Dinner & Talk Durão Barroso

José Manuel Durão Barroso is widely regarded as one of the most influential Portuguese political figures of recent decades, with a career defined by leadership at the national, European, and global levels.

Over the course of his distinguished career, he has held several key positions, including Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, where he gained international recognition for his role in mediating the Angolan peace process, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, during which his tenure was marked by the start of direct talks with Indonesia that would eventually lead to the independence of East Timor.

In 2002, he was elected Prime Minister of Portugal, and in 2004 he assumed the role of President of the European Commission. He was the first Portuguese national to hold such a high-ranking international position, serving two consecutive terms until 2014. During his time at the European Commission, Durão Barroso was involved in key moments in the European Union’s recent history, including its enlargement and the management of the 2008 global financial crisis. On behalf of the European Union, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. After his European mandates, he went on to work in academia, the private sector, and international organizations such as GAVI, the Global Alliance for Vaccines, which he chaired until December 2025.

He currently serves as President of the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD), remaining an influential figure in global political and economic debates.

In this exclusive conversation, moderated by renowned television host Daniel Oliveira, topics such as politics, leadership, global vision, responsibility, and the ability to positively influence the world will be explored.