A former President of the UN Security Council and Distinguished Fellow at the National University of Singapore, Kishore Mahbubani is one of the world’s foremost voices on Asia’s rise, global geopolitics and the future of the international order.... Read more
The West has sleepwalked into its downfall | Kishore Mahbubani
Why the West is running a smear campaign against China | Kishore Mahbubani
How the West can adapt to a rising Asia | Kishore Mahbubani
In diplomacy, he was with the Singapore Foreign Service for 33 years (1971 to 2004). He had postings in Cambodia, Malaysia, Washington DC and New York, where he twice was Singapore’s Ambassador to the UN and served as President of the UN Security Council in January 2001 and May 2002. He was Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Ministry from 1993 to 1998. As a result of his excellent performance in his diplomatic career, he was conferred the Public Administration Medal (Gold) by the Singapore Government in 1998.
Mr Mahbubani joined academia in 2004, when he was appointed the Founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY School), NUS. He was Dean from 2004 to 2017, and a Professor in the Practice of Public Policy from 2006 to 2019. In April 2019, he was elected as an honorary international member to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, which has honoured distinguished thinkers, including several of America’s founding fathers, since 1780. In 2026, he was appointed as a Distinguished Guest Professor at the Institute for Social and Cultural Research of Macau University of Science and Technology.
Mr Mahbubani was awarded the President’s Scholarship in 1967. He graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Philosophy from the University of Singapore in 1971. From Dalhousie University, Canada, he received a Master’s degree in Philosophy in 1976 and an honorary doctorate in 1995. He spent a year as a fellow at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University from 1991 to 1992.
He has achieved several “firsts” in his two careers. He was the Founding Dean of the LKY School, the founding Director of the Civil Service College, the first Singapore Ambassador to serve on the UN Security Council, the first Singaporean to publish articles in globally renowned journals and newspapers like Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The New York Times and the Financial Times and co-authored articles with distinguished global thought leaders like Kofi Annan and Larry Summers. Mr Mahbubani has never shied away from taking on new challenges.
He is also a prolific author, having published ten books: Can Asians Think?; Beyond the Age of Innocence; The New Asian Hemisphere; The Great Convergence; Can Singapore Survive?; The ASEAN Miracle (co-authored with Jeffery Sng); Has the West Lost It?; Has China Won?; The Asian 21st Century, an open access book which has received over 4 million downloads; and his memoir, Living the Asian Century.
Mr Mahbubani has received significant international recognition for his many accomplishments. The Foreign Policy Association Medal was awarded to him in New York in June 2004. He was listed as one of the top 100 public intellectuals in the world by Foreign Policy and Prospect magazines in September 2005, and included in the March 2009 Financial Times list of Top 50 individuals who would shape the debate on the future of capitalism. He was selected as one of Foreign Policy’s Top Global Thinkers in 2010 and 2011 and was described as “the muse of the Asian century”. He was selected by Prospect magazine as one of the top 50 world thinkers for 2014.
Mr Mahbubani is currently helming the Asian Peace Programme (APP) at the Asia Research Institute at NUS, which he founded in 2020. The APP works with scholars, policymakers, practitioners and other experts around the world to develop and share practical ideas on how to protect peace in Asia.
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You can book Kishore Mahbubani through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Kishore's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Kishore Mahbubani'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 Kishore tailored to your event.
Kishore Mahbubani speaks on Asia, Economics, Economics & Finance, Emerging Markets, Future. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Kishore to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Kishore Mahbubani for events worldwide, subject to Kishore'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 Kishore Mahbubani 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 Kishore can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Kishore Mahbubani 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 Kishore can offer.
Kishore Mahbubani 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.
Kishore Mahbubani's areas of expertise include Asia, Economics, Economics & Finance, Emerging Markets, Future. To get a clear sense of Kishore'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.
Kishore Mahbubani can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Asia, Economics, Economics & Finance, Emerging Markets, Future is relevant. Details of Kishore'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 Kishore Mahbubani 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 Kishore Mahbubani, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Kishore's current availability for your dates.