Sayeeda Warsi

Britain's First Muslim Government Minister

Sayeeda Warsi

Britain's First Muslim Government Minister

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi is a lawyer, author, business woman and member of the House of Lords. She was Britain's first Muslim Cabinet Minister; Chairman of the Conservative party 2010-12 and a Minister at the Foreign Office 2010-14. Daughter of an immigrant mill worker, Warsi rose to become an Advisor to the Leader of the Conservative Party, Michael Howard, in 2004, the youngest peer in the House of Lords, aged 36, in 2007 and Britain’s first Muslim Cabinet Minister in 2010. The iconic images of her in 2010 on the steps of No 10 Downing Street in a shalwar kameez (a traditional ethnic outfit) were beamed around the world as she was appointed as Chairman of the Conservative Party – the first Asian to chair a major British political party. In 2012, Warsi was made Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister for Faith and Communities. In Government she led the campaign to ensure that Britain became the first western country to issue a Sukuk (Islamic bond), which was issued in 2014. She also Chaired the Global Islamic Finance & Investment Group.A campaigner on equalities and religious freedom she travelled to Sudan in 2007 and famously helped to secure the release of the British teacher Gillian Gibbons who was on trial for blasphemy. Warsi has been a major driver of four start-up businesses; two in the service sector and two in manufacturing, all of which developed into vibrant and successful SMEs. She is the Pro Vice Chancellor at the University of Bolton, a Visiting Professor at St Marys, an advisor at Georgetown University Washington D.C as well as a member of the International Advisory Board on FORB, University of Notre Dame. She is Co Presenter of the political reality show Make Me Prime Minister as well as being a regular TV presenter, commentator, and documentary maker. Sayeeda Warsi is the Founder of the Savayra Foundation UK, a women’s empowerment charity with a focus on social mobility and gender equality.

About Sayeeda Warsi

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi is a lawyer, author, business woman and member of the House of Lords. She was Britain's first Muslim Cabinet Minister; Chairman of the Conservative party 2010-12 and a Minister at the Foreign Office 2010-14.

Daughter of an immigrant mill worker, Warsi rose to become an Advisor to the Leader of the Conservative Party, Michael Howard, in 2004, the youngest peer in the House of Lords, aged 36, in 2007 and Britain’s first Muslim Cabinet Minister in 2010. The iconic images of her in 2010 on the steps of No 10 Downing Street in a shalwar kameez (a traditional ethnic outfit) were beamed around the world as she was appointed as Chairman of the Conservative Party – the first Asian to chair a major British political party. In 2012, Warsi was made Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister for Faith and Communities. In Government she led the campaign to ensure that Britain became the first western country to issue a Sukuk (Islamic bond), which was issued in 2014. She also Chaired the Global Islamic Finance & Investment Group.A campaigner on equalities and religious freedom she travelled to Sudan in 2007 and famously helped to secure the release of the British teacher Gillian Gibbons who was on trial for blasphemy.

Warsi has been a major driver of four start-up businesses; two in the service sector and two in manufacturing, all of which developed into vibrant and successful SMEs. She is the Pro Vice Chancellor at the University of Bolton, a Visiting Professor at St Marys, an advisor at Georgetown University Washington D.C as well as a member of the International Advisory Board on FORB, University of Notre Dame.
She is Co Presenter of the political reality show Make Me Prime Minister as well as being a regular TV presenter, commentator, and documentary maker. Sayeeda Warsi is the Founder of the Savayra Foundation UK, a women’s empowerment charity with a focus on social mobility and gender equality.

Topics

  • Brexit & Europe
  • Supply Chain
  • CSR
  • Women - Empowerment

Books

  • The Enemy Within: A Tale of Muslim Britain, 2017