José Manuel Barroso was President of the European Commission and, prior to that, Prime Minister of Portugal. He has been Chairman of the Board of the Gavi Vaccine Alliance since January 2021 and Chair of International Advisors at Goldman Sachs since 2024.
In his lectures and fireside chats, José Manuel Barroso analyses the current geopolitical landscape and helps the audience understand the geopolitical, economic and cultural challenges that must be addressed in order to further strengthen Europe’s global influence, create stability for citizens worldwide and foster a growth-promoting environment for multinational companies.
José Manuel Barroso’s speaking topics
- The Future of Europe: Why Europe Matters
- The New World Order: The Global Situation – the US, China and the Middle East
- Global Economic and Geopolitical Outlook
- How Can Europe Remain Competitive?
- Crisis Management and Security Policy: How Strong is Europe’s Defence?
- The Future of the European Union and European Integration
After completing his studies, José Manuel Durão Barroso (born in Lisbon in 1956) embarked on an academic career, working successively as a research assistant at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon, at the Institute of Political Science of the University of Geneva, and as a visiting professor at the Department of Government and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.). In 1995, he became Head of the Department of International Relations at Lusíada University (Lisbon).
From 1985 onwards, he was elected several times as a member of the Portuguese Parliament (Assembleia da República), where he served as Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. He held the posts, in succession, of State Secretary at the Ministry of Internal Administration, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, and Minister for Foreign Affairs.
During his tenure as Minister for Foreign Affairs, he played a key role as a mediator in the peace agreement for Angola in Bicesse (Estoril, Portugal) in 1991. He also initiated talks with the Indonesian Foreign Minister under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which ultimately led to the independence of East Timor.
From 1999 to 2004, José Manuel Barroso was leader of the PSD, the Social Democratic Party, and Vice-President of the European People’s Party. Under his leadership, the PSD won the general election in 2002 and he was appointed Prime Minister of Portugal. In 2004, he was nominated by the European Council as President of the European Commission and elected by the European Parliament for two consecutive terms.
In 2012, José Manuel Barroso received the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the EU in recognition of over 60 years of peace, reconciliation and democracy.
Following his presidency, he began giving guest lectures at the universities of Princeton and Berkeley, as well as at the universities of Geneva and Lisbon. From 2015 to 2017, José Manuel Barroso served as the first President of the UEFA Foundation for Children. In 2016, he became Chairman of the Supervisory Board and an adviser to Goldman Sachs International (GSI), where he has been Chair of International Advisors since 2024. Since 2021, Barroso has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, which aims to improve access to vaccines in low-income countries.
José Manuel Barroso holds numerous honorary titles and has received over 60 awards, prizes and honours. He is the author of numerous publications on political science, international relations and the European Union. Barroso is a committed European and a sought-after speaker. His opinions and views on Europe are just as sought after as his expertise as Chair of the Gavi Vaccine Alliance.