Adam Afriyie: Biography

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Category: Profiles

Created on Thursday, 13 May 2010 00:00

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Adam Afriyie: Biography

Party and Parliamentary Appointments

Adam has a gained a broad experience with service on parliamentary Select and Standing Committees to appointments ranging from policy development to party spokesperson:

*Shadow Minister for Innovation, Universities & Skills - focussing on Science and Innovation- 2007.

*Conservative Parliamentary Leader for TMT - Technology, Media and Telecoms. 2006.

*Member of the Economic Competitiveness Policy Group, co-chaired by John Redwood and Simon-Wolfson. 2006.
*Chairman of the Deregulation Task Force. 2006.
*Science & Technology Select Committee. 2005.
*Finance Bill Standing Committee. 2007.
*Welfare Reform Bill Standing Committee. 2006.
*Lottery Bill Standing Committee. 2006.
*Civil Aviation Bill Standing Committee. 2005.

I believe...

People are happier when making their own decisions.

Business is the engine of  the economy that generates our jobs, incomes and taxes.

Government should not interfere in our lives beyond protecting and defending us.

Background

Born in Wimbledon in 1965 to a white English mother and a black Ghanaian father, he attended former grammar school Addey & Stanhope in New Cross and went on to gain a BSc in Agricultural Economics from Imperial College (Wye) London University.

Living in Israel and visiting Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Holland, Denmark and Sweden in his gap year, his appetite for travel has not diminished over the years.

Sport has also played an important role and since captaining the basketball team at university Adam has remained a keen distance and charity runner and health and fitness amateur.

Over the last 30 years his sports have included cycling, tennis, badminton and skiing, but since a knee and foot operation activities have been somewhat restricted.

Business

Adam's business experience is well recognized. He was a regional finalist in the 2003 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the year awards, and in 2005 he sold his controlling interest in DeHavilland Information Services to EMAP plc.

In 1993 he was founding director of Connect Support Services - an IT services company pioneering fixed-price support. Connect was recognised in the Virgin Sunday Times Fasttrack 100 of Britain’s fastest growing private companies in 2002, and he now acts as non-executive Chairman.

He is also non-executive Chairman of Adfero Ltd - a news and information services company - and past appointments have included Governor of the Museum of London, Trustee of the Museum in Docklands and a director of Policy Exchange, the centre-right think tank.

As Patron of Berkshire Young Enterprise, Adam is keen to encourage teenagers to recognise their business skills as early as possible.

Political

Having joined the Party in 1990, Adam is an experienced Conservative activist.  During his time he has stuffed envelopes, delivered leaflets, surveyed, door-knocked and canvassed, run supporters clubs, chaired branches and spoken at conference on several occasions..

Selected as the candidate on 3rd October 2003, Adam was elected to Parliament as the MP for Windsor on 5th May 2005 with:
- An increased share of the vote of 49.5%
- An increased majority of 10,292
- A swing against the LibDems of 1.2%

Source: http://www.theafriyietrust.org/biog.html