Heywood Fellow at University of Oxford, Blavatnik School of Government

Former Director General, Economics, Climate and Global Issues, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Policy Leaders Fellow alumna, Centre for Science and Policy

Jenny Bates is the Heywood Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.

Jenny was previously the Director General, Economics, Climate and Global Issues in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). In this role, she was responsible for FCDO’s work on climate change and energy, science, technology, trade, investment and economic security. She oversaw a global portfolio of Official Development Assistance (ODA) across these policy areas, and led the Department’s work on British Investment Partnerships - a core strand of the Department’s development work, focussed on developing the private sector and sustainable economic growth.

Jenny was responsible for the FCDO’s shareholding relationship with the UK’s Development Finance Institution (DFI), British International Investment (BII), dealing with all aspects of funding and strategy. She also led the Department’s programme of analytical work and development of the evidence base to support policymaking. Jenny was a member of the FCDO’s Management Board, Executive Committee, Development Committee and Financial Transactions Steering Board. She was the Board Champion for both Respectful and Kind Behaviours and Race and led the Department’s work on Agility. She was a Non-Executive Director on the Board of FCDO Services.

Jenny was previously Director General, Indo-Pacific in FCDO; Director EU Exit and Economic Partnerships; and Chief Economist/Director of Analysis at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Prior to this, Jenny worked for ten years in HM Treasury, including strategic oversight of the Overseas Development (ODA) budget and HM Treasury’s engagement on international development and climate finance. In other roles in HM Treasury, Jenny worked on the global economy and global taxation.

Jenny has an MA in International Relations from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a BA in Economics from the University of Cambridge.