Warwick Economics Summit hosts Dr. Michael Spence for an exclusive talk, where the Nobel Prize Recipient discusses his views on shocks, structural transformations and technology for the economy in the coming decade. On the 26th of January 2025, the Warwick Economics Summit had the honour of hosting Michael Spence, Berkeley Professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Nobel Prize Winner for Economics. Here he discussed his research and views on pivotal issues for our modern society and economy. Spence started his speech by addressing the changes newly elected US President Donald Trump outlined at his virtual attendance of the World Economic Forum. The Stanford Professor split these into three parts: A radical Deregulation The downsizing of the US Government A forceful rejection of DEI and ESG In that regard, he particularly emphasized the withdrawal of the United States from the multilateral world.

On the 26th of January 2025 Ahmet Üzümcü , Nobel Peace Prize recipient and former Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), delivered an inspiring keynote at the Warwick Economics Summit. His speech emphasised the achievements of the OOPCW, the lessons learned from the elimination of chemical weapons, and the pressing need for continued global cooperation in disarmament efforts. Üzümcü began by reflecting on the historical context of chemical weapons, noting that their prohibition has its roots in the Hague Conventions, which first banned the use of poison in warfare. Despite their early efforts, the production of large chemical weapon stockpiles by global superpowers during the 20th century posed significant risks to humanity. He stated: “If these weapons had been deployed during the Second World War, the consequences would have been catastrophic” , highlighting the importance of protective measures and the 1992 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which marked a pivotal step towards global peace and security.

Warwick Economics Summit hosts József Váradi - Co-founder and CEO of Wizz Air - for a keynote detailing Wizz Air’s strategy and challenges, supply chain issues, and its outstanding sustainability in the aviation industry. On the 25th of January 2025, the Warwick Economics Summit (WES) had the honour of welcoming József Váradi, co-founder and CEO of Wizz Air, for an exclusive talk at the University of Warwick. In his talk, Mr. Váradi emphasized the challenges Wizz Air has experienced in the last three years due to geopolitics and international conflicts. He noted that over 23% of the airline's capacity was impacted by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East leading to the need to reallocate routes. The speaker further highlighted capacity issues that had arisen due to supply chain issues which he described as “horrific” saying “the underperformance of the supply chain… was simply the worst that could have happened to this industry”. “If you really think about it over the last three years 50% of our capacity got grounded”

On the 25th of January 2025, the Warwick Economics Summit (WES) had the pleasure of hosting Ugochi Daniels, DDG of the International Organization for Migration and a UN(S)hero who has previously served across the globe in a range of capacities such as Chief of Staff at UNRWA and Resident Coordinator based in Iran. Her work at the IOM revolves around ensuring migration as a global good, maintaining three objectives of a human imperative, driving solutions for displacement, and facilitating regular pathways for labour mobility. “Migration is fundamentally a story about people, it is about their journey and their lives…Migration is a global issue, but it is also a very very personal one.” Ugochi Daniels began her talk by noting that migration has been a highly charged current topic, shaping many election results, public policies, and opinions. She remarked that it remains a global challenge, sharing that 2023 saw the highest level of people ever displaced and was also the deadliest year on record for migrants. She further highlighted human trafficking as a danger migrants face (with a quarter of those affected being children), disparaging their business model of “turning hopes and journeys of hope into tragedies” that exploits migrants’ desires for better lives in circumstances where irregular pathways are the only option.

Warwick Economics Summit had the pleasure of hosting former Governor of the Brazilian Central Bank, Gustavo Franco, for an exclusive talk discussing the challenges and successes experienced in implementing the Real Plan that became the most successful economic stabilisation program in modern history. Gustavo Franco began his speech by explaining the build-up to the implementation of the Real Plan, highlighting Brazil’s 182-month-long hyperinflation during the 1980s - 1995. Unsustainable fiscal policies and short-sighted political measures had marked this period. He described inflation as having reached cumulative highs, unparalleled globally, distorting the economy, worsening income inequality, and undermining public trust. Despite a worsening situation, the speaker expressed frustration that many political leaders had denied the severity of the crisis, often misattributing inflation to rapid growth rather than structural imbalances. “The word hyperinflation was forbidden…So much data and study was done to simply persuade politicians that Brazil is sick, is diseased and to get treated.”

”Thriving private sectors, robust policies, and innovation will pave the way for inclusive growth.” stated James John as the Development Panel of the Warwick Economics Summit concluded that AI, gender equality and sustainable debt policies are the key to economic convergence. On the 25th of January 2025, the Warwick Economics Summit hosted James John (Director of the IMF Europe Offices), Chinwe Egwim (Chief Economist and Head of Economic Research and Intelligence at Coronation Merchant Bank), Dr. Mahmoud Moheildin (Executive Director of the IMF) and Arianna Legovini, Director of the Development Impact (DIME) for a panel discussion on The Future of Global Development: Envisioning a Path for Economic Convergence moderated by Wall Street Journal reporter Chelsey Dulaney.

