{{Short description|British politician and entrepreneur}} {{Tone|date=July 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Steff Aquarone | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MP}} | image = Official portrait of Steffan Aquarone MP crop 2.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2024 | parliament = United Kingdom | office = Chair of the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] Parliamentary Party | leader = [[Ed Davey]] | term_start = 9 September 2025 <ref name=hazle>{{cite news |last=Hazle |first=Will |date=2025-09-14 |title=Ed Davey told by his MPs to raise game and drop 'bullsh*t stunts' |url= https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/ed-davey-mps-raise-game-drop-stunts-3908970 |work= newspaper |publisher= inews |access-date= 2025-09-15}}</ref> | term_end = | predecessor = [[Lisa Smart]] | successor = | constituency_MP1 = [[North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|North Norfolk]] | term_start1 = 4 July 2024 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = [[Duncan Baker]] | majority1 = 2,585 (5.5%) | office2 = Liberal Democrat Group Leader on Norfolk County Council | term_start2 = 20 April 2020 | term_end2 = 17 May 2021 | deputy2 = Dan Roper | predecessor2 = Ed Maxfield | successor2 = Brian Watkins | office3 = [[Norfolk County Council]]lor for Melton Constable | term_start3 = 4 May 2017 | term_end3 = 6 May 2026 | predecessor3 = David Ramsbotham | successor3 = | birth_name = Steffan Luke Aquarone | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1984|05|12}} | birth_place = [[Blickling]], Norfolk, England | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | death_place = | party = [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] | spouse = Jill | children = | education = [[Norwich School]] | alma_mater = [[University of Warwick]] | profession = Entrepreneur | footnotes = }} '''Steffan Luke Aquarone'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Declaration of result of poll ... North Norfolk |url=https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/media/10459/declaration_of_results_2024.pdf |publisher=North Norfolk District Council |access-date=17 July 2024 |date=5 July 2024 |quote=Aquarone, Steffan Luke}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Steff Aquarone |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/5164/contact |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=11 July 2024}}</ref> (born 12 May 1984<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/display/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-300152|title=Aquarone, Steffan|work=[[Who's Who (UK)|Who's Who]]|date=1 December 2024|access-date=10 May 2025}} {{subscription required}}</ref>) is a British [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] politician who has been [[Member of Parliament (UK)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|North Norfolk]] since [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024]].
He is also an entrepreneur in film and technology. His projects involve collaboration between large groups of people with a common interest<ref>Roxborough, Scott [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-an-english-village-bankrolled-187989 "How an English Village Bankrolled 'A Tortoise in Love'"], ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'', 12 May 2011. Retrieved on 9 June 2012.</ref> and are often crowd-source financed,<ref>MIPDoc 2011, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqhpzXYO_D4 "Crowdsourcing: the frontier of documentary and funding"], Cannes, 3 April 2011. Retrieved on 9 June 2012.</ref> the most notable example being feature-film ''[[Tortoise in Love]]'' which was made by a village in Oxfordshire.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110517023924/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/cannes-film-festival/8511550/British-comedy-funded-by-village-residents-to-show-at-Cannes.html "British comedy funded by village residents to show at Cannes"], ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' 13 May 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2012.</ref>
==Education== Born and raised in [[Blickling]], Norfolk,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet ex film producer preparing to stand for the Liberal Democrats |url=https://www.fakenhamtimes.co.uk/news/21841735.meet-ex-film-producer-preparing-stand-liberal-democrats-mid-norfolk/ |access-date= |website=Fakenham and Wells Times|date=6 November 2019 }}</ref> Aquarone was educated at home as a member of [[Education Otherwise]] until the age of 12, before being privately educated at [[Norwich School]]. He then read politics and international relations at the [[University of Warwick]], graduating with a BA in 2006.
