Ellen Marianne Leonard, 1907

Ellen Marianne Leonard was the first woman to serve as President of the LSE Students’ Union. Her career as a historian reflects both the achievements and challenges faced by early female academics. Educated at University College Bristol, Bedford College, and Girton College, Cambridge, she joined LSE as a research student and went on to publish significant works on English poor relief and the enclosure of common fields in the seventeenth century.

Eileen Power, 1911

Eileen Power was a pioneering medieval and economic historian whose career helped shape LSE’s early intellectual life. After studying at Girton College, Cambridge, she became a Shaw Research Student at LSE in 1911 and later returned as a lecturer, eventually becoming the School’s second woman appointed to the Chair in Economic History in 1931.

Renowned for her innovative social‑historical approach, she published influential works such as Medieval People and brought history to wider audiences through BBC broadcasts and children’s books, co‑authored with her sister, Rhoda.

Harmodio Arias Madrid, 1911

Harmodio Arias Madrid was a Panamanian politician who served as President in 1931 and from 1932 to 1936.

Madrid championed national sovereignty, opposed US treaty terms that were unfavourable to Panama, and founded the University of Panama in 1935. He also negotiated the landmark Alfaro‑Hull Treaty, which curtailed US intervention rights. After leaving office, he remained influential through his newspapers and continued shaping national policy.

Dr Vera Anstey, BSc Economics 1913

Vera Anstey studied Economic History at LSE, graduating with first-class honours in 1913. Anstey joined LSE as Assistant Lecturer in 1921, became Lecturer in Commerce in 1929, and Sir Ernest Cassel Reader in 1941. She chaired undergraduate admissions from 1939 to 1959 and led Indian economy seminars until 1965. She also served as the Dean of Economics at the University of London.

Vera Anstey's contribution to LSE is remembered through the Vera Anstey room, which is based in the Old Building.

Pedro G Beltrán, BSc Economics 1913, 1938

Pedro G. Beltrán served as Prime Minister of Peru from 1959 to 1961. At other points in his career, he also served as Peru’s Ambassador to the United States, was twice the Chair of Peru’s Central Reserve Bank, and was the long-term owner of the newspaper La Prensa. During his premiership, Peru’s economic situation stabilised due to financial austerity and a championing of free commerce.

Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar,
MSc Economics 1921, PhD 1923

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar has become best known as the principal architect of the Indian Constitution and as a champion of Dalit rights. Ambedkar completed a master's degree in 1921 and a PhD in 1923 at LSE, with a thesis focused on how to stabilise India's currency, the rupee. In addition to his contribution to India's constitution, Ambedkar also served as India's first Minister of Law and Justice between 1947 and 1951.

Mithan Tata, BSc Economics 1922

Mithan Tata was both a pioneering lawyer and an advocate for women's rights. Tata was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn after graduating from LSE but chose instead to pursue a law career in India, where she became the first female lawyer in the Bombay High Court. In 1911, Tata met British suffragette Princess Sophia Alexandra Duleep Singh. Together, they progressed the fight for women's suffrage in India.

Moshe Sharett, BSc 1924

Moshe Sharett was one of the signatories of Israel's Declaration of Establishment in 1948. He then became the country’s first Foreign Minister and held this role until 1956. Sharett led the Israeli delegations to the protracted cease-fire negotiations during and after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

As Foreign Minister, he established the nation’s diplomatic service and helped to bring about Israel's admission to the UN. He also served briefly as Israel’s second prime minister from 1954 to 1955. 

Sylvanus Olympio, BA 1926

Sylvanus Olympio graduated from LSE in 1926 before rising to become Togo’s first Prime Minister and, later, its first President.

Olympio was a successful business executive turned nationalist leader who shaped Togo's early trajectory, guiding the country as French rule ended. His assassination during Togo’s first military coup in 1963 marked a pivotal turning point in its political history. His son, Gilchrist Olympio, also graduated from LSE.

Professor Ronald Coase, BCom Industrial Relations 1932

Ronald Coase was a pioneering British economist whose research focused on the impact of transaction costs and property rights on institutions and markets. This research ultimately earned him the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1991.

Dr Alfonso López Pumarejo, Occasional Registration 1933

Dr Alfonso López Pumarejo was a Colombian economist, journalist, and statesman who served two terms as President of Colombia, from 1934 to 1938 and from 1942 to 1945.

He led the transformative Revolución en Marcha, advancing social justice, constitutional reform, secular education, and land redistribution. His forward-looking agenda reshaped Colombia’s political and economic landscape.

Dr Eslanda Goode Robeson, Occasional Registration Anthropology 1935

Eslanda Goode Robeson made influential contributions to anthropology, anti‑colonial activism, and international journalism. She became the first Black histological chemist (a chemist who specialises in cells and tissues) in surgical pathology at New York Presbyterian Hospital, working there until 1925.

As manager of her husband Paul Robeson’s artistic and political career, she simultaneously forged her own intellectual path, authoring works such as African Journey (1946) and emerging as a powerful voice for global freedom movements.

In 2024, LSE recognised Eslanda Robeson by naming student halls on Glengall Road after her in 2024.

Sir Arthur Lewis, PhD Industrial Economics 1937

Arthur Lewis was a pioneering development economist from St. Lucia, awarded the 1979 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Lewis began studying at LSE in 1932 and, thanks to scholarship funding, went on to get a PhD in 1937, calling his LSE studies “marvellous intellectual feasts”. He became the School’s first Black academic, serving from 1938 to 1948.

Lewis' ground-breaking work on labour, growth, and development shaped global economic thinking and remains central to the field. The School's Sir Arthur Lewis Building was named in his honour in 2023.

Jomo Kenyatta, Academic Diploma Anthropology 1937

Jomo Kenyatta was a central figure in Kenya's struggle against British colonial rule. He helped lead Kenya to independence after years of political activism and imprisonment during the Mau Mau uprising.

