Famous Alumni of the London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a public research university located in London, England, has a rich history of producing influential figures in various fields. As a member institution of the University of London, LSE has long been recognized for its specialization in social sciences, attracting students from across the globe who aspire to shape the world. This article delves into the lives and accomplishments of some of LSE's most notable alumni, highlighting their diverse contributions to politics, economics, business, and beyond.
Historical Context and Overview of LSE
Founded in 1895 by Beatrice and Sidney Webb, Graham Wallas, and George Bernard Shaw, the London School of Economics and Political Science was established with an initial funding of £20,000 from the estate of Henry Hunt Hutchinson. The institution joined the federal University of London in 1900, marking its recognition as a Faculty of Economics within the university. LSE rapidly expanded over the years, moving to Clare Market and Houghton Street. The school's arms, including its motto "rerum cognoscere causas" (to know the causes of things), were adopted in February 1922. As of 2023/24, LSE had under 13,000 students, with a majority enrolled being postgraduate students and just under two thirds coming from outside the United Kingdom. LSE is a member of the Russell Group, the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the European University Association, and is typically considered part of the "golden triangle" of research universities in the south east of England.
Political Leaders and Public Servants
LSE's emphasis on political sciences has naturally led many of its alumni to pursue careers in politics and public service, with several rising to become world leaders and influential policymakers.
John F. Kennedy
Arguably one of the most famous LSE alumni of all time is John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. Kennedy studied in the general course in 1935, before joining the US military in WWII. JFK served at the height of the Cold War, and the majority of his foreign policy concerned relations with the Soviet Union and Cuba. A Democrat, Kennedy represented Massachusetts in both houses of the United States Congress prior to his presidency.
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
Bhimrao Ambedkar was an Indian political and economist who achieved a PhD degree in economics from the London School of Economics in 1923. Ambedkar quickly became known for his writings and activism for the social freedom of India’s ‘untouchables’. He then engaged in a 15 year long career in Indian politics where he crafted India’s Constitution. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism in 1956 but died later that year.
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Tsai Ing-wen
Tsai Ing-wen is a Taiwanese politician who studied law at the London School of Economics, earning her PhD there in 1984. Ing-wen has become a successful politician, serving as the Chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party three times from 2008 to 2022.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as Canada’s 15th Prime Minister. Trudeau studied under social economist Harold Laski at LSE before returning to Canada in 1949. After working in a range of politican roles, Trudeau was elected Prime Minister of Canada in 1980 and was in office until 1984.
Francis Kwame Nkrumah
Francis Kwame Nkrumah was a Ghanian politician and revolutionary. Nkrumah enrolled at the London School of Economics as a PhD candidate for Anthropology in 1945, however withdrew after one term. After his studies, Nkrumah returned to the Gold Coast to begin his political career, forming the Convention People’s Party which was highly successful. In 1952, he became Prime Minister and declared independence from Britain five years later.
Ursula von der Leyen
Ursula von der Leyen is a German politician who is currently serving as President of the European Commission. Leyen graduated from the London School of Economics in 1978 before obtaining a medical degree from Hannover Medical School. Upon her return to Germany, Leyen became involved in local politics and rose to become a cabinet minister of Lower Saxony in 2003.
George Papandreou
George Papandreu was prime minister of Greece from 2009 to 2011. He previously served as foreign minister from 1999 to 2004, securing the Olympic bid for the 2004 summer Games in Athens. He holds an MA in Sociology of Development from LSE.
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Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos is the current president of Colombia, after he served as finance minister for his country from 2000 to 2002.
Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband is a British politician who is currently serving as Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. Miliband studied at the London School of Economics and graduated with a Master’s in economics. After a career as a television journalist, Miliband moved into politics and was elected to the House of Commons in 2005.
Economists and Financial Experts
LSE's strong economics department has produced numerous influential economists and financial experts who have made significant contributions to their fields.
George Soros
Billionaire investor George Soros moved to London from native Hungary in 1947. After graduating from LSE in 1952, he moved to the US where he opened Soros Fund Management. Soros currently ranks among the richest people in the world, according to Bloomberg's billionaires index. Soros has had a highly successful career as a businessman and investor and accumulated huge wealth from hedge funds. Soros is better known for his philanthropy however, having donated more than $32 billion (64% of his fortune) to the Open Society Foundations.
Robert Mundell
Robert Mundell won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1999, for his work on monetary and fiscal policies.
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Kaushik Basu
Tim P. Kaushik Basu is the senior vice president and chief economist at the World Bank. He previously worked as an adviser to the Indian government and taught at Cornell University.
