Open Europe Today

Fast Analysis Ahead of the Game

Open Europe Today is the go-to source for real-time analysis on what comes next following the UK’s EU referendum. We are a non-partisan and independent policy think tank, providing an intellectual framework for thinking about Britain’s new relationship with the European Union and its role in the world.

Fast EU Analysis

Need To Know Today

British voters stand by EU referendum decision (CNN/ComRes poll)

would vote Leave 47%
would vote Remain 45%
don't know 8%

British voters stand by EU referendum decision

Source: CNN/ComRes poll

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Our supporters employ more than one million people across the world. The men and women who place their trust in Open Europe, operate in every industry sector, and include leaders of FTSE 100 firms and small business entrepreneurs. All of them support Open Europe in a personal capacity. If you are interested in becoming a Open Europe supporter, contact us. Please see here for a longer list of our supporters and here for our Advisory Council.

 

  • Alex Hickman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive, Chartwell Speakers

    Alex Hickman

    Co-Founder and Chief Executive, Chartwell Speakers <p>Alex is a former foreign affairs advisor to David Cameron, the British Prime Minister. He was previously Chief Executive of several single issue political campaigns in the UK, and Campaign Manager of Restless Development, running fundraising campaigns across sub Saharan Africa. He also worked in the Balkans as a journalist for the Economist Intelligence Unit.</p>
  • Baroness Joanna Shields OBE, Former Chair, Tech City UK; Non-Exec Director, London Stock Exchange

    Baroness Joanna Shields OBE

    Former Chair, Tech City UK; Non-Exec Director, London Stock Exchange <p>Baroness Joanna Shields OBE is the UK Minister for Internet Safety and Security. Prior to this, she was the Chair of Tech City UK and a non-executive Director of the London Stock Exchange. She has been involved with building-up some of the world’s most prominent technology companies such as Google, Facebook, Bebo and AOL. </p>
    <p>She topped Wired top 100 list of the UK&#8217;s digital power in 2011, came sixth in the the MediaGuardian 100 in 2012, and was named as one of the most influential women in Britain by Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.</p>
  • Björn Fröling, Vice Chairman, Öhman

    Björn Fröling

    Vice Chairman, Öhman <p>Björn is the Vice Chairman of Öhman, having previously worked in investment banking as a Managing Director and Partner at Lazard AB and Brummers and Partners. Björn previously served as the Global Head of Corporate Finance at Alfred Berg.</p>
  • Charlotte Black, Director of Corporate Affairs, Brewin Dolphin Securities Ltd

    Charlotte Black

    Director of Corporate Affairs, Brewin Dolphin Securities Ltd <p>Charlotte is the Director of Corporate Affairs for Brewin Dolphin, the largest independent private client portfolio manager in the UK. She is also a Director of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) and the WMA (formerly APCIMS the industry trade association). Charlotte is a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (MCSI), and of several Advisory Committees in the City, including the Scottish Financial Enterprise Advisory Board and the Euroclear Cross Border Market Advisory Committee (XMAC). Charlotte Black was a Westminster Parliamentary Candidate in 1997.</p>
  • David Ord, Managing Director, The Bristol Port Company

    David Ord

    Managing Director, The Bristol Port Company <p>David Ord is the Managing Director of the Bristol Port Company and a Council member of the University of Bristol and Chairman of the Finance Committee. He is also a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers.</p>
  • David Reid Scott, Senior Adviser, Stonehage Advisory Family Office

    David Reid Scott

    Senior Adviser, Stonehage Advisory Family Office <p>David Reid Scott currently serves as a senior advisor to Stonehage Advisory’s family office division having served as Stonehage’s Chairman between 2010 and 2014. David began his career at White Weld &amp; Co in New York and London, before spending a number of years as Senior Advisor to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. In 1985, David became a founding partner of Phoenix Securities, which was sold to Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette in 1998 and where he served as Vice Chairman and Chairman of its international Financial Institutions practice. Between 2001 and 2009, he served as Chairman of Hawkpoint Partners: one of the leading European corporate advisory firms. David also works with a number of charities and endowments in the UK and Ireland, as well as in Mozambique where he has sponsored a major eco-tourism project.</p>
  • Dr Gerard Lyons, Chief Economic Strategist, Netwealth Investments; Former Economic Advisor to the Mayor of London

