Rhys J. Williams

Rhys J. Williams

PhD student in Economics

Judge Business School, University of Cambridge

About

I am a PhD student in Economics at the University of Cambridge, supervised by Christos Genakos, Michael Pollitt, and Kamiar Mohaddes. My research interests are in empirical IO and my current work can be categorised into two different strands of research: examining the effects of vertical restraints, and studying how ratings and information on quality can affect consumer choice and switching. I am currently researching the effect of quality ratings on consumer search in the healthcare sector; the effects of low price guarantees on market prices; the effects of resale price maintenance utilising the case study of books; and a theoretical piece on how minimum advertised prices are used in a multi-product retail environment.

As a Director of the Workshop Series at the King’s Entrepreneurship Lab, an ecosystem designed to educate and inform future entrepreneurs, I am involved in organising and facilitating workshops covering a range of entrepreneurial skills such as developing a pitch, marketing, hiring a team and exit options. I also created and manage the E-Lab Essay Competition, a scheme to encourage students from across the UK to think about entrepreneurial topics and to break down myths and barriers about Oxbridge.

I have over 5 years experience working in an economics consultancy, advising the EU, UK Government, and other organisations on matters of public policy. In particular, I was heavily involved in the EU DG Comp’s evaluation of the Vertical Block Exemptions Regulation, taking an empirical look at the effects of resale price maintenance in the book sector and, building a theoretical framework to consider the state of competition in the professional business services sector.

Interests
  • Applied Econometrics
  • Competition Economics
  • Industrial Organisation
  • Health Economics
Education
  • PhD in Economics, 2027 (Expected)

    Judge Business School, University of Cambridge

  • MRes in Economics, 2023

    Judge Business School, University of Cambridge

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Econometrics, 2020

    Faculty of Economics, Birkbeck College, University of Cambridge

  • MPhil in Economics, 2018

    Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge

  • BA (Hons) in Economics, 2017

    Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge

Publications

Working papers

Teaching

Industrial Organisation, Competition Policy, and Regulation

Faculty Supervisor (3rd year undergraduate students, Faculty of Economics): Lent 2024; Lent 2025

Firms and Markets

Faculty Supervisor (4th year undergraduate students, Judge Business School): Michaelmas 2023; Michaelmas 2024

Tech Policy

TA (MPhil students, Judge Business School): Michaelmas 2023; Michaelmas 2024

Microeconomics

College Supervisor (1st year undergraduate students, King’s College): 2024-25

Development Economics

College Supervisor (3rd year undergraduate students, King’s College): 2022-2023

Contact