Jose Manuel BarrosoFormer Commission President and Portuguese Prime Minister

José Manuel Barroso is a profound figure in global governance, having served for a decade as the President of the European Commission. During his two terms, he navigated the Union through significant milestones, including the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon, the expansion into Eastern Europe, and the management of the global financial crisis. Before his time in Brussels, he served as the Prime Minister of Portugal, where he was credited with managing the national deficit and playing a pivotal role in international diplomacy concerning the Iraq conflict. His political career is built upon a distinguished academic foundation in international affairs and law, with tenure at the Universities of Lisbon and Geneva. As a diplomat, he was instrumental in brokering the armistice that ended the 25-year Angolan civil war and supported the independence movement for East Timor. Since concluding his presidency at the Commission, he has maintained his influence in both the private sector and academia, holding the position of non-executive chairman at Goldman Sachs International and teaching at institutions such as Princeton University. With a career defined by high-stakes negotiation and the integration of the single market, he offers unparalleled expertise in the complexities of the European Union. Audiences book him for his deep understanding of the geopolitical landscape and his unique perspective on the future of international relations. On stage, Jose Manuel Barroso 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. Jose Manuel Barroso is regularly booked for Business Speaker, adapting tone, length and format to suit the event — from a 20-minute opener to a full conference keynote with Q&A. 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 Jose Manuel Barroso would approach your audience.