Ngaire Woods

Professor Ngaire Woods is the founding Dean of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government and a leading authority on global economic governance, geopolitics, and the intersection of technology and public policy. She advises major institutions including the IMF, World Bank, and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, serves on Rio Tinto's Board, and co-chairs the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Values, Technology and Governance. Through her acclaimed commentaries for Project Syndicate and speaking engagements worldwide, she equips leaders with the strategic foresight needed to navigate corruption, AI regulation, and geopolitical fragmentation, helping organisations make informed decisions in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

When Ngaire Woods launched the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University, she set out to transform how leaders are equipped to tackle the world's most urgent challenges. As its founding Dean and Professor of Global Economic Governance, she has built a globally recognised institution that bridges rigorous academic research with practical policy application. Her leadership extends beyond Oxford through the Global Economic Governance Programme, which she founded, and the Oxford-Princeton Global Leaders Fellowship programme, which she co-founded to develop the next generation of public sector leaders. Her scholarship addresses the critical questions of how organisations can be better governed, how globalisation can serve broader interests, and how international institutions can be strengthened to meet the demands of an interconnected world.

Her credibility as a speaker stems from decades of direct engagement with the institutions that shape global policy. Ngaire advises the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, serves on the Board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and holds a position as Rhodes Trustee. As co-Chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Values, Technology and Governance, she helps frame critical conversations about artificial intelligence regulation, corruption, and the intersection of technology and public policy. Her advisory work has included the IMF Board, the African Development Bank, the UNDP's Human Development Report, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government. Since 2013, she has authored more than 70 commentaries for Project Syndicate, offering incisive analysis on topics ranging from why public trust in AI depends on credible oversight to how youth-led movements are reshaping democratic participation. She also serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Rio Tinto, where her expertise in international regulation and geopolitical risk informs strategic decision-making across complex, multi-jurisdictional environments. Appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2018 for services to higher education and public policy, her influence spans academia, international organisations, and the private sector.

Ngaire equips audiences with the strategic foresight needed to navigate corruption, geopolitical fragmentation, and the governance challenges posed by emerging technologies. Her presentations move beyond abstract theory to offer practical frameworks for decision-making in uncertain times, drawing on real-world advisory experience and current policy debates. Leaders leave her sessions with a clearer understanding of how global economic shifts will affect their organisations, how to anticipate regulatory changes, and what collaborative approaches can unlock solutions to shared problems. Whether addressing corporate boards, government officials, or international conferences, she delivers a fresh perspective grounded in evidence and enriched by her unique vantage point at the intersection of academia, policy, and global governance.