Kenyatta was a key voice in anti-colonialism, African nationalism and pan-Africanism, becoming Kenya's first Prime Minister from 1963 to 1964 and President from 1964 to 1978.

Professor Leonid Hurwicz,
PhD Economics 1939

Leonid Hurwicz was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2007, jointly with Eric Maskin and Roger Myerson. This was recognition of their work on mechanism design theory, which helps economists identify efficient trading mechanisms, regulation schemes and voting procedures.

Maureen Colquhoun, BSc Economics 1940

An economist, Labour politician, and the first openly lesbian Member of Parliament, Maureen Colquhoun was educated at LSE before becoming MP for Northampton North in 1974.

Colquhoun quickly emerged as a vocal advocate for women’s rights, equality legislation, and increased representation of women in public life. Her pioneering openness about her sexuality and her feminist activism challenged entrenched norms in British politics, making her a significant figure in the fight for LGBTQ+ and gender equality.

Dr Kwame Nkrumah, PhD 1946

Kwame Nkrumah was a leading force in Africa’s independence movements and a key architect of Pan‑Africanism. He briefly studied at LSE as a PhD student from 1945 to 1946, an experience that shaped his political and intellectual development.

After returning to the Gold Coast in 1947, he founded the Convention People’s Party and led the country to independence in 1957. Nkrumah then became Ghana’s first Prime Minister and later first President, serving from 1957 until 1966.

Yu Kuo-hwa, Composition fee student 1947-1949

Yu Kuo-hwa was an economist and statesman who served as Premier of Taiwan from 1984 to 1989. Educated at Tsinghua University, Harvard, and LSE, Yu played a pivotal role in Taiwan’s modernisation. As Premier, Yu oversaw major reforms, including the lifting of 38 years of martial law in 1987.

Dr David Rockefeller,
General Course 1948

David Rockefeller studied economics at LSE under Lionel Robbins and Friedrich Hayek, immersing himself in lectures by leading thinkers and even crossing paths with the Kennedy family during his time in London. He later earned a PhD from the University of Chicago and went on to become a prominent banker, adviser to multiple US governments, and a major philanthropist, donating around $2 billion to global causes. Rockefeller's legacy reflects both his intellectual curiosity and his lifelong commitment to public good.

Pierre Trudeau,
Research Fee student 1948

Canada’s 15th Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau was an influential statesman known for reshaping the nation’s political identity. His studies took him from Montreal to Harvard to LSE, where exposure to European political thought helped shift his worldview toward democratic socialism and federalism. His political leadership left a lasting legacy, from Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms to his advocacy for national unity.

Kocheril Raman Narayanan,
BSc Government 1948

Kocheril Raman Narayanan was an Indian diplomat, academic, and statesman who became the 10th President of India and the first Dalit to hold the office. After earning degrees in English and economics in India, he then came to the UK and studied at LSE under Harold Laski. His career spanned journalism, the Indian Foreign Service, ambassadorships — including to the US and China — and later national leadership.

Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo,
LLB 1948

As the last Governor-General of Mauritius from 1986-1992, Veerasamy Ringadoo was a key figure in the country's transition to a republic. He then became the inaugural President of the Republic of Mauritius.

He founded the League of Tamils in Mauritius in 1937 to represent the minority community's interests.

Dame Eugenia Charles, LLM 1949

Eugenia Charles became Dominica’s first female lawyer and the first female prime minister in the Caribbean. Known as the “Iron Lady of the Caribbean” and affectionately as “Mamo,” she founded the Dominica Freedom Party in 1968 and led the nation from 1980 to 1995. A fiercely independent thinker, she championed democratic principles, weathered gendered criticism, and became one of the world’s longest‑serving female prime ministers.

Michael Manley, BSc Government 1950

Michael Manley studied under socialist political theorist Harold Laski during his time at LSE. Laski's ideas helped shape Manley’s lifelong commitment to equality and social justice. He went on to become one of the Caribbean’s most dynamic leaders, serving as Jamaica’s Prime Minister across two eras, from 1972 to 1980, and from 1989 to 1992. Known for his charismatic style and bold democratic‑socialist agenda, Manley championed policies aimed at reducing inequality and strengthening Caribbean autonomy.

Errol W Barrow, BSc 1950

Errol W Barrow had a varied career — wartime RAF aviator, lawyer, and finally the architect of Barbadian independence. Barrow believed that the Caribbean should think and speak for itself, and boldly championed a self-determined Barbados. His eloquence, conviction, and unwavering insistence on equality made him not only the island’s first Prime Minister, but its enduring moral compass, guiding Barbados from colonial confines toward confident nationhood.

Dr Keng Swee Goh,
BSc Economics 1951, PhD Economics 1956

Keng Swee Goh was an economist, strategist, and one of the founding architects of modern Singapore. Goh brought rigorous thinking and bold experimentation to nation‑building, shaping Singapore’s economy, defence forces, and education system.

Known for his pragmatic, unsentimental approach, Goh believed real-world problem‑solving mattered more than theory — a philosophy that guided Singapore’s leap from uncertainty to prosperity. His legacy endures in Singapore’s institutions, from its industrial base to its financial frameworks, each reflecting his conviction that disciplined policy and resilience drive national success.

June Jolly, Certificate course in Childcare 1951

June Jolly was a pioneering paediatric nurse who helped revolutionise children’s hospital care in Britain. Jolly believed that healing required warmth, colour, and the presence of family. Jolly explored ways to turn sterile wards into child-centred spaces through the addition of cheerful curtains, playful aprons, and even occasional circus animals to help ease fear and restore joy.

Jolly's “care‑by‑parent” model empowered families to stay close, challenging institutional norms that kept parents at arm’s length. Through her influential book, The Other Side of Paediatrics, she championed a humane, family‑centred approach that reshaped paediatric nursing across the UK and beyond.

