Chancellor George Osborne, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and former Labour minister Peter Mandelson are among the attendees at this year’s Bilderberg conference, which kicks off today and runs until Sunday. Around 140 people from 22 countries have confirmed their attendance at the conference, which brings together senior politicians, business leaders and academics from around the world.
Economic Voice reports that this year delegates will discuss topics such as the economic recovery, privacy, intelligence sharing, democracy, Europe, China, Ukraine, the Middle East and new technology.
The conference was originally set up so world leaders could come together and discuss issues candidly. Its highly secretive nature inevitably draws attention, putting it at the centre of various conspiracy theories.
Senior delegates include Christine Lagarde, managing director of the IMF, former Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, the Queen of Spain and Beatrix, former Queen of the Netherlands.
The British delegates at this year’s conference are:
- Marcus Agius, Non-Executive Chairman PA Consulting Group
- Helen Alexander, Chairman UBM plc
- Ed Balls, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Sherard Cowper-Coles, Senior Adviser to the Group Chairman and Group CEO HSBC Holdings plc
- Robert Dudley, Group Chief Executive BP plc
- Douglas J. Flint, Group Chairman HSBC Holdings plc
- Justine Greening, Secretary of State for International Development
- John Kerr, Deputy Chairman Scottish Power
- Peter Mandelson, Chairman Global Counsel LLP
- John Micklethwait, Editor-in-Chief The Economist
- George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer
- John Sawers, Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service
- Martin H. Wolf, Chief Economics Commentator The Financial Times