Eric Roll British economist, scientist, banker and civil servant Date of Birth: 01.12.1907 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Eric Roll

Eric Roll was a British economist, scholar, banker, and civil servant. He was born on December 1, 1907, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and grew up near the city of Czernowitz, which was then part of Romania and is now part of Ukraine. His father worked as a bank manager, and his uncle, his mother's brother, was one of the most respected professors at the University of Vienna's Law School.

During World War I, Eric Roll's village was destroyed, and his family found refuge in Vienna. In 1920, his parents sent him to England, where he studied at the University of Birmingham. Shortly after completing his university studies, Roll earned his doctorate degree and published his first book.

Despite his economic education and practical profession, Roll was always involved in creative and artistic circles. By the age of 28, he became a professor of economics and commerce at University College, Hull, a position he obtained with the support of John Maynard Keynes, the founder of the Keynesian school of economic theory, and Sir Josiah Stamp, an economist and banker.

During World War II, Roll was drawn into government service as the Deputy Head of the British Food Mission from 1941 to 1946, where he was primarily responsible for food procurement, particularly powdered eggs. He negotiated several contracts in the United States and declined an offer to lead the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), instead joining the British Ministry of Food. His economic expertise and established contacts made Roll an invaluable specialist in the post-war government.

In 1947, Roll represented the United Kingdom during the discussions of the Marshall Plan in Paris. He played an important role in the establishment of several European and transatlantic institutions before returning to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food.

Roll intended to accept an offer to become the Chancellor of Liverpool University but was instead approached by the government to serve as the Minister of Economics at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., from 1963 to 1964. After the Labour Party's victory in the 1964 elections, he became the Permanent Secretary of the newly formed Department of Economic Affairs.

From 1968 to 1977, Roll served as the Director of the Bank of England. He also chaired the board of investment bank 'S. G. Warburg & Co.' and served as a director of 'The Times.' From 1986 to 1989, Roll chaired the meetings of the Bilderberg Group, an unofficial organization that brings together the world's most influential entrepreneurs, politicians, and bankers.

In 1934, Roll married Winifred Roll, and they had two daughters together. Winifred passed away in 1998, and Eric Roll died on March 30, 2005. He was awarded a life peerage in 1977 and received the Order of the Bath, the Order of St Michael and St George, and the Legion d'Honneur.