After Dinner Speakers: John Kay, Peter Ustinov,

John Kay began his academic career when he was elected a fellow of St John's College, Oxford at the age of 21, a position which he still holds. As research director and director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies he established it as one of Britain's most respected think tanks. Since then he has been a professor at the London Business School and the University of Oxford. He was the first director of Oxford University's Said Business School. In 1986 he founded London Economics, a consulting business, of which he was executive chairman until 1996. During this period it grew into Britain's largest independent economic consultancy with a turnover of Ł10m and offices in London, Boston and Melbourne. He has been a director of Halifax plc and remains a director of several investment companies. He is the first (and still the only) Professor of Management to receive the academic distinction of Fellowship of the British Academy. In 1999 he resigned his position at Oxford and sold his interest in London Economics. A frequent, writer, lecturer and broadcaster, he contributes a fortnightly column to the Financial Times. His most recent books are Why Firms Succeed (1995) and The Business of Economics (1996), and another major work on the successes and failures of market economies is in preparation. He commutes between London, Oxfordshire and the south of France, and his favourite recreation is walking in the mountains behind the French Riviera, where many of his best ideas are composed. A keynote and seminar speaker, Professor Kay addresses the latest thinking in economics, industry and business issues