Culture allows us to imagine futures & drive inclusive, sustainable growth. Great to speak at Creative Brazil Forum 2026 last night, alongside Brazilian Minster of Culture and others, using #Carnaval as a powerful example of the transformative economic and social value of art & culture.

Carnaval is a public platform for innovation–mission-led & community-driven. Morning meeting with Governo do Estado da Bahia and their teams from culture, health, security and waste. The shared purpose of Carnaval mobilises & stress-tests cross-government collaboration & public sector capabilities.

Great lunch with Brazil’s Minister of Management and Innovation of Public Services, Esther Dweck, and her team to discuss the next steps in our work together, with procurement as a central lever for social development and state transformation.

Globally cultural and creative industries generate 3.39% of GDP, and in Brazil they contributed 3.59% of GDP in 2023 alone. But the value of arts, culture, and Carnival goes way beyond direct economic value.

Today’s interministerial meeting in Brazil on the Public Value of Arts and Culture brought together Ministries of Culture, Finance, Environment, Innovation in Public Services and Development, Industry, Trade and Services.

Carnival is where identity, belonging, dignity, joy & collective futures are made visible. This week, we launch new research with Brazil's Ministry of Culture, treating Carnival not as temporary spectacle but as an enduring economy—studying what it reveals about public value & the creative economy.

Join our team at @iipp-sea.bsky.social! We’re hiring a Programme Manager to lead SEA’s work on pushing the boundaries of new economic thinking and amplifying the voices of women economists and leaders on industrial policy, global finance and state capacity in the Global South.

The UK’s latest offshore wind auction shows what's possible when public finance is mission oriented. But net zero won't be won on power alone: the decarbonisation of transport, housing and heavy industry must follow.

Rebuilding state capacity requires building the confidence of the civil service as well as investing in the dynamic capabilities needed to tackle grand challenges - not outsourcing to consultancies.

Missions succeed when public finance delivers public value. While the UK is on track to deliver its Clean Power mission w its expansion in offshore wind, it must learn from the failures of PFI era and financialisation of utilities like Thames Water: don’t socialise risks & privatise rewards.

Great to speak at Partito Democratico’s conversation on “Another Story - An alternative for a changing world” today. A mission-oriented approach can deliver economic transformation, but only if it is underpinned by a new social contract that ensures public investment creates public value.

Looking forward to contributing to Partito Democratico’s conversation on “Un’altra Storia (Another Story) - An alternative for a changing world” tomorrow, sharing insights from my work at @iipp-ucl.bsky.social. 31 Jan | Virtual/In person ➡️ Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_mV...

Biden's industrial policy expanded production without ensuring that working people felt prosperity in their daily lives. A true entrepreneurial state must deliver growth that captures public value and delivers affordability. Read the new @foreignaffairs.com piece ➡️  buff.ly/aXhwOR6

Thank you to @feps-europe.eu and László Andor for honoring me with the Progressive Person of the Year Award. Great to highlight our work @iipp-ucl.bsky.social translating economic theory into practice across academia, government and civil society with leaders in the European labour movement.

Great to speak at the @ec.europa.eu today about how mission-led approaches to industrial policy are needed to direct growth & guide the green transition in Europe. IIPP's work on missions ➡️ buff.ly/YzwE0zR My report on necessary capacities and capabilities for a just green world ➡️ buff.ly/NQAqb4x

Today I’ll be speaking at the @ec.europa.eu on mission-led approaches to industrial strategy that focus on the green transition in Europe. Watch the keynote live at 11:30 CET ➡️ competition-policy.ec.europa.eu/about/reachi...

