Geopolitical Speakers

Justin Webb

Before he joined the Today programme Justin was the BBC’s first North America Editor. He also co-hosts the BBC podcast Americast, and writes about the USA for the Times. In his speeches on US affairs, he ranges from Joe Biden’s administration back through Trump to Obama, who he interviewed during his time on the election trail. He talks about leadership and leaders in the UK and US, with stories from behind the scenes at Today and in the corridors of power. 

Linda Yueh

Director of Oxford University’s China Growth Centre, Dr Yueh is a regular media commentator on all the major economies and the global issues affecting them. She has advised the World Bank, the European Commission, the World Economic Forum, amongst others and has written a number of academic and popular economics books.

Professor Stephen Chan

A leading authority on international politics and relations, particularly involving China, Africa and the West, Stephen advises governments, businesses and NGOs around the world. He's advised the Foreign Office, and worked with the State Council of the Chinese Prime Minister. He served as a member of the Africa-China-US Trilateral Dialogue to establish trading rules and is widely credited with greatly contributing to the understanding of international politics in general, and African politics in particular.

Bronwen Maddox

The ex-Wall Street and City analyst joined The Times as US Editor before taking over as CEO of Prospect magazine and Director of the Institute for Government. Now head of the world renowned Chatham House think tank, Bronwen helps business and policy makers navigate the geopolitical waters. As well as analysing the trends shaping anything from finance to defence, she explores how to govern a divided country and how to solve the big problems besetting Western democracies.

Robert Guest

Robert is The Economist’s Deputy Editor. Previously he was US editor, business editor, Washington correspondent and Lexington columnist covering American news and politics.

Hon Julia Gillard

As Prime Minister of Australia, Julia revamped education at every level, expanded access to healthcare across all ages and oversaw major investment into telecoms and broadband infrastructure. She is now Chair of the Wellcome Trust, the world’s second largest charitable funder of medical research into improving human health. Julia draws on her time in office to cover lessons on leadership, diplomacy, gender equality and mental health, while also highlighting the Trust’s work in combating climate change and preventing the spread of infectious disease.

Sir John Sawers

Before becoming Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service Sir John worked around the world in diplomatic and security postings, including spells as the Foreign Office‘s Desk Officer in the EU Department, Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Tony Blair, and British Permanent Representative at the UN. His time at MI6 was marked by leading a service whose reputation had been damaged by the Iraq war and the Snowden affair, whilst also charged with tackling new technological and ideological threats.

Tom Fletcher

Tom served as Britain’s youngest ambassador, in the Middle East, then penned Naked Diplomacy: Power & statecraft in the digital age. Now on the Global Tech Panel, he sets out three geopolitical trends, five lessons from history and questions that every organisation must urgently address. “Two thirds of today’s young people are likely to work in jobs that do not yet exist.”

Helle Thorning-Schmidt

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.

Soumaya Keynes

Soumaya is economics columnist at the FT, and analyses monetary and fiscal policy. She was previously Britain economics editor and co-host of the Money Talks podcast at The Economic, and a Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal studies.

Brett Bruen

Having served as a diplomat and foreign service officer for the US State Department, Brett was appointed to the White House as Director of Global Engagement under the Obama administration. With a wide-ranging view on political and diplomatic relations around the world, as well as America's role internationally, he now considers the key issues any organisation needs to prepare for. Additionally he looks at how to plan for the unexpected, the effects of policy shifts, what effective leadership looks like, and how to assess risk whether it's cybersecurity, ethics, or market fluctuations.

Jean-Claude Juncker

After becoming the EU's longest-serving head of goverment as Prime Minister of Luxembourg for 18 years, Jean-Claude Junker was elected President of the European Commission. A key figure in the Maastricht Treaty and the euro, he led the Union's executive body during one of its most eventful periods, encompassing challenges such as the refugee crisis and, most notably, the UK's departure from the EU.

Lord (Kim) Darroch

Kim’s diplomatic career spanned over forty years, primarily focusing on national security issues and European policy. Now retired from his career as a UK Civil Servant, he is the Chair at the cross-party advocacy group Best for Britain.

Professor Ngaire Woods

Economist Ngaire is the Founding Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government and Professor of Global Economic Governance at Oxford University.

Anne Applebaum

Anne is a staff writer for The Atlantic and a Pulitzer-prize winning historian. A Washington Post columnist for fifteen years and a former member of the editorial board, she has also worked as the foreign and deputy editor of the Spectator, and as the political editor of the Evening Standard. Her book, The Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism, considers why some of Anne’s contemporaries have abandoned liberal democratic ideals in favour of strongman cults, nationalist movements, or one-party states.