Speakers
The Rt Hon Michael Portillo
Journalist, broadcaster and former politician, Michael is a natural raconteur and ideal choice for both hosting corporate events and as a witty after dinner speaker.
After dinner speaker, Michael Portillo, is much in demand for corporate events.
His father was a refugee from the Spanish Civil War who met Michael’s Scottish mother and evacuated to Britain from the conflict. Michael attended a London grammar school and then Cambridge where he took a First in History.
Michael joined the Conservative Party Research Department shortly after graduating. He served as ministerial special adviser in the first Thatcher government. Michael entered the House of Commons in 1984, was defeated in 1997 and was elected afresh between 2000 – 05. He was a minister for 11 years and held 3 cabinet posts including Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Secretary of State for Defence.
Since leaving Parliament he has focused on broadcasting. He appears on the weekly BBC1 show This Week and he is a regular on Radio 4’s The Moral Maze. His many documentaries for radio and television have covered music, history, wildlife and politics. Michael has also presented the highly successful BBC2 series Great British Railway Journeys.
He chaired the Man Booker fiction prize in 2008 and is president of Debra, a charity helping the victims of a disfiguring hereditary skin condition called EB.
After dinner speaker Michael Portillo is also an accomplished event host. Feedback includes:
“Michael hit the spot with our very diverse partner base.” Allen & Overy
