Members enjoyed a thought-provoking conversation with Lord Frost on the future of Brexit
Our Public Affairs Series offers our members a unique opportunity to hear the most influential figures in business, politics, diplomacy, and international affairs as they convene at our clubhouse to discuss today's most pressing issues.
Over the past few months, this series has provided an insightful platform for power brokers to share their vision and expertise. Some of our recent speakers have included Sir John Sawers, Rt Hon Jim Murphy, Robert Hardman, Rt Hon Lord Robertson KT, GCMG, HonFRSE, and Lord Andrew Roberts - all of whom have shared invaluable insights with us; not to mention our latest speaker the Rt Hon Lord Frost of Allenton PC CMG.
On 23rd February, we had the pleasure of welcoming our members to a thought-provoking conversation with Lord Frost on the future of Brexit and what it entails. With global challenges escalating faster than ever before, there has never been a better opportunity to tackle major topics such as Brexit and the Net Zero Strategy.
Lord Frost served as Boris Johnson's chief negotiator and Europe adviser from 2019 to 2021, before becoming minister responsible for EU relations in 2021. He led the negotiations that broke the political deadlock over Brexit, brought the United Kingdom out of the European Union, and established the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the world's most expansive free trade agreement. Subsequently, he was in charge of post-exit negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol and post-Brexit domestic reform, but resigned from the government in December 2021 due to policy differences.
He is one of the few people in the British system to have held the positions of minister, special adviser, professional diplomat, and civil servant. From 2016 to 2018, he served as Boris Johnson's foreign policy adviser at the Foreign Office. Prior to that, he served as British Ambassador to Denmark from 2006 to 2008 and as Europe Director at the Foreign Office from 2003 to 2006. He served overseas in the missions to the EU in Brussels, the United Nations in New York, Paris, and Nicosia. From 2010 to 2013, he was Britain's chief trade negotiator at the Department for Business and a member of the EU's Trade Policy Committee.
In his role as CEO of one of the United Kingdom's largest trade associations, the Scotch Whisky Association, from 2013 to 2016, he was closely involved in the politics surrounding the 2014 Scotland independence referendum. He speaks French, German, Greek, Danish, and Russian to varying degrees, as well as smatterings of other European languages. He was also awarded the CMG in 2006 and appointed to the House of Lords in 2020.
For those who missed the Public Affairs Series with Lord Frost, a recording is available on our YouTube channel alongside some previous Public Affairs Series videos.
Watch here
