Philippe Legrain is the founder of OPEN, an international think tank on openness issues, and a senior visiting fellow at the London School of Economics' European Institute. Previously economic advisor to the president of the European Commission from 2011 to 2014, he is the author of five critically acclaimed books, most recently Them and Us: How Immigrants and Locals Can Thrive Together.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on April 27, 2018. (Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images)
A worker tests the quality of molten iron at a furnace in the production area of the Zhong Tian (Zenith) Steel Group Corporation in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, China on May 12, 2016.
British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on September 22, 2017, in Florence, as she delivers speech aimed at unlocking Brexit talks.
May seeked to unlock Brexit talks on September 22 with a major speech in Florence, after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights. A fourth round of negotiations with the European Commission is due to start next week, with London keen to make progress on the terms of the divorce so that talks can move on to trade. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / ALESSANDRA TARANTINO (Photo credit should read ALESSANDRA TARANTINO/AFP/Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - A demonstrator wears a mask depicting Britain's Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May, poses with a mock gravestone bearing the words "Hard Brexit, RIP", during a protest photocall near the entrance 10 Downing Street in central London on June 9, 2017 as results from a snap general election show the Conservatives have lost their majority.
British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on June 9 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loom. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader will be unable to form a government and could even be forced out of office after a troubled campaign overshadowed by two terror attacks. / AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)
