Distinguished Speaker Lunch: John Micklethwait, Editor-in-chief, The Economist

As America struggles towards economic recovery with an election looming,  and Europe grapples with the ongoing euro crisis, many are pinning their hopes on Chinese growth. What are the prospects in the year ahead for western economies, and can China really address its own huge challenges to continue its impressive rise?

John Micklethwait is the editor-in-chief of The Economist, a role he was appointed to in 2006. After studying history at Magdalen College, Oxford, he worked as a banker at Chase Manhattan between 1985 and 1987 before joining The Economist as a finance correspondent in 1987. Since then his roles at The Economist have included setting up the bureau in Los Angeles, where he worked from 1990-93; being the newspaper's media correspondent; editing the business section; running the New York bureau; and editing the United States section. The Economist now has a circulation of around 1.4 million worldwide.

Mr Micklethwait has appeared on radio and television around the world. He has co-authored with Adrian Wooldridge, also an Economist journalist, five books: "The Witch Doctors"; "A Future Perfect: the Challenge and Hidden Promise of Globalisation"; "The Company: A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea"; "The Right Nation: Conservative Power in America" and "God is Back: How the Global Rise of Faith is Changing the World".

Mr Micklethwait’s specialist subjects include business, international affairs, politics and public policy.

Mr Micklethwait was named Editors' Editor of the Year at the British Society of Magazine Editors 2010 annual awards.