Rate My Professor Mairi Spowage

Mairi Spowage is a Professor of Practice and Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute, Scotland’s leading economic research institute, located in the Department of Economics at the University of Strathclyde. Her areas of expertise include economic policy, economic statistics, national accounting, public sector finances, and economic and fiscal forecasting. She leads the Institute's work with various partners in business, the public, and third sectors, and is regularly invited to provide evidence on economic and fiscal matters to Parliamentary Committees in both Holyrood and Westminster. Appointed Budget Adviser to the Finance and Public Administration Committee for 2021-2026, she serves as Non-Executive Director of the UK Statistics Authority, member of the Office for Budget Responsibility Advisory Panel, and the British Chambers of Commerce Economic Advisory Council. Mairi is also on the leadership teams of the Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy and the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence. She directs projects to improve economic measurement and the application of economic insights to policy decisions in Scotland and beyond, while leading the Economic Futures programme to encourage graduates into careers in analysis.

Previously, Mairi Spowage held the position of Deputy Chief Executive of the Scottish Fiscal Commission and Head of National Accounts at the Scottish Government, with over 20 years of experience in statistics and analysis, including transport, household surveys, and performance measurement. Her contributions extend to numerous publications and reports, such as Setting the Scene: Scotland on the Eve of the 2026 Election (2026), Economic Commentary February 2026 (Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary Vol 50, 2026), The Economic Contribution of Scottish Professional Football (2026), Scotland’s Budget Report 2026-27 (2026), and The use and misuse of regional data: perspectives, challenges and policy implications from across the UK (Regional Studies Vol 59, 2025). Through advisory roles, parliamentary engagements, podcasts, and research outputs, she exerts considerable influence on economic policy and measurement in the UK.