Robert Madelin

Robert Madelin is a policy thinker with four decades of public policy experience in the UK administration and the EU. He is a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, and teaches in the London School of Economics’ Programme in Trade Negotiations. He authored in summer 2016: ‘Opportunity Now: Europe’s mission to innovate’.

English with Welsh roots, Robert studied at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, at Magdalen College, Oxford and at the French Ecole Nationale d’Administration. He is affiliated to the Cambridge University Centre for Science and Policy. Robert holds an Honorary Doctorate of the University of Edinburgh, and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London.

Robert joined the British Civil Service from University in 1979, and served in the European Commission 1993-2016, the last 12 years in top-level leadership. Robert has been involved in launching and concluding the Uruguay Round of trade liberalisation and creating today’s World Trade Organisation. He has been active in improving Asia-Europe relations. He has negotiated for Britain and for Europe in trade, investment and services. He has managed European Union policy and regulation for agri-food, public health and life sciences; and for research, digital technologies, media and Internet.

In 2018 he launched with Luciano Floridi and Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini AI4People Institute. The first report “AI4People’s Ethical Framework for a Good AI Socieity” was presented with Tony Blair in November 2018 at the European Parliament and underpins the regulatory process that led to the AI ​​Act, the world’s first AI regulation. In 2024 with Luciano Floridi and Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini he launched AI4People Ltd as spin-off of AI4People Institute. The new company supports governments and global business in mitigating AI risks and implementing AI ethics and AI technologies. In 2024 he was also appointed Chairman of the AI4People’s Advisory Board.