Michael Portillo brings decades of political and media experience to engaging talks on politics, security, society and global affairs.
5 of 5
Michael exceeded what was expected of him and expertly guided us through the event.
Louise Case
Welding World
Michael Portillo is a politician, journalist, broadcaster and gifted public speaker whose career has taken him from Westminster to television, radio and journalism. Drawing on years of experience at the heart of British politics and in the media industry, he delivers captivating talks on global security, globalization, employment and other important political and societal issues. Michael Portillo combines historical understanding with first-hand political experience and a broad perspective on international affairs. His background gives audiences an opportunity to explore complex questions through the eyes of someone who has experienced political decision-making at close range and subsequently built an extensive career communicating with the public.
Speaker Michael Portillo brings together an unusual breadth of experience spanning politics, journalism, broadcasting and public speaking. Born in North London in 1953, Michael grew up with a strong connection to both British and European history. His father, Luis, came to Britain as a refugee at the end of the Spanish Civil War, while his mother, Cora, was brought up in Fife. Michael later attended Cambridge, where he gained a first-class degree in History.
That academic background was followed by a career that placed him close to some of the defining political debates and personalities of his time. Today, this combination of history, political experience and media expertise provides the foundation for Michael Portillo’s talks on global security, globalization, employment and wider political and societal issues.
Audiences booking Michael Portillo can expect a speaker with extensive experience of analysing, communicating and discussing complex subjects. His career has given him perspectives from inside Parliament as well as from journalism and broadcasting, allowing him to approach political and social questions from several angles.
After leaving Cambridge in 1975, Michael Portillo spent a year working for a shipping company before joining the Conservative Research Department in 1976. He remained there for three years and, during the 1979 General Election, was responsible for briefing Margaret Thatcher ahead of her press conferences. He subsequently spent two years as special adviser to the Secretary of State for Energy.
From 1981 to 1983, Michael worked for Kerr McGee Oil (UK) Ltd and contested the Birmingham Perry Barr seat at the 1983 Election. He later returned to politics as special adviser to Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson.
In December 1984, Michael won the Enfield Southgate by-election, which followed the murder of Sir Anthony Berry MP in the Brighton bombing. He represented the constituency for thirteen years before being defeated in the 1997 Election.
Michael Portillo returned to Parliament in November 1999 after winning a by-election in Kensington and Chelsea. From February 2000 until September 2001, he served as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. Following the Conservatives’ election defeat in 2001, he contested the leadership of the party unsuccessfully. He ultimately left the House of Commons in 2005.
This substantial political career gives Michael Portillo first-hand knowledge of political leadership, government, elections and economic debate, providing valuable context for his keynotes on the forces shaping societies and international affairs.
Following his electoral defeat in 1997, Michael Portillo returned to Kerr McGee as an adviser while developing a new career in journalism and broadcasting. His writing included accounts of walking as a pilgrim on the Santiago Way and working as a hospital porter, and he also wrote a weekly column for The Scotsman.
His broadcasting work quickly expanded. For Channel 4, he presented the three-part political series Portillo’s Progress. He also appeared in BBC2’s Great Railway Journeys in a programme that was partly a biography of his late father. His radio work included programmes exploring Wagner and the Spanish Civil War.
Michael went on to make numerous programmes for BBC2, covering subjects ranging from history and politics to science and natural history. These included Art that Shook the World: Richard Wagner’s Ring, Portillo in Euroland, a programme about Elizabeth I for the Great Britons series, When Michael Portillo Became a Single Mum, the natural history programme Portillo Goes Wild in Spain and The Science of Killing for Horizon.
In 2003, he began presenting the weekly BBC1 political discussion programme This Week alongside Andrew Neil and Diane Abbott MP. From 2004, Michael also became a frequent columnist for The Sunday Times, while serving as theatre critic for The New Statesman between 2004 and 2006. In 2008, he chaired the judges of the Man Booker Prize.
Michael Portillo’s career has continued to demonstrate his ability to communicate history, politics and society to broad audiences. In 2009 and 2010, he made 45 half-hour programmes for Great British Railway Journeys, further establishing his profile as a broadcaster able to bring history, people and places vividly to life.
His experience also extends to international and corporate organisations. Michael is a member of the International Commission on Missing Persons in the former Yugoslavia, an organisation involved in the identification of massacre victims, under the chairmanship of Jim Kimsey. He sat on the Board of BAE Systems plc from 2002 to 2006 and joined the board of the Kerr McGee Corporation in 2006.
These roles add further dimensions to his understanding of international affairs, organisations and global challenges, complementing the political experience developed during his years in Westminster.
Book speaker Michael Portillo when you want an experienced political figure and communicator who can address relevant political and societal questions with insight and perspective. His speaking topics draw on a career encompassing government, Parliament, business, journalism, television and international affairs.
His keynote subjects include:
Michael Portillo’s strength as a speaker lies in the depth and variety of experience behind his observations. From briefing Margaret Thatcher and advising senior government figures to serving in Parliament, writing for major publications and presenting television programmes, he has spent decades both participating in public life and interpreting it for others.
A keynote with Michael Portillo gives audiences access to that breadth of perspective. For conferences, corporate events and organisations seeking an engaging speaker on politics, global affairs, security, globalization, employment and society, Michael Portillo offers informed commentary grounded in an exceptional career across politics and the media.
5 of 5
Michael exceeded what was expected of him and expertly guided us through the event.
Louise Case Welding World
