STICERD is proud to host the Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy during its formative phase working with our faculty: Professor Sir Tim Besley and Dr Daniel Chandler. During this period we will not only promote the Initiative’s work but will also host and manage the programme operations as it develops towards full independence.

We look forward to supporting this initiative and working with Richard Davies (LSE School of Public Policy) and our other colleagues across LSE to help realise its goals.

The Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy 

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has received a transformative £10 million gift from LSE alumnus Johannes Huth to launch the Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy (HINPE) - a major programme that will unite world-leading research and policy engagement to shape a new economic model for the 21st century.

Led by Professor Sir Tim Besley and Dr Daniel Chandler, the Huth Initiative will bring together experts from economics, politics, and philosophy to reimagine the relationship between markets, government and society. The Initiative will develop world-leading research and practical ideas for fairer, more sustainable prosperity. A dedicated Policy Hub, led by Professor Richard Davies, will ensure research directly informs decision-making in government, business, and civil society. Equally central is a commitment to training the next generation of outstanding researchers, ensuring the Initiative’s impact endures for decades to come.

LSE President and Vice Chancellor, Professor Larry Kramer, said: “The world faces a daunting set of challenges. Structural economic and political shifts are driving inequality, insecurity and public unrest, and it is increasingly clear that existing policy approaches are not adequately addressing these pressures. We urgently need new economic thinking, policies and frameworks grounded in the realities people face every day and better suited to the twenty‑first century. Johannes Huth’s commitment to long-term institutional change and practical impact is central to the ambition of this Initiative, and I am deeply grateful to him for this transformative gift, which will enable us to pursue the ambitious agenda that this pivotal moment requires.”

Johannes Huth said: “I am proud to support LSE in its mission to develop new economic thinking that addresses the challenges of our time. The Initiative is about bringing together the best minds across different disciplines to develop and shape a new economic paradigm that appropriately addresses the issues of today.”

Professor Sir Tim Besley, Director of the Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy, School Professor of Economics and Political Science and W. Arthur Lewis Professor of Development Economics in the Department of Economics at LSE, said: “A thriving economy is shaped not only by policies and markets but by the communities it nurtures and the political processes that sustain them. We aim to bring these elements together to create a framework for productivity, fairness, and resilience. I am hugely appreciative of Johannes Huth for his vision and support for addressing these urgent global challenges. The Huth Initiative will deliver world-leading research on the most pressing economic challenges, shape public debate, influence policy, and nurture the next generation of scholars.”

Dr Daniel Chandler, Executive Director of the Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy, said: "We are in a moment of transition, as the so-called neoliberal era comes to an end – but what comes next is up for grabs. While many of the building blocks for a new economic paradigm already exist, they remain fragmented across disciplines. The Huth Initiative will support cutting-edge research, draw these insights together into a coherent whole, and ensure they shape real-world policy. It's the first effort of its kind on this scale, made possible thanks to Johannes Huth’s extraordinary generosity."

The Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy will be hosted and managed by STICERD until it becomes fully independent.

Mr Huth’s generous support significantly advances LSE’s Shaping the World Campaign, which is helping LSE to lead the social sciences response to some of the major global challenges of our time.

Find out more on the LSE Latest News pages.