John Blundell

John Blundell is the former Director General and Ralph Harris Senior Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs. Blundell has played a pivotal role in the worldwide dissemination of economic liberalism through the creation and development of numerous free-market think tanks.

Education and Career

Born in Congleton, Cheshire, on 9 October 1952, he was educated at King's School, Macclesfield, and at the London School of Economics. He headed the Press, Research and Parliamentary Liaison Office at the Federation of Small Businesses from 1977 to 1982, and was a Lambeth Borough councillor from 1978 to 1982. From 1982 to 1993 he was resident in the United States, where he was President of the Institute for Humane Studies (1988-1991); President of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation (1987-1991); President of the Board of the Congressional Schools of Virginia (1988-1992); and President of the Charles G. Koch and Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation (1991-1992).

Blundell assumed his duties as Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs on 1 January 1993.

In addition he served as Co-founder and Chairman, from 1993 to 1997, of the Institute for Children, Boston, MA; Founder Director (1991-1993), Institute for Justice, Washington DC; International Trustee (1988-1993), The Fraser Institute, Vancouver, BC; and Founder Trustee of Buckeye Institute, Dayton, OH.

John Blundell is a Director of Fairbridge and of the International Policy Network and Chairman of the Institute Development and Relations Committee of the board of Atlas Economic Research Foundation (USA). He is also a Board Member of the Institute of Humane Studies at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA; of the Institute of Economic Studies (Europe) in Paris, France; and, until recently, of the Mont Pelerin Society. He is on the academic advisory council of the Taxpayers Alliance.