’s operations in Europe from January 1991 to January 1999. From June 1986 to January 1991, he was with Salomon Brothers, where he was a vice president in the mergers and acquisitions departments in London and New York.
He is a Member of the Board of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, Emeritus Trustee of the Design Museum in London, Trustee of the Staedel Museum in Frankfurt and the American Academy in Berlin, Member of Council and Chairman of the Finance and Estates Committee for the London School of Economics and Political Science, Member of the ‘Help for Threatened Wildlife Foundation’ Board of ZGF, the Frankfurt Zoological Society, as well as a member of the Global Advisory Board of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Additionally, he is a visiting fellow to Oxford University and a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. In 2025, he was named Chevalier des Arts et Lettres by the French Minister of Culture.