Gavyn Davies

Gavyn Davies graduated in economics from St John's College, Cambridge in 1972 and then did two years of research at Balliol College, Oxford. He joined the policy unit at 10 Downing Street as an economist in 1974 and was an economic policy adviser to the prime minister from 1976-79.

He subsequently pursued a career as a City economist, first with Phillips and Drew (1979-81), then with Simon and Coates (1981-86). He joined Goldman Sachs International in April 1986 and was a partner or managing director from 1988-2001. He was also the firm’s chief economist over that period and chairman of the Global Investment Research Department.

From 1979-2001, he was repeatedly ranked as the City's top UK, European or global economist in surveys of institutional investors. From 1992-1997, he was a member of HM Treasury's independent forecasting panel. He has been an economic adviser to the House of Commons select committee on the Treasury and a visiting professor at the London School of Economics.

In July 1998 he was made an honorary doctor of science (social sciences) by the University of Southampton. In July 2002 he received an honorary degree of doctor of laws from Nottingham University and was also appointed a fellow of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. In July 2003 he received a fellowship of the Imperial College faculty of medicine.

In July 2004, he received an honorary doctorate from Middlesex University. In 1999, he chaired a UK government inquiry into “the future funding of the BBC”. He was appointed chairman of the BBC in October 2001 and resigned his position in January 2004. He is now chairman of Fulcrum Asset Management, and a founding partner of Prisma Capital Partners and Active Private Equity.