Ian Byatt

Sir Ian Charles Rayner Byatt (born 11 March 1932) is a British economist who was the Director General of the economic regulator of the water industry in England and Wales, Ofwat, from its creation at the time of the privatization of the water industry in 1989 until 2000.

Education He was educated at Kirkham Grammar School. He graduated from Oxford University, obtaining a doctorate with a thesis entitled The British electrical industry, 1875-1914 and Harvard University.

Career Ian Byatt was Head of Public Sector Economic Unit (1972–78) and then Deputy Chief Economic Adviser (1978–89) at Her Majesty's Treasury under Margaret Thatcher. Other posts included HM Treasury 1962-4; LSE 1964-7; Dept of Education and Science 1967-9; Ministry of Housing and Local Government 1969-70; DoE 1970-2; HM Treasury 1972-89; Central Council of Education 1965-6; CNAA 1968-70; ESCR 1983-9; HM Treasury 2000-2.

He was knighted in the 2000 Birthday Honours. Byatt is a member of the academic advisory council of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, a group which disputes the science behind global warming.

Publications The British electrical industry, 1875-1914: The economic returns to a new technology, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1979.

He recently self-published a collection of articles on the regulation of water companies entitled A Regulator's Sign-off:Changing the Taps in Britain

Personal life He was born in Preston Lancashire, the son of Charles Rayner Byatt and Enid Marjorie Annie Byatt. He married the novelist A.S. Byatt ( Drabble) in Northumberland in 1959. They had two children: one girl and one boy. Ian and AS Byatt divorced in 1969. His second spouse is Professor Deirdre Annie Kelly on 12 December 1997 in Birmingham.