Stephen Sackur is a renowned English journalist, and the award-winning presenter of HARDtalk, BBC World News’ flagship current affairs interview programme. He has been a journalist with BBC News since 1986, as BBC European, Washington, Middle East and Foreign Correspondent. He is widely respected as an outstanding interviewer and moderator,... Read more
Stephen Sackur is a renowned English journalist, and the award-winning presenter of HARDtalk, BBC World News’ flagship current affairs interview programme. He has been a journalist with BBC News since 1986, as BBC European, Washington, Middle East and Foreign Correspondent.
He is widely respected as an outstanding interviewer and moderator, with a superb knowledge of current affairs, and an affable, yet no nonsense style. Capable of getting right to the heart of the matter of a vast range of subjects and issues, Sackur is among the finest of presenters. He was awarded the ‘International TV Personality of the Year Award’ by the Association of International Broadcasters in 2010, and nominated as ‘Speech Broadcaster of the Year’ at the Sony Radio Awards 2013.
Since becoming presenter of HARDtalk in 2004, he has interviewed prominent international personalities, including former US vice-president Al Gore, President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Shimon Peres, Mahmoud Abbas, and a host of other leaders and politicians from around the world. He has also interviewed leading cultural figures including Gore Vidal, Richard Dawkins, and Noam Chomsky.
As a BBC journalist, prior to presenting HARDtalk, Sackur covered many of the pivotal news events of recent history. He was the BBC’s European Correspondent for 3 years, during which he covered the Madrid terrorist attacks in 2004, and the EU expansion. As the BBC’s Washington Correspondent 1997-2001 he interviewed President George W. Bush, covered the 2000 US Presidential Elections, and the Clinton scandal. He was the BBC Middle East Correspondent (1992-1997), covering the peace process, the assassination of the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the emergence of the Palestinian Authority under the late Yasser Arafat. In 1990 he was part of the BBC’s team of correspondents covering the Gulf War, and the first correspondent to break the story of the mass killing on the Basra road out of Kuwait City, marking the end of the war. He travelled back to Iraq just after the downfall of Saddam Hussein, and filed the first television reports on Iraq’s mass graves.
He has contributed countless articles to The Observer, The London Review of Books, New Statesman, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph. In 1991 he wrote ‘On the Basra Road’. Sackur studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
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You can book Stephen Sackur through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Stephen's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Stephen Sackur'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 Stephen tailored to your event.
Stephen Sackur 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 Stephen to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Stephen Sackur for events worldwide, subject to Stephen'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 Stephen Sackur 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 Stephen can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Stephen Sackur 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 Stephen can offer.
Stephen Sackur 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.
Stephen Sackur's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Stephen'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.
Stephen Sackur 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 Stephen'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 Stephen Sackur 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 Stephen Sackur, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Stephen's current availability for your dates.