Adam McGeoch
Adam is one of the Agents for Scotland at the Bank of England. In this role, he gathers economic intelligence (e.g., on sales, hiring and investment intentions etc.) from organisations across Scotland to inform the decision making of the Bank’s policy committees, particularly the Monetary Policy Committee. He also regularly delivers briefings to businesses on Bank policy - including interest rate decisions - alongside updates of current and forecasted economic conditions.
Within the Agency Network, Adam specialises in Climate and Energy, analysing intelligence on energy markets, the transition to net zero, and climate‑related risks, to support monetary and financial policy analysis. Outside the Agency Network, Adam leads the Bank’s LGBTQ+ Network’s External Outreach team.
Previously Adam was a Fellow at Strathclyde University's Fraser of Allander Institute - an economics research institute in Scotland -, where he led their Business Analysis work, including running their 25-year-old quarterly Scottish Business Survey. He was also a lecturer on Strathclyde's Masters in Applied Economics Programme.
Adam graduated from the University of Strathclyde in 2018 with a First-class BA (Hons) in Economics and from the University of Edinburgh in 2020 with an MSc. in Economics.
Why did you choose to study economics?
I had just started high school when the Financial Crisis began to unfold, and it played a significant role in sparking my curiosity about economics. This interest led me to study the subject in high school, where it quickly became one of my favourite subjects.
Even so, for as long as I can remember I had wanted to be a scientist which is why I went on to study Biomedical Sciences at university. Over time, though, I realised it wasn’t the right fit for me. When I made the decision to leave the course, switching to a degree in economics felt like an obvious choice.
How would you describe economics?
Economics can be described as the study of people, businesses, central banks, and governments trying to make optimal decisions with limited resources.
From this general idea emerges a wide range of research areas that help us understand issues like inflation, financial crises, inequality, and climate change.
If you had a time machine and could meet your 16-year-old self, what advice would you give them?
Enjoy your time at university more. Work hard but try not to stress too much because you will miss being a student when you are in your career!
What is your favourite part of economics?
Economics offers a powerful set of tools for making a positive impact on the world and can help policymakers handle major risks facing the economy.
Is there anything you would do differently if you had the chance?
If I had the chance to do anything differently, I think I would have done a year abroad while at university. I feel that gaining that experience would have been valuable - not just for my career, but also for my personal development.
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