George W. Leeson

Professor George W. Leeson serves as Director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing at the University of Oxford and holds a Professorial Fellowship at Kellogg College. He additionally maintains a Visiting Professorship in Demography at Mexico's University of Guanajuato-Leon. His academic leadership spans global demographic research with particular emphasis on socio-demographic aspects of ageing populations across multiple continents.

His educational foundation includes:

• First degree in Mathematics (University of Oxford)
• Master's in Applied Statistics (University of Oxford)
• Doctorate in Demography (University of Copenhagen)

Leeson's research program integrates demographic modeling with analysis of national and international datasets to address critical questions in population ageing. His work examines demographic inequalities in global ageing trajectories, evolving population structures in Europe and Latin America, migration patterns within Europe, depopulation drivers in Central and Eastern Europe, and future longevity prospects. He directs the Danish Longitudinal Future Study and co-leads the Global Ageing Study—a landmark survey of 44,000 individuals aged 40-80 across 24 countries—with Professor Sarah Harper.

Recent publications demonstrate consistent thematic focus on Latin American population ageing, grandparenthood dynamics, migration-ageing intersections, and socioeconomic implications of increased longevity. The research employs comparative methodologies across diverse cultural contexts while maintaining strong policy relevance through engagement with governmental and international bodies.

His professional recognition includes:

• Fellow of the Adelphi Genetics Forum

Leeson actively contributes to policy development as demographic expert for the European Commission's Food Safety Directorate, Specialist Advisor to the Danish Government Commission on Ageing, and member of Public Health England's Expert Advisory Group on Productive Healthy Ageing. He co-edits the Journal of Population Ageing and Population Horizons while directing the Centre for Migration and Ageing Populations (MAP Centre).

He leads the Complex Environmental Population Interactions Project—a multidisciplinary collaboration uniting demographers, economists, anthropologists, and environmentalists—and oversees the Institute's Latin American Research Network (LARNA) and Central/Eastern European Research Network (EAST) to address 21st-century demographic challenges through integrated research and scenario modeling.