    Dr Gerard Lyons

    Chief Economic Strategist, Netwealth Investments; Former Economic Advisor to the Mayor of London <p>Dr Gerard Lyons is the Chief Economic Strategist at Netwealth Investments and former chief economic advisor to Mayor Boris Johnson. He previously spent 27 years in senior positions in The City at Standard Chartered, DKB International, Swiss Bank and Chase. He currently has a number of pro-bono roles that include the Board of CityUK, Council Royal Economic Society and Advisory Board of Warwick University Business School.</p>
  • Elizabeth Gage, Jewellery Designer

    Elizabeth Gage

    Jewellery Designer <p>Elizabeth is one of Britain&#8217;s most influential jewellery designers, with a career spanning over five decades. Her first major commission was for Cartier, New York in 1968. Since then she has gone on to win many accolades, including the prestigious Queens Award for Export, British Jewellery Designer of the Year, and the De Beers Diamond Award. Elizabeth&#8217;s work is displayed in the permanent jewellery collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and, in 2008 Retail Jeweller presented her with the Lifetime Achievement Award.</p>
    <p>Elizabeth is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths.</p>
  • George Trefgarne, Chief Executive, Boscobel and Partners Ltd

    George Trefgarne

    Chief Executive, Boscobel and Partners Ltd <p>George Trefgarne is the Chief Executive of Boscobel &amp; Partners. Previously a journalist, George was formerly the Economics Editor of the Daily Telegraph and the City Editor of the Sunday Telegraph. He was also a consultant at the leading financial communications firm Maitland.</p>
  • Haruko Fukuda, Non-Executive Director, Investec

    Haruko Fukuda

    Non-Executive Director, Investec <p>Haruko is a non-executive Director of Investec and a former Chairman of Calibre Global Investments Ltd. Haruko is also former director of Foreign and Colonial Investment Trust plc and former Chief Executive of the World Gold Council.</p>
  • Hugh Sloane, Founder, Sloane Robinson

    Hugh Sloane

    Founder, Sloane Robinson <p>Hugh Sloane co-founded Sloane Robinson in December 1993, serving as the CEO and manager of the International and Japan portfolios since the firm’s establishment. Hugh began his investment career at GT Management in 1979, where he initially worked in Hong Kong as an economist for the Asian Region. In 1986 he became Investment Director of GT Japan, responsible for Japanese equity portfolios, and chaired the Asian regional investment committee. In 1991 he moved to London to become GT’s CEO for Europe.</p>
  • Johanna Möhring, Senior Fellow, The Institute for Statecraft

    Johanna Möhring

    Senior Fellow, The Institute for Statecraft <p>Johanna Möhring, is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Statecraft. She has on worked on the political systems, economy, defence and security of Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Russia, as well as of the European Union and of its member states, focusing on questions of governance and public administration. Johanna has previously worked for NATO and the OECD; and has been a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).</p>
  • John Barton, Non-Executive Chairman, EasyJet Plc

    John Barton

    Non-Executive Chairman, EasyJet Plc <p>John Barton is the Chairman of EasyJet. He is also currently Chairman of Next plc and Catlin Group Limited. John has previously served as a non-executive Director of WHSmith plc and Wellington Underwriting plc. Following JIB’s merger with Lloyd Thomson, John became Chairman of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc until 2001.</p>
  • Justin Dowley, Chairman, Intermediate Capital Group

