Ed Humpherson works at the UK Statistics Authority, role he has held since January 2014.
Prior to joining the Authority, Ed was a Board Member and Executive Leader for Economic Affairs at the National Audit Office, a post he held since July 2009. This role included responsibility for the overall strategic direction of NAO’s work on economic affairs.
Amongst other previous responsibilities, Ed oversaw the NAO’s response to the recent financial crisis through building capability in capital markets and financial services work. He also coordinated the NAO’s programme of work on the administration of the tax system and the welfare system; led the NAO’s work on public private partnerships and major infrastructure developments, including in transport and energy; and oversaw the development of the NAO’s audit of the Whole of Government Accounts.
Ed has experience and specialty knowledge of:
- Governance of the statistical system
- Leading teams of professionals and experts
- State interaction with markets, including the impact of banking and financial services on the taxpayer
- Regulation and regulatory reform, including Impact Assessments and reducing administrative burdens
- Effectiveness of regulation, including the work of competition enforcement
- Government infrastructure contracts, including cost benefit analysis and financing
- General principles of evaluation and audit
Between 2007 and 2009, he was Assistant Auditor General, and before that was NAO’s Director of Regulation between 2003 and 2007. Ed joined the National Audit Office in 1993.
He was educated at the University of Edinburgh where he obtained a first-class MA honours degree in Politics and Economic History.
Ed is a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He is married and has three children.