Ben Gardiner obtained an Upper Second BSc (hons) in Economics with Econometrics in 1991 from the University of Bath having spent the previous year at Cambridge Econometrics as a placement student. He then obtained an MA in Economics (1st Class) at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. At Bath he specialised in econometrics and macro-econometric modelling and at UBC in measurement economics (index number and productivity analysis). He subsequently completed an MBA with the Open University in May 2000, covering areas such as financial strategy, international enterprise, and creative management.
He joined CE in 1992 to work on the construction of E3ME, an Energy-Environment- Economy Model for Europe funded under the European Commission's Joule research programme. Subsequently, as Manager of European Projects, he became responsible for managing projects involving applications of the E3ME model. These have included studies for a range of Directorates, including a succession of projects for DG Research and Development to both widen (new EU member states) and deepen (developing new methodologies) the E3ME model.
He helps to oversee the development of CE's key capabilities in European sectoral and regional analysis, including project work and service reports in both areas. He has managed and coordinated many high profile projects for the European Commission, including two recent studies on regional competitiveness work, one for DG Enterprise (the 2003 Competitiveness Report) and supporting research for DG Regio (the Third Cohesion Report). Currently, he is responsible for directing CE's involvement in a framework contract for DG Enterprise looking at Sector competitiveness, and for overall co-ordination of a four-year DG Regio project investigating the factors driving European regional growth. He became a director of CE in October 2002.
Other responsibilities include formulation and updating of CE's 'world view' for its various regular service reports, and management of CE's econometrics training portfolio - including time series and panel data courses run using Microfit and EViews.