Kwasi Kwarteng, the former chancellor dismissed after 38 days following his disastrous 2022 mini-budget for Liz Truss, has been hired as a keynote speaker by an advisory firm offering services to help the super-rich pay less tax.
Nomad Capitalist, which bills itself as the “masters of international mobility”, lists the second shortest-serving postwar incumbent of 11 Downing Street as one of the star attractions at its annual conference, which will take place in September in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
A promotional video for the event, which promises to share with delegates “actionable strategies on taxes, second citizenships, asset protection and global investments”, opens with the words: “It’s a really powerful experience to come together for an event like this all in the name of freedom.”
Other speakers include Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple, and the investigative journalist Glenn Greenwald.
When approached by the Guardian, Kwarteng said: “I’m just giving a talk there. I have nothing else to say,” before adding: “I’m not an MP, I’m not an office holder, I’m a private citizen and I’ve been asked to speak at this thing. Make of it what you will.”
The former chancellor would not reveal how much he was charging to appear in Malaysia. The event includes a programme of speakers and networking functions during a four-day gathering marketed as “the world’s number one event for global citizens”.
He said: “It’s a classic kind of Guardian thing [to report on]. Multimillionaires, libertarians all that kind of stuff. It is just a private thing, someone asked me to do it and I’m doing it.”
When the Reform UK party leader, Nigel Farage, spoke at last year’s Nomad Capitalist conference, he declared to parliament that he had earned £40,075 for the 10-hour job.
The event programme states that Kwarteng will be talking about “the impact of global political decisions on international business and investment”. His 2022 tax-cutting mini-budget was widely criticised for triggering a financial crisis that led to emergency bond purchases by the Bank of England; it also hit the pockets of ordinary people.
The group’s promotional material says: “When millionaires, digital celebrities, and successful founders seek to lower their taxes and create an international Plan B, they turn to the masters of international mobility – Nomad Capitalist.
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“We specialise in legally and ethically reducing your tax rate, diversifying and safeguarding your assets, growing your passport portfolio, and maximizing freedom.”
A spokesperson for Nomad Capitalist said: “We can confirm that Kwasi Kwarteng is scheduled to speak at Nomad Capitalist Live 2025 in Kuala Lumpur this September. As with all our speakers, Mr Kwarteng has been invited to share his insights on global economic trends and the future of international mobility.
“Nomad Capitalist Live brings together a diverse group of leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals to discuss legal, ethical strategies for global citizenship, tax efficiency, and asset protection. The event is designed to explore ideas around freedom, mobility, and global investment – not to promote any one political agenda.”