Kerry Brown is Professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Lau China Institute at King's College London. He was previously Professor of Chinese Politics and Director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Between 1998-2005 he worked at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including three years as First Secretary at the British embassy in Beijing. His recent books include Contemporary China (2013), Hu Jintao: China's Silent Ruler (2012) and Ballot Box China (2011).