Vicky Ford was elected a Member of the European Parliament in 2009. Until recently she was the Conservative spokesman on Economic and Monetary Affairs. She remains a substitute member of this committee. This autumn she has taken up her new role as Conservative Party Spokesman for the European Parliament on Industry and Research on the ITRE committee, which also includes work on energy.
This year Vicky has been the rapporteur for the Parliament's report on offshore oil and gas safety and the fiscal framework directive (part of the economic governance "six-pack"). In addition, she is shadow rapporteur for the European Conservatives and Reformist Group (ECR) on the energy efficiency directive and all research funding matters, as well as the capital requirements directive, deposit guarantee schemes and the credit agreements relating to residential property directive.
Vicky is a passionate supporter of British Industry and stood as the Conservative candidate in Birmingham Northfield, the home of MG Rover, which collapsed during the 2005 general election. In 1997, she was a major contributor to the Conservative Party's review of UK taxation "the Tax Reform Commission".
Before becoming an MEP Vicky was a local councillor, and an active campaigner on a wide range of issues. Prior to becoming involved in politics, Vicky was a managing director of a major international bank. Most of her 14-year career in banking was with JP Morgan. She has been involved in raising money for infrastructure, including roads, railways, telecommunications and electricity networks across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. She worked with many of Europe's largest companies as well as advising national governments and central banks.
Vicky studied maths and economics at Trinity College, Cambridge, where she met her husband Hugo, who is a cancer consultant at Addenbrookes, West Suffolk and Papworth Hospitals. Vicky is widely known and liked for her energetic and lively approach to everything she gets involved in. Her hobbies include fly fishing, gardening and riding. She plays the piano and clarinet as well as singing in a local choir.