Leon V. Emirali | |
|---|---|
| Chief of Staff | |
| In office June 2019 –July 2020 | |
| Minister | Steve Barclay |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 4,1991 |
| Spouse | Dr Liza Emirali (married 2021-present) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Coventry University |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Website | leonemirali |
Leon Victor Emirali (born January 4,1991 [1] ) is a British entrepreneur and former political adviser. Between 2019-2020,Emirali was Chief of Staff to British cabinet minister,Steve Barclay during the Johnson premiership. [2] Since 2020,Emirali has founded businesses operating in the artificial intelligence,military,and aerospace sectors. [3] [4]
Emirali was born and raised in Bedfordshire. He attended Robert Bloomfield Middle School and Harlington Upper School. In 2012,Emirali graduated from Coventry University. [1]
Emirali's grandparents were immigrants to the United Kingdom from Ukraine and Cyprus. [1]
Lobbying
Emirali began his career as a lobbyist at a Westminster-based consultancy. [1]
Political adviser
Emirali was an external consultant to Prime Minister Theresa May on digital matters. [1] In 2018,he encouraged the Prime Minister to deploy generative artificial intelligence to communicate with voters. [5]
Emirali was appointed Chief of Staff to Steve Barclay,when Barclay served as Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union and Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Boris Johnson's premiership. [2]
Start-ups
In 2016,Emirali co-founded a digital marketing agency. In 2017,Emirali was named in PR Week's 30 under 30 list. [6] Emirali sold the business in 2019. [1]
In 2023,Emirali founded a drone charging network. In 2024,Emirali announced a partnership with West Northamptonshire Council to install charging infrastructure on council-owned property. [3]
Emirali launched an artificial intelligence company,programming AI simulations of politicians for corporate,diplomatic,and military applications. [4] [7] The company's platform has been used by diplomats from Slovenia and Spain. The business is working on developing AI simulations of Kim Jong-Un and Vladimir Putin for use by NATO allies. [8]
Emirali has called for the UK to move to a universal insurance-based healthcare model and argued in favour of privatisation of the National Health Service at a Cambridge Union debate. [2]
Emirali supports a phased ban on vaping. [1]
Emirali stood as an election candidate for the Conservative Party. [5]
Emirali lives in Bedfordshire with his wife,who is a University of Cambridge scientist. The couple has a daughter. [1]