Tom Bentley

Tom Bentley Executive Director, Policy and Cabinet

"For the past decade, Tom Bentley has led DEMOS - described by The Economist as ‘Britain's most influential think tank'. He has played a leading role in the formation of policy ideas and analysis of government reform over the last decade. Over the period of Tom's leadership Demos has trebled in size, building projects and partnerships in 12 countries. Prior to that he was a special adviser to David Blunkett MP, then Secretary of State for Education and Employment, where he worked on issues including school curriculum reform, social inclusion, creativity, curriculum reform, citizenship, adult skills and area-based regeneration. He is an expert in bridging policy, innovation and practice in fields from public services to global security, science policy and social innovation with a large of partners ranging from northern Europe to China and India.

"Tom has established an international profile as an independent source of ideas and innovation across a range of subjects. His publications include: Learning beyond the classroom: education for a changing world, (Routledge, 1998) The Creative Age: knowledge and skills for a new economy (Demos, 1999), The Adaptive State: strategies for personalising the public realm (Demos 2003), Letting go: complexity, individualism and the left (Renewal, 2002), and Everyday Democracy: why we get the politicians we deserve (Demos, 2005). The Adaptive State; strategies for personalising the public realm (ed, with James Wilsdon, Demos 2003); 21st century citizenship, in Remaking Social Democracy (Polity, 2004). He has been a regular contributor to the Guardian, the Financial Times, The New Statesman. Tom has a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, University of Oxford (1994). In June 2006 Tom will move from the UK to live in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and two young daughters."


 * Senior Consultant, Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development (OECD)
 * Trustee and Chair of Learning Programme, National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, United Kingdom
 * Trustee, Community Action Network
 * Director, Eidos Institute