==Business== In 2004, Aquarone co-founded media business Ephex Media Limited with two fellow students at the [[University of Warwick]]. Ephex Media received investment from the Advantage Early Growth Fund in 2007<ref>[http://issuu.com/thinkenterprise/docs/think_enterprise_case_study_booklet_sept2010 "Think Enterprise Case Studies"], 15 September 2010. Retrieved on 9 June 2012.</ref> in order to acquire regional post-production facility Oakslade Studios.<ref>[http://www.4rfv.co.uk/industrynews.asp?id=66561 "4RFV"], 2 October 2007. Retrieved on 9 June 2012.</ref> The company made and edited corporate films for brands including Land Rover, Vodafone, Massey Ferguson and American Express. The business was placed into administration in 2008.<ref>[http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/58772/notices/573262/all=ephex], ''[[The London Gazette]]'', 22 July 2008. Retrieved on 9 June 2012.</ref>
Aquarone co-owned feature film production company Immense Productions with author [[Guy Browning]].<ref>[http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/creative-industries-news/2008/07/21/immense-get-a-funny-idea-about-business-65233-21376892/ "Immense get a funny idea about business"] ''[[The Birmingham Post]]'' 21 July 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2012.</ref> Their feature film ''[[Tortoise in Love]]'', on which Aquarone was producer,<ref>IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2412631/] "IMDB". Retrieved on 9 June 2012.</ref> was released in the UK in 2012.<ref>British Board of Film Classification [https://archive.today/20130419194931/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/AFF288660/ "Tortoise in Love"]. Retrieved on 9 June 2012.</ref> Immense Productions was dissolved in November 2015.<ref>[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06519664] "Immense Productions Limited on Companies House" Retrieved 27 April 2024</ref>
In 2011, Aquarone co-founded peer-to-peer<ref>Cockburn, Russ [http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/48798 "How traditional banking is failing people technologically"] 4 April 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.</ref> mobile payments platform Droplet.<ref>Birmingham Post [http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/businesslatest/2012/03/31/birmingham-entrepreneurs-settle-launch-payment-app-for-smartphones-65233-30666766/ "Birmingham entrepreneurs launch payment app for smartphones"], ''[[The Birmingham Post]]'' 31 March 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.</ref> In 2013, Droplet was named among the 'Top 25 UK Startups' by influential technology blog [[Mashable]].<ref>[http://mashable.com/2013/06/27/uk-startups/] "25 Top UK Startups." Retrieved 9 May 2014.</ref> Droplet closed in 2016 after the founders were unable to scale it to become profitable.<ref>[https://www.business-live.co.uk/enterprise/mobile-payment-app-droplet-closes-11632843] "Mobile payment app Droplet closes down" Retrieved 27 April 2024.</ref>
He has worked through Econsultancy<ref>[https://econsultancy.com/microeventpeople/steffan-aquarone/ "Steffan Aquarone Digital Transformation Trainer and Consultant"] Retrieved 20 May 2024.</ref> with brands like Sony, Ralph Lauren, and General Mills and gives talks on innovation, entrepreneurship and digital transformation. Econsultancy sold to Centaur Media PLC<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/jun/22/centaur-media-econsultancy-takeover "Centaur Media in £50m takeover of Econsultancy"] Retrieved 20 May 2024</ref> in 2012.
