Sir Conor led the UK programme of UK-US State-level Memoranda of Understanding on trade, investment and economic cooperation. He was responsible to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. ·Sir Conor personally led the successful negotiations for Florida and Texas. He welcomed Governor Greg Abbott... Read more
Sir Conor led the UK programme of UK-US State-level Memoranda of Understanding on trade, investment and economic cooperation. He was responsible to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. ·Sir Conor personally led the successful negotiations for Florida and Texas. He welcomed Governor Greg Abbott to 10 Downing Street in March 2024 to sign the UK-Texas SMC.
At the time of the UK general election he had secured AIP (Agreement in Principle) with Virginia and was actively negotiating with New York State and at the start of Georgia and Arkansas. Sir Conor worked within the UK to align domestic business, chambers of commerce and Trade Associations to the different sectoral interests highlighted in each MOU in finance, tech, aerospace, space, infrastructure and insurance.
Sir Conor was sworn of the Most Honourable Privy Council in November in November 2019. He took the oath in Council in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Membership of the Privy Council to be styled as ‘The Right Honourable’. Conor was Knighted at Windsor Castle in October 2023 by HRH The Princess Royal. He has the rank of Knight Batchelor. The Knighthood styles the individual as ‘Sir’.
Sir Conor was appointed Trade Minister in July 2019 by the Prime Minister. During his time in office, he represented the UK on trade and investment visits to North America, the Far East, South America and Africa. Countries included the US, Brazil, Chile, Vietnam, Morocco and Algeria. He was Bill Minister responsible for progressing the Trade Bill (Act) through Parliament. He led preparations for the UK taking her independent seat at the WTO in Geneva. He chaired the Expert Trade Advisory Group and the Strategic Trade Advisory Group. Sir Conor defined the UK-US MOU Programme.
Sir Conor oversaw UK Government Growth Deals throughout Northern Ireland. He represented the UK Government on the British-Irish Intergovernmental Council (BIIGC) and the British-Ireland Council (BIC). In 2022 the led preparations for the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Northern Ireland.
Appointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Sir Conor was responsible for engagement with the US Administration and Congress on the Northern Ireland Protocol. Throughout numerous visits to the US during this time he undertook dozens of meetings with senior officials and elected Members of Congress and the Senate.
Sir Conor has held a number of other Government roles as a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Department of Business and Energy and the Treasury. In the Business and Energy Department he worked on writing the UK Modern Industrial Strategy and the UK Nuclear Energy policy.
Sir Conor was educated at Southampton University and achieved a 2.1 in Modern History and Politics graduating in 1994. He went to St Columba’s College in St Albans, Herts. This was a school run by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart from Rhode Island, USA.
Sir Conor was a close friend of the late Margaret Thatcher in the later years of her life and visited her at her Chester Square home most Sunday evenings. His speech in tribute to Lady Thatcher in the House of Commons after her death was described by the Daily Telegraph as “both the warmest and funniest of the day”. Lady Thatcher endorsed the idea of creating a youth focused centre to promote the philosophy and ideas she held dear to future generations. As agreed with her, the Margaret Thatcher Centre was formed in 2013 as a registered charity. Conor chairs the Centre which has a strong US link with an active university exchange programme.