{{Short description|British politician (born 1986)}} {{Use British English|date=December 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Official portrait of Bim Afolami MP crop 2.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2020 | honorific_prefix = | name = Bim Afolami | honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|FRSA}} | office1 = Member of Parliament <br /> for Hitchin and Harpenden | term_start1 = 8 June 2017 | term_end1 = 30 May 2024<ref>{{cite web |title=Dissolution of Parliament – UK Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/elections-and-voting/general/dissolution/ |website=UK Parliament |access-date=30 May 2024}}</ref> | prime_minister1 = | predecessor1 = Peter Lilley | successor1 = Constituency abolished | majority1 = | office2 = | parliament2 = | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | term_start2 = | term_end2 = | birth_name = Abimbola Afolami | birth_date = {{nowrap|{{birth date and age|1986|2|11|df=y}}}} | birth_place = Crowthorne, Berkshire, England | spouse = Henrietta (née Jackson-Stops)<ref name=WHOSWHO>{{cite web |title=Afolami, Abimbola, (Bim), (born 11 Feb. 1986), MP (C) Hitchin and Harpenden, since 2017 |url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-289479 |website=WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO |year=2017 |isbn=978-0-19-954088-4 |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U289479}}</ref> | party = Conservative | relations = | children = 3 | education = Eton College | alma_mater = University College, Oxford (BA) | occupation = Politician | profession = Solicitor, Banker | signature = | website = | footnotes = | office = Economic Secretary to the Treasury | prime_minister = Rishi Sunak | predecessor = Andrew Griffith | successor = Tulip Siddiq | term_start = 13 November 2023 | term_end = 5 July 2024 }}
'''Abimbola''' "'''Bim'''" '''Afolami''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|FRSA}} ({{IPAc-en||audio=Yo-Abimbola Afolami 2.ogg }}; born 11 February 1986) is a British Conservative Party politician. He served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hitchin and Harpenden in Hertfordshire from the 2017 general election until 2024. He was the Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 2023 to 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 November 2023 |title=Ministerial appointments: November 2023 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-november-2023 |access-date=14 November 2023 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref> He is now Global Head of [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bim-afolami-7a8160276/ Strategy] at Acrisure, one of the largest insurance businesses in the world, and also serves as a non - executive director of HSBC [https://news.sky.com/story/former-city-minister-afolami-to-return-to-hsbc-in-board-role-13285593 UK], the youngest in Britain when appointed at the age of 38.
==Early life== Afolami was born and brought up in Crowthorne, Berkshire. His father Samuel<ref name=WHOSWHO /><ref>''The Times'', 8 September 2012, Announcements section, Engagements</ref> is a Nigerian consultant doctor in the NHS, who moved to the UK in his early twenties.
Afolami was educated at Bishopsgate School, a prep school in Egham, Surrey, and at Eton College, an all-boys independent boarding school in Berkshire. He was Berkshire county champion several times in both the 400m and triple jump as a schoolboy, and also competed at national level. He reached the final of the national English schools athletics championships finals in 2002 in the triple jump.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=48272&pagenum=7#TJ/|title=Power of 10: British Athletics}}</ref> He attended University College, Oxford, where he read modern history. While at Oxford, he was Vice President (Librarian) of the Oxford Union Society and played football for the university team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://groupspaces.com/oxford-union/emails/709293 |url-status=dead |title=E-mail: OXFORD UNION in 7th Week |website=groupspaces.com| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527120734/http://groupspaces.com/oxford-union/emails/709293 |archive-date=27 May 2019 |quote=Bim Afolami MP: The Conservative Member of Parliament for Hitchin and Harpenden constituency, he is a former Librarian of the Oxford Union.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Yousif |first=Layth |date=15 May 2017 |title=Learn more about Hitchin and Harpenden's Conservative candidate Bim Afolami |work=Herts Advertiser |url=http://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/learn-more-about-hitchin-and-harpenden-s-conservative-candidate-bim-afolami-1-5007438 |access-date=7 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170603193110/http://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/learn-more-about-hitchin-and-harpenden-s-conservative-candidate-bim-afolami-1-5007438 |archive-date=3 June 2017}}</ref>
Before he became an MP, Afolami worked as a corporate lawyer at Freshfields,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Victoria |last2=Winckler |first2=Marie |date=6 October 2011 |title=Rainbow Tories: The geek, the fundraiser and the Tanzanian immigrant's son |work=London Evening Standard |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/rainbow-tories-the-geek-the-fundraiser-and-the-tanzanian-immigrants-son-6450892.html |access-date=7 June 2017}}</ref> Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and then as a senior executive at HSBC.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bimafolami.co.uk/about-bim-afolami |title=About Bim Afolami |access-date=12 May 2024 |quote=I spent ten years in the City of London; first as a corporate lawyer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, then moving into banking in restructuring and strategy as a Senior Executive (Vice President) at HSBC. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211192121/https://www.bimafolami.co.uk/about-bim-afolami |archive-date=11 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bim Afolami |url=https://onemillionmentors.org.uk/advisory-board/bim-afolami/ |access-date=20 September 2024 |website=One Million Mentors |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Political career== Afolami was the Conservative Party candidate for Lewisham Deptford at the 2015 general election, where he finished in second place with 7,056 votes. Afolami voted "Remain" in the 2016 referendum on EU membership.