Our Breakfast with Andy Haldane CBE

This week, we had the great pleasure of hosting Andy Haldane CBE, for the November Edition of our monthly breakfast series. 

When we launched the Jobs Foundation in September 2023, we were delighted to have Andy join us as one of our guest speakers. He has been a great friend of the Jobs Foundation ever since, being interviewed for Matthew’s recent publication, Prosperity Through Growth, and today returning to speak to more than 50 of our friends and supporters. 

Andy has had a long and varied career, spending 32 years at the Bank of England, where he progressed to the role of Chief Economist, chairing the Royal Society of Arts and now serving as President of the British Chambers of Commerce. He is also the Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, Founder and President of Pro Bono Economics, an Ambassador for National Numeracy, and was Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office. 

It was timely therefore that Andy joined us for our November breakfast, just 2 weeks out from the Chancellor’s looming budget, for a discussion about how the Government could boost economic growth and get Britain working again. Our final breakfast of the year begun with Andy giving his ‘recipe for growth’, with the most important ingredients always being those that are missing.

Andy then highlighted that the UK’s growth malaise is rooted in two structural issues: economic inactivity & the productivity crisis. With almost 1 in 3 working-adults currently not in employment, education, or training, Andy commended the work of the Charlie Mayfield review, before highlighting the 2 lost decades in terms of productivity growth, mirrored in the UK’s flatlining wages.

Following a conversation between Andy & our CEO, Georgiana, guests were invited to ask questions, with topics discussed ranging from inclusive growth to pension reform and Andy’s work with the British Chambers of Commerce.  

It was a pleasure to listen to Andy speak so passionately about the upcoming budget, and how Rachel Reeves could boost living standards across the UK by following a genuine recipe for growth. We look forward to working again with Andy in the future, and to the return of our breakfast series in January 2026.