    Justin Dowley

    Chairman, Intermediate Capital Group <p>Justin Dowley is the Chairman of Intermediate Capital Group. A founding partner of the independent advisory firm, Tricorn Partners, he has previously served both as Head of UK investment banking at Morgan Grenfell, and as Head of European investment banking at Merrill Lynch.</p>
  • Lord Renwick of Clifton, Vice Chairman, Investment Banking, JP Morgan Europe

    Lord Renwick of Clifton

    Vice Chairman, Investment Banking, JP Morgan Europe <p>Lord Renwick currently serves as Vice-Chairman of Investment Banking at JP Morgan (Europe) and the Vice-Chairman of JP Morgan Cazenove and Chairman of Fluor Ltd (UK). Lord Renwick is also a member House of Lords where he has sat as a cross-bencher since ennoblement in 1997. He is a Trustee of The Economist and a former Director of British Airways, having also served as the British Ambassador to the United States from 1991 until 1995.</p>
  • Lord Salisbury, Director, Gascoyne Holdings Ltd

    Lord Salisbury

    Director, Gascoyne Holdings Ltd <p>Lord Salisbury serves as Director of Gascoyne Holdings Ltd and as Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire. Lord Salisbury also served as the Conservative MP for South Dorset between 1979 and 1987, and as Leader of the House of Lords between 1994 and 1997.</p>
  • Lord Wolfson of Aspley Guise, CEO, Next Plc

    Lord Wolfson of Aspley Guise

    CEO, Next Plc <p>Lord Wolfson is the CEO of high street clothing giant Next Plc &#8211; a FTSE 100 company. Lord Wolfson was inducted into the House of Lords in 2010, and is known for his investment in political and philanthropic projects. Most recently he has invested his time and assets into creating affordable housing for the UK’s swelling population.</p>
  • Maria Borelius, Partner, Living Waters Ltd

    Maria Borelius

    Partner, Living Waters Ltd <p>Maria Borelius is a communications consultant specialising in fundraising and CSR-related strategies. She is also a regular columnist for Sweden’s leading business daily Dagens Industri. Maria has served as a member of the Swedish Parliament and as the Swedish Minister for Trade, as well as the CEO of Hand in Hand International. She has a BSc from Lund University and an MSc from New York University.</p>
  • Mats Arnhog, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Active Biotech

    Mats Arnhog

    Chairman of the Board of Directors, Active Biotech <p>Mats chairs the Board of Directors of Active Biotech AB and also the Boards of Directors of MGA Holding AB and Rederi AB Sea-Link. A Swedish business leader, Mats is also a Board Member of Ideella Foreningen PrimaGruppen, and serves as Member of Advisory Board of the Stockholm School of Economics.</p>
  • Michael Moritz, Managing Partner, CatCap

    Michael Moritz

    Managing Partner, CatCap <p>Michael is the Managing Partner of CatCap GmbH, having previously worked as a corporate finance consultant at Doertenbach and Co. GmbH in Frankfurt, handling strategic mergers and acquisitions, primarily for medium-sized enterprises and their owners. Michael previously served as member of the medium-sized enterprise advisory board of the German Federal Ministry of Economics, and on the board of trustees of the German Property Foundation (Stiftung Eigentum). He also heads the regulatory Family Entrepreneurs Commission (Kommission der Familienunternehmer) and is a member of the Federal Association of Family Entrepreneurs (Bundessenat der Familienunternehmer).</p>
  • Nigel Smith, Former Chairman, The No (Euro) Campaign

    Nigel Smith

    Former Chairman, The No (Euro) Campaign <p>Nigel Smith is the former Managing Director of the Glasgow-based manufacturers David Auld Valves Ltd. He served as Chairman of the cross-party No (Euro) campaign from 2002-2004 and as Chairman of the successful cross-party ‘Yes’ to Scottish devolution campaign in 1997.</p>
  • Oliver Pawle, Chairman Board Services UK, Korn Ferry

