Friday 23 May 2014 Adam Memon (GSAL10) has been appointed head of economic research at the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), just months after graduating from University College London. He took up the high profile role in January, managing research projects, undertaking his own research and advocating CPS policy proposals in the media. Adam’s primary goal is to see CPS ideas turned into Government policy, so much of his work includes corresponding with MPs, as well as getting the message across through television and radio interviews, writing for newspapers and establishing a social media presence. Although his work can be dependent on the news cycle, especially if new economic data has just been released, part of the job also includes considering the long term problems facing the country and ways to resolve them. He said: “The role is a fascinating combination of research and politics and it’s a pleasure to work alongside some brilliant people.” Adam’s first experience of the CPS was as an intern during his third year studies at UCL. Although internships were not part of his degree course in economics Adam had become involved with the university’s Economics and Finance Society where he saw the importance of work experience and undertook as many internships as he could. These included stints at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Markets and International Banking at RBS and a French investment bank. Straight after his exams Adam interned at Barclays in their investment banking division before taking up a post with the Conservative Research Department last September. He said: “Both jobs were incredibly valuable and I learned a lot about applying economics in the real world.” Although only a few months into the job, Adam cites a number of high points, including being invited to Downing Street to discuss some of the policy proposals which the CPS is currently working on and achieving media coverage in over 100 countries for a paper on entrepreneurship. But it is perhaps his debate on BBC News with writer and broadcaster Polly Toynbee which has been his biggest highlight so far. “I suspect she may have thought that debating with a 22-year-old economist would be fairly straightforward,” he said of his meeting with the famously outspoken Toynbee, “but I think I held my ground well.” Adam is quick to credit much of his success to his teachers at GSAL where, as well as receiving a good education, he was able to benefit from the many co-curricular activities on offer. He paid particular tribute to his economics teacher Chris Law who, he said, “pushed me to be a better student.” During his school years Adam was head of the cricket team for a time, a member of the school’s debating team, head of faith and established a current affairs society with his younger brother Adnan. He said: “Employers need to see good exam results but they also need people who have shown they can work well in a team, people who have shown leadership and people with interesting experiences and skills outside of normal lessons.” Chris Law described Adam as ambitious, articulate, appreciative, competitive and compassionate. He said: “My abiding memory of Adam is his engagement with the Times Target 2.0 competition, where all those qualities made such a difference to team performance and morale. “I’m so pleased that he has ended up where he has, on a big stage, practising economics as it was first conceived: the practical pursuit of social and economic improvement, rooted in argument, evidence and an ethical perspective, and right at the heart of government.” Alumni
