Brendon is a Manager in Global Advisory for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
Brendon Bonnor, MPA
Having studied business in my undergrad degree and worked in management consulting for a few years, I knew that I was ready to make the switch over to public administration with the goal of advising political leaders on effective policy development and delivery. Of course there are many pathways you can take and good university choices, but LSE was one of the only schools to provide both the academic rigor and global experience I wanted. I learned exactly what I had hoped to in the MPA - how to identify, analyse, and implement effective policy - taught by world leading professors who had deep political and technical experience, yet knew how to engage students collaboratively. I took the economic policy specialism, so most of my courses focused on learning and applying the economic drivers of policy, while thematically I tried to focus on climate change policy.
The LSE and SPP networks have been important for me over the past few years. I came into the MPA knowing that networking was important for future job prospects, and that the LSE and SPP network would open up new doors. As I tapped into the network, alumni were more than willing to connect, discuss their career paths and experiences at LSE, and direct me towards job opportunities. Through LSE and SPP alumni, I was able to get leads and secure a part-time job while studying, an internship between MPA years, and ultimately the full-time role that I find myself in now.
As a Manager in Global Advisory at the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), I'm now using the knowledge I learned and skills I gained during the MPA to advise political leaders. In this capacity, my team and I work with country embedded TBI staff to advise heads of state on effective and progressive policy development, strategies on how to achieve their policy priorities, delivering at the centre of government, and improving service delivery across ministries.
What I could have never imagined or internalized about my time at LSE is the adventure this degree would take me on and the friendships I'd make along the way. Such a large part of the SPP experience is about learning from others and learning together, and I'm grateful for the friendships I've made through the MPA. I'm very excited to see where all of my classmates end up and the impact that I know they'll have.
Brendon is happy to connect via LinkedIn.