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Layth Yousif |title='I've worked hard and made the most of it – now I want to do it for you': The Comet meets Bim Afolami, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Hitchin and Harpenden |url=http://www.thecomet.net/news/i-ve-worked-hard-and-made-the-most-of-it-now-i-want-to-do-it-for-you-the-comet-meets-bim-afolami-the-conservative-parliamentary-candidate-for-hitchin-and-harpenden-1-5021100 |access-date=30 May 2018 |website=The Comet |date=16 May 2017 |publisher=Archant Community Media Ltd |archive-date=20 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720061712/http://www.thecomet.net/news/i-ve-worked-hard-and-made-the-most-of-it-now-i-want-to-do-it-for-you-the-comet-meets-bim-afolami-the-conservative-parliamentary-candidate-for-hitchin-and-harpenden-1-5021100 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was selected as the Conservative candidate for Hitchin and Harpenden in 2017 following the announcement that the sitting Conservative MP, Peter Lilley, was to stand down.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://conservativehome.com/2017/05/05/exclusive-afolami-selected-as-conservative-candidate-for-hitchin-and-harpenden/ |title=Exclusive: Afolami selected as Conservative candidate for Hitchin and Harpenden |last=Wallace |first=Mark |date=5 May 2017 |website=conservativehome |access-date=12 May 2024}}</ref> Afolami has described Winston Churchill as his "biggest hero".<ref>{{cite web |title=8 things you need to know about your General Election candidates: Lewisham Deptford |url=http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/12918735.8_things_you_need_to_know_about_your_General_Election_candidates__Lewisham_Deptford/ |website=News Shopper|date=28 April 2015 }}</ref>
In 2018, Afolami was named one of the Franco-British Council's Young Leaders.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Franco-British Young Leaders |url=https://francobritish.org/en/programmes/young-leaders/ |access-date=23 May 2018 |website=Franco-British Council}}</ref> In January that year, it was reported that Afolami had claimed £2,000 in expenses for subscription to the European Research Group.<ref>{{cite news |last=Asher |first=JP |date=12 January 2018 |title=Revealed: What your MP has claimed back on expenses |work=Herts Advertiser |url=http://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/revealed-mp-expenses-in-and-around-hitchin-and-harpenden-welwyn-hatfield-and-st-albans-1-5352187 |access-date=31 January 2018 |archive-date=1 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201080906/http://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/revealed-mp-expenses-in-and-around-hitchin-and-harpenden-welwyn-hatfield-and-st-albans-1-5352187 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In April, Afolami was a member of the delegation to Beijing for the tenth Anniversary Leadership Forum, led by David Lidington. The Forum, entitled "Partners for Progress: Strengthening the UK-China relationship in the Golden Era", aimed to discuss practical cooperation between the UK and China.<ref>{{cite web |title=10th UK-China Leadership Forum |url=https://www.gbcc.org.uk/news-events/2018/10th-uk-china-leadership-forum |access-date=23 May 2018 |website=The Great Britain-China Centre|date=20 April 2018 }}</ref>
In September 2021, Afolami was appointed parliamentary private secretary to the Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Afolami |first=Bim |date=20 September 2021 |title=Becoming Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary |url=https://www.bimafolami.co.uk/news/becoming-parliamentary-private-secretary-foreign-secretary |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240920202320/https://www.bimafolami.co.uk/news/becoming-parliamentary-private-secretary-foreign-secretary |archive-date=20 September 2024 |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=bimafolami.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=23 August 2019 |title=Hitchin and Harpenden MP accused of 'careerism' for new parliamentary private secretary role |url=https://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/21825253.hitchin-harpenden-mp-accused-careerism-new-parliamentary-private-secretary-role/ |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=Herts Advertiser |language=en}}</ref> In November 2021 he was appointed parliamentary private secretary to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Nadine Dorries, and served in this role until his appointment as Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party for Youth in February 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 September 2021 |title=Becoming Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary |url=https://www.bimafolami.co.uk/news/becoming-parliamentary-private-secretary-foreign-secretary |access-date=20 September 2024 |website=Bim Afolami |language=en}}</ref>
Afolami served as Chair of PRASEG, the all-party parliamentary group on Renewable and Sustainable energy, until November 2023, when he resigned on being appointed as Economic Secretary to the Treasury.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 December 2023 |title=PRASEG elects a new Chair and Co-Chair {{!}} PRASEG |url=https://renewables.inparliament.uk/news/praseg-elects-new-chair-and-co-chair |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=renewables.inparliament.uk |language=en}}</ref> Afolami was also the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Credit Unions<ref>{{cite web |title=All Party Parliamentary Group |url=http://www.abcul.org/media-and-research/parliament/appg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107181142/http://www.abcul.org/media-and-research/parliament/appg |archive-date=7 January 2019 |access-date=7 January 2019 |website=www.abcul.org}}</ref> and a Commissioner for the Financial Inclusion Commission,<ref>{{cite web |title=Financial Inclusion Commission |url=http://www.financialinclusioncommission.org.uk/commissioners |website=www.financialinclusioncommission.org.uk |access-date=7 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107181111/http://www.financialinclusioncommission.org.uk/commissioners |url-status=dead}}</ref> a financial inclusion campaign group.
