The Social Market Foundation, Britain’s leading cross-party think tank, is delighted to announce the appointment of Theo Bertram as its new Director.
Theo Bertram said:
“I’m delighted to join the SMF as its new Director. Over 35 years, the SMF has established a reputation at the centre of British politics as independent, pragmatic and radical. I am looking forward to working with the team to produce high-quality and impactful research that shapes policy and improves people’s lives. I want to thank my predecessor James Kirkup and Interim Director Aveek Bhattacharya.”
Professor Wendy Thomson, Chair of the SMF, said:
“I’m delighted to welcome Theo Bertram to the SMF as its new Director. He is a highly experienced public affairs thinker and political strategist, having worked at senior levels in the centre of government as well as the technology sector. His unanimous appointment followed a highly competitive national search. The Board and I are looking forward to working with him. I also want to praise Aveek Bhattacharya for the fantastic job he has done in the role of Interim Director.”
Notes
About Theo Bertram:
Theo Bertram studied at the University of Cambridge before completing a PhD on Samuel Beckett at the University of Bristol. After leaving Downing Street in 2010, Bertram worked as Head of Public Affairs at Telefonica O2 UK before joining Google, where he worked on a range of UK and European public policy issues for eight years. In 2019, he joined TikTok, where he was Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations, focused on European and global technology public policy issues and engaging with global institutions on behalf of TikTok.
He started his career in politics as a regional organiser for the Labour Party and rose through the ranks to become a Special Adviser in Downing Street to Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2006. He was one of the few advisers to serve both Blair and Gordon Brown, becoming Head of Research and Information at No10.
About the Social Market Foundation:
The Social Market Foundation (SMF) is an independent, non-partisan think tank. We believe that fair markets, complemented by open public services, increase prosperity and help people to live well. We conduct research and run events looking at a wide range of economic and social policy areas, focusing on economic prosperity, public services and consumer markets. The SMF is resolutely independent, and the range of backgrounds and opinions among our staff, trustees and advisory board reflects this.
Contact
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