Ben Gummer
A former Conservative MP who pivoted from politics to become a key advisor at McKinsey and a voice on government reform.
Born 1978 (age 48)·British businessman and former politician·Birthday: February 19·Generation X
Biography
Ben Gummer entered Parliament in 2010 as the MP for Ipswich, bringing a sharp intellect honed at Cambridge and a family background in politics—his father was a cabinet minister. His tenure was marked by a rapid rise, culminating in his appointment as Paymaster General. Gummer's political career, however, was cut short by the 2017 election. Rather than retreat, he executed a striking reinvention, moving into high-level consultancy. He now operates at the intersection of business and public policy as a senior adviser at McKinsey & Company and a partner in a property development firm. His continued engagement with governance is formalized as a visiting fellow at Oxford's Blavatnik School, where he shapes conversations on effective statecraft for a new generation.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ben was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ben Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Ben's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Member of Parliament for Ipswich from 2010 to 2017.
- Appointed Paymaster General in 2016, a key Treasury ministerial role.
- Authored a seminal independent review of building regulations after the Grenfell Tower fire.
- Became a senior adviser to global consultancy McKinsey & Company after leaving politics.
Did You Know?
His father, John Gummer, was a long-serving Conservative MP and Cabinet minister.
He studied history at Peterhouse, Cambridge.
He co-founded the publishing company Ipswich Arts Festival Ltd.
“Politics is the art of the possible, but governing is the craft of the practical.”