Warwick Economics Summit hosts Simonetta Sommaruga at the 2025 summit for a deep dive into the implementation of diversity and sustainability in society, where she discusses the difficulties and solutions to achieving a thriving society. Simonetta Sommaruga, former President of Switzerland and currently President of the Board of Equal Pay Foundation, has dealt with several crises, such as the refugee crisis of 2015 and the 2020 Covid-19 crisis, over the course of her long-standing political and activist career. In her keynote speech, she stressed the importance of taking a stand to make change and learning from criticism and resistance to change. ‘Major societal changes have always been accompanied by backlash… every major transformation creates winners and losers.’

On the 24th of January 2025, the Warwick Economics Summit (WES) had the honour to host Paul Donovan, Chief Economist of Global Wealth Management at UBS, for an exclusive talk at the University of Warwick. In his speech, Mr. Donovan explored the profound societal and economic shifts driven by the fourth industrial revolution, including automation, digitalisation, and the rise of artificial intelligence. He noted that these innovations offer immense potential for those who know how to utilise them, but also warned that these sweeping changes would lead to people losing their economic security. “When your economic security is failing, you want an explanation for why this chaos is happening, and that leads us very quickly to scapegoat economics.”

Warwick Economics Summit hosts Kate Raworth for a talk on the groundbreaking "Doughnut Economics" Framework to respond to our ‘deeply degraded and unequal world’. “We can think in terms of models…but are we using models that are appropriate for this contemporary world?” On 24 January 2025, the Warwick Economic Summit (WES) had the privilege of hosting Kate Raworth, the author of ‘Doughnut Economics’ and founder of Doughnut Economics Action Lab. Kate Raworth introduced the innovative thought of “Doughnut Economics” as a new, interdisciplinary approach to economics. Raworth stressed the importance of moving beyond the singular focus on economic growth, to a model centred around our social and environmental needs within a finite planet. Raworth reasoned that various global crises, such as climate change, COVID-19, as well as social inequality are the product of outdated economic mindsets and the financial crisis highlighted a need for change in the financial sector. She criticised the ‘capitalist mindset’, underscored by endless accumulation, growth and extraction, offering a systemic redesign favouring regeneration and distribution. She emphasised how the “Earth needs to have centrality in our worldview” for it to become possible for humanity to live within the means of our resources.

On the 24th of January 2025, the Warwick Economics Summit hosted a panel discussion on The AI Economy: The Role of AI in Transforming Industries. The panel was moderated by Michael Peel (Science Editor at the Financial Times) featuring Dr. Murray Ellender (Founder and Chief Executive of eConsult) and Thorsten Beck (Director of Florence School of Banking and Finance). The panel hosted discussions regarding the role AI can play in the financial and healthcare sector and concerns regarding privacy and biased data sets. A consensus was reached that AI is poised to redefine industries, but its full potential relies on tackling systemic issues and implementing responsible practices.

On January 24, the Warwick Economics Summit had the honour of hosting Paolo Gentiloni. Mr. Gentiloni started his career at the National Democratic Party of Italy, rising in the ranks until becoming the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 2016, he was elected as Italy’s 57th Prime Minister, and after his term, he became the European Commissioner for Economy until 2024. Paolo Gentiloni recognised the end of Euro-optimism. He believes that the three pillars of Euro-optimism are no longer present: A reliance on Russia for cheap energy Confidence that Chinese markets can provide unlimited growth for European exports A reliable US military provision of European Security so that Europe can dedicate its funds to social The former European Commissioner explained the unsustainability of these pillars’ success, emphasising that Europe will now have to develop more independence as the US places more pressure on formerly believed unconditional allies---such as Canada and Europe. He also acknowledged the recognisability of the end of the Euro-optimism on an economic level in light of Germany’s ongoing recession. For Gentiloni, Germany is the ‘only important European economy in recession’. Therefore, he emphasised the cruciality of German recovery for everyone in Europe for economic revitalisation.

Vjosa Osmani advocates gender equality for economic progress at the Warwick Economics Summit On the 4th of February, the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani delivered a speech at the Warwick Economics Summit. Osmani is the first woman President and the first woman elected Speaker of the Assembly in Kosovo. “Gender equality is not just good ethics. It's crucially and very importantly, smart economics. When women and men participate fully, when they are granted equal opportunities, economies grow faster. Granting equal access to education, health care, work and representation in political and economic decision making processes means enhancing sustainably benefits for our societies. What I am saying is not just a beautiful theory, it's a fact backed by data from across the globe.”