Sapere welcomes former PwC chief economist Jeremy Thorpe
Expert advisory Sapere has brought in former long-serving PwC chief economist Jeremy Thorpe as a director in Sydney.
Thorpe crosses to Sapere after almost two decades as a partner at PwC, including stints heading up the firm’s Canberra office and as NSW government leader, before which he spent a decade at Allen Consulting (now ACIL Allen).
His recruitment follows the recent return of former Cook Islands chief economist Sally Wyatt, along with a series of senior promotions which saw one-time PwC Hong Kong director Sue Friend elevated to managing director in Melbourne.
“Jeremy further strengthens Sapere’s economic advisory team in Australia and capacity in NSW,” the firm stated. “His experience spans a range of diverse areas in both the public and private sectors, including cost-benefit analysis, regulation design and evaluation, program evaluation, business case development, economic impact and competition analysis, and macroeconomic forecasting.”
Starting out as an economist with the Commonwealth Treasury and what is now the Australian Productivity Commission in the early 90s, Thorpe then spent a brief stint at PwC predecessor Coopers & Lybrand before joining Allen for the next decade, during which time he rose to director and led its government division prior to switching back to PwC in 2007.
Rejoining as economics & policy consulting leader, Thorpe was later appointed managing partner of PwC’s Canberra office and then NSW government leader before taking up the publicly prominent Chief Economist role in 2017. Recent events however have seen PwC sell off its government advisory business, with its private sector economic consulting business also since being wound up.
“Sapere stands out as one of the largest expert consulting firms in Australasia, specialising in independent economic, forensic accounting, and public policy services,” Thorpe said, adding that the move was a “fantastic opportunity to grow Sapere’s economic advisory presence in Sydney, both directly and in collaboration with a range of other experts, and to also explore some other complementary opportunities.”
Covering Australia and New Zealand, Sapere was established in 2010 following a management buyout of once global consultancy LECG’s local business. The firm proudly notes that the majority of its 70-odd professionals hold post-graduate credentials, including around a third with PhDs. Thorpe himself is currently undertaking a doctorate with UNSW, where he previously lectured in law.
