Claire O’Neill

Former UK Cabinet Minister For Energy & Clean Growth, COP26 President-Designate, Global Climate Leadership Advisor

Claire O’Neill’s Biography:

Claire O’Neill is a leading voice in climate action and sustainable growth, known for her service as UK Minister for Energy and Clean Growth and President Designate for COP26. She is now a global advisor, board director and keynote speaker with a practical understanding of how governments and businesses can work together to reach net zero. Her most defining achievement remains delivering the UK’s Net Zero legislation in 2019, which marked a turning point in national climate ambition and established her reputation as one of the country’s most influential climate leaders.

Claire’s early career began far from Westminster. After studying Geography at Oxford, she gained an MBA from Harvard Business School and entered the world of consultancy and finance. She spent her early professional years at Bank of America, then moved into senior roles at McKinsey and Company and Credit Suisse. These experiences shaped her technical and analytical approach to solving complex global challenges. Claire later entered politics, becoming Member of Parliament for Devizes in 2010. Her early work in Parliament included leading an inquiry into online child protection, advising on the commercialisation and safety of children’s digital environments and gaining rapid recognition for her policy capability.

Her rise through government was marked by several pivotal roles. Claire became Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, then moved into climate leadership as Minister for Climate Change and later as Cabinet Minister for Energy and Clean Growth. She created the Powering Past Coal Alliance, negotiated the world’s first public private Offshore Wind Sector Deal, led the development of the UK’s Clean Growth and Green Finance Strategies, chaired the UK CCUS task force and oversaw major investment in international climate finance and clean technology innovation. Claire also led the UK’s successful bid to host COP26 and served as COP26 President Designate. Since leaving politics, she has continued to influence global climate action through senior roles including Director at Occidental Petroleum, Co-Chair of the Global Imperatives Advisory Board at WBCSD, Senior Global Advisor at McKinsey, Board Chair for Climate Impact X and Board Director at SGX Group.

Why Hire Claire O’Neill?

Event organisers choose Claire for her clarity, insight and real world experience of building climate solutions across government and industry. She speaks about clean growth, net zero strategy, global climate policy, climate finance, energy transition and the role of technology in accelerating decarbonisation. These topics matter to every organisation navigating long term sustainability commitments, regulatory change and stakeholder expectations. Claire helps audiences understand emerging risks and opportunities, using examples from her own leadership journey such as negotiating the Offshore Wind Sector Deal to show how ambition and collaboration can unlock lasting economic value. Her sessions leave teams informed, confident and ready to act.

Claire O’Neill’s Career Highlights:

Below showcases Claire O’Neill’s career in public policy and sustainability:

• 2025 – Appointed Sustainability Advisor at NEOM
• 2023 – Became Director of Occidental Petroleum
• 2023 – Became Global Advisor for Terrascope
• 2022 – Appointed Co-Chair of the Global Imperatives Advisory Board (WBCSD)
• 2022 – Appointed Senior Global Advisor at McKinsey & Company
• 2020 – Named Managing Director for Climate & Energy at WBCSD
• 2019 – Served as COP26 President-Designate
• 2019 – Delivered the UK’s Net Zero legislation
• 2017 – Appointed Minister for Climate Change
• 2017 – Appointed Cabinet Minister for Energy & Clean Growth
• 2010 – Elected Member of Parliament for Devizes