Chuka Umunna Keynote Speaker

Chuka Umunna is a sought-after keynote speaker and strategic corporate advisor to companies on business-critical issues that impact on long term value, reputation and narrative – environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors in particular.

Chuka is currently Managing Director & Head of ESG across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at J. P. Morgan and is responsible for coordinating the firm’s ESG strategy across the region. Prior to this, he was Executive Director and Head of ESG at Edelman, one of the world’s leading corporate advisory firms. In this role, he advised corporates and investors on ESG integration.

Chuka sits on the Boards (as a non-executive director) of Advanced, the UK’s third largest provider of business software and services, and Digital Identity Net, a UK based company providing consumers with a single gateway to the validated identity data held by banks and other trusted custodians of transactional and behavioural data.  In addition, he sits on the advisory board of Signal AI, a leader in Artificial Intelligence Powered solutions for business and professional services.

Widely recognised as the former Member of Parliament for Streatham (2010-2019), Chuka served in Opposition as the Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Shadow Minister for Small Business for several years. Prior to his election to the UK Parliament he worked as a corporate employment lawyer for international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills LLP.

Chuka continues to contribute regularly to a range of publications, including a variety of major UK newspapers and Forbes business magazine. He writes about business, economic policy and ESG impact on companies.

A veteran of public speaking with an easy authority and engaging style, he is a passionate advocate for positive change in business and has an in-depth understanding of the factors required to transform organisations both large and small.  His core keynote speaking topics are listed below, and each can be tailored to the specific needs of the client, as well as their wider positioning and context in the marketplace.

Speaking Topics:

• Environmental, social and governance factors in business
  As businesses and organisations adopt ESG factors to provide a more holistic approach to working practices, goals and attitudes, Chuka discusses and assesses  how best to integrate ESG into decision making and how to align this with the demands and requirements of investors and shareholders.

• Environmental, social and governance factors in a post COVID-19 world
  Chuka looks at the impact of Covid-19 and the increasing global focus on equality; and whether this will lead to an increase in pressure on businesses and organisation to take account of ESG in corporate decision making?

• Corporate reputation management
  As businesses seek to best manage their reputations and the competing demands of multiple stakeholders, Chuka provides his insight into the most effective ways for companies to campaign and illustrate how they deliver for shareholders and society at large.

• Business and economic policy – building back better
  As the world enters what has been coined the ‘new normal’, Chuka draws on first-hand experience (in the corporate world and 10 years as a Member of Parliament) to address: the public policies needed to promote prosperity and growth, how to construct a more inclusive and productive capitalism and how to build an environment that can nurture and incubate successful businesses.