He is active in supporting charities and other voluntary groups. He is patron of Harpenden Spotlight on Africa<ref>{{cite web |title=Bim Afolami MP, Hitchin and Harpenden |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25661/bim_afolami/hitchin_and_harpenden |website=TheyWorkForYou}}</ref> a charity working in health and education in rural Uganda. He is also patron of GRIT (Growing Resilience in Teens)<ref>{{cite web |title=Bim Afolami MP meets Dr Lousie Randall at launch of Self Harm charity GRIT |url=https://www.bimafolami.co.uk/bim-afolami-mp-meets-dr-lousie-randall-at-launch-of-self-harm-charity-grit/ |website=www.bimafolami.co.uk |access-date=30 March 2020 |archive-date=3 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103023832/https://www.bimafolami.co.uk/bim-afolami-mp-meets-dr-lousie-randall-at-launch-of-self-harm-charity-grit/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> and Tilehouse Counselling,<ref>{{cite web |title=The Patrons of Tilehouse Counselling |url=http://www.tilehouse.org/about-tilehouse-counselling/our-patrons |website=Tilehouse Counselling}}</ref> two mental health charities in his constituency. Afolami also sits on the advisory board of the Social Market Foundation<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=http://www.smf.co.uk/about-us/ |url-status=live |website=Social Market Foundation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705061744/http://www.smf.co.uk/about-us/ |archive-date=5 July 2014 |language=en-CA}}</ref> and on the Programme Committee of the Ditchley Foundation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mr Bim Afolami MP |url=https://www.ditchley.com/mr-bim-afolami-mp |website=Ditchley Foundation}}</ref>
On 5 July 2022, whilst being interviewed live on television, Afolami resigned from his role as Vice Chair of the Conservative Party, owing to recent scandals in government under Boris Johnson.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2022/jul/05/boris-johnson-accused-not-telling-truth-chris-pincher-politics-live|title=Nadhim Zahawi becomes chancellor and Steve Barclay health secretary, replacing Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid – as it happened|date=6 July 2022|website=the Guardian}}</ref>
Afolami is a member of the Franco - British Colloque, which is a long-running political conference that serves as a platform for discussions between British and French leaders and business executives.[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/230306/afolami_bim.htm]
In March 2023, Afolami announced that he would be contesting the new Hitchin constituency at the 2024 general election, following the 2023 review of constituency boundaries.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=BimAfolami |number=1641358207271542786 |title=Delighted to be readopted as the Parliamentary candidate for the new Hitchin constituency for the next General Election! Thank you everyone for your support.}}</ref>
Afolami contested the Hitchin constituency at the 2024 general election, but lost the seat to Alistair Strathern of the Labour Party.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Hitchin – General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001289 |access-date=5 July 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
===Ministerial career===
In November 2023, Afolami was appointed as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister – the mid level ministerial role responsible for financial services. He is the youngest person ever appointed to the latter role. His appointment was widely welcomed by leading City figures due to his experience in the financial services industry both before entering parliament and whilst on the backbenches.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cityam.com/bim-afolami-what-does-the-square-mile-make-of-their-new-city-minister/|title=Bim Afolami: What does the Square Mile make of their new City minister?|date=22 November 2023|website=City AM}}</ref>
==Post-parliamentary career==
In January 2025, Afolami was appointed as Chief of Staff and Strategy at Acrisure, the large American financial services business.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7288431499559731200/ |title=I've joined Acrisure as Chief of Staff and Strategy and a member of the… | Bim Afolami | 72 comments }}</ref>
He was also appointed to the board of HSBC UK in January 2025, aged 38, the youngest director of a bank in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/former-city-minister-afolami-to-return-to-hsbc-in-board-role-13285593 |title=Former City minister Afolami to return to HSBC in board role }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/year-general-election-former-mps-now|title=One Year After The General Election: Where Are Former MPs Now?|last=Crowther|first=Zoe|date=6 July 2025|work=PoliticsHome|accessdate=22 July 2025}}</ref>