Sir John Compton, LLB 1952

John Compton led the island state of St Lucia from colonial rule to independence. Born in Canouan, an island part of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Compton went on to study at the University College of Wales as well as LSE, where he gained legal and economic insights that would help him go on to shape the nation. As Premier from 1967 and then as the first Prime Minister of St Lucia after independence in 1979, Compton championed stability, institution‑building, and regional cooperation. His decades‑long leadership left St Lucia not just politically transformed, but confident in its Caribbean identity.

Thanin Kraivichien,
LLB 1953

Thanin Kraivichien was a Thai jurist, legal scholar, and public servant. He rose through the judiciary to become President of the Supreme Court before briefly serving as Thailand’s 14th Prime Minister from 1976 to 1977. Known for his strong belief in the rule of law and traditional values, Kraivichien sought to guide Thailand through a turbulent political era. After his premiership, he contributed nearly four decades of service on the Privy Council.

George Soros,
BSc Philosophy 1951, MSc Philosophy 1954

George Soros is an investor and philanthropist. Despite a childhood shaped by the struggle to survive Nazi occupation, Soros became one of the world’s most influential financial minds. After studying philosophy at LSE, Soros built his investing career, founding Soros Fund Management.

Using his fortune, Soros has donated over $32 billion to establish the Open Society Foundations, advancing democracy, human rights, and educational access across more than 100 countries. The Open Society Foundations is a long-standing supporter of LSE.

Lord Alf Dubs, BSc Government 1954

Labour peer Alf Dubs arrived in the UK in 1939 as a six-year-old refugee fleeing the persecution of Jews in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. After studying at LSE, Lord Dubs remained committed to improving the lives of refugees, a passion that shaped his career in local government and his later service in both the House of Commons and House of Lords.

From 1988 to 1995, he was director of the Refugee Council, and he has held roles in numerous organisations, including the Fabian Society and Liberty. He served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office from 1997 to 1999 and as Chair of Labour peers from 2000 to 2005.

Jacques Parizeau,
BSc Economics 1951, PhD Economics 1956

Jacques Parizeau was a leading economist and politician in the Canadian province of Quebec. He shaped the province’s modern identity and its drive for sovereignty. Parizeau became a key architect of Quebec’s Quiet Revolution, helping modernise its economy and institutions. As Minister of Finance and later Premier, he championed independence for the province, but his party lost the 1995 referendum when a razor-thin majority voted to remain in Canada. Parizeau’s legacy endures as that of a steadfast "sovereigntist" and one of Quebec’s most influential modern leaders.

Professor Robert Mundell, Research Fee student 1956

Robert Mundell was a pioneering Canadian economist whose theories reshaped modern international macroeconomics. Mundell has become best known for developing the Mundell-Fleming model and the concept of optimum currency areas, foundational to the creation of the euro.

Awarded the 1999 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, Mundell taught at leading institutions, including the University of Chicago and Columbia University, influencing global monetary policy for decades. His work has earned him recognition as the “father of the euro” and a key architect of modern open‑economy macroeconomics.

Mwai Kibaki, BSc Economics 1959

Mwai Kibaki was a transformative Kenyan economist and statesman whose leadership reshaped Kenya’s political and economic landscape. Kibaki rose from lecturer to long‑serving MP, government Minister, Vice President, and eventually President of Kenya in 2002.

Kibaki's tenure ushered in major reforms, including free primary education, renewed infrastructure projects, and strong economic growth that revitalised Kenya after years of stagnation.

Dr Hilla Limann, BSc Government 1960

Hilla Limann built a career in Ghana's foreign service before unexpectedly winning the 1979 presidential election on the People’s National Party ticket. A moderate and committed Pan‑African democrat, Limann sought to stabilise Ghana after military rule. His presidency was cut short by a 1981 coup, yet he remained a principled advocate for constitutional governance until his passing in 1998.

Ratu Sir Kamisese K T Mara, Diploma in Social Administration 1962

Kamisese Mara, often honoured as the founding father of modern Fiji, led his country from colonial rule to independence and shaped the early post‑independence state. Born into the chiefly Vuanirewa clan of Lau, he studied at the University of Otago and Oxford, as well as LSE.

As Chief Minister from 1967 and Fiji’s first Prime Minister from 1970, he championed multiracial cooperation, economic development, and regional diplomacy. Mara later served as President from 1993 to 2000, remaining a defining figure in Pacific leadership and nation‑building.

Dr Constantine Simitis,
Research fee student Law 1963

Constantine “Costas” Simitis was a leading Greek statesman, legal scholar, and architect of Greece’s modernisation drive. A founding member of PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement), he held several key ministries before serving as Prime Minister from 1996-2004.

Simitis steered Greece toward economic stabilisation, administrative reform, and deeper European integration, culminating in Greece’s entry into the eurozone in 2001.

LSE awarded him with an Honorary Fellowship in 2023.

Sir Mick Jagger, Accounting 1963

Mick Jagger co‑founded The Rolling Stones in 1962, launching one of the most influential bands in rock history. Jagger left LSE before finishing his degree, going on to produce era‑defining hits.

Through the 1970s and beyond, his charismatic performances, sharp lyricism, and restless creativity helped cement the Stones’ legendary status. Over six decades, he has balanced reinvention with legacy and is still touring today.

Professor Stuart Gulliver, BSc Economics 1959

Stuart Gulliver was one of the key architects of modern Glasgow, widely credited with driving the city’s remarkable late‑20th‑century regeneration. After arriving in 1978 as an economic development strategist, he helped transform derelict industrial areas through the Scottish Development Agency, proving that troubled cities could be revived rather than abandoned.

As Chief Executive of the Glasgow Development Agency from 1990 to 2000, he led major projects including the Clyde Arc bridge, the Gorbals redevelopment, Merchant City renewal, Glasgow Science Centre, and the UK City of Architecture and Design 1999 legacy. His vision and leadership reshaped Glasgow into the vibrant cultural and economic centre it is today.

