Claire O’Neill is a respected environmental expert, best known for her former position as the Cabinet Minister for Energy and Clean Growth. Having led the UK’s winning bid to host COP26, she was appointed President-Designate of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, before leaving politics in 2020. Now acting as a Board Member for companies such as Scottish Power, Climate Impact X, and Protium, Claire is also hired as a keynote speaker to share her political and environmental expertise.
After graduating from Harvard Business School with a Master’s in Business Administration, Claire began her political career as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Devizes Constituency, under The Conservative Party. Recognised for her driven mindset, she secured the role of Minister for Climate Change in 2017. She was then honoured with the profound role of President- Designate of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties for the UK Government – a role that saw her lead the UK to secure the winning bid for COP26, a climate change conference that is respected globally.
Throughout her tenure in politics, Claire has had a substantial impact on environmental policies. Some of her most significant achievements include creating the Powering Past Coal Alliance with Canada, leading the development of the UK’s Clean Growth and Green Finance Strategies, bringing forward the UK’s Net Zero legislation and negotiating the World’s first public-private Offshore Wind Sector Deal. In addition to such achievements, Claire has also shared her time acting as a Member of the UK Privy Council and being a Fellow of both the Royal Geographical Society and the UK Energy Institute.
Claire O’Neill is widely admired for her career achievements and has now become highly sought-after for countless keynote speaking engagements – alongside her roles as a Global Advisor for Terrascope and the Director of Oxy. As a Business Fellow at the Smith School of Enterprise and Environment at Oxford University, she aims to educate younger generations on a variety of business-related subjects, whilst emphasising the importance of environmental action. When looking for an experienced speaker who is extremely knowledgeable on topics ranging from climate change action to sustainable organisational change, do not hesitate to hire Claire O’Neill today!
How to hire Claire O'Neill
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Claire O'Neill for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
- 2023 – Global Advisor for Terrascope & Director of Oxy
- 2022 – Board Member of Scottish Power, Senior Business Advisor of Hambro Perks, Advisory Board Member for Protium, Senior Global Advisor for McKinsey & Company, Board Member of Climate Impact X and Co-Chair of the Global Imperatives Advisory Board for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
- 2020 – Managing Director of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
- 2019 – President-Designate of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, UK Government
- 2017 – Minister for Climate Change and Cabinet Minister for Energy & Clean Growth for the UK Government
- 2010 – Member of Parliament for the Devizes Constituency, The Conservative Party
- Creator of the Powering Past Coal Alliance with Canada
- Led the development of the UK’s Clean Growth & Green Finance Strategies
- Negotiated the World’s first public-private Offshore Wind Sector Deal
- Brought forward the country’s Net Zero legislation
- Led the UK’s winning bid to host COP26
- Member of the UK Privy Council
- Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society & the UK Energy Institute
- Business Fellow at the Smith School of Enterprise and Environment at Oxford University