    Oliver Pawle

    Chairman Board Services UK, Korn Ferry <p>Oliver Pawle is the Chairman of Korn Ferry Board Services Practice, focusing on chairman, non-executive and executive board appointments. He also serves as a Senior Client Partner in the Firm’s London office. Oliver has advised on board recruitment for many major companies, including GSK, Cobham, Amadeus, Weir Group, the Prudential, the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Bank of England.</p>
  • Prof. Dr. Michael Wohlgemuth, Director, Open Europe Berlin gGmbH

    Prof. Dr. Michael Wohlgemuth

    Director, Open Europe Berlin gGmbH <p>Prof. Dr. Wohlgemuth is the Director of Open Europe Berlin gGmbH, the independent partner organisation of Open Europe. He is Professor of Economics at the Private University of Witten/Herdecke. An Affiliated Fellow at the Walter Eucken Institute, Prof. Wohlgemuth is also a speaker of the Jena Alliance for the Renewal of the Social Market Economy.</p>
  • Rupert Hambro, Chairman, JO Hambro Ltd; Non-Executive Partner, Robinson Hambro Ltd

    Rupert Hambro

    Chairman, JO Hambro Ltd; Non-Executive Partner, Robinson Hambro Ltd <p>Rupert Hambro is the Chairman of J O Hambro, specialising in mergers and acquisitions and investment management. Rupert also directs Robinson Hambro Ltd, his own private-equity firm with investments in a number of businesses, having formerly served as Chairman of Hambros Bank. Rupert’s voluntary positions include: Chairman of Trustees of The Silver Trust; Deputy President of The National Association of Clubs for Young People; Vice Patron of the Royal Society of British Sculptors; Chairman of the Trustees of Chiswick House &amp; Gardens Trust and Honorary President of British Association of Adoption &amp; Fostering.</p>
  • Sir Martin Jacomb, Advisory Board Chairman, First Avenue Partners LLP

    Sir Martin Jacomb

    Advisory Board Chairman, First Avenue Partners LLP <p>Sir Martin Jacomb holds is the Chairman of the advisory board for First Avenue Partners LLP. Sir Martin is also the former Chairman of Prudential Plc and former Chancellor of the University of Buckingham &#8211; a post he held between 1999 and 2010. Prior to this, his Chairmanships included Barclays de Zoete Wedd; the British Council and Delta Plc. He has also held directorships at The Telegraph Plc; Marks and Spencer Plc and Canary Wharf Group Plc.</p>
  • Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman and Chief Executive, Rocco Forte Hotels

    Sir Rocco Forte

    Chairman and Chief Executive, Rocco Forte Hotels <p>Sir Rocco is Chairman and Chief Executive of Rocco Forte Hotels, the international luxury hotel chain. Rocco Forte Hotels has a turnover of £90 million and is on the FastTrack 100 list of fastest growing companies.</p>
  • Sir Simon Robertson, Deputy Chairman, HSBC Holdings Plc

    Sir Simon Robertson

    Deputy Chairman, HSBC Holdings Plc <p>A pivotal figure in the business world, Sir Simon Robertson joined the board of HSBC Bank in 2006 as Deputy Chairman. Sir Simon has an extensive background in international business and trade – having previously served as Chairman of both Goldman Sachs and Rolls Royce – and was awarded his knighthood for services to business in 2010. He holds broad cultural and environmental interests, including a place on the boards of both the Royal Opera House and the acclaimed Eden Project. His own company, Simon Robertson Associates LLP, supports the 30% Project, a group of FTSE 100 Chairmen committed to having at least 30% female representation on their boards</p>
  • Tim Martin, Founder and Chairman, J D Wetherspoons Plc

    Tim Martin

    Founder and Chairman, J D Wetherspoons Plc <p>Tim Martin is Chairman and founder of J D Wetherspoons plc. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a part of the FTSE 250 Index. It has a turnover of over £785 million and operates 900 pubs, employing over 26,000 people across Britain.</p>

I think the people will go for the kind of prospectus being offered by the think tank Open Europe.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London

Our Latest Intelligence

30%

UK exports of goods and services to the world (% of GDP)

