Professor in Economics, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow

Graeme is Professor in Economics, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow and Dean of External Engagement in the College of Social Sciences. He supports academics across the College in communications, research, impact, and stakeholder engagement. Graeme is responsible for the College’s £1.25m ESRC Impact Acceleration Account.

Prior to joining Glasgow in March 2021, he was Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde.

Graeme is also a former Senior Civil Servant in the Scottish Government, where he was Head of the First Minister’s Policy Unit and a Senior Economic Adviser.

Graeme’s research focus is on economic policy and devolution. He is a regular commentator and public speaker on the Scottish economy, including writing a monthly column for the Herald newspaper.

Graeme was the independent special adviser to the Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee between 2017 and 2018. He is a former member of the UK Government’s Scottish Business Taskforce and the Scottish Government’s National Economic Transformation Council. Between 2019 and 2023, he chaired an independent evaluation group for Public Health Scotland to monitor the Economic Impact of Minimum Unit Pricing.

Graeme is a Lead Editor for the Economics Observatory and is also the Scottish lead for the International Public Policy Observatory. In 2023, he led the University’s Adam Smith Tercentenary commemorations.

Graeme is co-host – with Kezia Dugdale – of the University of Glasgow’s Spotlight podcast.

Outside of his university work, Graeme is a board member of Stirling Community Enterprise a social enterprise based in the Raploch area of Stirling that supports community-based training and employment.

In 2023, Graeme was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Graeme was appointed Chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission, Scotland’s official independent economic and fiscal forecaster established to support the Scottish Budget process. For further details see Scottish Fiscal Commission.