==Works== * {{cite book |first=Bim |last=Afolami |date=September 2023 |contribution=Gamal Abdel Nasser |title=The Dictators. 64 Dictators, 64 Authors, 64 Warnings from History |editor-last=Dale |editor-first=Iain |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton}} * {{cite book |first=Bim |last=Afolami |date=September 2023 |contribution=William III |title=Kings and Queens: 1200 Years of English and British Monarchs |editor-last=Dale |editor-first=Iain |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton}} * {{cite web |first1=Bim |last1=Afolami |first2=Sebastian |last2=Payne |author2-link=Sebastian Payne |first3=James |last3=Blagden |title=Missing Millennials |publisher=Onward |date=May 2023 |url=https://www.ukonward.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/missing_millennials-1.pdf}} * {{cite report |first=Steve |last=Hughes |contribution=Foreword |title=The Purpose of Regulation: Improving accountability of our regulators to get a better deal for consumers, businesses, and the United Kingdom |publisher=Regulatory Reform Group |date=April 2023 |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6363e5f35ce88928f09e6a5e/t/643d627fda5fab4b4d8772b8/1681744512465/RRG+Purpose+of+Regulation+140423.pdf}} * {{cite book |first1=Bim |last1=Afolami |first2=Janet |last2=Stevenson |author2-link=Janet Stevenson |author3-link=Fay Jones (politician) |first3=Fay |last3=Jones |first4=Sally-Ann |last4=Hart |author4-link=Sally-Ann Hart |first5=Katherine |last5=Fletcher |author5-link=Katherine Fletcher |first6=Andy |last6=Street |author6-link=Andy Street |first7=Sam |last7=Chapman-Allen |first8=Robert |last8=Buckland |author8-link=Robert Buckland |author9-link=Ben Howlett (politician) |first9=Ben |last9=Howlett |display-authors=6 |title=Levelling Up 2.0: A Blueprint for the Future |publisher=Curia |date=January 2023}} * {{cite web |first1=Bim |last1=Afolami |first2=Mike |last2=Crowhurst |title=Banking for Britain: The role of financial services in Levelling-Up |publisher=All-Party Parliamentary Group on Financial Markets and Services & Services |date=November 2022 |url=https://apgfms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Banking-for-Britain-The-role-of-financial-services-in-levelling-up.pdf}} * {{cite web |first1=Bim |last1=Afolami |author2-link=Laura Trott (politician) |first2=Laura |last2=Trott |title=Accelerator Zones: how to turbocharge economic opportunity across the UK |work=Social Market Foundation. |publisher=Social Market Foundation |date=February 2021 |url=https://www.smf.co.uk/publications/accelerator-zones/}} * {{cite web |first=Bim |last=Afolami |title=The Role of Parliament in the Future Regulatory Framework for Financial Services |publisher=All-Party Parliamentary Group on Financial Markets and Services & Services |date=February 2021 |url=https://apgfms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/APPG-FMS-role-of-parliament-in-FS-reg-framework-consultation-report-FINAL-18-feb-21.pdf}} * {{cite web |first=Bim |last=Afolami |title=Unlocking Britain: Recovery and Renewal after Covid-19 |publisher=Social Market Foundation |date=June 2020 |url=https://www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Unlocking-Britain-Bim-Afolami-June-2020.pdf}} * {{cite web |first=Bim |last=Afolami |title=Making New Housing Popular |date=15 May 2018 |url=https://www.bimafolami.co.uk/news/making-new-housing-popular}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *{{UK MP links |parliament=bim-afolami/4639 |publicwhip=Bim_Afolami |theywork=bim_afolami}} *{{YouTube|9N-Bl4cCims|"Bim Afolami: Why Politics Is All About Economics Not Culture"}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef|before=Peter Lilley}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for Hitchin and Harpenden|years=2017–2024}} {{s-non|reason=Constituency abolished}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Afolami, Bim}} Category:1986 births Category:People from Crowthorne Category:Living people Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:UK MPs 2017–2019 Category:English people of Nigerian descent Category:People educated at Eton College Category:People educated at Scaitcliffe School Category:Alumni of University College, Oxford Category:Simpson Thacher & Bartlett people Category:UK MPs 2019–2024 Category:English people of Yoruba descent Category:Yoruba politicians Category:HSBC people Category:Black British MPs Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Arts Category:People associated with Freshfields