Lord Mark Malloch-Brown

Mark Malloch-Brown served as United Nations’ Deputy Secretary General, Vice Chairman of the Soros investment funds and the World Economic Forum. He was also the Prime Minister’s envoy for the London G20 Summit, and Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Africa and Asia – with a seat in the Cabinet. He has a remarkable breadth of leadership experience and insight across international politics, investment and development.

Originally a journalist at The Economist, Mark switched to a field role with the UNHCR before joining a political communications consultancy – working closely with democratic opposition leaders in Chile and the Philippines. He helped both to overthrow dictatorships. Then, after five years as World Bank Vice President for External Affairs,Mark returned to the United Nations to head the Development Programme, with offices and programmes in more than 150 countries. He ultimately became Chief of Staff and then Deputy to Kofi Annan. For several years he ran the full gamut of UN activities around the world from politics to peacekeeping and diplomacy. This made him the Chief Operating Officer of a several hundred thousand person organisation. 

Mark has since served on the boards of George Soros’ investment funds and the little known but hugely influential Open Society Foundation. He is now Chairman (EMEA) of FTI Consulting, advising on macro and enterprise risks across the world.

Mark explores the opportunities and challenges for private sector interests in both emerging and ‘frontier’ markets. He examines the link between business and development, the tensions that can be created by economic progress and political uncertainty from the Middle East to the South China Seas. His messages resonate across all industry sectors, from agriculture and energy to technology and retail.