Oliver Lewis Keynote Speaker

Oliver Lewis was one of the leading figures in the campaign for Britain to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum and played a key role in the negotiations that produced the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Oliver has spoken to many corporate audiences, specialising in explaining political trends and the UK’s evolving relationship with the EU.

Oliver was involved in the founding of ‘Business for Britain’, a campaigning organisation which in 2015 formed the basis of the ‘Vote Leave’ campaign. Oliver served as the Director of Research for the Vote Leave campaign, drafting the campaign’s manifesto pledges and proposed negotiating strategy. During this period Oliver was heavily involved in developing the campaign’s communications strategy.

Oliver was asked by Boris Johnson to be his campaign’s head of policy during the 2019 Conservative Leadership election. Following Boris Johnson’s appointment as Prime Minister Oliver was then appointed to a senior position inside No.10 and served as Head of Brexit Policy for the Conservative Party during the 2019 General Election campaign. In 2020 Oliver was appointed Deputy Chief Negotiator, working with Lord Frost. During this time he was heavily involved in forming UK trade policy with both the EU and the wider world.

During the negotiations, Oliver was involved in a wide-ranging portfolio of responsibilities, including working with Michael Gove on the Northern Ireland protocol and preparing the UK for its departure from the Customs Union and Single Market. At the end of the negotiations, Oliver was publicly praised by the Prime Minister and other leading figures for having played a key role in getting the deal over the line.

Throughout 2020 Oliver was also heavily involved in the Government’s Union Policy, drafting and helping to steer through Parliament the UK Internal Market Bill, which made key changes to the UK’s constitutional arrangements and set the basis for a new relationship between Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the UK Government. Oliver served briefly as the Head of No.10’s Union Unit, during which time he set out a new approach to Union strategy.

Oliver has written on a number of topics for leading magazines including The Spectator.

Speaking Topics:

• Where next in UK – EU relations? Oliver will discuss the current political dynamics in the UK on EU relations, how the new relationship between the UK and the EU might evolve over the coming months and years.

• Will the Union survive? Oliver will discuss the current state of play on Scotland’s membership of the UK, the politics in Scotland, and the possibility of a second independence referendum.

• Effective Communications. Oliver discusses the tactics and strategies that informed the Vote Leave campaign and offer critical thoughts on how political parties and businesses approach communications.

• Effective management. Oliver discusses the shortcomings of various management structures, and how best to develop systems that produce effective action.