Allan Segal,
BSc Economics 1963, MSc Government 1960

Allan Segal was a BAFTA‑winning documentary filmmaker whose work reshaped British investigative television. After graduating from LSE, he joined the BBC’s documentary programme, Horizon, before being recruited by Granada’s World in Action in 1972. There, he directed more than 20 hard‑hitting films, often using hidden cameras in hostile environments.

His most daring work, A Calculated Risk (1976), was shot illegally inside the USSR and at the risk of life imprisonment for Segal and his crew. He later became editor of World in Action and went on to produce major international series such as Dinosaur, one of the highest‑rated documentaries of its era.

Dr William Donald Hamilton, PhD 1963

William Donald Hamilton was a groundbreaking evolutionary biologist whose theories reshaped modern Darwinian thought. Best known for formulating kin selection and Hamilton’s rule, he provided the first rigorous genetic explanation for altruism, helped establish the gene‑centred view of evolution and laid the foundations for socio-biology.

His influential ideas extended to the evolution of sex, sex ratios, dispersal, and social behaviour, earning him major honours including the Kyoto Prize and Crafoord Prize. A Royal Society Research Professor at Oxford from 1984 until his death, Hamilton was hailed by Richard Dawkins as “the greatest Darwinian of my lifetime.”

Professor Romano L Prodi,
Research Fee student Economics 1963

Romano Prodi is an Italian economist, academic and statesman who was Prime Minister of Italy between 1996 and 1998, and again between 2006 and 2008. Known as Il Professore for his academic career, Prodi played a central role in shaping Italy’s modern centre‑left and guiding the country into the eurozone through major fiscal reforms.

Prodi also served as President of the European Commission from 1999-2004. During his time in office 12 EU countries successfully replaced their national currencies with euro notes and coins, and in 2004 he oversaw the largest enlargement of the EU ever.

Sir David Simmons,
LLB 1963, LLM 1965

David Simmons is a distinguished Barbadian jurist, former politician, and one of the country’s most influential public figures. He served three terms as Attorney General of Barbados and later became the nation’s 12th Chief Justice, following a long and impactful legal career.

A prominent member of the Barbados Labour Party, Simmons also held a parliamentary seat for 25 years and acted as Prime Minister on several occasions. His regional leadership includes chairing major judicial and legal bodies, such as the Preparatory Committee for the Caribbean Court of Justice and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force. He was knighted in 2001 for his contributions to law, governance, and public service.

Sir David Attenborough,
Social Anthropology 1964

David Attenborough completed his undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. After National Service in the Royal Navy and a brief stint in publishing, he enrolled at LSE in 1964 to study a postgraduate degree in social anthropology, but ended his studies after being offered a job as Controller of BBC Two.

From there his career flourished across eight decades of natural history broadcasting and he was knighted in 1985. In 2020 he received a new honour, a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, awarded for his services to broadcasting and conservation.

Tarō Asō, Occasional Registration 1966

Tarō Asō is a prominent Japanese politician who served as the country’s Prime Minister from 2008-2009. A long‑standing member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he has held several major cabinet positions, including Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, and later Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance from 2012 to 2021, the longest tenure in those roles in Japan’s history.

Asō is currently serving as Vice President of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Professor John Atta Mills,
LLM Law 1968

John Evans Atta Mills was a Ghanaian legal scholar and statesman who served as the 11th President of Ghana from 2009 until his death in 2012. He was the third LSE-educated Ghanaian president following independence.

Before entering politics, he spent nearly 25 years teaching law at the University of Ghana. Known as Asomdweehene (“King of Peace”), he promoted stability, education, and economic development.

Dame Hilary Mantel, LLB 1971

Hilary Mantel was an acclaimed British novelist and essayist best known for her historical fiction, particularly the Thomas Cromwell trilogy - Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies, and The Mirror & the Light. Twice awarded the Booker Prize, she became the first woman to win it for consecutive works. Mantel’s writing combined rigorous historical research with sharp psychological insight, earning her global recognition and a central place in contemporary literature.

Sir Christopher Antoniou Pissarides ,
PhD 1973

Christopher Pissarides is LSE's Regius Professor of Economics. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences alongside Peter Diamond and Dale Mortensen for advancing the understanding of markets with frictions. His research has shaped modern labour economics, particularly through the influential Mortensen‑Pissarides model and his seminal book Equilibrium Unemployment Theory.

Listen to Professor Pissarides talk about winning a Nobel Prize in LSE's iQ podcast.

Dr Kim Campbell,
PhD 1973

Kim Campbell is a Canadian stateswoman who made history in 1993 as Canada’s first female Prime Minister following a distinguished public service career. Before becoming Prime Minister, she served as Minister of Justice, Attorney General, Minister of National Defence, and Minister of Veterans’ Affairs, becoming the first woman to hold the justice and defence portfolios and the first female Defence Minister in any NATO country.

After leaving elected politics, Campbell held diplomatic and academic roles, including serving as Canada’s Consul General in Los Angeles and teaching at Harvard University.

Juan Manuel Santos Calderón,
MSc Economics 1975

Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician, economist, and former journalist who served as the 33rd President of Colombia from 2010 to 2018. He is best known for leading the historic peace process with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) guerrilla group after 50 years of conflict. In 2016, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to bring the civil war to an end.

Yang Jiechi, General Course 1975

Yang Jiechi is a veteran Chinese diplomat and one of the most influential foreign policy figures of his generation. He served as China’s Foreign Minister from 2007 to 2013, later becoming a State Councillor and then Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, the top foreign policy body of the Chinese Communist Party, from 2013 until 2022.

Before rising to national leadership, he held numerous diplomatic posts, including Ambassador to the United States.

