Bim Afolami Keynote Speaker

Former UK Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister (2023–24)
Head of Strategy & Execution at Acrisure and youngest Director of a British Bank (HSBC)
Published author of major works on governance and leadership

Bim Afolami's Biography

Bim Afolami is a dynamic leader whose career bridges politics, law, finance and strategy. He served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister in the UK Government from 2023 to 2024, acting as deputy to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and overseeing major developments in financial services and economic policy. From 2017 to 2024 he was the Member of Parliament for Hitchin and Harpenden, during which time he held key parliamentary and ministerial roles that shaped regulatory reform and economic growth.

Educated at Oxford University, Bim began his career as a corporate lawyer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, before moving into banking as a senior executive at HSBC. His rare combination of legal, financial and political experience gives him a uniquely broad perspective on the challenges of leadership, regulation and global markets.

After leaving government following the 2024 general election, Bim was appointed Head of Strategy & Execution at US-based financial services firm Acrisure in early 2025, and he joined the board of HSBC UK plc as its youngest ever UK banking director. He is also a published author; his 2023 works include The Dictators: 64 Dictators, 64 Authors, 64 Warnings from History and Kings and Queens: 1200 Years of English and British Monarchs.

As a speaker, Bim brings deep insight into how government, business and finance intersect in today’s complex global economy. He engages audiences with clarity and strategic vision, drawing on his first-hand experience of policy-making, regulation and corporate transformation. Whether challenging assumptions or equipping organisations to navigate change and disruption, he delivers thought-leadership that inspires actionable outcomes.

The future of the British economy

The future of UK financial services

Why the US and UK financial markets and economies are tied together for the future

How Europe needs the US, and the US still needs Europe

Why the Middle East is critical for the future of the British economy

Why more engagement with China is critical to the British economy

How the fracturing of globalization affects financial services

How to handle increased risk and volatility in markets, economies, and politics

He has operated at the heart of UK economic policymaking as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister, shaping financial services reform and regulatory strategy at the highest level of government.
He bridges politics, law and global finance, drawing on senior roles at HSBC, Freshfields and Simpson Thacher to give audiences a 360-degree view of markets, regulation and leadership.
He brings current boardroom perspective as Head of Strategy and Execution at Acrisure and a director of HSBC UK plc, helping organisations understand how policy, capital and corporate strategy intersect.
His briefings equip leaders to navigate political risk, regulatory change and economic uncertainty with greater confidence, clarity and strategic foresight.
He challenges audiences to think long term about power, governance and growth, connecting historical insight and first-hand policy experience to the decisions shaping today’s global economy.