Rain Newton-Smith

Rain Newton-Smith is the Chief Economist at the Confederation of British Industry and a member of its Executive Committee. She leads our economics and international teams, with a focus on economic and tax policy, the transition to a low carbon, sustainable economy and global business leadership. She and her team provide business leaders with advice on the UK economic outlook and global risks, helping to develop the economic policy response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Previously, Rain was head of Emerging Markets at Oxford Economics where she managed a large team of economists and was the lead expert on China. She provided macroeconomic forecasts and analysis on China’s role in the global economy and the development of Asia, helping a range of companies and international financial institutions to expand into new markets and grow their business. Prior to that, Rain worked on the international forecast for the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England and also led a team with responsibility for developing a risk assessment framework for the UK financial system.

While at the Bank, she also went on secondment to the International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C. where she was adviser to the UK executive director. Rain was honoured by the World Economic Forum in 2012 as a Young Global Leader and she is a member of their Global Future Council on Monetary and Fiscal Policy.  She is also an independent, Non-Executive Director at the F&C Investment Trust.