George A Papandreou, MSc Sociology 1977

George Papandreou is a Greek politician and third‑generation member of Greece’s most prominent political dynasty. He served as Prime Minister of Greece from 2009 to 2011, leading the country during the height of its sovereign debt crisis.

Before becoming Prime Minister, he held several key ministerial roles, including Minister of National Education and twice Minister of Foreign Affairs, where he advanced Greece–Turkey rapprochement and helped secure the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Ursula von der Leyen, General Course 1978

Ursula von der Leyen is a German politician and physician who has served as President of the European Commission since 2019, becoming the first woman to hold the position. Before leading the EU executive, she spent 14 years in the German federal cabinet, including as Minister for Family Affairs, Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, and notably as Germany’s first female Minister of Defence from 2013 to 2019.

A longtime member of the German Christian Democratic Union party, she first studied economics and later medicine.

Dr Martin Ravallion, PhD Economics 1978

Martin Ravallion was an Australian development economist renowned for his pioneering work on global poverty measurement. He spent 24 years at the World Bank, where he directed the institution’s Development Research Group and briefly served as Acting Chief Economist in 2012.

Ravallion was best known for proposing the “$1-a-day” international poverty line in 1990, a benchmark that shaped global anti‑poverty policy and later informed the World Bank and UN's first Sustainable Development Goal to end extreme poverty worldwide by 2030.

Christiana Figueres, MSc Social Anthropology 1981

Christiana Figueres is a Costa Rican climate diplomat best known for serving as Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 2010 to 2016. Figueres has built global trust in climate negotiations and led the diplomatic process that delivered the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, uniting 196 nations around ambitious climate goals.

A long‑time advocate for sustainable development, she previously founded the Centre for Sustainable Development of the Americas and later co‑founded the organisation Global Optimism, promoting what she calls “stubborn optimism” in climate action.

Ruth Porat,
MSc Industrial Relations 1981

Ruth Porat is a business executive who currently serves as President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google, having previously been the company’s Chief Financial Officer from 2015 to 2024.

Before joining Google, Porat spent nearly three decades at Morgan Stanley, ultimately becoming its CFO in 2010 and playing a key role in the firm’s navigation of the 2008 financial crisis. Porat also holds degrees from Stanford University and the Wharton School, and has been consistently ranked among the world’s most powerful women, including on Forbes’ 2025 Power Women list.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam,
BSc Economics 1981

Tharman Shanmugaratnam is the ninth President of Singapore, sworn into office on 14 September 2023 after a long political career. An economist by training, Shanmugaratnam previously served as Deputy Prime Minister (2011–2019), Minister for Finance, Minister for Education, and Senior Minister, as well as Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (2011–2023).

Shanmugaratnam has led major global councils on financial stability, pandemic preparedness, jobs, and sustainable development, including chairing the IMF’s International Monetary and Financial Committee and the G20 Eminent Persons Group on Global Financial Governance.

Professor James Robinson,
BSc Economics 1982

James Robinson is an economist and political scientist whose work has profoundly shaped modern political economy. After earning his BSc Economics from LSE, Robinson became a university professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. He is best known for his influential collaborations with fellow LSE alumnus Daron Acemoglu, including Why Nations Fail and The Narrow Corridor.

In 2024, Robinson shared the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences with Simon Johnson and Daron Acemoglu for ground-breaking research demonstrating how inclusive versus extractive institutions shape national prosperity.

Dr Tsai Ing-wen, PhD Law 1984

Tsai Ing-wen is a Taiwanese politician and legal scholar who served as the seventh President of Taiwan from 2016 to 2024, becoming the first woman to hold the office. Domestically, Tsai championed major social reforms, including Asia’s first legalisation of same‑sex marriage, pension restructuring, and expanded long‑term care.

Her New Southbound Policy diversified Taiwan’s economic ties, while energy reforms accelerated the shift toward renewable power. Tsai’s leadership during the COVID‑19 pandemic earned international recognition and reinforced Taiwan’s reputation for democratic resilience.

Mia Mottley, LLB 1986

Mia Amor Mottley is the eighth and first female Prime Minister of Barbados, serving since 2018. She previously held major cabinet roles, including serving as the country's first female Attorney General.

Mottley also oversaw Barbados’ transition to a republic in 2021, becoming its first prime minister under the new constitutional system.

Mottley is also a leading global voice on climate justice, driving the Bridgetown Initiative, which aims to overhaul the global financial system to help vulnerable nations withstand climate impacts.

Baroness Minouche Shafik, MSc Economics 1986

Minouche Shafik is an economist and former Director of LSE. Shafik has held senior roles across major global institutions, including Vice President of the World Bank, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, and Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. She also served as President of Columbia University and is currently Chief Economic Adviser to the UK Prime Minister.

A life peer in the UK House of Lords, she is widely recognised for her work on development, global governance, and economic reform.

Sir Stelios Haji-Iouannou,
BSc Economic Industry and Trade 1987

Stelios Haji Ioannou is an entrepreneur best known as the founder of easyJet, launched in 1994 and now one of Europe’s largest low-cost airlines. He later expanded the brand through easyGroup, licensing ventures such as easyHotel, easyCar and easyStorage across multiple sectors.

A committed philanthropist, he established the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation in 2011, supporting education, entrepreneurship, food distribution and peace initiatives across the UK, Monaco, Greece and Cyprus.

The Stelios Foundation also supports the long-running LSE Stelios Scholarship, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025.

Anote Tong,
MSc Sea Use 1988

Anote Tong served as the fourth President of Kiribati from 2003 to 2016, winning three consecutive elections and becoming one of the Pacific’s most prominent leaders. His presidency was defined by strong international advocacy on climate change, raising global awareness of the existential threat facing low-lying island nations.

