Adam Smith's Panmure House

“One thing is for certain, we must not allow the last 250 years to lull us into a false sense of relevancy… So we must follow the lead of the great economists like Smith who met moments of transformational change with equally transformational thinking.”

Last night, Panmure House had the honour of welcoming The Right Honourable The Baroness of Knightsbridge to deliver her Adam Smith Lecture, marking the 250th anniversary of the publication of The Wealth of Nations.

Exploring themes from Artificial Intelligence and de‑globalisation to environmental challenges and the role of the government through the lens of Adam Smith’s principles, Baroness Moyo examined how we navigate the future in an era of rapid transformation.

A sincere thank you to Baroness Moyo for joining us and sharing her insights. If you didn’t catch the speech live, the full lecture will be available on our YouTube channel soon.

Celebrating 250 Years of The Wealth of Nations. 

On this day 250 years ago, Adam Smith published The Wealth of Nations — a landmark text of the Scottish Enlightenment and a work that reshaped how the world understands trade, value, and prosperity.

What began as an attempt to “pass the time” evolved into Smith’s magnum opus, introducing ideas that would define modern economics and demonstrating how open exchange can create opportunity and abundance for all.

Today, we’re proud to carry forward Adam Smith’s legacy at his final remaining home. To mark this anniversary, we’re sharing just a few of the many highlights that have taken place at Panmure House over the years.

Here’s to 250 years of ideas that continue to inspire!

🇨🇳 Panmure House Meets China 🇨🇳

Professor Adam Dixon recently toured Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin, sharing Adam Smith’s legacy and ideas with China’s next generation of thinkers.

From talks at FT中文网 and Nankai University to chance encounters with leading economists Branko Milanović and Amir Lebdioui, the trip sparked valuable conversations on globalisation, AI, inequality, and the future of economic thought.

At Panmure House, we’re building a global forum for thought leadership rooted in Smith’s legacy. Professor Dixon’s visit was a fantastic opportunity to deepen our relationships across Asia and to learn through the exchange of ideas, perspectives, and knowledge.

Next stop: the International Forum for Sovereign Wealth Funds in Abu Dhabi! 🇦🇪

It was a pleasure to welcome China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), the leading business school in Asia, to Panmure House as part of their overseas module in Scotland. 

Their visit included a guided tour and lecture by Professor Adam Dixon on 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 – 𝘈𝘥𝘢𝘮 𝘚𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘩 & 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, followed by a reflective session led by Professor Terence Tsai and Dr Owen Kelly. 

The day was a fantastic opportunity to exchange ideas, explore shared perspectives, and build meaningful connections with our counterparts in Asia. We look forward to welcoming CEIBS back to Panmure House in the near future!

Heriot-Watt University | Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University | Watt Club | China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)

Last night we had the pleasure of welcoming Brendan McCord, Founder and Chair of the Cosmos Institute, to deliver his lecture: Artificial Intelligence and the Philosophy of Technology. 

Drawing on his experience across both public and private sectors, including his work with the United States' defence and two successful AI startups, Brendan shared his vision for a future where AI and technology serve the common good.

Thank you Brendan and the Cosmos Institute for a fascinating evening. Be sure to follow our YouTube channel via the link in our bio, where a full recording of Brendan’s lecture will be made available soon.

| Adam Dixon | | |

We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2025 Panmure House Prize:

🔸 Professor Tima Bansal – Ivey Business School
🔸 Professor Pedro Gomes – Birkbeck, University of London
🔸 Professor Kilian Huber – University of Chicago Booth School of Business
🔸 Professor Joshua Pearce – Western University

The Panmure House Prize is one of the UK’s largest academic awards and grants $75,000 USD each year to support research that advances long-term thinking and radical innovation in alignment with Adam Smith’s legacy. Congratulations to the shortlisted candidates – this year’s competition saw an exceptional calibre of submissions, making the selection process especially competitive.

You can find out more about each scholars work here: www.panmurehouse.org/programmes/panmure-house-prize/panmure-house-prize-2025-shortlist/

Our Chair, Professor Adam Dixon has been representing Panmure House internationally this week by co-chairing the opening keynote plenary of Week: Security by Other Means – How Economic Statecraft Became the Primary Threat to Prosperity.

Alongside Charlotte Hafstad, Adam led insightful discussions on how economic statecraft is reshaping global strategy. The plenary brought together leading voices including Tom Feddo, Alicia Garcia-Herrero, Abraham Newman, Denis Redonnet, and Peter Van den Bossche to explore:

- The weaponisation of economic systems
- Lawfare as a strategic tool to redefine global norms
- The growing uncertainty for firms navigating contested markets

It's been a significant week for Adam and a proud moment for Panmure House, as we continue to engage with the leading forces shaping global economic systems in the 21st century.

Join us on Wednesday 4 June at the historic Adam Smith's Panmure House for Liberty in the Balance: Classical Liberal Perspectives on the Trump Era, an unflinching exploration of politics, power, and principle in the age of Trump.
This provocative panel features leading classical liberal thinkers Helen Dale, Veronique de Rugy, and Samuel Gregg who will offer sharp, insightful critiques of the Trump administration’s policies, rhetoric, and legacy — and what it means for the future of liberty, markets, and the rule of law.
Registration for free via Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/4iKvO7l