Rt Hon Chloe Smith Profile Picture

Keynote SpeakerRt Hon Chloe Smith

President of the CIPD, former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from September to October 2022 and Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology from April to July 2023

Rt Hon Chloe Smith is a senior leader with expertise in technological change, workforce transformation and skills, global economics, regulation, risk and governance. She uses her experience, insight and network to help organisations to navigate these challenges. Chloe is passionate about people and technology. She speaks from her experience in... Read more

Biography

Rt Hon Chloe Smith is a senior leader with expertise in technological change, workforce transformation and skills, global economics, regulation, risk and governance. She uses her experience, insight and network to help organisations to navigate these challenges. Chloe is passionate about people and technology.

She speaks from her experience in leadership at the highest levels, spanning both executive and non-executive roles, in the private, public and charity sectors.

She is President of the CIPD (Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development), chair of a technology start-up and strategic adviser to a major international professional services firm.

Chloe was a senior legislator with over a decade of complex ministerial experience including running both the newest and the biggest departments in the UK government with a budget of hundreds of billions. She worked at the heart of Westminster for fifteen years, winning election five times.

Her domain expertise is unique, having headed the UK’s technology and labour market ministries.
As a Cabinet minister, she built and led the new government department for Science, Innovation and Technology. She now focuses on AI adoption and regulation. She was jointly named the most influential person in technology in the UK in 2023.

Chloe provides insight into the global economy, labour market, pensions, health and productivity and the future of work from her service as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work.

She is passionate about disability, diversity and talent in business – with a unique and practical viewpoint as a custodian of the Equality Act and from her track record of helping people into jobs.

Chloe is an experienced speaker and panellist in print and broadcast media and in corporate, academic and think tank settings as well as an Honorary Fellow with the University of East Anglia.

In the top list of 2022 Women in Westminster, the year she overcame breast cancer, Chloe is an advocate for women in leadership. She speaks publicly to encourage others to check for signs of cancer and seek support. She was one of the first in her party to take maternity leave from Parliament, and has played an historic role in providing the first ever maternity cover for a department at the Cabinet table.
Chloe also shares her expertise as Minister for the Constitution and Devolution, from the coalition government to coronavirus via Brexit. She’s an energetic speaker who explains the challenges of public service in a demanding, dynamic era.
Chloe’s an experienced international speaker, drawing on global work in America, Europe, Africa and Asia including most recently China.

First the youngest MP in the Commons at 27, then one of the youngest ministers since Pitt at 28, Chloe joined the Cabinet at 40 before stepping down from Parliament in 2024.

She’s known as a compassionate, thoughtful, effective and determined leader who listens, and forges consensus – like when she broke ground by recognising British Sign Language in law. Her style is described as inclusive, inquisitive, inspirational and decisive.

Chloe is proud to be a trustee of charities whose values and work reflect major parts of her life, hearing loss charity RNID and cancer charity Big C. A mother of two, she loves cycling and canoeing.

“Highlight of my working week was your keynote, Chloe! Really insightful & provoking on so many levels” Senior executive
“Chloe brought a mind-broadening range of insight” Founder, investor
“Chloe is able to carefully explain complex thinking in Whitehall to senior leaders of UK industry. She gives time and dedication to providing insight to C-suite audiences” Senior partner
“Chloe was excellent… insightful and really helpful” Senior leader, a UK chartered institute
“Thank you so much for chairing our day. Your interest in the issues came across from the stage and your wide-ranging expertise into the issues being discussed added enormous value. So pleased you were able to stay and talk to some of the audience as well afterwards” CEO
“I was inspired by the way you chaired the event. Your energy is so positive and authentic!” Audience member

Popular Talks by Rt Hon Chloe Smith

  • Governing AI, from pioneer of UK’s Global Safety Summit and AI Safety Institute
  • AI adoption and workforce transformation, from unique experience leading a G7 nation’s technology and labour market ministries
  • Health and productivity in the British economy and key global labour market trends
  • The business and commercial case for accessibility and inclusion
  • Breaking ground legislating the British Sign Language Act
  • Making history with maternity leave in the Cabinet
  • My journey with breast cancer
  • Leading and getting things done in complex, uncertain times - common themes that matter in both politics and business