Jeff Masters and Mark Simmonds

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Jeff Masters (Policy Adviser to Shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna MP) is particularly interested how innovation is generated within organisations, and on the role that government can play in supporting this through modern industrial strategy. He was previously secretary to the cross- party Commission on 2020 Public Services based at the RSA, and a policy adviser in the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, working on issues from childcare and education policy to labour market and welfare policy. Prior to that he worked as a policy advocate at the Low Pay Unit and ran an employment rights advice service for low-paid workers. He graduated in law from the University of Nottingham and holds a Master’s of Public Policy degree from the Kennedy School of Government.

Mark Simmonds (Researcher to Shadow Cabinet Office Minster, Chi Onwurah MP): in his role supporting the Labour Party’s spokesperson on cybersecurity, social entrepreneurship, civil contingencies and open government and transparency, Mark is interested in technology (particularly the limits of cybersecurity), digital infrastructure, and the role they play in economies. He has also carried out research into the role of Government in building and sustaining national innovation systems. He was previously a Policy Officer at the Regional Development Agencies’ Secretariat, focussing on innovation. Prior to that, he was a Business and Systems Analyst at the Dreyfus Corporation, part of the Bank of New York Mellon in the USA. He is a graduate of Newcastle University.