# Andrew Graham (economist)

Andrew Graham (born 20 June 1942) is a British political economist. From 2001 to 2011 he was master of Balliol College, Oxford. He is currently chair of trustees of the Europaeum (2024), a member of the Advisory Board of Ethics in Technology, Hamburg University of Technology (2023–), and senior fellow of the Oxford Internet Institute (2011–).
He is an honorary fellow of Balliol College and of St Edmund Hall, and an honorary doctor of Civil Law, awarded by the University of Oxford in 2003.

## Early life and education

Andrew Graham was born in Perranporth, Cornwall. He is the son of the novelist Winston Graham. He was educated at Truro Cathedral School and Charterhouse School before reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University.

## Career

On graduation, Andrew Graham joined the National Economic Development Office (1964) followed by the Department of Economic Affairs (1964–1966). From the DEA, he moved to No.10 as economic assistant to Thomas Balogh (1966–1967), then economic adviser to the Cabinet, but de facto adviser to the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson. From 1968 to 1969, Graham was economic advisor to the Prime Minister.
Andrew Graham was appointed fellow and tutor in Economics at Balliol College, Oxford (1969–1997). In 1974–1976, on leave of absence from Balliol, he was a member of the No. 10 Policy Unit as economic advisor to the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson. In 1988 he became economic advisor to John Smith MP (Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and later Leader of the Labour Party), until Smith's death in 1994. During this time Andrew Graham was also consultant to the BBC (1989–1992), putting forward the case for public service broadcasting. Working initially with Gavyn Davies, he has published extensively on this theme.
In 1997 Andrew Graham was appointed Acting Master of Balliol. He was subsequently elected Master of Balliol (2001-2011). He was an elected member of the University of Oxford Council (2006-2011). In 2001, Andrew Graham raised £15 million and founded the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), the first multidisciplinary research centre at a major university examining the effects on society of the internet. He was OII acting director (2001–2002) and chair of its advisory board (2002–2012). During his tenure as master, Balliol extended its fundraising (being the first college to raise £1 million from its annual fund), lowered its costs, improved its overall finances and in 2010 set up the Balliol Interdisciplinary Institute. In 2008 Balliol obtained the most first class degrees in finals while the men’s and, later, the women’s rowers became Head of the River (men in 2008, women in 2010 and 2011). In 2011 the establishment of the Balliol Historic Collections Centre in the fully renovated St Cross Church was completed, aided by a donation of £1 million from the Shirley Foundation. He was acting warden of Rhodes House (2012–2013) and a Rhodes Foundation Scholarship Trust, trustee (2013–2016).
Andrew Graham is currently Chair of Trustees (2024-) at the Europaeum having previously served as its Chair of the Academic Council (2009-2020), Executive Chair (2017-2020), and Trustee (2020-24). As part of restructuring, Graham created the Europaeum Scholars’ Programme, securing agreement and raising external funding. Europaeum university membership rose from eleven in 2016 to seventeen by 2024. The regeneration of the Europaeum has been recognized by the award of the Scaliger Medal by Leiden University (2021) and by the Gold Medal of Charles University, Prague (2021).

## Other activities and appointments

Member, ILO/JASPA (Jobs and Skills Programme for Africa) Employment Advisory Mission to Ethiopia (1982); Consultant to the BBC (1989–1992), writing extensively on the case for public service broadcasting; Board Member Channel 4 Television (1998-2005); director of the Scott Trust owners of The Guardian (2005–2016) and Trustee of Reprieve (2015-2021).
Andrew Graham was consultant to Mammoth Screen for the BBC TV series, Poldark, based on his father, Winston Graham’s, novels (2014-22); and is President of the Perranzabuloe Museum Trust (2015- ).
Academic offices :
| Preceded byColin Lucas | Master of Balliol College, Oxford 2001–2011 | Succeeded byDrummond Bone |