Dr Ruth Jane Lea (born 22 September 1947) is a British political economist and former civil servant.
Lea joined the Civil Service before working for the Institute of Directors, a private-sector employer lobbyist, as well as for policy research bodies and the media.
She has been Arbuthnot Banking Group’s Economic Adviser since 2007 and served as an Independent Non-Executive Director from 2005 until 2016.