Julian Gough's career in economics has encompassed both academic life and time spent in industry. He graduated with a degree in economics from the University of Wales, Cardiff, and then obtained two masters degrees at the University of East Anglia, followed by a doctorate in economics at the University of Wales, Cardiff. His first post was as a lecturer in economics at the University of Wales in Cardiff, specialising in the teaching of managerial economics. In 1983 he moved into industry, an economic analyst for British Gas, researching the energy markets. In 1996 he went back into academic life as Principal Lecturer in Economics at the University of Teesside, again specialising in business economics. During his career he wrote three textbooks: Fundamentals of Managerial Economics (Macmillan 1978), The Economics of Building Societies (Macmillan 1981) and Introductory Economics for Business and Management (McGraw Hill 2000). Julian’s main research interests have been the economics of building societies, housing economics, energy economics, regional economics and more recently the economics of climate change policies and the economic performance of countries in the eurozone. He maintains an active interest in economics research.