The Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable

Vince Cable was the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Twickenham from 1997-2015. He was Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and speaks on issues of finance, European Economic and Monetary Union, and the City.  He held the post of Shadow Secretary of State for Trade & Industry from 1999-2003, became Treasury Spokesman in June 2003, was elected Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in March 2006 and Acting Leader for two months in 2007 (following the resignation of Sir Menzies Campbell).

In May 2010, Vince Cable was chosen by David Cameron to become Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, a post he held until the General Election of 2015.

He was previously Chief Economist at Shell International and Head of Economics at the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

His book The Storm: The World Economic Crisis & what it means (published March 2009) was widely acclaimed and correctly predicted the global economic crisis later that year.

He gained a degree in Natural Science and Economics from the University of Cambridge, where he was also President of the Union. He gained his Ph.D. at the University of Glasgow. He was a special professor at the University of Nottingham and is currently a Visiting Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford. He has also lectured on economics at the University of Glasgow.

Vince has a wealth of experience in the field of finance and economic issues, both at home and abroad, holding positions including:

• Special adviser to the Commonwealth Secretary-General Sonny Ramphal

• United Nations Association London and South East Region President

• Deputy Director Overseas Development Institute

• Diplomatic Service

• Treasury Official, Government of Kenya

• Freelance work for the World Bank and United Nations

• He has worked extensively in India and in Latin America

A regular broadcaster and columnist, he has written for The Independent on economic and political issues, and The Economist.  He has written books on Trade Policy and International Finance and published an in-depth study of international telecommunications – Global Superhighways. In 1999 he published a major book on Globalisation and Global Governance for Chatham House and Brookings. He recorded his Desert Island Discs for the internationally-acclaimed programme on BBC Radio 4 (broadcast Jan 2009).

He is very interested in environmental issues and drafted a report for the Commonwealth Prime-Ministers’ Conference on climate change and the ‘Greenhouse Effect’. He helped to prepare the report of the World Commission for the Environment with the Prime-Minister of Norway and Commonwealth Secretary General.

Vince’s wide-ranging interest and knowledge of international affairs, the environment and – most of all – his keen insight and grasp of global economic issues, ensures that his views are sought by TV, radio and print media. Audiences appreciate his straightforward manner, gentle sense of humour, and the way he delivers his speeches with clarity and answers their questions directly.