Patrick Thomson is Head of Research, Analysis and Policy at Phoenix Insights, a new think tank set up by Phoenix Group to transform the way society responds to the possibilities of longer lives, using research to inform fresh debate and prompt a national conversation to inspire the action needed to make better, longer lives a reality.
Patrick has more than 15 years’ experience of policy, research, and delivery across the private, public and charitable sectors. Immediately prior to joining Phoenix Insights, he was Policy Institute Director at the Shaw Trust, the UK’s largest not-for-profit social enterprise in the employment, training, education and skills sector. During his career he has also led the Centre for Ageing Better’s programme on age-inclusive employment, has been an expert witness to the Women and Equalities Select Committee, and authored a review of the case for longer working lives for the Intergenerational Commission.
As a former member of the Government Social Research Unit he managed a research, policy and analysis portfolio for the Department for Work and Pensions’ ageing society and extending working lives strategy, and helped produce the evidence base which led to the removal of the default retirement age in 2011.