Tim Sebastian Keynote Speaker

First presenter of BBC HardTalk, current affairs programme (1997-2005)
BAFTA award winning reporter & journalist
Founder and Moderator of New Arab Debates (2011) & the Doha Debates (2004)

Tim Sebastian's Biography

Tim Sebastian is a veteran award winning journalist and international affairs expert. Tim’s passion for debate and open dialogue led him to found a number of highly successful debating programmes that maintain extensive global television audiences.

In 2004 he founded The Doha Debates, aimed at promoting free speech in the region. From Qatar the program emphasises contemporary issues of vital importance to the Arab and Islamic world. In 2011 he followed this success launching the New Arab debates in Cairo and Tunis.

Tim Sebastian is perhaps best known for being the first host of the BBC’s flagship interview programme HARDtalk from 1997 to 2005.

Prior to this Tim worked extensively as a reporter in a number of BBC posts, including: Eastern Europe correspondent (1979-82), Moscow correspondent (1984-89) and Washington correspondent (2004-12).

Tim’s work has won him many high accolades and awards. Recipient of an Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) award for best specialist genre: Doha Debates (2010); twice recipient of the Royal Television Societies ‘best interviewer of the year’ (2000 & 2001) and the 1984 winner of the “Richard Dimbleby Award” at BAFTA.