Guiding UK business to increase trade, export and prosperity
Professor Jun Du
As Director of the Centre for Business Prosperity at Aston University, Professor Jun Du is transforming how the UK navigates global trade. Her rapid-response research model delivers evidence at the speed of policy decisions - shaping government strategy and helping businesses thrive in uncertain times.
“To tackle real-world problems effectively, you need to combine academic rigour with speed. Policy moments don't wait - and neither do we.”
Jun's journey into economics began at the provincial headquarters of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the world's largest bank. Leading a total cost management project, she brought together mathematicians and economists to analyse which branches should close across a network employing over 10,000 people - decisions with real consequences for jobs and communities.
She saw first-hand how rigorous evidence could cut through politics and intuition to shape choices that affect lives. That conviction has driven her work ever since, from her doctoral research to establishing the Centre for Business Prosperity (CBP) at Aston in 2020.
At Aston, Jun found the perfect environment to develop her vision: a university committed to real-world impact with the agility to respond when policy moments demand it. The Centre has since become a trusted source of evidence for UK trade policy, with research cited in the UK Trade Strategy 2025, the UK Battery Strategy, and underpinning the UK-EU Reset agenda.
“Three things set our Centre apart - we have access to the latest data and most advanced analytical tools, we partner with government and business to ensure we’re asking the right questions, and we deliver results quickly enough to influence decisions when they matter most.”
Research that shapes national policy
Jun's Brexit impact research brought rigorous evidence to one of Britain's most contested debates. The "Unbound" report in September 2024 provided the first comprehensive analysis of how leaving the EU affected UK trade - findings reported by the Financial Times, BBC, CNN, The Guardian, and broadcasters worldwide.
By analysing 279 trade agreements, Jun's team demonstrated that an improved veterinary agreement could increase UK agri-food exports by a fifth. Their evidence, presented to DEFRA, the EU Delegation, and the German Embassy, directly informed the UK-EU veterinary agreement signed in May 2025 - estimated to boost the UK economy by £9 billion annually by 2040.
Jun's research has been referenced four times in parliamentary questions - twice in Prime Minister's Questions and twice in First Minister's Questions Scotland, a rare distinction for any academic economist.
“We don't just publish and wait. When the US announced new tariffs, we had analysis ready within days. That's what policymakers need - robust evidence delivered at the speed of events.”
Responding when it matters
The Centre's approach means responding to live policy moments. In April 2025, when the US announced new tariffs, the team's rapid assessment was covered by the Financial Times, BBC, Sky News, and international media, helping businesses navigate sudden uncertainty.
In January 2026, working with long-term collaborator Oleksandr Shepotylo, Jun's analysis of Greenland tariff implications featured in the Financial Times, and she appeared on BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine programme, bringing complex economics to millions of listeners.
This model has influenced government itself. Analytical techniques developed at CBP have been adopted by teams across the Department for Business and Trade.
Shaping industrial strategy
Based in the Midlands, the UK’s manufacturing heartland, Jun explores how Britain’s industries can transition to a low‑carbon, technologically advancing future in an increasingly unpredictable world.
As Commissioner on the Business Commission West Midlands, she translates research into regional strategy. Her EV battery research, cited in the UK Battery Strategy, has reached hundreds of manufacturers through keynotes at automotive industry conferences.
This research on supply chain resilience and industrial transformation feeds into her national advisory roles. As Academic Advisor to the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, member of the Economic Advisory Council of the British Chambers of Commerce, and Vice Chair for Trade and Investment at the International Chamber of Commerce UK, Jun ensures evidence shapes policy at the highest levels.
“There's a massive opportunity for UK businesses to grow - and our research is helping to make that happen.”
Impact snapshot
