Lord William Hague

Former Leader of the Conservative Party, William Hague is one of the most revered politicians of the modern era. Holding a number of prominent roles in government throughout his over thirty year career, alongside his position as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Richmond, Yorkshire, has seen Hague named a life peer for his services. A dutiful, resilient and influential leader, the former Foreign Secretary is well placed as not only a political speaker, but a leadership and business speaker thanks to his experience across sectors.Best recognised for the four years he spent as the Leader of the Opposition, Hague was appointed to the highly prestigious position of Leader of the Conservative Party in 1997. Prior to this, Hague impressed as the long serving MP for Richmond since 1989, Minister of State for Social Security and Secretary of State for Wales.

Responsible for rebuilding the Conservative Party after the defeat of the 1997 election, Hague was the youngest leader of a major political party in 200 years, at only 36 years old. Revered for his debating abilities, Hague went on to be named Leader of the House of Commons and First Secretary of State under David Cameron’s reign as Prime Minister. Additionally, Cameron's trust in Hague saw him appointed Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in 2010, where he introduced value-based foreign policy and built strong relations overseas for the United Kingdom. A graduate of the University of Oxford in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Hague’s political profile had gained traction before he even left school. Addressing the 1977 Annual National Conference of Conservatives, the then sixteen year old made waves amongst the members and media for his poignant and self assured speech. Whilst studying, he was President of the Oxford University Conservative Association and served as President of the Oxford Union, securing his route into high profile politics.

Outside of politics, Hague has proved his business prowess, acting as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company after completing a later Masters in Business Administration. Furthermore, his time has been dedicated to becoming an award-winning speaker and author, with one of his four publications ‘William Pitt the Younger’ securing History Book of the Year at the National Book Awards. For his comprehensive, engaging and valuable talks, Hague was awarded The Spectator’s Speech of the Year 2007. Currently the Chair of United for Wildlife Taskforce, Hague is continuing to exemplify the versatility that has ensured such success in his career, a versatility he brings to audiences as a political, business and high profile speaker.