Ryan Shorthouse Keynote Speaker

Ryan Shorthouse is a writer, thinker and entrepreneur. He was named as ‘One to Watch’ in 2015 by The Observer. Ryan is the Founder and Chief Executive of BrightBlue; an independent think-tank for liberal conservatism.

Founded in 2014, Bright Blue defend and improve liberal society. Now a leading and respected think-tank, and membership organisation, they deliver an extensive programme of research, publications and events. The organisation was shortlisted for 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 UK Social Policy Think Tank of The Year and UK Environment and Energy Think Tank of the Year in Prospect Magazine Awards. 

Many of Ryan’s policy ideas have been adopted by the UK Government over the past decade, and he has been featured regularly in the national press and broadcast media. He has appeared on Newsnight, BBC News, Sky News, Channel 4 News, Radio 4, and LBC Radio, and The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times, Evening Standard, The Daily Mail, The Spectator and The New Statesman. His areas of expertise range from political intelligence and commentary; social trends; public attitudes; Government and Whitehall reform; the world of work; education and skills; social mobility; immigration; pensions; public health; energy and environment; charities and civic society; law, justice and human rights.

Prior to BrightBlue, Ryan was a researcher for Rt Hon David Willetts MP, an adviser to the Conservative Party on families and education, formulating party policy and managing media relations. He was the Political Secretary of the Bow Group, a centre-right think tank and was previously the editor of three political magazines: Crossbow, The Progressive Conscience and Centre Write. 

Ryan is a Senior Visiting Fellow at King’s College London. He is a trustee of two What Works Centres – the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) and Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO), and was previously a trustee for the Young Women’s Trust (2014-2019) and the Daycare Trust (2010-2015). He sits on the advisory council of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, the University of Bath Institute for Policy Research and Shelter’s Big Conversation on Social Housing. He is a mentor for the Social Mobility Foundation and a governor of a new secondary school in East London.