Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the UK’s leading economic research Institute. He has held this position since 2011, during which time the IFS has won Economic and Financial Think Tank of the Year four years in succession.

As well as working at the IFS, Paul has also worked at the FSA, was chief economist at the Department for Education, and director of public spending at HM Treasury as well as deputy head of the Government Economic Service. In addition, Paul was a board member of the Climate Change Committee for over ten years.

He writes a weekly column for The Times and is a Visiting Professor in the UCL Policy Lab and at the UCL Department of Economics.

Paul Johnson is not just a figure in the economic world, but also a captivating speaker. He is a popular choice for keynote addresses, panel discussions, and after-dinner speeches, engaging audiences with his insights and perspectives.

Contact Great British Speakers today to book Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Paul Johnson for your next event.

Type Of Talent

After DinnerBusiness & FinanceCost of Living / FinanceKeynoteSpeakerVirtual Speakers

More About Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson grew up in Shoreham-by-Sea and studied at Keble College, Oxford, where he held a college scholarship and gained a First in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. He then studied at Birkbeck College, London, where he graduated with an MSc in Economics.

Paul Johnson | Career History

Paul began his career at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, where he worked for a decade (1988-1998), rising to deputy director in his final two years. In 1998, he transitioned to a role as an advisor on pensions and welfare reform within the Cabinet Office, where he contributed to key policy initiatives. Shortly after, he became head of Economies of Financial Regulation at the Financial Services Authority, a post he held until 2000.

His career then saw him take on leadership roles in government, starting as the chief economist and director of analytical services for the Department for Education and Employment (later known as the Department for Education and Skills) from 2000 to 2004. Following this, he joined HM Treasury as Director of Public Services and Chief Micro-Economist until 2007. During his time at HM Treasury, he also held the position of deputy head of the Government Economic Service between 2005 and 2007.

From 2007 to 2010, Johnson was a senior associate at Frontier Economics, where he provided high-level consultancy on economic matters. In 2011, he returned to the Institute for Fiscal Studies as director, bringing his extensive expertise to one of the UK’s leading economic research institutes.

Over his distinguished career, Johnson has served on several influential bodies, including the Economic and Social Research Council (2002-2007) and the Committee on Climate Change (2012-2023). His work has involved reviewing significant government initiatives, including the automatic enrolment system for pensions, inflation measurement for the UK Statistics Authority, and tax devolution for the Northern Ireland Executive. His leadership and insights have had a lasting impact on economic policy and research across the UK.

Paul Johnson | Book

Paul’s book Follow the Money: How Much Does Britain Cost? was published in 2023, illustrating how well – or not – the government raises and spends £1 trillion every year. It has already been a Sunday Times top 10 bestseller and aims to hold the government to account. Robert Peston described it as ‘an important book by the economist who has set the terms of so much political debate over the past decade.’ “Gripping and horrifying…witty and brilliant. Buy it.’ The Times.

Paul Johnson | In the Media

Paul frequently contributes to written and broadcast media, and his radio recordings include the acclaimed ‘Austerity Audit’ for Radio 4. He has published extensively on the economics of public policy, including tax, welfare, housing, pensions, education, climate change and public finances.

Paul Johnson | Recognition and Awards

Paul was awarded a CBE for services to the social sciences and economics in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. He was also elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in 2018. He holds honorary doctorates from the universities of Exeter, York and Sussex and University College London. He is an honorary fellow of Keble College, Oxford.

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Testimonials

“Your insights and predictions for the economy for the coming year were very interesting to
attendees and has sparked further thinking on how we must adapt. Thank you very much for attending and for making the Conference a success.” AOA

“Thank you very much indeed for speaking at our away day. We all really appreciated the
time you took, and everyone really valued the insight you provided. The feedback was very positive.” TESCO

“Paul Johnson has been a regular keynote speaker at our client conferences and we continue to
receive great feedback about Paul’s sessions year after year. He has kept his sessions fresh and topical for each of the events that he has spoken at.” Willis Towers Watson

“Paul listens carefully to briefings and always delivers his presentation material on time – a pleasure to work with.” Willis Towers Watson

“I just wanted to say thanks to Paul Johnson for presenting at our Scottish Widows webinar.
I know we had asked quite a lot of him in terms of topics to cover, but he came across really well and we had excellent feedback from guests.” Scottish Widows

“It went really well yesterday, thank you, the attendees were very engaged and enlightened
by Paul’s insights – he was a really great speaker, thank you so much.” IGD