Sir Iain Duncan Smith

A key figure in British politics, Iain Duncan Smith, the former Leader of the Opposition has made influential contributions to the UK parliament for over 30 years. Representing the Conservative party as a Member of Parliament, and later in several prominent cabinet and secretary positions, Smith’s work as a politician is history defining and saw him Knighted for his efforts in the 2020 Honours List. Hear first-hand about Smith’s vast career, the impacts of government policies on the corporate environment, and the insightful parallels Smith has drawn between the backbenches and boardrooms when you book Smith as a keynote or after-dinner speaker.

Best recognised for his prominent period as the Leader of the Conservative Party, between 2001 and 2003, under the guidance of Smith as party spearhead, the Conservative gained a monumental 238 local seats in 2002. Following the same success in 2003, the party gained a total of 566 local seats, a testament to the trust in Smith’s direction of the Conservatives. Supported by the former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, Smith’s strong stance on subjects like Anti-European Union, saw him rise to prevalence as a popular and effective Conversation. Alongside his role as Leader of the Opposition, Smith is the long-serving Member of Parliament for the Constituency of Chingford & Woodford Green, a position he has held since 1992.

First brought off the backbenches by William Hague in 1997, Smith was named as the Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security, followed by the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence in 1999. Proving effective in each role, Smith was revered for his ability to drive policies and implement change. After a brief period away from high profile political duties, Smith was once again brought forward in 2010 for the role of Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by David Cameron due to his undeniable reputation. For a period of six years, Smith was responsible for the implementation of new strategies still succeeding today, including introducing Universal Credit.

A key voice in the Brexit campaign, Smith has been an advocate for Vote Leave, using his platform to support the side. For the 2019 Conservative leadership election, Smith acted as Chairman to Boris Johnson’s successful promotion, citing Johnson’s ability to action Brexit as a benefit to his cause. At events, Smith is known to discuss the intricacies of Brexit and the reality faced by businesses across sectors, a truly beneficial topic for British Corporations. In addition, Smith’s recent work establishing the Inter-Parliament Alliance on China in 2020 is aimed at transcending party politics for a wider benefit, a theme that he naturally translates to business environments.

Given Iain Duncan Smith's vast experience across the political landscape, he was recently selected as one of The World's Top 20 Geopolitical Speakers to Hire in 2024.