I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free

Industrial strategy is growth strategy – but only if structured around ambitious, cross-sectoral goals. Looking forward to delivering a keynote tomorrow on Inclusive Sustainable Innovation Led-Growth: A mission-led approach at the @ec.europa.eu Virtual | 11:30CET Register here ➡️ buff.ly/K6gx7kA

Trump’s equity stakes in Intel are not an Entrepreneurial State in action. If Trump’s team is serious about the ‘art of the deal,’ it starts with ensuring public investments deliver public value, not extortionate shareholder profit. Read the new @foreignaffairs.com piece here ➡️  buff.ly/aXhwOR6

Great to speak with the General Secretary of CGIL Nazionale Maurizio Landini, an inspirational Italian trade unionist, last night about his new book “Un’altra Storia.” Read my Project Syndicate piece for more on labour and the just transition ➡️ buff.ly/qNjRq85

Looking forward to speaking with head of CGIL Nazionale Maurizio Landini to launch his new book “Un’altra storia” about his life & work in the Italian labour movement. Join us ➡️ buff.ly/iO4WykL Read my Project Syndicate piece for more on labour and the just transition ➡️ buff.ly/qNjRq85

Moving health from the margins to the centre of economic policy isn't just rhetoric—it requires redesigning financial systems and public-private partnerships to prioritise public health, not just shareholder returns. ️Read more in my guest column for Empresa Global from Afi ➡️ buff.ly/k3RGTHd

Great meeting today in Amsterdam with Mayor Femke Halsema and Deputy Mayor Sofyan Mbarki. Discussed our latest work on assessing cities’ capabilities through the Public Sector Capabilities Index (PSCI). ️Read more about PSCI ➡️ buff.ly/BsemWbj

Industrial strategy can help create sustainable paths to growth, but only if it’s designed with concrete, cross-sectoral goals that address societal challenges. Tonight at 20:00 I’ll be on Iceland’s #RÚVFréttir talking about why industrial strategy is growth strategy ➡️  www.ruv.is/sjonvarp/bei...

Great having lunch today with the President of Iceland, Halla Tomasdottir. We discussed how to turn global challenges into opportunities for mission-oriented dynamic cooperation across the public and private sectors. More on mission-oriented approaches to industrial strategy ➡️  buff.ly/eIgn8PS

Great to meet with Halla Gunnarsdóttir, leader of the VR Union, during my visit to Iceland to discuss the need for a new social contract between business, state & labour to embed equity in industrial strategy from the start. More on the role of labour in industrial strategy ➡️ buff.ly/4vqEzgC

Great to speak with Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir about the key challenges and opportunities facing Iceland’s economy and deliver a keynote on how mission-oriented approaches to industrial strategy can support sustainable growth. Read more in my piece in Vísir ➡️ buff.ly/eIgn8PS

Great meeting yesterday in Reykjavik with Kristrún Frostadóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland. Talked about the false dichotomy between growth and sustainability. Looking forwards to our fireside chat about directed growth this morning at 8:30 GMT! Register ➡️ www.stjornarradid.is/efst-a-baugi...

Looking forward to joining Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir in Reykjavík to discuss mission-oriented industrial policy. 13 Jan | Virtual & In-Person | 08:30 AM GMT | Register here ➡️ buff.ly/TZGwECI Read more in my piece in Vísir ➡️ buff.ly/eIgn8PS

Looking forward to speaking with Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir about how to move beyond correction of market failures to truly shaping the economy towards collective goals. 13 Jan | Virtual & In-Person | 08:30 AM GMT | Register here ➡️ buff.ly/TZGwECI Read more ➡️ buff.ly/eIgn8PS

Today, I spoke to academics & business leaders with Japan Akademeia about the importance of mission-driven governance. In the age of AI, it's more important than ever for the state to take a proactive role in shaping digital innovation for the common good. ➡️ buff.ly/8pyo6Fm

This Thursday, I’ll be speaking with Japan Akademeia – a community of business experts, trade union leaders and academics – about the need for mission-driven governance and dynamic capabilities in the age of AI. Read my thoughts on the role of the state in shaping AI's future ➡️ buff.ly/Zq6AKfh

Our latest report— Implementing Mission Barbados: A roadmap for state transformation—co-authored with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley shows how Barbados is working to align finance with national goals around six missions. Read the report ➡️ buff.ly/3Xk7nHB

The Public Sector Capabilities Index is growing – and so is the team. Join the @iipp-ucl.bsky.social Public Sector Capabilities team as we scale the Index to better understand how cities work. Applications close Jan. 5. Learn more & apply ➡️ buff.ly/4XY4QFK

