Philip Collins is ajournalist, an associate editor of Prospect magazine and Writer-in-Chief at The Draft.

Between 2000 and 2004, he was Director of the Social Market Foundation (SMF), an independent think-tank and charity, working on the intersection of markets, society, and state.

Prior to that, he spent five years as an investment banker, ending his time in the City as the top ranked equity strategist in the smaller companies sector.

Philip has also worked as a political assistant to Frank Field MP, for the Institute of Education at the University of London, and for the BBC and London Weekend Television. He served as Tony Blair’s Chief Speech Writer for five years, leaving Number 10 on the same day as the former PM and penning his last speech in office and, in a varied career, has also been a teacher.

Philip has published two novels and a number of academic books on broadcasting policy and public service reform. He also considers the power of speeches and speechmakers, looking at those that have changed the world, as in his book When They Go Low, We Go High.