Emily Jones is Professor of Practice in Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government where she co-directs Executive Programmes and leads the Case Centre on Public Leadership.
Emily is an expert in the political economy of global trade. She is an award-winning educator and trains and advises senior government officials on negotiation strategy. Her current research examines the ways global trade is changing with digitalization and AI. She is co-founder and co-director of the Trade and Public Policy (TaPP) Network, which seeks to foster engagement between academics and UK policymakers. She is an Associate Fellow of Chatham House, recently served as a specialist adviser to the International Trade Select Committee in the UK Parliament, where she regularly provides written and oral evidence on trade policy.
Emily holds a DPhil in International Political Economy from the University of Oxford, an MSc (distinction) in Development Economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and a first-class BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford. She previously worked in Ghana's Ministry of Trade and Industry, for Oxfam GB, and for the UK Department for International Development.
Teaching
Emily Jones has won multiple awards for excellent teaching. She co-chairs executive programmes for senior government officials including the Blavatnik School’s flagship Executive Public Leaders Programme and the AIG Public Leaders Programme. She specialises in negotiation strategy and skills, designing and delivering training for senior government officials across the world. She also teaches a course on ‘negotiating in the public interest’ as part of the Master of Public Policy.
Emily supervises DPhil theses in international political economy. She is particularly interested in topics related to digital trade or asymmetric negotiations in the global economy.
Articles, books and book chapters
E. Jones, B. Kira, R. Tavengerwei (2024). Norm Entrepreneurship in Digital Trade: The Singapore-led Wave of Digital Trade Agreements. World Trade Review. 23(2):208-241
D. Snidal, T. Hale, E. Jones, et al. (2024) The power of the “weak” and international organizations. Rev Int Organ 19, 385–409
E. Jones and C Adam (2023) ‘New frontiers of trade and trade policy: digitalization and climate change’. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Volume 39, Issue 1
E. Jones (2023) Digital disruption: artificial intelligence and international trade policy, Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Volume 39, Issue 1, Spring 2023, Pages 70–84
E. Jones (ed.) (2020), ‘The Political Economy of Bank Regulation in Developing Countries: Risk and Reputation’. Oxford University Press.
E. Jones (2020), 'The Negotiations', in Fabbrini, F. (ed.) The Law and Politics of Brexit: Volume II: The Withdrawal Agreement. Oxford: Oxford University Press
E. Jones (2020), 'Will this time really be different? Twenty years of trying (and failing) to reset Europe-Africa relations', Global Policy Journal.
E. Jones ed. (2020) The Political Economy of Bank Regulation in Developing Countries: Risk and Reputation Oxford: Oxford University Press
E. Jones and A. Zeitz (2017) ‘The Limits of Globalising Basel Banking Standards’ Journal of Financial Regulation', 3(1), 89–124.
E. Jones (2013) Negotiating Against the Odds: A Guide for Trade Negotiators from Developing Countries, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
E. Jones, C. Deere Birkbeck & N. Woods (2010) Manoeuvring at the Margins: Constraints Faced by Small States in International Trade Negotiations, London: Commonwealth Secretariat
L. Whitfield & E. Jones (2009) ‘Ghana: Breaking out of Aid Dependence? Economic and Political Barriers to Ownership’ in (ed.) The New Politics Of Aid: Barriers to Ownership in Africa, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Book reviews
Jones, E. (2025) The Thinking Machine by Stephen Witt: Book review. The TLS.
Jones, E. (2025) House of Huawei by Eva Dou: Book Review. The TLS.
Jones, E. (2024) Digging for victory? by Ernest Scheyder: Book Review. The TLS.
Jones, E. (2023) Underground Empire by Henry Farrell & Abraham Newman: Book Review. The TLS.
Jones, E. (2023) The Parliamentary Battle Over Brexit by Meg Russell & Lisa James: Book Review. The TLS.
Jones, E. (2023) Chip War by Chris Miller: Book Review. The TLS.
