Alumni
Catrin Owen – Junior Consultant
Catrin spent just under a year at WPI as a Junior Consultant before joining Ocado as a Graduate Buyer in 2022. Before joining WPI, Catrin worked in public policy at a think tank and in social advisory at a strategy consultancy, having completed a BSc in Economics and Politics at the University of Bath, including an industrial placement year in the Loan Market Association. At WPI, Catrin worked on a range of topics and published a number of reports, from Net Zero to the economic value of rail transport in the UK.
Guy Miscampbell – Senior Consultant
Guy became a Senior Research Fellow at the think tank Onward upon leaving WPI, and is now Associate Director at Stack Data Strategy. Before joining WPI Economics in July 2016, Guy completed a Master of Public Policy at the University of Toronto as a Cadario Scholar. Previous experience includes working in legislatures, think tanks, and governments across three different countries, including working in the Strategy and Results branch of the Ontario Public Service, as a Research Fellow at Policy Exchange, a Research Assistant at the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance, and working in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Jennifer Macpherson – Junior Consultant
Jennifer started a new role at a management consultancy, having been a Junior Consultant at WPI Economics. Before WPI, Jennifer worked at a public policy consultancy firm specialising in telecommunications and technology, where she advised clients on the policy issues that arise from the use of new transformative technologies within the ICT sector. Jennifer graduated from the University of St. Andrews where she studied International Relations and Economics.
Jamie Thunder – Senior Consultant
Jamie took up a role at the FCA, before starting a career in debt advisory, having previously held roles in research, regulation and consumer policy at Which? and The Money Charity, among others. Jamie also has experience working in journalism, as well as a Masters in Investigative Journalism from City University. In 2019 he was shortlisted for the inaugural Bennett Prospect Public Policy Prize. At WPI, Jamie led a range of projects and reports, including topics such as revenue pressures on local newspapers, the impact of changes to spending on homelessness services and tackling first-party fraud.
Helen Slater – Head of Research
Helen is a Senior Civil Servant with extensive experience working in Government, having worked as a Senior Economist in the Treasury, and various roles in the Department for Education, including Deputy Director of the transformation team. Prior to joining WPI, Helen spent time in Ghana as a Senior Research Fellow in the African Centre for Economic Transformation, focusing on education, skills and employment and producing workable policies. At WPI, Helen conducted research for the Social Security Advisory Committee’s Independent Work Programme and produced reports for the Legatum Institute’s Prosperity Index, among other projects.
Raphael Gregorian – Analyst
Raphael joined the Civil Service fast stream programme after wroking at WPI as an analyst. Prior to this position, Raphael was working in the UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus alongside the UN, NGOs and government ministries, where he gained experience in grassroots conflict-resolution, and public policy strategy, specifically in the fields of education and social policy. Raphael has a first class honours degree in Economics and History from SOAS, University of London, and was awarded the “SOAS Department of Economics Prize for Undergraduate Finalists 2015-2016”.
Meghan Meek-O’Connor – Analyst
Meghan is currently a Senior Policy Advisor at Sav the Children, having worked at Central London Forward and NSPCC since leaving WPI. As an analyst at WPI, she contributed to WPI’s work with the Social Metrics Commission among other policy areas. Prior to WPI, she took a Masters in Public Policy Degree at Sciences Po, Paris, specialising in social policy and innovation, as well as working as a project manager for an international NGO based in Kathmandu, where she led research projects to improve access to education for discriminated-against groups. She has also worked as a research analyst at Enders Analysis, where she authored reports and produced research concerning the UK’s Public Broadcasting Services. Meghan has a first class honours degree in History from the University of Oxford.
Jennifer Bradley – Associate
Jennifer is an economist and policy professional who has worked in the UK government for over 12 years, carrying out policy analysis and leading teams on a range of social policy topics from Pensions to Regional Development. At WPI she worked on building models of the impacts of public policy changes, including on new policies for supporting homeless people.
Previously the Head of Labour Market Strategy at DWP, she is currently a Senior Civil Servant and Head of the Migration Advisory Committee at the Home Office. She holds an Economics Degree and Masters in Economics and Social Policy.
John Wrathmell – Associate
John Wrathmell is currently the head of Strategy and Policy Development at Greater Manchester Combined Authority. He worked as an Economic Adviser to WPI specialising in devolution, including the devolution of employment support, and on fiscal policies and higher education funding.
Prior to that he was Head of Economic Policy at the Labour Party, where he worked directly to the Party Leader and Shadow Chancellor on policy areas across Treasury, Work & Pensions and Business, and an Economic Adviser at HM Treasury. At the Treasury he led work on capital taxation, productivity and the taxation of small businesses.