The Rt. Hon Nadhim Zahawi

The Rt. Hon Nadhim Zahawi was the Member of Parliament for Stratford-on-Avon, and is Patron of the Adam Smith Institute.

Born in Baghdad, Nadhim and his family fled Saddam Hussein’s attempts to murder them, and came to the United Kingdom when Nadhim was 11. He could not speak a word of English.

After graduating from University College London with a degree in chemical engineering, Nadhim worked in business before co-founding the polling and market research company YouGov in 2000, which now has a market cap of over $1.3 billion.

He was CEO of YouGov until 2010, when he stood down to become the Member of Parliament for Stratford-on-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare.

Nadhim has served as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Education Secretary, and Chairman of the Conservative Party & Minister Without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office, as well as a string of other ministerial posts.

His notable successes include that which he is probably best-known, leading the UK's world-beating COVID vaccination rollout, as well as organising her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, and raising grown-up twin boys and a 10-year-old girl with his wife Lana.