Nick Clegg secretly briefed wealthy investors at his glamourous French neighbour's dinner Lib Dem leader spoke at private dinner hosted by rising City star Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe grew up near Clegg family chateaux in France By Simon Walters And Glen Owen Nick Clegg held a secret meeting with a group of super-rich investors hosted by a glamorous French fund manager who was brought up near the Clegg family chateau in Bordeaux. The Deputy Prime Minister spoke at the private dinner hosted by Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe, a rising City star who handles more than £2 billion of funds on behalf of her "ultra-high net worth" clients. Last night, neither Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe, the 35-year-old chief executive of Signia Wealth, or Mr Clegg would disclose details about the event, which took place recently at an undisclosed venue. Nick Clegg held a secret meeting with a group of investors hosted by a glamourous French fund manager Such elite "private briefings" are usually restricted to investors who have placed a minimum of £10 million in funds with the company. Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe grew up on the family vineyard in Saint-Emilion where Chateau Destieux Grand Cru wine is produced. Mr Clegg's banker father owns a ten-bedroom chateau a few miles away in Bordeaux, which is often used by the Liberal Democrat leader and his family for holidays. Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe who hosted the secret briefing Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe, who left France as an 18-year-old to study at Cambridge University, has had a meteoric career in the City, founding the Coutts Private Office - whose clients include the Queen - before establishing Signia three years ago with the backing of leading City figures such as venture capitalist Jon Moulton and Fitness First founder Michael Balfour. She has boasted that she attends business-related breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day of the week at top London restaurants. She also takes groups of clients on trips to Bordeaux, where her father owns three chateaux. Mr Clegg's father Nicholas, a 76-year-old banker, allows his son to use the family chateau in Curac, near Bordeaux, as an idyllic summer escape for his family. The house is approached by a long, straight drive that leads to two sets of iron gates. It has an outdoor pool, four-car garage and spacious outbuildings. Last night, Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: "Nick Clegg markets himself as a champion of the poor, but this sort of secret briefing for investors will beg plenty of questions among Lib Dem voters. I doubt he was discussing plans for a chateau tax. Mr Clegg last week called for a £1 billion tax break for the low-paid to be introduced in time for the 2015 General Election. He claimed Britain's recovering economy meant the income tax personal allowance could be raised from £10,000 to £10,500 in April 2015. The move was regarded with suspicion by Conservatives, who saw it as an attempt by Mr Clegg to claim credit for the recovery and "ambush" the PM who was out of the country at the time. Chateau Destieux in Bordeaux, where Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe grew up Last night, a Signia Wealth spokesman said that Mr Clegg had spoken to its clients on a "personal, no-fee basis." Asked if he had done it as a favour because Mr Clegg and Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe's families were friendly through their Bordeaux connection, the spokesman added: "We don't see the nature of their relationship as relevant." A spokeswoman for Mr Clegg declined to give details of the dinner but said it was the first time he had met Mrs Dauriac-Stoebe. She added: "Nick Clegg speaks at a large number of events including public speeches, radio phone-ins and private dinners. This was one of the latter.