Daron Acemoglu
Daron Acemoglu is a Turkish economist and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller was an American economist and investment banker who served as chairman and CEO of Chase Manhattan Corporation. Grandson of Standard Oil founder J.D. Rockefeller, David studied economics at the London School of Economics in 1935 before receiving his PhD in economics from the University of Chicago. Rockefeller was a highly successful banker and also had wide ranging political connections. At the time of his death, his fortune was estimated at $3.3 billion.
Thomas Piketty
Thomas Piketty is a French economist who earned his PhD in economics from the London School of Economics. Throughout his career, Piketty has focused on public economics, particularly on income and wealth inequality and has written multiple books on the topic.
Leaders in Business and Entrepreneurship
LSE alumni have also made their mark in the business world, founding successful companies and leading major corporations.
Stelios Haji-Ioannou
Stelios Haji-Ioannou is the founder of easyJet, one of Europe's leading budget airlines. Born in Athens, he moved to London in 1984 to undertake a degree at LSE.
Jay Bregman
Jay Bregman is the founder and CEO of Hailo, the taxi app company. He previously founded and directed eCourier, a British express courier service. He holds a MSc in Communications from LSE.
Influential Figures in Arts, Culture, and Journalism
LSE's influence extends beyond politics, economics and business, with its alumni making significant contributions to the arts, culture, and journalism.
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Jagger, better known as Mick Jagger is an English singer and frontman of the rock band The Rolling Stones. Jagger studied finance and accounting at the London School of Economics before leaving to focus on his career with his band. Along with guitarist Keith Richards, Mick Jagger wrote most of the band’s songs which has become widely recognised as one of the best rock bands in history having sold more than 250 million copies. In 1989 Jagger was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mick Jagger was studying at LSE when he began playing with the Rolling Stones in 1961.
David Attenborough
Sir David Attenborough enrolled at LSE in 1964, when he was already a broadcaster for BBC.
Anne Applebaum
Anne Applebaum is a former editor of The Spectator and a Pulitzer prize winning journalist for her work on the Soviet gulags.
Michael Lewis
Another famous LSE alumnus is Michael Lewis, an American author and financial journalist who received a Master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics in 1985. Following this, Lewis worked on Wall Street throughout the 80s where he was prompted to write his first book Liar’s Poker. He then took a break from writing but returned in 2003 with Moneyball which was adapted into The Big Short film in 2015.
Advocates for Social Change and Human Rights
LSE's commitment to social justice is reflected in the careers of its alumni who have become prominent advocates for social change and human rights.
Salil Shetty
Salil Shetty is the current Secretary General at Amnesty International. While at LSE he studied Social Policy and Planning and graduated with distinction.
Rajiv Shah
Rajiv Shah is the current administrator of USAID, the US government agency for international development. He said that while studying at LSE in 1993 he experienced two key events in his life: he got his worst mark ever and met his wife.
Other Notable Alumni
The diversity of LSE's alumni is further exemplified by individuals who have excelled in various other fields.
Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair is the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. She studied law at LSE and graduated in 1975.
Talcott Parsons
Talcott Parsons was an American sociologist known for his work in social action theory and structural functionalism. Parsons studied at the London School of Economics for one year in which he networked with many influential individuals After gaining his PhD, Parsons served on the faculty at Harvard University and was instrumental in establishing the university’s Department of Social Relations.
Zygmunt Bauman
Zygmunt Bauman was a Polish sociologist and philosopher who studied sociology at the London School of Economics. Bauman dedicated his career to sociology and later became Professor of Sociology at the University of Leeds focusing on how the poor and dispossessed are affected by social change.
LSE Today: A Hub for Global Leaders
The London School of Economics continues to attract talented students from around the world, providing them with a rigorous academic environment and a global network of connections. As of 2023/24, LSE had under 13,000 students, with a majority enrolled being postgraduate students and just under two thirds coming from outside the United Kingdom. The university gave offers of admission to roughly 12.2% of its undergraduate applicants in 2023, one of the lowest offer rates across the UK. Bsc Economics is the most competitive undergraduate course at the LSE with over 4000 applications for just over 200 places.
LSE operates on a three-term structure and has not moved to semesters. Michaelmas Term runs from October to mid-December, Lent Term from mid-January to late March, and Summer Term from late April to mid-June. In 2025, The London School of Economics received 30,000 applications for roughly 1900 undergraduate places or 16 applicants per place. All undergraduate applications, including international applications, are made through UCAS. LSE had the 8th highest average entry qualification for undergraduates of any UK university in 2021-22, with new students averaging 195 UCAS points.
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