William Brown (industrial relations expert)

William Arthur "Willie" Brown, CBE (born 22 April 1945)^[1] is an academic specialising in the field of industrial relations,^[2] and former Master of Darwin College, Cambridge.

Education and Academic Career

Brown was born in Leeds, where his father Arthur Joseph Brown, CBE, FBA (1914-2003) was Professor of Economics (1947–1979) and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (1975-1977) at the University of Leeds .^[3]

After attending Leeds Grammar School and graduating from Wadham College, Oxford, Brown worked at the National Board for Prices and Incomes as an economic assistant. From there he went to the new University of Warwick, moving to the Economic and Social Research Council's Industrial Relations Research Unit when it was established at Warwick in 1970. Ten years later he became its Director.^[4]

In 1985 Brown was elected as a Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge^[5] and also became the fourth Montague Burton Professor of Industrial Relations at the University of Cambridge,^[6] a position he held until 2012 when he was awarded the status of emeritus professor.^[7]

In 2000 he became the Master of Darwin College, Cambridge.^[8] He announced his retirement from the post of Master and was succeeded by Professor Mary Fowler in October 2012.^[9]

At Cambridge University Brown has served as Chair of the Faculty of Economics and Politics and is currently Chair of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences. He is also the chairman of Board of Graduate Studies as the Vice-Chancellor's deputy.

Brown is one of the representatives of Oxford School of Industrial Relations. Brown's research has been concerned with workplace bargaining, pay determination, and the effect of legal change and outside intervention on labour relations. For the past twenty years he has served as an ACAS arbitrator, was until recently a member of ACAS Council, and has been a member of the Low Pay Commission since it was established to manage the National Minimum Wage in 1997.^[4][10]

Honours

In 2002 Brown was awarded a CBE for services to employment relations.^[4]

Publications

• List of papers by William Brown

Notes

References

• The Operation of the Low Pay Commission by Professor William Brown

External links

• Catalogue of Brown's papers, held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick