Ben Chu

Biography

Ben Chu is a journalist, author and broadcaster who specialises in economics, business and politics. He is the Policy and Analysis Correspondent at BBC Verify, having previously served as Economics Editor on Newsnight, the flagship nightly news analysis and discussion show. Prior to joining the BBC he was with The Independent as Economics Editor and before that, was Chief Leader Writer.

Having reported from around the world, including the US, China and across Europe, Ben has a global view of the economy and the social, political and commercial influences shaping it. He's covered the global financial crisis, the eurozone emergency, Brexit and Donald Trump’s trade wars. In his book Exile Economics: What Happens When Globalisation Fails, he explores the economics and politics of why many nations are turning away from multilateral cooperation despite ever increasing reliance on commodities that can only be sourced from multiple regions of the world. He also tackled many myths about China in Chinese Whispers: Why Everything You’ve Heard About China is Wrong, asking how a state that many believe will rule the world can also be insecure and controlling.

Ben sits on the international advisory board of the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI) and is a member of the Society of Professional Economists. He has been nominated for business journalist of the year at the British Journalism Awards, as business commentator of the year at the Comment Awards, and Chinese Whispers was nominated for International Affairs Book of the Year at the Political Book Awards.