LSE is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Andrés Velasco as the inaugural Dean of LSE’s new School of Public Policy.

Professor Velasco brings an exceptional breadth of experience in a distinguished career spanning academia, policy and politics. He was the Minister of Finance in Chile between 2006 and 2010 and held professorial roles at the Harvard Kennedy School and Columbia University´s School of International and Public Affairs. He has advised governments around the world and formulated policy at the highest levels.

Professor Tony Travers, who has been Interim Dean, will remain in the School of Public Policy as the Associate Dean.

Professor Velasco commented on his appointment: “I am delighted to be joining LSE, which from its foundation has sought to improve society and public policy-making through teaching and research. The School of Public Policy will play a leading role in public policy analysis and design, which in turn will help us understand and tackle the challenges of contemporary governance across the world. We will recruit and train the political and policy leaders of the future.”

Commenting on the appointment, LSE Director Dame Minouche Shafik said: “We are honoured to welcome Professor Velasco, an outstandingly talented leader. The School of Public Policy is an exciting step for LSE, driving forward our founding purpose: to bring a social science vision to solving the world’s challenges. LSE will benefit from his remarkable experience both as a policy maker and academic.”

You can read the full LSE announcement on the LSE website.