Damian Collins

Former MP for Folkestone & Hythe, Senior Fellow of the Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy at McGill University & Bestselling Author of “Rivals in the Storm” & “Charmed Life”

Damian Collins’s Biography:

Damian Collins is a British politician, author and media strategist best known for his leadership on digital regulation and online safety. A former MP for Folkestone and Hythe, Damian served as Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, placing him at the centre of the United Kingdom’s technology policy agenda. He chaired the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee and later the Joint Committee on the Online Safety Bill, leading parliamentary scrutiny of major technology platforms. Appointed OBE in the 2023 Birthday Honours, he is recognised for his contribution to public service and digital governance.

Damian began his career in 1996 as a Desk Officer and Press Officer for the Conservative Party before moving into strategic communications. He joined M&C Saatchi, progressing from Account Manager to Account Director and later Managing Director of Influence. In 2008, he became Senior Counsel at Lexington Communications, further strengthening his expertise in political and corporate advisory. In 2010, he was elected MP for Folkestone and Hythe, marking the start of a decade-long parliamentary career.

During his time in government, Damian served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and later to the Foreign Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. In 2016, he was appointed Chair of the DCMS Select Committee, where he led high-profile inquiries into disinformation and the influence of social media platforms. He became Joint Chair of the International Grand Committee on Disinformation and, in 2021, chaired the Joint Committee on the Online Safety Bill. In 2024, he was appointed Senior Fellow of the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy at McGill University and became a Non-Executive Director of Orbis Business Intelligence Ltd.

Damian is the author of ‘Charmed Life: The Phenomenal World of Philip Sassoon’ and ‘Rivals in the Storm: How Lloyd George Seized Power, Won the War and Lost His Power’. He writes regularly for The New European and has contributed to publications including The Times, The New York Times, the London Evening Standard and The Daily Telegraph. In 2025, he became Festival Director of the Fleet Street Festival of Words and continues to host the Infotagion podcast, exploring media, politics and technology.

Why Hire Damian Collins?

Damian is hired as a speaker for his first-hand experience shaping national and international policy on technology, online safety and disinformation. As former Chair of the DCMS Select Committee and Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy, he offers an insider perspective on how governments approach regulation of digital platforms and artificial intelligence.

Beyond politics, his background in strategic communications and authorship enables him to analyse media influence with clarity and historical depth. Through his writing, podcasting and academic fellowship, Damian delivers informed, balanced keynotes that help organisations understand the intersection of politics, media and technology in an era of rapid digital change.

Damian Collins’s Career Highlights:

Here are some of the key milestones that define Damian Collins’s impressive career:

• 2025 – Appointed Festival Director of the Fleet Street Festival of Words in the Fleet Street Quarter, leading a cultural programme celebrating journalism and debate.
• 2024 – Became Senior Fellow of the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy at McGill University, contributing to research on digital governance.
• 2024 – Published Rivals in the Storm: How Lloyd George Seized Power, Won the War and Lost His Power, exploring political leadership in wartime Britain.
• 2024 – Appointed Non-Executive Director of Orbis Business Intelligence Ltd, providing strategic oversight in the intelligence sector.
• 2023 – Awarded an OBE in the Birthday Honours for services to public life and digital policy.
• 2022 – Served as Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy at DCMS, shaping national technology strategy.
• 2021 – Chaired the Joint Committee on the Online Safety Bill, leading scrutiny of major digital regulation.
• 2018 – Became Joint Chair of the International Grand Committee on Disinformation, coordinating international action on online harms.
• 2016 – Appointed Chair of the DCMS Select Committee, overseeing parliamentary inquiries into media and technology.
• 2010 – Elected MP for Folkestone and Hythe, beginning his career in the House of Commons.