Chris Skidmore

Chris Skidmore is a distinguished British politician renowned for being the minister that signed the UK’s Net Zero pledge into law. Twice serving as Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research, and Innovation, he has held several senior positions in government. A leading proponent of net zero, he was responsible for the government’s commitment to increase its research and development budget – one of the largest spending increases in modern times. Having worked at the forefront of UK sustainability legislation, Chris is a highly sought-after speaker who shares the latest insights in energy, clean growth, government, and politics at speaking engagements.

Earning a first-class degree in Modern History at Christ Church, Oxford, he entered the world of politics soon after as an advisor for David Willetts and Michael Gove. He became Chairman of the Bow Group, the world’s oldest conservative think tank, in 2007. Before he was elected Conservative MP for Kingswood in 2010, he served as a Research Fellow at the Policy Exchange. A highly regarded member of the Conservative party, he became a member of the Health and Education Select Committees and a member of the Free Enterprise Group of MPs. He is also co-author of After the Coalition and Britannia Unchained.

Moving onto senior positions in government, Chris became Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Parliamentary Secretary for the Constitution. He also served as interim Minister for Energy and Clean Growth and Minister of State for Health. Currently, he is a Professor of Practice at the University of Bath, specialising in Net Zero Policy. As a preeminent authority on net zero, Chris served as Chair of the Independent Government Review on Net Zero and launched the Net Zero Review.

At the forefront of net zero policy and practice, Chris has appeared on BBC’s Daily Politics and contributed numerous thought leadership articles in notable publications, including The Times, The Guardian, Politics Home, Financial Times, and Business Green. Appointed OBE in 2022 for his distinguished parliamentary and public service, he is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Royal Historical Society and Society of Antiquaries of London. Now sharing his world-class knowledge of net zero in his speaking engagements, Chris delivers highly informative presentations leaving audiences with valuable takeaways.