Gesine Schwan is a German political science professor and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. Born in Berlin on 22 May 1943, Gesine was baptized in the Roman Catholic faith. During the Third Reich dictatorship her parents were members of the passive resistance offering protection to a... Read more
Gesine Schwan is a German political science professor and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.
Born in Berlin on 22 May 1943, Gesine was baptized in the Roman Catholic faith. During the Third Reich dictatorship her parents were members of the passive resistance offering protection to a Jewish girl by hiding her. After World War II, the family engaged actively in the reconciliation of Polish–German relations.
Gesine Schwan belongs to the German tradition of social democratic opposition to Karl Marx’s theories. In September 1974, she was one of the founding members of the Seeheimer Kreis, a conservative think tank within the SPD.
Since 2002, she has presided over the German-Polish Forum together with Janusz Reiter. In November 2004, the German government under Gerhard Schröder appointed her to the newly created office of the co-ordinator for cooperation with Poland (her counterpart on the Polish side was then Irena Lipowicz). She retained this position when the government changed and became headed by Christian Democrat Angela Merkel. In February 2009, she criticized Schröder for being too uncritical towards Vladimir Putin and too insensitive about Polish concerns about closer German-Russian ties.
On 23 May 2004, Gesine Schwan was the SPD candidate for the German presidential election. She received 589 votes in the Bundesversammlung (Federal Assembly) but was defeated by Horst Köhler who won 604 votes from the 1205 delegates. On 26 May 2008, SPD chairman Kurt Beck announced Schwan’s renewed nomination for the upcoming presidential elections in 2009. Once again she competed with Horst Köhler, who announced his repeated candidacy on 22 May 2008. In the event Köhler was re-elected to a second term over Schwan.
On 15 September 2010, Gesine Schwan supported the new initiative Spinelli Group in the European Parliament, which was founded to reinvigorate the strive for federalisation of the European Union (EU). Other prominent supporters are: Jacques Delors, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Guy Verhofstadt, Jo Leinen, Andrew Duff, and Elmar Brok.
Tell us about your event, one of our consultants will reach out within 24 hours.
You can book Gesine Schwan through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Gesine's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Gesine Schwan'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 Gesine tailored to your event.
Gesine Schwan speaks on a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Gesine to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Gesine Schwan for events worldwide, subject to Gesine'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 Gesine Schwan 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 Gesine can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Gesine Schwan 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 Gesine can offer.
Gesine Schwan delivers keynotes in German. 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.
Gesine Schwan's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Gesine'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.
Gesine Schwan can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in a range of business, leadership and industry subjects is relevant. Details of Gesine'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 Gesine Schwan 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 Gesine Schwan, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Gesine's current availability for your dates.