Evidence to parliament
Jones, E, et al, (2023) ‘Evidence to Parliament’s Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee’
Jones, E, B. Garrido, D, and Sands, A (2021) ‘The Scrutiny of International Treaties and other international agreements in the 21st-century inquiry: Submission to Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee’
Jones, E, Garrido Alves, D, Kira, B and Tavengerwej, R (2021) ‘Singapore Digital Economy Agreement Inquiry: Submission to International Agreements Committee’
Jones, E, Garrido Alves, D, Kira, B and Tavengerwej, R (2021) ‘Digital Trade Provisions in the UK-NZ FTA: Submission to the International Trade Committee’
Jones, E, Garrido Alves, D, Kira, B and Tavengerwej, R (2021) ’Digital Trade Provisions in the AUS-UK FTA’
Jones, E, Kira, B, and Garrido Alves, D B (2021) 'Submission to the International Trade Committee, UK House of Commons'
Jones, E, and Kira, B (2020) 'The digital provisions in the new UK-Japan trade agreement'
Policy reports, policy briefs and working papers
Jones, E, Garrido Alves, D B, Kira, B, and Sand, A (2021) 'The UK and digital trade: which way forward?', Blavatnik School Working Paper 2021/038
Jones, E, Allan, B, Deere Birkbeck, C, Hale, T, Johnson, L, Klasen, A, Messenger, G and van Asselt, H (2020) 'Governance to support a global green deal', Report, Future of Climate Cooperation research project, Blavatnik School of Government, ClimateWorks Foundation and Mission2020
Jones, E and Sands, A (2020), 'Ripe for reform: UK scrutiny of international trade agreements', Global Economic Governance Programme Working Paper 144.
Jones, E, Knaack, P (2019) Global Financial Regulation: Shortcomings and Reform Options Research Article, Global Policy
Jones, E, Zeitz, A O (2019) Regulatory Convergence in the Financial Periphery: How Interdependence Shapes Regulators’ Decisions Research Article, International Studies Quarterly
Jones, E, Beck, T, Knaack, P (2018) Mind the Gap: Making Basel Standards Work for Developing Countries Policy Brief, Global Economic Governance Programme, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
Jones, E, Beck, T, Knaack, P (2018) Room to Manoeuvre: How Developing Countries Can Tailor Basel Standards Policy Brief, Global Economic Governance Programme, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
Jones, E, and Zeitz, A O (2017). The Limits of Globalizing Basel Banking Standards. Journal of Financial Regulation, 3(1), 89–124.
Jones, E and Copeland, C (2017) Making UK Trade Work for Development Post-Brexit, Report, Global Economic Governance Programme, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
Short articles and op-eds
'It's time to talk digital trade' (co-authored with Beatriz Kira), 13 November 2020, UK Trade Policy Observatory
'Parliamentary scrutiny of trade deals: how does the UK measure up?', 30 September 2020, UK Trade Policy Observatory
'The Trade Bill: time to give Parliament more say in UK trade deals', 24 September 2020, UK in a Changing Europe
'How much power does Donald Trump really have on trade?' 25 January 2017, New Statesman
'We can't afford a bitter Euro-divorce' (18 January, 2017, CapX) - Emily Jones says we must avoid petty point-scoring as we break from Europe
'Brexit: Opportunity or peril for trade with small and poor developing economies?' (26 July, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development) - Dr Emily Jones on Brexit and developing country trade relations.
'Building the Brexit Team' (16 July, The Economist) - Dr Emily Jones is quoted in the article about Britain's need of a good negotiating team.
'What would make Brexit negotiations better? Here are 8 simple suggestions' (15 July, New Statesman) - Dr Emily Jones lays out eight points to help negotiate a new trade deal with the EU
'Brexit shows globalisation needs a rethink' (4 July, Reaction) - Dr Emily Jones assesses the new world order on trade.
'Brexit negotiations: Four ways to get a good deal' (29 June, BBC News Online) - Professor Ngaire Woods and GEG Director Dr Emily Jones write a piece highlighting four points to consider in successfully negotiating new trade agreements.
'The WTO's Reform Crisis' Project Syndicate Op-Ed, 23rd October 2014
Related
AI governance and the future of digital trade policy
This Policy Brief highlights challenges with source code non-disclosure in trade agreements, which hinder AI regulation. It recommends revising or removing these provisions to balance business confidentiality with the need for effective oversight and accountability.
