Economist Blackett to chair Prosper think tank – Daily Business

Graeme Blackett, founder of the BiGGAR Economics consultancy, has been appointed chair of Prosper, the cross?sector membership think tank.

Prosper, which is non?governmental, was founded in 1931 as the Scottish Council Development and Industry and rebranded in 2023.

Mr Blackett, 55, who succeeds lawyer Joanna Boag-Thomson, called for politicians, businesspeople and civic society to unite to support the tens of thousands of vulnerable people across the country who are living in financial distress.

He warned that low productivity and weak economic growth are blighting too many lives.

“There has been low productivity and limited growth in the UK and Scottish economies for two decades.

“As a result, there are too many people struggling to make ends meet and too many people just about getting by.”

But he said there was room for optimism. “At the same time, there are huge, once?in?a?generation opportunities for the Scottish economy — in the energy transition and also arising from new technologies, such as AI.

“Complexity requires collaboration. We need everyone to work together to identify what needs to be done, and then to do it. Addressing the economic challenges and realising the huge opportunities should not be left to government alone. There is a role for all of us.”

He added: “2026 is an important year for Scottish politics and for the Scottish economy, with the Scottish Parliament elections in May. Politicians often talk about economic policy in terms of pulling levers.

“However, the economy has no control room and it is not a machine. Nevertheless, everything that politicians do matters to the economy — all policy has consequences, sometimes intended and sometimes unintended.”