Former UK Minister for Trade and Investment Joins Covington

Former UK Minister for Trade and Investment Joins Covington

October 10, 2016

LONDON—Lord Francis Maude, the former UK Minister for Trade and Investment in Prime Minister David Cameron’s government, has joined Covington as a Senior Advisor in the firm’s Public Policy and Government Affairs practice.

With a political career spanning almost 40 years, Lord Maude has held a number of high profile government positions, including Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Shadow Foreign Secretary, Chairman of the Conservative Party, and the Minister for the Cabinet Office. Lord Maude was elevated to the House of Lords in May 2015.

“The results of the Brexit Referendum will continue shaping the commercial and regulatory realities of the global economy for some time to come,” said Timothy Hester, the firm’s chair. “As the world’s businesses, diplomats, and regulators grapple with the new landscape across Europe and around the world, Lord Maude will be able to advise on the best way forward.”

Sebastian Vos, chair of Covington’s European Public Policy and Government Affairs practice, commented: “Our European Public Policy team has grown significantly in recent years and is now the largest of any law firm in Europe. Lord Maude joins a fantastic team which already included Former Prime Minister Carl Bildt and several senior former EU officials. This combined experience, as well as the firms regulatory strength, greatly benefits our clients as they tackle complex international issues.”

Lord Maude added: “There is no doubt that the next few years will be pivotal not only for the future of the United Kingdom and UK businesses, but also for many European, American and international companies operating in the interconnected, global economy. Covington’s reputation in the government affairs and regulatory arena is second to none, and I am very pleased to be joining this dynamic team.” 

Covington’s Brexit Task Force, led by Kevin Coates, former Head of Unit at Directorate-General Competition, and Mr. Vos, is staffed by senior lawyers and advisors from the firm’s London, Brussels, and Washington offices. Its aim is to keep clients apprised of legal, regulatory, and policy developments and their impact, and advise on the implications across key industry sectors.

The largest public policy and government affairs practice of any law firm in the EU, Covington’s European team includes a range of former policymakers:

• Carl Bildt, the former Prime Minister of Sweden;
• Ambassador Péter Balás, the former Deputy Director-General of DG Trade at the European Commission between 2005 and 2014;
• Ambassador Jean De Ruyt, one of the most experienced diplomats in Europe, who was most recently the Permanent Representative of Belgium to the European Union;
• Ambassador Karel Kovanda, the former Deputy Director General of External Relations (now the European External Action Service) at the European Commission;
• Erika Mann, a former Member of the European Parliament;
• Stuart E. Eizenstat, the former U.S. Ambassador to the EU.