Tong championed the principle of “migration with dignity” and oversaw the creation of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, one of the world’s largest marine reserves and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Tamara Box, PhD Law 1984

Tamara Box is a globally recognised structured finance lawyer and former Managing Partner for Europe and the Middle East at Reed Smith, with nearly three decades advising C-suites, boards and financial institutions across developed and emerging markets. A market-leading expert in securitisation, she became the go-to adviser to issuer boards during and after the financial crisis.

A committed champion of women in the workplace, she serves on LSE’s Inclusion Initiative Advisory Board and chaired Women of Influence for Cancer Research UK, advancing gender equality and mentoring women across the sector.

Michele Bullock, MSc Economics 1989

Michele Bullock is the ninth and first female Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), commencing 18 September 2023. A career RBA economist, she now chairs the Governance, Monetary Policy and Payments System Boards and the Council of Financial Regulators.

As Governor, she is leading the implementation of the RBA Review reforms; overhauling governance, decision‑making and communications, including holding regular press conferences to lift transparency and accountability.

Sher Bahadur Deuba, Reasearch Fee student International Relations 1989

Sher Bahadur Deuba is one of Nepal’s longest-serving democratic leaders, having served as Prime Minister five times between 1995 and 2022. A veteran of Nepal’s democratic movement, he began in student activism, founded the Nepal Students’ Union, and spent years imprisoned under the Panchayat regime.

As President of the Nepali Congress since 2016, Deuba has overseen major political milestones, including Nepal’s 2017 elections under the new constitution. His career reflects resilience through coups, crises, and coalition governments, making him a central figure in Nepal’s modern political evolution.

Navin Ramgoolam,
LLB Law 1990

Navin Ramgoolam is a long-standing Mauritian statesman and leader of the Labour Party since 1991. He has served three times as Prime Minister — from 1995 to 2000, from 2005 to 2014, and again from 2024 following a major electoral comeback. A trained physician and barrister, he previously held roles including Leader of the Opposition and Minister of Finance.

His premierships have been marked by economic reform, social welfare measures, and efforts to diversify Mauritius’s economy. A central figure in the country’s post-independence political landscape, he remains one of its most influential and resilient leaders.

Professor Daron Acemoglu,
MSc Economics 1990, PhD Economics 1992

Daron Acemoglu is an economist and MIT Institute Professor, widely regarded as one of the world’s most influential scholars in political economy, development, and labour economics. His research examines how institutions shape economic prosperity. In 2024, he was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences with Simon Johnson and fellow LSE alumnus, James Robinson, for demonstrating how inclusive and extractive institutions drive long‑term national outcomes.

Acemoglu has co-authored landmark books, including Why Nations Fail and The Narrow Corridor, and has earned some of the discipline’s highest honours.

Listen to Daron Acemoglu as he discusses his visions for the future during an event at LSE.

Martin Lewis,
BSc Economics 1994, RFEE Government 1995

Martin Lewis, the UK Money Saving Expert, is a campaigning broadcast journalist who is the founder and Chair of MoneySavingExpert.com, by far Britain's biggest consumer website. In 2016, he founded and funded the influential Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity, which he still chairs.

Over the years, he’s spearheaded major financial justice campaigns, including an effort to help millions of banking customers reclaim fees charged by banks to their accounts, reclaiming premiums paid for mis-sold payment protection insurance, and a successful large-scale campaign to get financial education on the national school curriculum. In January 2022, Martin was awarded a CBE for consumer rights and charity work.

Dr Swarnim Waglé,
BSc Economics 1996

Swarnim Waglé is one of Nepal’s most influential economists, having served as Vice Chair of the National Planning Commission between 2017 and 2018. There, he guided national development strategy and co-led the Post Disaster Needs Assessment after the 2015 earthquake, helping secure billions in reconstruction pledges. He later became Chief Economic Advisor at UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific.

Widely recognised for evidence based policymaking, he continues to shape Nepal’s economic agenda as a leading public intellectual and Member of Parliament.

Dr Bisher H Khasawneh,
LLM 1996, PhD Law 2007

Bisher Khasawneh served as Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from 2020 to 2024. Before becoming Prime Minister, he served as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Legal Affairs.

Previously, Khasawneh served as an adviser to King Abdullah II, first for Communication and Coordination Affairs, and then later for Policies.

Rishi Khosla,
MSc Accounting and Finance 1997

In 2015, alumni Rishi Khosla and Joel Perlman launched OakNorth Bank; a bank for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. Their mission is to help entrepreneurs scale quickly, realise their ambitions and make data-driven decisions.

Khosla is deeply invested in creating an environment for aspiring entrepreneurs through the Schools Programme in partnership with LSE Generate. The Programme supports the development of socially conscious businesses and inspires entrepreneurial thinking by offering a range of opportunities underpinned by mentoring activities. Khosla was awarded an OBE in 2020 for his services to business.

Carlos Lejnieks,
General Course 1998, MSc Government 2004

Carlos Lejnieks is a mission‑driven leader whose career reflects the LSE ethos of “think global, act local.” After his early career at Goldman Sachs, he dedicated himself to social impact and has spent over 17 years as CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Newark, New Jersey, leading person‑to‑person youth mentoring that supports long‑term social mobility.

In January 2026, he became CEO of a newly merged Big Brothers Big Sisters organisation serving New Jersey and New York City, the birthplace of the 120‑year‑old global mentoring movement.

Dr Alexander Stubb,
PhD International Relations 1999

Alexander Stubb is the 13th President of Finland, having taken office in 2024. He previously served as Prime Minster from 2014 to 2015, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for European Affairs and Trade, and was elected to both the European Parliament and Finnish Parliament.

Known for his pro‑Europe, internationalist outlook, as President, he has strengthened Finland’s position within NATO and expanded the country’s influence in European and transatlantic diplomacy.

Stubb joined LSE President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Larry Kramer, for a public conversation in March 2025, a recording of which is available through LSE Player.

