12 | FOREVER Keele
“ I ’ ve always worked , since my first paper round through to working every job I could , from a local hotel in London to the Reginald Mitchell Wetherspoons pub in Hanley . After graduating from Keele , I ran a hair salon in Mayfair for a while , and that was really useful in terms of learning how to run a business . I then planned to travel the world but I ended up staying in Sydney for four months and realising that while I did want to travel and see the world , I wanted to do it for work and duty , so I decided to go home and find a job – and that ’ s what I did .
“ I found a job on Twitter – which was novel back then – where the Graduate Talent Pool initiative by the Business Department was being advertised at the time . It offered paid internships within the Government . I applied and got the job , and that ’ s when my journey in Government and public service started for me , in 2009 . From there , I moved around Government , and basically tried to make myself indispensable wherever I landed .”
Oliver ’ s first job in Government saw him managing the UK / Russia Inter-Government Economic Steering Committee , which involved briefing Lord Mandelson and Russian counterparts . After several other roles in Government , Oliver became Principal Private Secretary for the Department for International Trade ( DIT ) in 2016 , followed by a promotion to Downing Steet in 2019 – and a highlight of his career at the time .
“ Early on , I set myself a personal target of securing a £ 100 billion impact while in the role . I fell a little short at £ 73-ish billion when I left , but I ’ ve tried to make up for it in my current job . I hadn ’ t intended to stay in Downing Street for that long , but I felt a duty to provide consistency in the role over what was a changing time .
“ I ’ d say one of the highlights of my career so far was establishing the Office for Investment and Global Investment Summit ( now International Investment Summit ) with the then Investment Minister , Lord Grimstone . It has helped secure many billions of pounds to the UK since they were started . The idea behind that was simple : to have a single place in Government to convene and support investment in the UK .
“ At the first Global Investment Summit at Windsor Castle , I was facilitating some conversations with the then Prime Minster , Boris Johnson , when I noticed that a sea of people had parted behind me . There stood an elegant lady dressed in blue – who I then realised was Her late Majesty the Queen . I was ushered towards her where I was completely lost for words and fumbled the correct form of address to the Sovereign . We spoke briefly about the event and I thanked her for hosting such a historic event . With that , she said good evening and left the event . It was certainly one of those ‘ pinch me ’ moments in life .
He said : “ In Downing Street , I advised the Prime Minister on business and investment , working closely with departments and Special Advisers . I served four PMs during my time there . I was recruited under Theresa May ’ s Premiership and my job was to advise the Prime Minister on many aspects of business engagement , and working directly with Cabinet Ministers , business leaders , CEOs and global investors to amplify the Government ’ s message , and to support economic growth and secure jobs . I focused on securing deals that brought in money , investment and jobs to the UK , and drove a commercial focus at the heart of Government .
Meeting His Majesty The King before COP28 at Buckingham Palace