David Greenaway (economist)
An influential academic leader and trade economist who steered the University of Nottingham to global prominence while shaping international economic policy.
Born 1952 (age 74)·British economist·Birthday: March 20·Baby Boomers
Biography
David Greenaway's career is a study in the fusion of sharp economic intellect with transformative academic leadership. A specialist in international trade and development, his research focused on the impacts of globalization, foreign direct investment, and economic policy in developing countries. This scholarly foundation prepared him for his defining role as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham from 2008 to 2017. Under his stewardship, the university solidified its international footprint, notably expanding its campuses in China and Malaysia, and enhanced its research reputation. Knighted for services to higher education, Greenaway operated at the intersection of theory and practice, advising governments and serving on the board of the UK's Department for International Development. His legacy is that of a pragmatic economist who understood that ideas gain power when institutions are built to sustain them.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham from 2008 to 2017, overseeing a period of significant international expansion.
- Was knighted in 2014 for services to higher education.
- Directed the Leverhulme Centre for Research on Globalisation and Economic Policy, focusing on trade and development issues.
- Served as a Deputy Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, recognizing his community and civic contributions.
Did You Know?
He is a passionate supporter of Nottingham Forest Football Club.
He chaired the review that led to the creation of the UK's Office for Students (OfS).
Before becoming Vice-Chancellor, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at Nottingham.
“Trade policy isn't abstract; it's the tariff on a shirt and the wage in a factory.”