Globally, the cultural and creative industries contribute to 3.1% of GDP and 6.2% of employment. Yet we can't think of them only as an industry. Great to speak last month at #CIMAM to museum curators and artists about our work on Public Value of the Arts. Watch the keynote ➡️ buff.ly/yUF9QFO

Last week to apply! My team at @iipp-ucl.bsky.social has two open roles, Project Coordinator and Programme Manager, to support our growing research & policy work. Programme Manager (Operations) ➡️ buff.ly/XvdJc7U Project Coordinator (Policy) ➡️ buff.ly/bKHYhwQ

If water supplies aren’t safeguarded, 55% of food systems are at risk — increasing the likelihood of geopolitical tensions. Peace as a mission for government can tie together international & domestic policymaking by protecting resources. Read our piece for Project Syndicate ➡️ buff.ly/Jv2ZeSc

Missions require a focus on outcomes, not outputs. Our new report on Mission Barbados co-authored with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley offers insights on how Barbados is trying to design policy frameworks & governance structures to deliver long-term missions. Read the report ➡️ buff.ly/3Xk7nHB

Implementing mission-driven government requires more than adopting the language. It demands fundamental changes to how government operates: bold investment frameworks, institutions designed for delivery, and genuine cross-ministerial coordination. Latest piece on the UK Government’s missions ⬇️

As we look ahead to 2026, now is the time to ask - is the point of our economies to generate higher GDP figures or create conditions for human flourishing? Read our piece for Project Syndicate on how a mission for peace can unite domestic needs and global prosperity ➡️ buff.ly/Jv2ZeSc

Want to help drive economic transformation from theory to practice? I'm seeking a Project Coordinator and Programme Manager to help lead a growing team and a portfolio of work with governments. Programme Manager (Operations) ➡️ buff.ly/XvdJc7U Project Coordinator (Policy) ➡️ buff.ly/bKHYhwQ

One year since it announced it’s Plan for Change, the UK Government has seemingly shifted from missions to narrower priorities: cost of living, NHS waiting lists, debt reduction. 1/3

Growth itself is not a mission, but a metric divorced from genuine purpose. Peace as a mission connects domestic renewal with global responsibility – and serves as the potential engine for economic transformation. Read more in our latest for Project Syndicate ➡️ buff.ly/Jv2ZeSc

A bold economic transformation requires an equally ambitious transformation of the state —with new tools & institutions to shape markets & direct growth. Our new report with PM Mottley is the 2nd report as part of a 3-year partnership with the Barbados Govt to build & implement their 6 missions.

Economic transformation requires an ambitious transformation of the state. Our new report with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is part of a three-year partnership with the government of Barbados to build and implement their six national missions Read more in the report ➡️ buff.ly/3Xk7nHB

Join the Public Sector Capabilities Index team at @iipp-ucl.bsky.social We are looking for Research Assistants and Research Fellows to support the team's research on how city governments sense, change, learn and act with purpose against complex challenges. Learn more & apply ➡️ buff.ly/4XY4QFK

As our work with governments expands globally, I'm looking for a Project Coordinator and Programme Manager to help lead our growing team. Programme Manager (Operations) ➡️ buff.ly/grKan3b Project Coordinator (Policy) ➡️ buff.ly/NPXCJ76

As our work with governments expands globally, I'm looking for a Project Coordinator and Programme Manager to help lead our growing team. Programme Manager ➡️ buff.ly/grKan3b Project Coordinator ➡️ buff.ly/NPXCJ76

Last week to apply! Thrilled to offer this fully funded PhD opportunity with a research focus on outcomes-oriented approaches to green industrial strategy. Apply by December 14th ➡️ buff.ly/Ks8tczN

Great to host UNCTAD Secretary General Rebeca Grynspan to discuss their Trade and Development report and how strengthened state capacity is needed to address the global crises’ reshaping trade, industrial policy, and finance. Our report on state capacity for the just transition ➡️ buff.ly/acXhXRX