The Rt Hon Mark Field

Biography

Mark Field was previously Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 13 June 2017 to 25 July 2019. Mark also took interim responsibilities for the Middle East and North Africa from March until May 2019.

He was first elected as the Conservative MP for the Cities of London and Westminster in 2001.

Education

Mark was educated at Reading School (a direct grant grammar school), St Edmund Hall, Oxford, and the College of Law, Chester.

Political career

Mark served on the Intelligence and Security Committee from September 2010 until March 2015. He was made a Privy Counsellor in March 2015 in recognition of his service on this demanding, sensitive parliamentary committee.

Throughout the 2015 to 2017 Parliament he served as the Vice Chairman (International Affairs) of the Conservative Party, a role which included extensive diplomatic contact and work alongside senior figures in sister parties across the world.

He has led parliamentary delegations to China, Japan, India, Bangladesh and the United States and has also visited many Middle Eastern states and European countries.

Previously he served on the front bench between 2003 and 2006 as an Opposition Whip, Shadow Minister for London, Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Shadow Culture Minister.

Career outside politics

Mark trained as a solicitor with City law firm, Richards Butler and then joined Freshfields where he spent two years as a corporate lawyer.

After working with a specialist legal recruiter, he set up Kellyfield Consulting in November 1994. Following his election to Parliament he divested himself of his interest in this company to a consortium of investors led by his former business partner.

His first book ‘Between the Crashes’, a collection of his contemporary writings and speeches on the economic crisis since 2008, was published in 2013.  It was followed up in 2016 by ‘The Best of Times’, an assessment of British politics, economics and foreign affairs between 2013 and 2015.

Personal life

Mark and his wife Victoria have 2 children. His interests include cricket, football, London local history and urban walking.