OUR TEAM

ENTERPRISE POLICY CONSULTING FOR

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PolicyDepartment works flexibly with its network of top-flight policy and economic development associates. Whatever your needs, we'll assemble the right PolicyDepartment for you. 

Mike Spicer

Founder and Managing Director

Mike has nearly 20 years experience working as an economist, policy expert and advocate at the interface between business and government.

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Before founding PolicyDepartment in early 2020 Mike was Director of Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce. He spent a decade at the BCC representing the interests of business to government, and as its lead spokesperson on local growth issues. His successful campaigns achieved policy changes across all areas of business life.  He also oversaw its research and economics programmes. This included the UK's largest private poll of business sentiment on the economy.

While at BCC, Mike won a grant from the UK government in 2011 to set up the LEP Network – the association for Local Enterprise Partnerships in England. He served as its programme director until it became self-financing and self-governing in 2013/14.

Before BCC, Mike worked as Senior Strategy Executive at former UK Regional Development Agency EEDA. There he project-managed the East of England's last Regional Economic Strategy review. The process consulted hundreds of stakeholders. The resulting strategy directed resources for economic development across the region. He also oversaw impact evaluations and appraisals of multi-million-pound projects and programmes.

Mike started his career as an economist at commercial real estate giant Jones Lang LaSalle and leading forecaster Cambridge Econometrics.  He studied economics at the University of Warwick and University of Bath, England.

ASSOCIATES

Steve Hughes

Economics & Policy Research Associate

Steve is a leading policy researcher and Founding Director of Policy Points. He was previously Head of Economic and Social Policy at the think tank Policy Exchange. Steve has worked at the Bank of England and as an economist at the British Chambers of Commerce where he advised on tax, international trade and SME finance policy.

Sophie House

Environmental Policy Associate

Sophie is an expert in environmental policy and its implications for business. She has over 10 years research and evaluation experience working in Asia and Europe for clients in local government, central government and the European Commission. Before setting up as an independent consultant Sophie worked for global consulting firms GHK and Atkins.

Hannah Lazarus

Labour Markets Research Associate

Hannah specialises in economic research and stakeholder engagement in local economic development. She is an expert on local labour markets and their impact on business growth.  Hannah started her career as an analyst in HM Treasury and has worked or a range of regional governmental organisations as an economist, including at the former East of England Development Agency.

David Perry

Qualitative Research Associate

David is a highly experienced analyst of business populations. He is an expert in survey design, fieldwork management and focus group moderation. David has worked for some of the world's best-known research agencies including TNS and ICM and supported leading business groups like the British Chambers of Commerce. 

Glenn Athey

Economic Development Associate

Glenn is one of the UK's leading economists working in economic development and regeneration. His 25-year career  includes senior positions at Scottish Enterprise, Centre for Cities and the former London Development Agency. He is Founder & Director of My Local Economy, a leading economic development consultancy. Glenn is an expert in the economic appraisal and evaluation of publicly-funded enterprise programmes.

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