Ian Pearson is a British politician. He is Labour MP for Dudley South and Economic Secretary to the Treasury.

Ian Pearson is a British politician. He is Labour MP for Dudley South and Economic Secretary to the Treasury.

Ian graduated in 1981 in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics from Queens University, Belfast. He spent four years in Shorts Missile Systems, in many different disciplines from mechanical engineering to battlefield strategy simulation.

Ian joined BT Laboratories in 1985, analysing the performance of computer networks and protocols, and later helped develop ATM transmission over optical networks before moving on to plan the evolution of broadband networks.

He has since worked in the Cybernetics, Networks and Mobile Systems groups. He now concentrates on mapping the progress of new developments throughout information technology, considering both technological and social implications. As BTexact's futurologist and a principal consultant, he lectures extensively on his futures views. In between conferences, he worked on bionics and advanced computing technology.

Ian has received nine awards for his papers, including the IEEE Benefactors premium in 1994 and several Best Paper Awards. He has made over 180 TV and radio appearances.

On 29 June 2007 Ian was moved in Gordon Brown's first reshuffle to become a Minister of State in the newly created Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills under Secretary of State John Denham. Whilst there he was criticised for not doing anything to avert the current funding crisis at the Science and Technology Facilities Council hitting UK Astronomy and particle physics. In Gordon Brown's next reshuffle of 3 October 2008, Pearson was moved to the Treasury as Economic Secretary, also becoming Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Economics and Business. In the June 2009 reshuffle Pearson retained his role at the Treasury but lost his business role as the department was merged to create the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.