Former NI Secretary of State ‘thrilled' with new job away from politics

Belfast Telegraph

2 days ago

Mr Heaton-Harris first entered politics when he became a member of the European Parliament in 1999.
A self-described 'fierce Eurosceptic', he served in Brussels before standing down in 2009.
The following year he entered the House of Commons in what was his third attempt to win a seat.
He served for a time as the Government's chief whip, Minister of State for Transport and Minister of State for Europe.
Mr Heaton-Harris also chaired the European Research Group, a Eurosceptic group of Conservative MPs.
He garnered controversy in 2017 when he wrote to UK universities, asking for the names of professors who taught courses on Brexit.
When Liz Truss became Prime Minister in September 2022, the MP for Daventry was elevated to the post of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, a role he retained under Rishi Sunak when he entered 10 Downing Street in October 2022.
The post has long be seen as one of the less glamorous Cabinet positions.
Mr Heaton-Harris was not without his critics during his time as Northern Ireland Secretary, with much of his tenure covering a period when the Executive was down.
He was frequently accused of kicking the can down the road when it came to efforts to get Stormont back up and running, calling an election, and cutting MLA pay.
He chose not to stand for re-election in last July's General Election and, since leaving office, launched Oak Communications, a consultancy firm offering 'straightforward insight in a changing world'.
It is understood Mr Heaton-Harris, a licensed football referee, also unsuccessfully applied to chair the new Independent Football Regulator in November 2024.
Now the former MP has added another job to his CV by joining M2 Recovery as a senior advisor.
According to the company's website, the firm's team 'comprises seasoned professionals with decades of combined experience in cybersecurity, blockchain technology, and financial services'.
'Collectively, we have many decades of experience working with the highest-profile clients on the most complex cases involving insurance, crypto asset recoveries, and crypto legal expenses insurance,' the website reads.
Mr Heaton-Harris said he was 'thrilled' to join the firm. 'In my years as an MP, I dealt with many constituents devastated by the impact of fraud and witnessed the evolution of digital threats facing consumers,' he said.
'M2 Recovery's pioneering approach to restoring trust in the crypto space is exactly what this moment demands and I'm excited to be contributing to the company's rapid growth and continued success.'
Neil Holloway, founder of M2 Recovery, said: 'Chris's unparalleled governance experience, from challenging financial malfeasance in Europe to steering critical political negotiations, aligns perfectly with our ethos of accountability.
'This will strengthen our ability to protect victims of increasingly personalised crypto scams, ensuring M2 Recovery remains at the vanguard of this vital sector.'