Ed Balls

Ed Balls is a broadcaster, writer, and economist renowned for his extensive career in both government and academia. He holds positions as a Senior Fellow at Harvard University Kennedy School's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, and as a Senior Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics. Additionally, Balls serves as a Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Visiting Professor at the Policy Institute at King’s College London. He is also co-Chair of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation and Vice-President and former Chairman of Norwich City Football Club.

Balls's political career includes serving as the UK Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2011 to 2015 and as Secretary of State for Children, Schools, and Families from 2007 to 2010. He was the UK Minister for Financial Services from 2006 to 2007 and the Chief Economic Adviser to the UK Treasury from 1997 to 2004. During his tenure, he was Chair of the International Monetary Fund Deputies and the UK G20 Deputy. His policy initiatives included the independence of the Bank of England and the establishment of the Sure Start program, tax credits, and the national minimum wage. He has been recognized for his expertise in monetary policy and Eurozone issues, which he has addressed in various prestigious forums, including the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Balls has also made significant contributions to media and literature. His popular BBC TV series "Travels in Trumpland: with Ed Balls" aired in July 2018, and he followed it with "Travels in Europe with Ed Balls," which aired on BBC 2. As an author, his works include "Appetite: A Memoir in Recipes of Family and Food" and "Speaking Out: Lessons in Life and Politics," reflecting his diverse expertise and interests. His contributions to both political and public life have earned him accolades such as the Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year and the Political Studies Association Politician of the Year in 2011.