Chris Skidmore OBE is a former Government minister, sustainability expert and leading authority on net zero, climate policy and the global energy transition. A former Conservative Member of Parliament for Kingswood, Chris spent more than a decade at the heart of British politics, holding senior positions spanning energy, universities, science, health and constitutional affairs. He is particularly recognised as the former Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth who signed the UK’s Net Zero commitment into law in 2019, making the UK the first G7 country to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050. Now dedicated to accelerating the international energy transition, Chris is highly sought after as a keynote speaker on net zero, sustainability, green investment, climate leadership and the economic opportunities created by decarbonisation.
First elected to Parliament in 2010, Chris served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Constitution, Conservative Party Policy Vice Chairman and Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, before becoming interim Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth and later Minister of State for Health. Alongside his political career, he co-authored influential publications including ‘After the Coalition’ and ‘Britannia Unchained’. In 2022, Chris was appointed Chair of the Government’s independent Net Zero Review, undertaking extensive engagement with businesses and organisations before publishing ‘Mission Zero’ in January 2023, which set out 129 recommendations for delivering net zero while supporting economic growth. He subsequently established the Mission Zero Coalition to advance the report’s recommendations.
Since leaving Parliament, Chris has continued to work at the intersection of climate policy, finance and business. He became a Professor of Practice at the University of Bath, focusing on net zero policy, and was appointed Chair of the Centre for Economic Transition Expertise at the London School of Economics. Chris is also Chair of the Climate Action Coalition, launched by former US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, and Chair and Founding Partner of Desmos Capital Partners, supporting investment into sustainable businesses and technologies. His wider work has included Better Earth, Smart Society Ventures and the UK Transition Finance Council, alongside publications including ‘Building The Future’ and ‘At A Crossroads’.
Appointed an OBE for parliamentary and public service in 2022, Chris is also a Privy Counsellor and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Royal Historical Society and Society of Antiquaries of London. As a keynote speaker, Chris combines first-hand experience of government policymaking with current insight into climate finance, technology and sustainable investment. Having helped turn the UK’s net zero ambition into law and subsequently worked with businesses, investors and policymakers on its delivery, he offers audiences a practical perspective on how the energy transition can influence economic growth, investment and corporate strategy.
