Colin Robinson was a business economist for 11 years. He was then appointed to the Chair of Economics at the University of Surrey in Guildford where he founded the Department of Economics and is now Emeritus Professor. For many years he has been associated with the London-based Institute of Economic Affairs, and from 1992 to 2002 he was the IEAs Editorial Director.

Arthur Seldon was born in 1916. His interest in public affairs began as a pupil at Raine's Foundation School in the 1930s. A state scholarship took him to the London School of Economics. After war service in Africa and Italy and a spell as an economist in industry he directed the academic work of the Institute of Economic Affairs in London for 30 years. He is an IEA Founder President.