The Society of Business Economists (SBE) is the leading organisation serving business economists in the UK. 

The Society exists to help all those who use economics in a business environment - whether in industry, commerce, finance, consultancy or public service. Its activities aim to advance the use of economic analysis as a tool to support business decision-making and to enhance the standing of the professional economist working outside academia. It provides a forum for its members to discuss and debate economic issues and helps them keep in touch with practical and theoretical developments within the discipline.

The membership of the Society is drawn from a broad spectrum of business life, spanning the City, commerce and industry, public and private sectors, large businesses and small. By becoming a member you will gain access to a wide network of professional economists, providing an excellent means of establishing contact with other leading economists in your own field and in other areas. This network is not confined to the UK; the Society has overseas members and links with similar associations in other countries in Western Europe and in North America. 

The Society organises a comprehensive and varied programme of meetings, study groups, seminars and conferences to enable you to keep up with key developments in British and international business economics. Through these meetings you can enhance your own professional status and standing. 

The Society of Business Economists is an association of business economists for business economists. Participation has been a guiding principle of the Society’s long and successful history. If you are a business economist; if you use economic analysis in your work; you should join us.

The Society of Business Economists was established as The Business Economists Group in 1953 and grew rapidly, adopting its present name in 1969. Members are drawn from all areas of the profession including finance and commerce, industry, government departments and private sector consultants.

The SBE is governed by a Council of 12 elected members, with all Full Members and Fellows eligible for election. The Chairman is elected by Council members. The Society has a President and Vice Presidents, also elected by the Council.

The SBE maintains close links with business economists’ groups in many countries in western Europe and North America and keeps Members informed of events such as International Conferences.

The highlight of our activities this year was Bank of England Governor Mervyn King’s lecture on Ten Years of Independence of the Bank of England. The Society is very grateful to Andrew McLaughlin and his team at the Royal Bank of Scotland for hosting the event and the reception afterwards, attended by 200 Members.

April brought the sad news that Sir Campbell Fraser, the founder of the Society, had died (on April 27), shortly before his 84th birthday. The growth in size and status of the Society was a source of much satisfaction to him, and in his later years as an elder statesman he gave the Society’s officers and secretariat much constructive support.

John Calverley, 12th Chairman of the Society, Acting Chairman after David Walton’s death and driving force behind the 50th anniversary celebrations, has relocated to Canada and relinquished his Council responsibilities. He made an outstanding contribution over many years.

Jill Leyland handed over to David Owen as Honorary Treasurer, stepping down from the Council after 15 years working enthusiastically in a number of roles.

John Llewellyn, David Owen and Thomas Mayer were elected to Council and Adam Chester was re-elected. David Owen, as Honorary Treasurer, has been ably assisted by Tudor Marshall and the investment team led by Andrew Milligan. Marian Marshall’s knowledge and guidance in her role as Secretary to the Council has been invaluable. We are very grateful to Katie Abberton and her team at PXL for their continuing service to the Society’s good administration.

The Society’s strength over the past year has been reflected in a growing membership, and increased breadth. SBE Members are drawn from across the private and public sectors, and from industry, commerce, finance, the media and academia. Around 20 new organisations have joined the extensive range of those represented by our Members over past year alone. We thank our Membership Secretary, Alison Cottrell, for her continued work in this respect.

The successful formula of high calibre speakers addressing a range of subjects, and a combination of lunch-time and evening meetings, has been maintained.

The Annual Dinner at the Institute of Directors, attended by over 200 Members and guests, was addressed by Mario Draghi, Governor of Banca d’Italia and member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. He gave insights into monetary policy in Europe and answered some challenging questions. Lord Burns presided over the evening and presented the Rybczynski prize, once again sponsored by KPMG. The winner, Kevin Daly of Goldman Sachs, remembered David Walton as an inspiring example, and donated £1000 of his prize money to the David Walton Memorial Fund.

Evan Davis chaired June’s Annual Conference on How Long will the World Upswing Last?, the first part of which considered the challenges for monetary policy. In a tribute to David Walton, Gavyn Davies gave a keynote speech on how the Fed and ECB should set monetary policy. Jorgen Elmeskov then discussed how low unemployment could safely go, and Avinash Persaud, Robin Niblett and Martin Weale spoke on the risks to financial stability, the political order and the UK economy. This was the first SBE conference at which a speaker had specifically addressed geopolitical risks, and the event, coordinated by John Calverley and John Llewellyn, received very positive feedback.

Membership of the Society of Business Economists through its wide range of activities, provides an ideal way of keeping up with economic developments, current issues and advances in economic research. The SBE provides a point of contact for economists in business to air their views and to hear those of others. Activities include:

The core of the SBE’s activities is a programme of monthly meetings from September to June. Distinguished guest speakers from the UK and abroad address the Society on a wide range of issues. At every meeting there is ample time for questions and discussion. After each meeting there is the opportunity to dine with the speaker together with other Members.

Conferences are periodically arranged for the consideration of the broader domestic and international issues affecting the business environment with the help of expert speakers.

The highlight of the year, the Annual Dinner is an excellent opportunity to meet informally with fellow economists, and to hear leading after-dinner speakers addressing topical issues. A former Director General of GATT, the Director-General of the CBI and the Governor of the Bank of England have been key-note speakers in recent years.

The Society regularly organises seminars on topical issues and new developments and techniques led by recognised experts in their own field.

The number and nature of these groups alters in line with issues of topical interest to members. Groups may hold meetings or simply maintain contact registers and have recently covered areas such as forecasting, statistics, industrial economics and European economies.

The Society’s well respected journal is published three times a year and is free to Members. It features articles on practical research, recent theoretical advances and contains an extensive book review section. Articles include contri­butions from Members and other economists. Members are encouraged to submit their own articles.

The monthly newsletter keeps Members informed of all the Society’s activities. There is regular news of related groups and developments of interest to the business economist. Recruitment advertisements are often circulated.

Regular surveys are carried out, assessing Members’ views of important issues such as the Budget and the economic outlook. There is also an annual salary survey.

The SBE Yearbook contains a full listing of the over 600 Members, by name and by organisation. This is distributed only to Members.