Maude has had a career in parliament, as an MP and minister, spanning more than 30 years.
He was the minister for trade and investment under David Cameron from 2015 to 2016 and, before that, minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General during the 2010-2015 coalition Government.
Other previous roles include Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Shadow Foreign Secretary and chairman of the Conservative Party.
He was first elected to parliament in 1983 and was appointed to the junior ministerial job of assistant whip two years later, in Margaret Thatcher’s government. He announced he would step down as an MP before the 2015 general election and was elevated to the Lords, following the election of the Conservatives.
Maude adopted a neutral stance during the EU referendum debate and was quoted saying that both camps had made "extravagant" claims during the campaign.
Covington, which works extensively in Europe, also boasts Carl Bildt, the former prime minister of Sweden, as part of its team. Founded in Washington DC in 1919, the firm has offices across the globe and boasts on its website of having more than 120 former government officials, diplomats and regulators working for it. It does not disclose any clients on the UK's APPC, PRCA or statutory lobbying registers.
Timothy Hester, chair of Covington, said: "The results of the Brexit referendum will continue shaping the commercial and regulatory realities of the global economy for some time to come. As the world’s businesses, diplomats and regulators grapple with the new landscape across Europe and around the world, Lord Maude will be able to advise on the best way forward."
In April, Maude became a member of the advisory board of a new real estate investment company called Anvest Partners, as disclosed by a decision in June of the Government's Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.
He said: "There is no doubt that the next few years will be pivotal, not only for the future of the United Kingdom and UK businesses, but also for many European, American and international companies operating in the interconnected, global economy. Covington’s reputation in the government affairs and regulatory arena is second to none, and I am very pleased to be joining this dynamic team."
