José Manuel Barroso Keynote Speaker

President of the European Commission (2004-14)
Prime Minister of Portugal (2002-04)
Chairman of International Advisors of Goldman Sachs - Chairman of the Board of GAVI, the vaccine Alliance.

José Manuel Barroso's Biography

José Manuel Durão Barroso was President of the European Commission during two mandates (2004-2014) and served for twelve years in the Government of Portugal in several positions including as Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

His academic appointments included visiting professor of Georgetown University and visiting professor at Princeton University. He is currently a visiting professor at the Catholic University of Portugal and at the European University Institute, School of Transnational Governance, Florence.

After being Chairman of the Board of Goldman Sachs International since 2016 , he is now Chairman of International Advisors of Goldman Sachs .

He is Chairman of the Board of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, a main players in global health, which provides services that support human and economic development.

On behalf of the European Union he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012

José Manuel Barroso has been awarded numerous honorary degrees and has received over 60 decorations, prizes and distinctions. He is the author of numerous publications on political science, international relations and the European Union, including Le système politique portugais face à l’intégration européenne (1983); Uma Certa Ideia de Europa (1999); Mudar de Modelo (2002) and Reformar: Dois Anos de Governo (2004).

He has led Europe through financial crisis and geopolitical change as President of the European Commission, working directly with heads of state, CEOs and global institutions at the highest level.
He brings unmatched insight into European regulation, global governance and geopolitics, helping leaders navigate policy risk, fragmentation and strategic uncertainty.
He translates complex political and economic dynamics into clear implications for business strategy, investment decisions and long-term planning.
His perspectives equip organisations to anticipate regulatory shifts, engage stakeholders credibly and operate with confidence in an increasingly multipolar world.