In the first briefing in a research-series on Brexit, Open Europe explores the impact of an EU withdrawal on exports of UK goods and services. UK exports of goods and services to the EU account for about 14% of UK GPD, while the worldwide figure is 30% of GDP. Open Europe finds that if there were a Brexit, it would be much harder for the UK to secure a free trade deal with the EU in the services sector, than in the goods sector. Source: Open Europe
-2.2%

Worst case scenario: Impact of Brexit on UK GDP

In a worst case scenario, where the UK fails to strike a trade deal with the rest of the EU and does not pursue a free trade agenda, Open Europe estimates that UK GDP would be 2.2% lower in 2030 than if the UK had remained inside the EU. Source: Open Europe

Our Experts

  • Henry Newman, Director

    Henry Newman

    Director <p>Henry joins Open Europe having worked as a special adviser in the Ministry of Justice and the Cabinet Office. He has taught politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies and elsewhere, and studied at the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and the London School of Economics.</p>
     See Articles
  • Stephen Booth, Director of Policy and Research

    Stephen Booth

    Director of Policy and Research <p>Stephen is Director of Policy and Research at Open Europe. While at Open Europe he has written on EU regulation, justice and home affairs and EU aid policy. Stephen holds an undergraduate degree in political science and was awarded the Jean Monnet Prize for his master&#8217;s degree in European studies from the University of Sussex. Stephen&#8217;s professional interests include democracy and transparency in the EU, the interaction between domestic and EU law and European cooperation in crime and policing. He is half Dutch.
</p>
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  • Pieter Cleppe, Head of Brussels Office

    Pieter Cleppe

    Head of Brussels Office <p>Pieter is the Head of the Brussels office of Open Europe (Open Europe Brussels VZW). He is a frequent contributor to the broadcast and print media across Europe, frequently discussing EU reform, the refugee crisis and the eurocrisis. A trained lawyer, Pieter previously practiced law in Belgium, and has worked as a cabinet advisor and speechwriter to the Belgian State Secretary for Administrative Reform. Pieter also previously worked as an analyst at the Belgium’s Itinera Institute, which he helped to found. He received his legal training at the Catholic University of Leuven, and also studied law and economics at the universities of Hamburg, Bologna and Vienna. Pieter is fluent in Dutch, English and French. He also speaks German and intermediate Italian.</p>
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  • Aarti Shankar, Policy Analyst

    Aarti Shankar

    Policy Analyst <p>Aarti joined Open Europe after working as a researcher in public affairs. She holds a masters in European Public Policy from UCL, with a focus on crisis policy learning within the European Union. She also holds an undergraduate degree in French and English Literature from Durham University, and was awarded the university&#8217;s 2015 combined honours research prize. She speaks fluent French.</p>
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  • Leopold Traugott, Policy Analyst

    Leopold Traugott

    Policy Analyst <p>Leopold joined Open Europe after working in think tanks in Brussels and London. He holds a masters in Global Politics from the London School of Economics, with a focus on Russian influence in Europe, as well as migration and emerging socio-political divides across the continent. He previously read European Studies from Maastricht University. Leopold is fluent in German, English and French, and speaks some Spanish and Dutch.</p>
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  • Marta Vokshi, Communications and Fundraising Officer

    Marta Vokshi

    Communications and Fundraising Officer See Articles
  • Enea Desideri, Research Analyst

    Enea Desideri

    Research Analyst See Articles
  • Hugo Stratton, Intern

    Hugo Stratton

    Intern <p>Hugo graduated with an undergraduate degree in International Relations. He has recently completed a master&#8217;s degree in European Union Politics at the LSE.</p>
     See Articles
  • Georgia Bachti, Intern

    Georgia Bachti

    Intern See Articles

Our multinational team of analysts and commentators speak fourteen languages and cover all of the policy areas that will be negotiated as the UK exits the European Union.

The Daily Shakeup

15 December 2017 - Yesterday

European Council expected to formally agree “sufficient progress” today

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