London Economics Symposium
The London Economics Symposium (commonly referred to as "LES") is an international economics and politics conference, organised by students for students, and held annually in London, United Kingdom. The London Economics Symposium is independent from any university, and is organised by students throughout Europe. The London Economics Symposium provides a forum for students, academics and prominent leaders to discuss contemporary socioeconomic and political issues.
History
The LES was founded by three undergraduate students at Royal Holloway University of London, and has expanded to include students throughout Europe, creating one of the largest international student conferences in London.
Overview
The annual conference invites prominent figures from various backgrounds to speak on critical economic and political issues. The symposium includes speeches, networking sessions and panels, which are moderated to encourage student participation through direct interaction.
Delegates are undergraduates, postgraduates or recent graduates from universities around the world. Speakers are experts in academia, have leading roles in business or are involved in politics.
Topics
The key goal of this event is for all parties to actively seek debate on relevant, contemporary and pressing issues. Consequently these discussions should enhance students' contextual appreciation of current events as well as share speakers' accumulated knowledge. Greater understanding of the present is the link, which leads to creative farsighted and visionary thinking for our future. It is the responsibility of the world leaders to guide and contribute their insight to the new generation.
Previous Events
London Economics Symposium 2014
"EU - Lost in Transformation?"
On 14th and 15th March 2014, the second London Economics Symposium was held at Europe House, Smith Square and Hallam Conference Centre, in central London. The event was attended by around 200 students from universities around the world. The extended, two day conference featured speeches and panel discussion from some of the highest ranking professionals, politicians and academics.
The event built upon the successes of the LES 2013, giving students from a multitude of backgrounds the opportunity to interact on a personal level with leaders from around the Globe.
LES 2014 featured a most poignant and relevant topic in that it allowed open discussion on political and economic aspects of the world and particularly the European Union, in a time of imminent elections. The symposium helped students to develop a clearer understanding of the spirit of the age and offered them vision with which they may ProgresS.
Speakers:
- Martin Gilbert (businessman) (Founder and CEO of Aberdeen Asset Management)
- Jan Muehlfeit (Chairman of Microsoft Europe)
- Lord Bilimoria (Founder and Chairman of Cobra Beer)
- Roger Bootle (Founder and Managing Director of Capital Economics)
- Dr Andreas Hoefert (Chief Economist and Global Head of Wealth Management Research, UBS)
- Christa Markwalder (Vice-President of the Swiss National Council)
- David Smith (journalist and author) (Economics Editor of the Sunday Times)
- Caroline Hyde (European Business Correspondent and Presenter at Bloomberg)
- Professor Simon Anholt (Independent Policy Advisor)
- Mark Littlewood (Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs)
- Jean Lambert (Member of European Parliament, Green Party UK)
- Tim Aker (Head of Policy, UKIP)
- Professor Daniel S. Hamermesh (Award Winning Labour Economist)
- Dr Richard Corbett (Former Labour Party MEP and Advisor to European Council Cabinet)
- Markus Krebsz (Author and World Bank Advisor)
London Economics Symposium 2013
“The Road to Recovery from the Economic Crisis - Perspectives from Different Industry Leaders”.
On March 23, 2013, the first London Economics Symposium was held at the Millbank Centre in Central London. It featured speeches from 11 professionals from the Banking, Insurance, Technology, Legal, Financial Research and Alternative Energy industries as well as academia. The conference saw approximately 200 students from over 40 universities from around the world attending.
Speakers:
- Dr Alexander Dibelius (CEO of Goldman Sachs Germany, Austria, Central and Eastern Europe)
- Clement B. Booth (Board Member of Allianz SE)
- Dr Nikolaus von Bomhard (Chief Executive Officer of Munich Re)
- Geoff Balzano (Chief Executive Officer at Morningstar, Inc.UK)
- Dr Thomas Marsoner (Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Nomura International plc)
- Stephen Denyer (Global Markets Partner at Allen & Overy)
- Dr Hans Falk Bjerke (Chairman Board of Advisors Deutsche Private Equity)
- Peter Pantlin (Chief Corporate Officer Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica UK)
- Dr Emily Haisley (Investment Philosophy & Behavioural Finance Barclays)
- Dr Andrea Vedolin (Finance Lecturer London School of Economics)
- Lindsay Johnston (VP Commercial Operations EMEA Oracle)