A key part of Andrea Leadsom’s pitch as she tries to become the UK’s Prime Minister is that her high-flying career in financial services qualifies her for the job. One of her leading supporters said to me the other day that she had “got to the top” in the City, a claim that is at the least worthy of scrutiny. This is a serious business. The next Prime Minister is being chosen.

Robert Stephens, a retired financial services professional based in Edinburgh, wrote a piece for Reaction yesterday, in which he cast doubt on Leadsom’s claims of seniority and the assertions made on her behalf by her supporters. He was at Perpetual/Invesco Perpetual throughout her tenure, and was recently in touch with Leadsom urging her to amend her Who’s Who entry.

The Times today took the story forward.

“The Times can also reveal that in her previous job, at an investment fund run by her brother-in-law, Mrs Leadsom was registered as the marketing director. The MP claimed to hold the role of managing director at De Putron Fund Management Ltd from 1997 to 1999. Documents at Companies House, however, show that she was registered as its marketing director and worked there for 13 months from 1998.”

Team Leadsom has now provided a CV, which I publish in full below.

A spokesman for Andrea Leadsom said: “It is both surprising and disappointing that The Times based a significant part of a Leading Article on a single, uncorroborated, letter without giving Mrs Leadsom the opportunity to respond to the allegations made in that letter. Her CV, which we will be publishing later this morning, comprehensively disproves the letter’s assertions.”

Andrea Leadsom – CV

1984 – 85   Canadian / Chinese Corporate Finance Company: Junior Support
1985 – 87 EF Hutton: Trainee Broker, London Metals Exchange
1987 – 97 BZW / Barclays

  • BZW – Sterling Commercial Paper
  • Barclays – Treasury, Sydney
  • BZW – Swaps
  • Barclays – managing investment banks business
  • Barclays – Deputy Financial Institutions Director, managing global banking network
  • Barclays – Project Director, preparing bank for the Euro (including payments and cheques)

1997 – 99   De Putron Fund Management: Managing Director
1999 – 2009 Invesco Perpetual: Senior Investment Officer and Head of Corporate Governance