Tim Harford

Tim Harford is a world-renowned behavioural economist, award-winning Financial Times columnist, data detective, and BBC broadcaster, often described as ‘Britain’s Malcolm Gladwell.’ Celebrated for his ability to bring storytelling, humour, and intelligence to the complex worlds of data and statistics, Tim has earned a reputation as a master communicator. Malcolm Gladwell himself has called Tim “a genius at telling stories that illuminate our world.”

Tim’s long-running Financial Times column, The Undercover Economist, reveals the economic principles behind everyday experiences, and his op-eds, interviews, and feature articles are widely read and respected. An evangelist for the power of economics, he has spoken at TED, PopTech, and the Sydney Opera House.

His first book, The Undercover Economist, has sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 30 languages. Tim has authored several other influential books, including The Logic of Life, Adapt, Messy, and How To Make The World Add Up (also known as The Data Detective).

On BBC Radio 4, Tim hosts More or Less, a programme that investigates the truth behind dubious statistics and manipulated figures. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he hosted How To Vaccinate The World, engaging with experts like Bill Gates, Larry Brilliant, and Anthony Fauci to discuss global vaccination efforts. Tim’s podcast Cautionary Tales explores the science behind disasters and successes, offering lessons from history, while his series Fifty Things That Made The Modern Economy delves into innovations that shaped our world.

Tim has appeared on major media outlets such as The Colbert Report, Newsnight, Planet Money, and Today, and his writing has been featured in leading publications including Esquire, Forbes, Wired, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, and The New York Times. He has also served as the first Peter Martin Fellow at the Financial Times and was a member of its editorial board.

A regular TED speaker, Tim offers insights on learning from mistakes, dealing with uncertainty, and the nuances of forecasting. His engaging and accessible style makes complex topics relevant and understandable to all.

Tim is a member of Nuffield College, Oxford, and the only journalist to be an honorary fellow of the Royal Statistical Society. He has won numerous awards, including the Bastiat Prize for economic journalism (twice) and the Royal Statistical Society’s prize for journalism, and he has been named Science and Data Commentator of the Year and Economics Commentator of the Year.