Dr Madsen Pirie is President of the Adam Smith Institute, and was one of three Scots graduates working in the US who founded the Institute in 1977. Before that, Madsen worked for the House of Representatives in Washington DC, and was Distinguished Visiting Professor Philosophy at Hillsdale College in Michigan.
At the Institute, Madsen was part of the influential team which pioneered privatization and the extension of market choices and incentives. His work in helping to develop the Citizen's Charter led to his appointment to the Prime Minister's Advisory Panel from 1991-95.
A graduate of the universities of Edinburgh, St Andrews and Cambridge, Madsen has authored several books including The Book of the Fallacy, Micropolitics, Privatization, How to Win Every Argument, 101 Great Philosophers, Blueprint for a Revolution, and Freedom 101. He also writes children's science fiction, and with his colleague Dr Eamonn Butler he has co- authored a series of books on IQ, including The Sherlock Holmes IQ Book.
The Institute itself remains at the forefront of a worldwide movement towards competitive free markets and free trade.
Eamonn Butler is director of the Adam Smith Institute, rated one of the world's leading policy think-tanks. He has degrees in economics, philosophy and psychology, gaining a PhD from the University of St Andrews in 1978.
During the 1970s he worked on pensions and welfare issues for the US House of Representatives, and taught philosophy in Hillsdale College, Michigan, before returning to the UK to help found the Adam Smith Institute.
Eamonn is author of books on the pioneering economists Milton Friedman, F A Hayek, Ludwig von Mises and Adam Smith, and co-author of Forty Centuries of Wage and Price Controls and books on intelligence testing.
He contributes to the leading UK print and broadcast media on current issues, and his recent popular publications The Best Book on the Market, The Rotten State of Britain and The Alternative Manifesto have attracted considerable attention.
He has also contributed articles to national magazines and newspapers on subjects ranging from health policy, economic management, taxation and public spending, transport, pensions, and welfare.
Tom Clougherty is executive director of the Adam Smith Institute. He previously worked as the Institute's policy director, and before that was Research Director at the Globalisation Institute – a think tank focused on trade and development issues.
In his current role, Tom takes overall responsibility for all the Adam Smith Institute's programmes, and divides his time between policy work, management, and fundraising. He regularly represents the Institute in the print and broadcast media, and gives talks on everything from banking reform to drug legalisation. Tom is interested in all things free market and libertarian, but is particularly enthusiastic about the Austrian school of economics.
In his spare time, Tom enjoys eating, drinking, and watching cricket. He has a degree in law from the University of Cambridge.
Sally Thompson is the Communications Director at the Adam Smith Institute, responsible for communications and media relations, whilst sharing responsibility for fundraising with Tim Evans.
Before joining the ASI, Sally worked for a large consumer brand PR agency, working with global brands across the pharmaceutical, financial and FMCG sectors. She has a degree in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh and a PGCE from the University of Oxford.
Her policy interests are civil liberties and international development.Outside work, Sally enjoys going to the theatre, reading and travelling.
Sam Bowman is Head of Research at the Adam Smith Institute, responsible for overseeing the ASI’s publications and editing the ASI Blog. He holds a BA in economics and history from University College Cork and an MA in history from the School of Oriental and African Studies.
Sam's research interests include the Austrian business cycle theory, economic recalculation in recessions, the economic impact of migration, and cities. He is particularly influenced by the works of Ludwig von Mises and F.A. Hayek.
In his spare time, Sam enjoys going to the cinema, reading and cooking.
JP Floru is a Senior Research Fellow at the Adam Smith Institute. JP trained as a solicitor in the City before setting up his own business. In 2005 he founded Freedom Week, an annual seminar teaching the philosophy of freedom to students. He stood as a Conservative Party European Parliamentary Candidate for London in 2009 and topped the poll of London party members with an unadulterated free market message. He is a City of Westminster Councillor where he tries to limit the size of local government and is a tireless campaigner for low taxes. A staunch classical liberal and individualist, he has written numerous polemic articles and lists fighting the nanny state as his hobby.
Dr. Tim Evans is a Consultant Director at the Adam Smith Institute, focusing on fundraising, strategy and business planning. He previously worked for the Adam Smith Institute in the late 1980s, as Press Officer and Senior Policy Consultant. Tim has a PhD from the London School of Economics.
From 1991-1992, Tim was the Chief Economic and Political Adviser to the Slovak Prime Minister – Dr. Jan Carnogursky – and was Head of the Prime Minister's Policy Unit. Between 1993 and early 2002, he was the Executive Director of Public Affairs at the Independent Healthcare Association in London where he oversaw the political affairs and public relations of the UK's independent health and social care providers. And from 2002 to 2005, Tim was President and Director-General of the Centre for the New Europe.
Tim is also President of the Libertarian Alliance, CEO of the Cobden Centre, Chairman of the Economic Policy Centre, Chairman of Global Health Futures Ltd, Managing Director of Farsight SPI Ltd, and a member of the Mont Pelerin Society.