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Intro

The Lisbon Conference

The Lisbon Conference is a leading international forum that will take place on 16 June at the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, under the curatorship of Dr. José Manuel Durão Barroso, former President of the European Commission and former Prime Minister of Portugal.

The conference will bring together political leaders and globally recognised thought leaders to discuss the present and future of transatlantic relations, at a time when the international landscape is being reshaped by profound geopolitical, technological and institutional transformations. Featured speakers include Rishi Sunak, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, José María Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain, Theresa May, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, and Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, among many other distinguished participants.

Under the theme “Transition or Rupture?”, the event offers a high‑level, pluralistic forum to examine whether the changes underway represent a gradual evolution or a structural break in the international order.

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Curator

José Manuel Durão Barroso

José Manuel Durão Barroso is former President of the European Commission where he completed two mandates between 2004 and 2014.

He’s a former Prime Minister of Portugal where he served and served for twelve years including in the positions of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Secretary of State for Home Affairs.

His academic appointments include Visiting Professor at Georgetown University, Princeton University and the Graduate lnstitute for International Studies in Geneva. He is currently a visiting professor at the Catholic University of Portugal (Director of its Centre of European Studies) and at the European University Institute, School of Transnational Governance, Florence.

He’s also nonresident scholar at Princeton University, where is a member of the Advisory Council of the Liechtenstein Institute. José Manuel Durão Barroso graduated in Law from the University of Lisbon and completed a Master’s degree in Political Science at the University of Geneva and other postgraduate degrees in European Studies. He is currently Chairman of International Advisors at Goldman Sachs, Chairman of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Chairman of the Board of Directors of FLAD, the Luso-American Development Foundation.

Program

The Lisbon Conference

16 Jun 2026
Hotel Four Seasons Ritz, Lisboa

Schedule

*This programme is provisional and subject to change.

09:00 | Reception of guests

09:30 | Welcome Session

Luís Santana, CEO, Medialivre

9:50 | Institutional Openness

Carlos Moedas, Mayor, Lisbon City Council

10:10 | Opening Session

José Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission; Former Prime Minister of Portugal

10:30 | European Politics and Defence

Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space
José María Aznar, Former Prime Minister of Spain
Theresa May, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Mikuláš Dzrinda, Former Prime Minister of Slovakia; President of the Wilfred Martens Center
Moderation: José Manuel Durão Barroso, Former President of the European Commission; Former Prime Minister of Portugal

11:45 | Major Global Geopolitical Challenges

Mary Kissel, Former Advisor to the U.S. Department of State and Advisor to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Brian Wong, Assistant Professor of Philosophy (HKU-100) at the University of Hong Kong (HKU)
João Vale de Almeida, Former Ambassador of the European Union to the United States Moderation: Germano Almeida, Commentator, NOW

12:30 | Lunch
14:30 | AI and New Technologies

Ricardo Mendes, CEO, Tekever
Sam Gyimah, Former Joint Minister for Higher Education at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the UK Department for Education
Brian Wong, Assistant Professor of Philosophy (HKU-100) at the University of Hong Kong (HKU)
Moderation: Cristina Fonseca, Portuguese Businesswoman and Angel Investor

15:30 | Development and Global Justice

Kailash Satyarthi, Indian Activist and Nobel Peace Prize 2014
Elhadj As Sy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kofi Annan Foundation
Stefania Giannini, Former Minister of Education of Italy
Moderation: Viviane Onano, African Activist and Social Entrepreneur

16:30 | Coffee Break

16:45 | European Economy

Álvaro Santos Pereira, Governor of the Bank of Portugal
Klaus Regling, Director-General of the European Stability Mechanism
Phil Hogan, Former European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development and Former European Commissioner for Trade
Valentino Valentini, Italian Deputy Minister for the Economy and Made in Italy
Moderation: José Barreto, Partner at Goldman Sachs

17:30 | Entrepreneurs Panel

Ana Figueiredo, CEO, MEO*
António Valle, General-Director, Turism Portugal
Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade, CEO, EDP*
Paulo Macedo, CEO, Caixa Geral de Depósitos*
Rogério Campos Henriques, CEO, Fidelidade*
Moderation: Rosália Amorim, Brand, Marketing & Communications Director da EY

18:15 | Closing Session