Nima Elgabir, BSc Philosophy 2001

Nima Elgabir, CNN's Chief International Investigative Correspondent, is an award-winning humanitarian journalist. Born in Sudan, she is the winner of multiple awards, including the 2020 Royal Television Society 'Television Journalist of the Year' for her reporting on human rights abuses.

Criminality uncovered by Elbagir has sent shockwaves across the world and includes many instances of undercover reporting, such as her investigation into a Libyan slave market, where she witnessed and documented African migrants being auctioned off for as little as $400. Her investigative work led to unprecedented UN sanctions against six men identified as traffickers.

Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu,
LLM 2002

Shola Mos-Shogbamimu is a qualified attorney in New York and solicitor in England and Wales. She is also a women’s rights activist and writer, public speaker and political commentator who features in mainstream and online media.

She founded the Women in Leadership publication as a platform to drive positive change on topical issues that impact women globally through inspiring personal leadership journeys. Mos-Shogbamimu established She@LawTalks to promote women and ethnic minority leadership in the legal profession through universities and secondary schools.

Ben Rattray,
MSc Government 2003

Ben Rattray is the founder and CEO of Change.org, the world’s largest platform of social change. Founded in 2007, the idea for Change.org was inspired from the emergence of Facebook in 2005. Rattray recognised the potential of this kind of technology to connect people around the world to create social change.

In 2013, Rattray was named as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and one of Fortune’s 40 under 40 rising young business leaders.

Joanna Natasegara,
MSc Human Rights 2005

Joanna Natasegara is an Academy Award‑winning British documentary producer celebrated for films that blend global politics with deeply human stories. Working alongside LSE alumnus Orlando von Einsiedel, she produced Oscar-nominatedVirunga (2014) and The White Helmets (2016), winning Best Documentary Short for The White Helmets.

Known for impactful, socially driven filmmaking, she has also produced The Edge of Democracy (2019), Evelyn (2018), and the 2026 documentary, The Disciple (2026). Founder of Violet Films, Natasegara continues to champion stories that ignite change through intimate and politically resonant narratives.

Orlando von Einsiedel,
MSc Anthropology and Development 2005

Orlando von Einsiedel is an award‑winning British documentary filmmaker known for powerful, socially driven storytelling. His work spans global issues across Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Arctic, earning recognition at top festivals worldwide. Working alongside LSE alumna Joanna Natasegara, he directed Virunga (2014), nominated for an Academy Award, and The White Helmets (2016), which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short.

His later films, including the deeply personal Evelyn (2018), continue to garner major accolades. A former professional snowboarder, he co‑founded Grain Media in 2006 and remains a leading voice in impactful, socially conscious filmmaking.

Chitraj (Raj) Singh,
MSc Accounting and Finance 2007

Raj Singh founded MindHug in 2019 with the aim of making mental health and wellbeing more accessible, affordable, and more personalised than ever before. Following a 10 year career in finance, the idea for MindHug was born when Singh decided to channel his passion for mental wellbeing, medicine, social impact and entrepreneurship into something truly ground-breaking.

Cordelia Bähr,
LLM 2013

Cordelia Bähr, lead attorney for the KlimaSeniorinnen, led a landmark eight year legal battle proving that inadequate climate action violates human rights.

Representing 2,500 senior women, Bähr argued that extreme heat disproportionately harms older women — and won. In a historic ruling, the European Court of Human Rights found Switzerland responsible for failing to protect its citizens from climate impacts, setting a powerful precedent for holding governments accountable.

Bähr’s work reshaped the global landscape for climate justice. She was named in TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2025 and Nature’s 10 of 2024.

Tim Brown,
MSc Management 2013

Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Tim Brown, is the creative vision behind the footwear company Allbirds, with an eye for all things design and innovation.

Together with his Co-founder, Joey Zwilliinger, Brown launched Allbirds in San Francisco in 2016, with the ethos of using natural materials to create the world’s most comfortable shoes. With carbon reduction as its north star, Allbirds has paved the way for a more sustainable approach to business through product innovation, industry collaboration (like open sourcing its footprint calculator) and being the first footwear brand to carbon-label all of its products.

Bonnie Chiu,
MSc International Relations 2014

Bonnie Chiu is the Managing Director of The Social Investment Consultancy (TSIC), advising global clients such as Tata Consultancy Services, the British Council and UNICEF. She is also the Founder of Lensational, a social enterprise providing photography and storytelling training to marginalised women and girls in 23 countries.

A Forbes Senior Contributor and award‑winning social entrepreneur, Chiu has been recognised as a Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur, Asia21 Young Leader, and Asian Women of Achievement Young Achiever.

Yael Nevo,
MSc Human Rights 2013

Yael Nevo is an award-winning inclusion and sustainability strategist with over 20 years of experience advancing gender equity, social impact, and inclusive transformation across sectors and geographies. Nevo believes that a gender-based shift in the values that drive our institutions and workplaces is what’s needed to create a better society for all.

Nevo’s unique approach to gender sets her apart by exploring how gender dynamics impact all gender groups in different ways, alongside an analysis of organisational culture, policy and legal aspects.

Bingqian Gao,
MSc Management 2014

Bingqian Gao is a data and AI leader turned professional freediver, underwater photographer, filmmaker, and conservationist, earning top accolades across entirely different worlds.

She led a global analytics team at an AI tech, made history as the first female Certified Expert of Alteryx, and orchestrated a Women in Data Hackathon that supported over 300 women from 41 countries to advance their data careers during COVID-19.

In 2024, Bingqian embarked on a new journey as a professional freediver and ocean storyteller. Drawing on her background in data, Bingqian supports marine conservation while her creative work receives international recognition. Her portfolio of mobula rays won the Dr Sylvia Earle Award of Excellence for Endangered Marine Animals, and her underwater wildlife photography has been published in Oceanographic Magazine and exhibited in museums and galleries internationally, including in Singapore, Spain, the UAE, the UK, and the Netherlands.

