Seema was born in Lancashire in 1974, daughter of an Iranian father and British mother. At six weeks old she went to live in Iran, but the family were forced to flee because of the Islamic revolution. She studied Oriental Studies (French and Persian) at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where she graduated with a First-Class Honours. After Cambridge, Seema began her career in the City, as a solicitor, before joining the family business. The firm owns commercial properties across North West England. Seema has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Ribble since May 2015. She is the first MP of Iranian descent to represent in the House of Commons. She was vice-chair of the Conservative Middle East Council, and is currently co-chair of ‘The Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness.’ Following the 2017 General Election, Seema was appointed the Parliamentary Private Secretary for the Prime Minister, Theresa May.