John KampfnerLead Director at Chatham House and Renowned Foreign Correspondent

John Kampfner is a distinguished journalist, author, and policy expert currently serving as Executive Director of the UK in the World project at Chatham House. His career began as a foreign correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, where he reported on the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He later transitioned to high-profile roles including Chief Political Correspondent for the Financial Times and Editor of the New Statesman, where he achieved record-breaking circulation levels and was named Current Affairs Editor of the Year. Beyond his editorial success, John has produced acclaimed documentary work for the BBC, winning the Foreign Press Association's Journalist of the Year award for his investigation into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is a prolific author whose titles include the bestseller Blair’s Wars and the Orwell Prize-shortlisted Freedom For Sale. His deep expertise in European affairs is further evidenced by his bestselling work Why the Germans Do It Better and his previous roles as a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and founder of the Creative Industries Federation. Fluent in both Russian and German, John remains a prominent commentator for The Times and the BBC on international relations and the arts. As a speaker, he provides audiences with a sophisticated understanding of global geopolitics and cultural shifts, drawing on decades of experience at the forefront of international reporting and policy analysis. On stage, John Kampfner is best known for talks on Politics & Geopolitics. Audiences leave with a clear, practical view of the subject rather than a generic overview — every keynote is shaped around the brief and the room. Their work resonates with leaders across Arts & Culture, Education, Media & Broadcasting and Politics & Government, where the themes translate directly into team decisions, customer experience and growth strategy. John Kampfner is regularly booked for Conference Speaker and Presenter & Awards Host, adapting tone, length and format to suit the event — from a 20-minute opener to a full conference keynote with Q&A. Based in UK, John Kampfner travels internationally for engagements and can present in German and Russian as well as English. To check availability or request a tailored brief for your event, send an enquiry and we'll come back with fees, dates and a short summary of how John Kampfner would approach your audience.