Leeds welcomes the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England

We were delighted to welcome Dr Ben Broadbent, Deputy Governor at the Bank of England to present to students and academics.

On 6 December 2021, Leeds University Business School welcomed Dr Ben Broadbent, Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy at the Bank of England. Dr Broadbent gave a speech titled ‘Lags, trade-offs and the challenges facing monetary policy’ to students from our MSc Banking & International Finance Programme, as well as our broader University community and members of the public.

The talk, which was hosted in the state-of-the-art lecture theatre in the recently opened Esther Simpson building, was Dr Broadbent’s first in-person talk since the start of Covid-19 in February 2020. 

Professor Julia Bennell, Executive Dean of the Business School, introduced the talk by highlighting the important role of the Business School in developing talented graduates and stimulating innovation within the finance sector in Leeds. 

Dr Ben Broadbent of the Bank of England and Professor Julia Bennell from Leeds University Business School

Dr Ben Broadbent with Professor Julia Bennell

Commenting on the event, Professor Julia Bennell highlighted the importance of the Business School’s links to these key institutions.

“Opportunities like this for our student and academic community are essential to enhancing our student experience and research agenda. To partner with the Bank of England in this way is especially important in light of their plans to heavily invest in Leeds and make it their ‘second home’.

There is an increasing need for universities to demonstrate their value closer to home, take on shared goals and build trust with local businesses and stakeholders.”

We aim to be a facilitator; we are extremely well placed to bring the right networks of business and thought leaders together to help drive investment and innovation in the region.

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You can watch the full video of Dr Broadbent’s talk

The event attracted 75 in-person attendees and another 170 who took part online, including members of the press and representatives of key financial institutions from across the globe.

The event was coordinated by Dr Danilo Mascia and the team in the Business School’s International Banking Institute (IBI), which plays a key role in working with regulators and industry on high quality research, helping to respond to the changing demands of the banking sector.

“I’m delighted with the response from our community to the event. The students found the experience hugely beneficial and to hear directly from such a distinguished speaker is an incredible opportunity for them. We hope to welcome Dr Broadbent and his colleagues back in 2022.”

It’s this kind of opportunity that really set the IBI and our MSc Banking & International Finance Programme apart from other Business Schools.

Lecture taking place in the Esther Simpson lecture theatre

The event took place in the new Esther Simpson building lecture theatre

The event itself also garnered wide media coverage, including The Guardian, The Times, The Financial Times, The Telegraph and the front page of the Daily Express. Dr Broadbent highlighted in his talk the challenges facing monetary policy in 2022. A full transcript of his talk at the Business School can be found on the Bank of England website.

Find out more about the International Banking Institute.

View all photos from this event.