Will Tanner founded Onward, having established the organisation with Neil O’Brien MP, Danny Finkelstein, Martyn Rose and Nick Faith in May 2018. He was Director of Onward from it’s inception to November 2022. He then went on to be Deputy Chief of Staff in Number 10 Downing St until May 2024.

As Director, he authored a number of influential policy reports, including: The Politics of Belonging (2019); The Policies of Belonging (2021); No Turning Back (2020); The State of our Social Fabric (2020) and State of the Union (2021).

Before Onward, Will advised Prime Minister Theresa May between 2013 and 2017, as a Special Adviser in the Home Office and as Deputy Head of Policy in 10 Downing Street. He has also previously worked for the leading communications firm, Portland Communications, and for the independent thinktank, Reform.