He joined online video platform Buto in 2010<ref>[https://www.slideshare.net/Steffanaquarone/an-introduction-to-buto-generate-more-revenue-customise-your-video-and-make-your-content-findable-online?next_slideshow=true "An introduction to buto"]. Retrieved 8 May 2024.</ref> becoming strategy director in 2013. Buto sold to TwentyThree in 2019.<ref>[https://www.twentythree.com/blog/buto-acquisition "We’ve acquired UK video platform, Buto"]. Retrieved 8 May 2024.</ref>
==Writing== In 2014, Aquarone was named by the ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' as one of the Top 20 most influential media figures under 30.<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/technology/snapchat-founder-evan-spiegel-tops-4750836 "Top 20 most influential media figures under 30"], ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' 4 December 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2017.</ref>
Aquarone writes on digital marketing topics including online video. In 2012 he wrote "Online Video: A Best Practice Guide" for digital publishers Econsultancy.<ref>[http://econsultancy.com/uk/reports/online-video-best-practice-guide "Online Video Best Practice Guide"], January 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.</ref>
In 2017, with his sister Freya, he published ''Fourth to First: How to win a local election in under six months''. It recounts how he won a council ward for the Liberal Democrats at his first attempt, even though the party finished fourth in the previous contest for the ward.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=iHfIswEACAAJ "Fourth to First: How to Win a Local Election in Under Six Months"], Retrieved 12 April 2020.</ref>
==Politics== On 4 May 2017, he was elected as county councillor for the [[Melton Constable]] division of [[Norfolk County Council]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Conservatives take control after results of Norfolk County Council elections, but UKIP and Greens wiped out|date=5 May 2017|url=http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/latest-election-results-in-Norfolk-and-Suffolk-county-council-elections-1-5004733|publisher=Eastern Daily Press|access-date=5 May 2017}}</ref> He was elected deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Scott|first1=Geraldine|title=Norfolk's Liberal Democrats appoint new leadership team following local elections|url=http://www.thetfordandbrandontimes.co.uk/news/norfolk-s-liberal-democrats-appoint-new-leadership-team-following-local-elections-1-5006503|access-date=24 September 2017|work=Thetford and Brandon Times|date=7 May 2017}}</ref>
He stood in the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]] in the seat of [[Mid Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|Mid Norfolk]] finishing third. In April 2020 he replaced Ed Maxfield as group leader on [[Norfolk County Council]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/local-council/new-leader-for-norfolk-county-council-lib-dems-1540464|title = New leader for Liberal Democrat group at Norfolk County Council|date = 20 April 2020}}</ref> He stood down as leader following the [[2021 Norfolk County Council election|2021 election]].<ref>{{cite web |author1=Stuart Anderson |title=Norfolk and Suffolk Election 2021: Lib Dem leader quits in North |url=https://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/local-council/22791398.norfolk-suffolk-election-2021-lib-dem-leader-quits-north/ |website=northnorfolknews.co.uk |publisher=North Norfolk News |access-date=16 July 2024 |date=7 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Dan Grimmer |title=Lib Dems pick new leader for Norfolk County Council group |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/local-council/20652909.lib-dems-pick-new-leader-norfolk-county-council-group/ |website=edp24.co.uk |publisher=East Anglian Daily Times |access-date=16 July 2024 |date=17 May 2021}}</ref>
In September 2022, the Liberal Democrats picked him as the [[prospective parliamentary candidate]] for [[North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|North Norfolk]] at the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lib Dems name General Election challenger in North Norfolk |url=https://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/22422196.lib-dems-name-general-election-challenger-north-norfolk/ |website=North Norfolk News|date=21 September 2022 }}</ref> He won the election, gaining the seat from the Conservatives, with 19,488 votes (41.4%) and a majority of 2,585 over the second-placed Conservative candidate. There were five candidates and a [[voter turnout|turnout]] of 66%.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001396 | title=North Norfolk - General election results 2024 | work=BBC News }}</ref>
He was elected Chair of the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] Parliamentary Party in September 2025 beating [[Anna Sabine]], who is [[Ed Davey]]'s [[parliamentary private secretary]], by 44 votes to 27.<ref name=hazle />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== <!-- *{{Official website| }} --> * {{UK MP links | parliament = 5164 | publicwhip = Steffan_Aquarone | theywork = 26491 }}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef|before=[[Duncan Baker]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|North Norfolk]]|years=[[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024]]–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{UK Liberal Democrats}} {{Current UK Liberal Democrat MPs}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aquarone, Steff}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1984 births]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Warwick]] [[Category:21st-century British businesspeople]] [[Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors]] [[Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies]] [[Category:Members of Norfolk County Council]] [[Category:People educated at Norwich School]] [[Category:People from Blickling]] [[Category:Politicians from Norfolk]] [[Category:UK councillors 2017–2021]] [[Category:UK councillors 2021–2025]] [[Category:UK MPs 2024–present]] [[Category:British businesspeople in the entertainment industry]]