Nick Stern is Head of the Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change, Adviser to HM Government on the Economics of Climate Change and Development and Head of the Government Economic Service. After starting his teaching career at Oxford, Nick Stern went on to hold chairs at Warwick University and the Sir John Hicks Professor of Economics chair at LSE (1986–94), before becoming chief economist and special counsellor to the president at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (1994–99); then chief economist and senior vice president of the World Bank (2000–03). He was also director of policy and research for the Commission for Africa which reported in March 2005. He has also taught and researched at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and in France, India, China and Japan and at the International Monetary Fund. His books include works on economic development, public finance, tax reform, the theory of economic growth, and the role of the state. His review of the Economics of Climate Change was published as the Stern Review in October 2006. From June 2007, Sir Nicholas will take up a new appointment as the first holder of the IG Patel Chair in Economics and Government at the London School of Economics.