Lord (George) Robertson is Chancellor of the University of Dundee, Vice -Patron of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. He is a Senior Counsellor with The Cohen Group (Washington DC) (under suspension during the SDR) He leads the UK Government’s Strategic Defence Review. He was the 10th Secretary General of NATO... Read more
Lord (George) Robertson is Chancellor of the University of Dundee, Vice -Patron of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. He is a Senior Counsellor with The Cohen Group (Washington DC) (under suspension during the SDR) He leads the UK Government’s Strategic Defence Review.
He was the 10th Secretary General of NATO and Chairman of the North Atlantic Council from 1999 to 2003 and UK Secretary of State for Defence from 1997-1999. He was Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland in the Shadow Cabinet from 1992-1997 and Principal Opposition Spokesman on Europe from 1983-92. He was named Joint Parliamentarian of the Year in 1992. He was Member of Parliament for Hamilton and then Hamilton South from 1978 -99 and joined the House of Lords in 1999. He became a member of His Majesty’s Privy Council in 1997.
He was born in Port Ellen, Islay of Islay, Scotland and educated at Dunoon Grammar School and Queens College, University of St Andrews when it became the University of Dundee where he chose to take his MA(Hons) Economics degree.
He is a Trustee of the British Forces Foundation, an Elder Brother of Trinity House, Chairs the Ohrid Group (friends of North Macedonia), is Senior Adviser to 5654 Consultancy (under suspension during the SDR), was a member of the House of Lords Select Committee on International Affairs and Defence, and previously served on the Constitution Committee and the Select Committee on Risk Management and Assessment. He is a Senior Adviser to Chatham House and is on the Advisory Council of the Centre for European Reform, and the International Advisory Board of the US Atlantic Council. He is Patron of the Leighton Library, Dunblane.
Former positions include Chair of the Ditchley Foundation, the FIA Foundation and of the John Smith Memorial Trust, Vice Chair of the British Council and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, a Joint President of Chatham House, a Governor of the Scottish Police College, a Board Member of the Scottish Development Agency and the Scottish Tourist Board, Trustee of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust and Hon Colonel of the London Scottish Regiment. He was a Prime Ministerial appointee to the Advisory Board of the commemorations of World War One. He co-chaired in 2019 with former French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, a Joint Kings College/Institut Montagne study on British French defence cooperation. He co-Chaired in 2008 with Paddy Ashdown, a Commission on National Security.
In the private sector he was Deputy Chair of TNK-BP (BP’s Russian Joint Venture) and Chaired its Audit Committee, was Deputy Chair of Cable and Wireless plc, and a Non-Executive Director of the Weir Group plc (where he was Senior Independent Director), the Smiths Group plc and Monaco Telecom SA. He was short-listed in the Sunday Times Non-Executive Director Awards.
He has a number of Honorary Doctorates including from Dundee, St Andrews, Bradford, Lincoln, Robert Gordon, Glasgow Caledonian, Cranfield and Stirling Universities, the European University of Armenia and the National Academies of Azerbaijan and Kyrgystan. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and a Fellow of the Royal College of Defence Studies. He is an Honorary Professor at Stirling University and Visiting Professor at Kings College, London.
He is one of the sixteen Knights of the Thistle (KT), former Chancellor and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG), and among several high international honours received, he was awarded the highest American civilian honour, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2003.
He is married to Sandra, lives in Dunblane, Scotland has three grown up children, five grandchildren and has published two books of photographs. He has qualified as a Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society.
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You can book George Robertson through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with George's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
George Robertson's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for George tailored to your event.
George Robertson speaks on Security, Society & Education. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with George to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book George Robertson for events worldwide, subject to George's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether George Robertson is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what George can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief George Robertson on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what George can offer.
George Robertson delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
George Robertson's areas of expertise include Security, Society & Education. To get a clear sense of George's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
George Robertson can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Security, Society & Education is relevant. Details of George's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what George Robertson is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with George Robertson, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check George's current availability for your dates.