Francis Maude was Minister of State for Trade and Investment from 11 May 2015 to 11 April 2016. Francis was previously Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General from May 2010 to May 2015.

Francis studied at the University of Cambridge and The College of Law, specialising in criminal law.

Francis was the Conservative MP for Horsham, West Sussex, from 1997 to 2015. He has held several government posts, including Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 1990 to 1992 and Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1989 to 1990.

He was Chairman of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2007. Among other roles, he was Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office from 2007 to 2010 and Shadow Foreign Secretary from 2000 to 2001.

After a career at the criminal bar between 1977 and 1985, he served as a councillor for the City of Westminster for 6 years. His other jobs outside politics have included being a non-executive director of ASDA Group, director at Salomon Brothers and managing director of Morgan Stanley.