The UK government’s most senior economic adviser has been hired by the OECD as its chief economist, in the first time a British person has held the role for 30 years.
Clare Lombardelli, the chief economic adviser to the Treasury, will take the position at the Paris-based club of wealthy nations after the Spring budget.
Representing 38 of the world’s leading economies, the OECD acts as a powerful forum for developing economic policy and setting international standards, including efforts to combat tax evasion and agreeing a global minimum corporation tax.
Lombardelli will lead the OECD’s economic work, replacing France’s Laurence Boone, who left the organisation last summer to join Emmanuel Macron’s government as Europe minister after four years in the role.
Her appointment comes as many of the world’s leading economies slump into recession amid sky-high inflation fuelled by Russia’s war in Ukraine and the fallout from the Covid pandemic, including in Britain.
Taking the role will come with delicate subjects for the outgoing top civil servant to handle, with the OECD among leading international bodies to highlight the self-inflicted economic damage of Brexit and Britain’s lacklustre growth performance on the world stage in recent months.
She also departs the Treasury after a period of intense political pressure, as a focal point for criticism of under Liz Truss’ brief premiership, before the disaster of the mini budget.
