Sir Nick Clegg

Sir Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister of the UK from 2010 to 2015, built one of the most distinctive political careers in modern British public life. His route into politics was shaped by a strong international and economic foundation, beginning with his work as a financial journalist at the Financial Times. That early exposure to global markets and public policy helped form a pragmatic, outward-looking approach that would define his political thinking. In 1999, he entered elected office as a Member of the European Parliament, gaining first-hand experience of European institutions and cross-border decision-making.

Clegg was elected to the House of Commons in 2005 as Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam, a seat he held until 2017. Within the Liberal Democrats, he rose quickly through the ranks, serving most notably as spokesperson for Home Affairs, where he focused on civil liberties, justice, and constitutional reform. In 2007, he became Leader of the Liberal Democrats, positioning the party as a central force in British politics ahead of the 2010 General Election.

That election proved pivotal. The Liberal Democrats won 57 seats, resulting in a hung parliament and the formation of a coalition government with the Conservatives. Clegg was appointed Deputy Prime Minister by David Cameron, placing him at the heart of government during a period of economic pressure and political change. From 2010 to 2015, he played a key role in shaping policy and navigating the realities of coalition leadership, including influencing the passage of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. Alongside his ministerial duties, he remained a visible public figure, hosting the radio phone-in show Call Clegg from 2013 to 2015.

After leaving frontline politics, Clegg continued to shape public debate. He returned briefly to the Liberal Democrat frontbench following the EU referendum, then moved into global technology policy in 2018 as Vice President of Global Affairs at Meta. He oversaw the creation of the Facebook Oversight Board in 2020 and later authored How to Save the Internet: The Threat to Global Connection in the Age of AI and Political Conflict. 

Today, Nick Clegg is hired as a keynote speaker because he brings rare, credible insight from the intersection of politics, geopolitics, and strategy. He has operated inside government during moments of national uncertainty, managed the realities of coalition leadership, and negotiated policy under intense public and media scrutiny. That experience gives him a grounded understanding of how political decisions are actually made, how power is shared, and how long-term strategy survives short-term pressure. What sets Clegg apart on stage is the breadth of his perspective. He can move from UK domestic politics to European relations, global governance, and the shifting balance between states, technology companies, and citizens. His years working at the highest level of global technology policy add a modern dimension to his thinking, particularly around regulation, artificial intelligence, free expression, and democratic accountability. Hire Sir Nick Clegg as a keynote speaker, today!