The High Pay Centre is an independent, non-partisan think tank focused on the causes and consequences of economic inequality, with a particular interest in top pay. We run a programme of research, events and policy analysis involving business, trade unions, investors and civil society focused on achieving an approach to pay practices that enjoys the confidence of all stakeholders.
Our team
Luke Hildyard
Director
Luke previously worked as Deputy Director of HPC from 2012-2015. He was subsequently Policy Lead for Corporate Governance and Stewardship at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, the trade body for UK pension fund investors, before returning as Director in March 2018. He has authored reports on subjects including inequality, corporate governance and responsible business for think tanks including the New Economics Foundation, the Fabian Society and the Institute for Economic Affairs and has commented on these issues for outlets including the Financial Times, Guardian, BBC News, CNN and Channel 4 News.
Luke’s book “Enough: Why it’s time to Abolish the Super Rich” was published by Pluto Press in March 2024.
Andrew Speke
Head of Communications
Andrew joined the High Pay Centre in July 2019. They have been a passionate campaigner since their student days at the University of Manchester when they were involved in a number of campaigns on climate change and tuition fees. More recently they spent 5 years working for the EU and UK governments in China in a number of different roles, including leading the UK’s cooperation with China on projects focused on poverty reduction and tackling inequality. Andrew holds an undergraduate degree in Chinese Studies from the University of Manchester.
Paddy Goffey
Researcher
Paddy joined the High Pay Centre team in 2024 as a researcher. He previously worked for a small charity dedicated to improving the lives of isolated elderly and disabled individuals. Following this, he joined the Workforce Disclosure Initiative at ShareAction where he engaged with a range of companies and investors in order to improve corporate transparency and standards. He also holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Sheffield.
Our board
Tom Powdrill Director
Tom is the Director at Social Governance, an advisory firm he established in 2024. He has worked in responsible investment for 20 years, with a particular focus on workforce and corporate governance issues. Tom has worked with both investors and civil society during his career, most recently at PIRC. Tom previously worked as the Responsible Investment Co-ordinator at the International Transport Workers Federation and as a senior policy officer on institutional investment at the TUC. He started his career as a financial journalist and was editor of Pensions Week.
Janet Williamson Director
Janet is a Senior Policy Officer in the TUC’s Economic and Social Affairs Department, responsible for policy on corporate governance, institutional investment, executive pay and corporate social responsibility. She’s the Chair of Trade Union Share Owners, an initiative that brings together union funds to collaborate on voting and engagement at company AGMs, and a trustee of the TUC Superannuation Society. She also contributes to TUC pensions policy and campaigning.
Baroness Lister of Burtersett Director
Baroness Ruth Lister of Burtersett is the Emeritus Professor of Social Policy at Loughborough University. In addition to being one of the UK’s foremost academic experts on poverty and inequality, Baroness Lister has also been a leading voice in policy on these topics in roles as former Director and now Honorary President of the Child Poverty Action Group. Her other positions include being Chair of the Compass Management Committee, board member of the Smith Institute and honorary President of the Social Policy Association. Baroness Lister sits in the House of Lords as a Labour peer, where her interests include social policy, poverty, inequality and gender equality.
Debora Sanders Director
Debbie Sanders is an employment relations specialist with over thirty years’ experience in this field. Debbie has worked as a union official and a leader of employee relations teams in large, complex organisations including EDF Energy and NATS. During her career, Debbie also worked for PA Consulting, as a researcher/writer for employment journals and was a lecturer in employee relations and reward at Brighton University. Today, Debbie runs her own employment relations consultancy, Make Work Better, helping organisations to develop sustainable, modern, trusted employee relations. She is the co-founder and facilitator of a network of senior ER practitioners. She also designed and runs an employee relations development programme for some of the UK’s biggest organisations, helping them to build skills in working with trade unions and building effective methods of employee voice.
Professor Chris Rees Director
Chris is Professor of Employment Relations at Royal Holloway, University of London. He has published a wide range of articles and research reports, with a focus on employee participation and representation, mergers and takeovers, corporate responsibility and corporate governance. These have been funded by, among others, the ESRC, CIPD, FRC, and Eurofound. He has a PhD from the University of Warwick.
Funding
Funding for 2023 (to date):
abrdn Financial Fairness Trust – £16,300
Barrow Cadbury Trust – £18,750
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) – £20,000
Trust for London – £43,650
2022:
abrdn Financial Fairness Trust – £80,000
Barrow Cadbury Trust – £22,500
Railpen – £10,250
Trades Union Congress – £10,500
Trust for London – £37,000
2021:
abrdn Financial Fairness Trust – £20,000
Barrow Cadbury Trust – £30,000
CIPD – £50,000
Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust – £45,000
Trust for London – £37,000
2020:
Barrow Cadbury Trust – £31,500
CIPD – £25,000
Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust – £45,000
Standard Life Foundation – £42,000
Trust for London – £36,500