Helle Thorning-Schmidt Hannah Paludan Kristensen

Fee Band


After serving as an MEP, Helle led the Social Democrats for a decade, and served as Denmark’s first woman Prime Minister. After leaving Danish politics she led the international humanitarian charity Save the Children. As well as advising many international bodies and NGOs she is a co-chair of Facebook's Oversight Board which leads reviews into the company's content policy.


Biography

Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the former CEO of Save the Children International and a former prime minister of Denmark. She was her country’s first woman PM before leading one of the world’s largest humanitarian charities.

After studying political science and European policy and administration, Helle joined the European Parliament, and was later elected as an MEP. After five years she moved to domestic politics and, following a general election defeat for her party the Social Democrats, was elected party leader. Over the following years she turned around the fortunes of the Social Democrats and after six years in charge was elected as Denmark’s first woman prime minister. She and her government navigated difficult national concerns around immigration, military intervention, and economics, particularly in the years immediately after the financial crisis. She steered her party to a second general election victory before leaving her post.

Helle joined Save the Children International, the global charity that supports children and young people in economically deprived areas, and in the aftermath of disasters and war. She took charge of the 25,000-person organisation and balanced policy, strategy, advocacy and on-the-ground fact-finding before leaving the charity in its centenary year.

As well as acting as an advisor or board member for a wide range of international organisations involved in equality and development, Helle has served on the European Council for Foreign Relations, the International Crisis Group, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, and the Atlantic Council. She is also a co-chair of the Facebook Oversight Board, the independent body charged with reviewing the social media giant's moderation and content policies.

Contact

We’re on hand to help you find the perfect speaker, presenter or performer for your events. Call or email our London office and use our agents' experience to expertly match you with the right person for your programme!


From time to time we send out emails announcing new speakers and free tickets to our showcase events including Speakers Breakfasts and the JLA Real Variety Show. Please tick the box below if you would like to receive these emails.

Don't miss anything!

We will never share the data you submit here with a third party. Information is stored in a database in order to service your enquiry, but is deleted once it is no longer required. You may request to have this data removed at any time.

JLA Presents


Event - 30/04/2024 - 9:00 am

Speakers Breakfast

Understanding AI Now

Speakers
Priya Lakhani and Anne-Marie Imafidon

We were joined at 87 Barts Close by three brilliant speakers on a panel that delved into the complex world of Artificial Intelligence. Over the hour our panellists de-mystified AI, speaking about AI’s immense promise for enhancing our lives, alongside the apprehension it has generated regarding job security, privacy infringement, and ethical considerations.

Location

87 Barts Close, 87 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1A 7EB

WATCH

Event - 06/02/2024 - 9:00 am

Speakers Breakfast

Looking Ahead to International Women’s Day

Speakers
Samira Ahmed, Eniola Aluko, Julia Gillard, and Alex Mahon

We were joined by four fantastic speakers to look ahead at International Women’s Day. With the theme of this year’s event being #InspireInclusion, we were lucky enough to hear from four women who have each blazed a trail in their respective fields: CEO of Channel 4, Alex Mahon; the former Australian Prime Minister and Chair of Kings’ Global Institute of Women’s Leadership, Julia Gillard; one of the leading voices in football, Eniola Aluko MBE; and broadcaster and journalist, Samira Ahmed.

Location

Bishopsgate Institute, London

WATCH