Lubomila Jordanova,
MSc Management 2014

CEO and co-founder of Berlin-based startup PlanA, Lubomila Jordanova, is a leading figure in the European startup ecosystem relating to climate change.

Plan A has developed an end-to-end platform that enables companies to measure, monitor and reduce their environmental footprint and improve their environmental, social, and governance performance using machine learning and science. Jordanova also co-founded the Greentech Alliance, a community of more than 5,000 startups and over 500 advisers from venture capital groups, media, and business. She is a member of the International Advisory Board for Social Innovation and serves as an advisory board member for the sustainability board at Chloé.

Tara Chandra & Susan Allen,
MSc Executive Global Management 2015

Tara Chandra and Susan Allen are co-founders of Here We Flo. Disappointed in the lack of organic and sustainable personal care products in the market, fellow LSE alumni Chandra and Allen decided to change this and create their own.

Made from sustainable materials such as plant-based wrappers and applicators, and certified organic cotton and bamboo, Here We Flo provides sustainable products that make it easy to have a significant impact. They pledge five per cent of all profits to charities that support people and the planet, in addition to monthly donations of period products to menstrual charities.

Temi Mwale,
LLB 2017

Temi Mwale is a British social entrepreneur and campaigner based in London. Following the murder of her childhood friend, Marvin Henry, a month before his eighteenth birthday in 2010, she founded The 4Front Project in 2012.

4Front is a youth-led social enterprise that aims to understand and reduce serious youth violence by empowering young people.

Anita Hamilton,
MSc Psychological and
Behavioural Sciences 2018

Anita Hamilton is Chair Elect of Advance, a leading UK charity supporting women affected by domestic abuse and those in the criminal justice system. A specialist in communications, organisational change, and leadership strategy, she brings over 30 years’ experience across media, brand development, and senior stakeholder engagement.

Hamilton also serves as a lecturer in communications and leadership and is a published author. She is passionate about empowering women and driving systemic change to create safer futures for survivors.

Justice Aina,
BSc Social Policy and Administration 2018

As a visually impaired undergraduate student, Justice Aina founded a community for disabled students, creating essential peer support and advocacy. She also served on LSE's Court of Governors and Council, ensuring underrepresented voices were heard in senior decision‑making.

After graduating, Aina returned to LSE as a teacher while pursuing a PhD at Cambridge, becoming the first researcher to study the attainment and experiences of Black students in private schools by ethnicity. Her work continues to shape LSE by translating research into practice, reflecting a sustained commitment to systemic change and long‑term community impact.

Max Klymenko,
MSc Sociology 2019

Max Klymenko is a content creator and entrepreneur. After graduating from LSE, Klymenko built a global following through TikTok and YouTube content focused on technology, careers, business, and social issues. Known for his viral Career Ladder series, Klymenko blends economic insight with accessible storytelling, reaching millions worldwide. Beyond content creation, he runs the media company KLYM&CO, helping brands and nonprofits communicate with impact.

Net Supatravanij,
MSc Social Innovation
and Entrepreneurship 2019

Net Supatravanij is the Co‑founder of ila Generation, a social enterprise helping businesses build more inclusive workplaces through auditing, design support and training. ila also created ALLY, an app that turns local venues into safe spaces and empowers bystanders to support survivors of gender‑based violence.

Supatravanij and ila Co‑founder Julie Sane‑Pezet met at LSE, bonding over a shared commitment to ending gender‑based violence. Supatravanij’s vision is to make gender equality a standard, not a privilege, and in 2022, she was recognised by UN Women with the Youth Leadership Award.

Jai Kanwar,
BSc Management 2020

In the UK, heavy goods vehicles travel more than three billion miles each year while empty, wasting fuel and revenue. To tackle this, Jai Kanwar co-founded Zeus Labs in 2019, a freight platform that connects hauliers directly with local businesses needing transport. Zeus's digital marketplace allows its 2,000 clients to see all available lorries — and everything is managed through a web app and driver mobile app.

Zeus Labs reports an 84 per cent reduction in carbon emissions, has raised over $2 million, and recently secured an exclusive UK and Ireland partnership with Wincanton for its digital freight management technology.

Nada Bashir,
MSc Global Politics 2020

A Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree, Nada Bashir is an International Correspondent at CNN, known for covering major global events and elevating underrepresented voices. She has reported from the earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco, to mass protests in Paris, and is currently covering the war in Gaza.

Bashir is also CNN’s first on‑air staff reporter to wear a hijab, marking a significant moment for representation in global news.

Simón Torras,
MSc Philosophy 2021

Simón Torras co-founded Ponterra, a company making nature restoration central to climate action through large‑scale reforestation projects that generate carbon credits and social benefits.

In 2024, Ponterra launched its first project restoring 10,000 hectares of degraded land in Panama, planting over 6 million trees and sequestering 3.2 million tonnes of CO₂.

Merlyn Fernandes,
MSc Development Management 2022

Merlyn Fernandes has spent the past decade advancing education equity in India — from teaching vulnerable children to leading large-scale public-school curriculum reform. She now works to enable nonprofits and social initiatives to scale sustainably, strengthening youth and community leadership in support of underserved communities.

Dr Olubunmi Oluronbi, MSc Health Policy 2024

Olubunmi Oluronbi is a medical doctor and global health strategist with cross-cutting experience in clinical care, health policy, and impact investing. She is currently a Founder’s Associate at DogoApp, a UK-based not-for-profit where she leads operations and drives strategic initiatives to expand access to free emergency healthcare in underserved communities across Africa. 

She also works with the US-based not-for-profit Health Impact Partnership, contributing to initiatives that increase access to quality healthcare across underserved regions of the African continent through innovative financing solutions. Alongside her professional work, she is an advocate for improving the mental health of medical practitioners.