Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller LG, DCB, FRSFormer Director General of MI5 and Chair of the Wellcome Trust

Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller LG, DCB, FRS, is a distinguished leader who served as the Director General of the UK Security Service (MI5) from 2002 to 2007. During her tenure, she steered the organisation through a period of substantial expansion and heightened scrutiny following 9/11 and the 7/7 London attacks. Her extensive career within the security services included pivotal roles in Washington during the first Gulf War and leading operations related to counter-terrorism, surveillance, and technical collection. Following her time in intelligence, she chaired the Wellcome Trust from 2015 to 2021, overseeing the UK's largest charitable funder of medical research and helping to establish the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Beyond her primary executive roles, Baroness Manningham-Buller has held several prestigious positions, including the presidency of Chatham House and the chair of the Council at Imperial College London. A Fellow of the Royal Society and a crossbench peer, she is also known for her contribution to public discourse through the BBC Reith Lectures, titled Securing Freedom, which she later published as a book. Her experience spans the management of existential threats, from international terrorism to global health emergencies, providing her with a unique perspective on the intersection of organisational success and societal safety. Audiences book Baroness Manningham-Buller for her unrivalled expertise in leading through periods of extreme pressure and unpredictability. She offers profound reflections on the necessity of diverse priorities, the importance of praising teams, and the value of clear communication when navigating complex global risks. On stage, Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller LG, DCB, FRS is best known for talks on Change Management, Risk & Risk Management and Leadership. 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. Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller LG, DCB, FRS is regularly booked for Business Speaker and Conference Speaker, 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, Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller LG, DCB, FRS travels internationally for engagements. 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 Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller LG, DCB, FRS would approach your audience.