Available to book
Rory Stewart
Rory Stewart helps leaders make sense of geopolitical risk, from AI and strategic autonomy to diplomacy and global governance. Former UK Secretary of State, Yale professor of grand strategy, and co-host of The Rest Is Politics with Alastair Campbell.
Rory Stewart combines political leadership, international diplomacy, and cultural exploration to offer distinctive insight into global governance and cross-cultural understanding. He bridges academic knowledge with practical experience, having worked in conflict zones, led humanitarian initiatives, and held senior political office.
Rory served as Member of Parliament for Penrith and The Border from 2010 to 2019 and was an independent candidate for Mayor of London. During his time in government, he was Secretary of State for International Development, Minister of State for Africa, Minister for the Environment and Rural Affairs, and the youngest ever Chair of the Defence Select Committee. His earlier diplomatic career saw him posted to Indonesia, Montenegro, and Iraq, where he was Deputy-Governor of two provinces after the 2003 intervention. Beyond politics, he founded and led the Turquoise Mountain Foundation in Kabul, revitalising historic districts, establishing schools and clinics, and promoting Afghan crafts internationally.
Rory is the author of six books, including three international bestsellers and his newest release, Middleland: Dispatches from the Borders (2025). He has presented three BBC television documentaries and written for leading journals including the New York Review of Books, the London Review of Books, and the Times Literary Supplement. He co-hosts The Rest Is Politics, one of the UK's leading podcasts, with Alastair Campbell, where they analyse global events and political challenges. In January 2024, he became the inaugural Brady-Johnson Professor of the Practice of Grand Strategy at Yale University's Jackson School of Global Affairs.
Rory helps organisations navigate complex geopolitical landscapes by drawing on his experience in conflict zones, diplomatic missions, and parliamentary politics. He's increasingly focused on how AI is reshaping that landscape, from the race between nations for strategic autonomy to public anxiety over data centres and regulation, and what it means for the technology and business decisions leaders are making now. His storytelling approach makes complex geopolitical concepts accessible and applicable.
Book Rory Stewart for an uncommon blend of political insight, cultural intelligence, and practical wisdom that transforms how organisations approach global challenges.
Topics, sessions and talks
Rory Stewart argues that today's institutions were built for a world of open trade, peace, and prosperity that no longer exists, and that AI is speeding up the shift to one shaped by sovereignty. He looks at the push for strategic autonomy as supply chains close, the contest for AI power between companies and nations, and the knock-on effects for the economy, defence, and public services. Leaders come away with a clearer read on the geopolitical risk behind their technology decisions.
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frequently asked questions
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To book Rory Stewart, email rory.stewart@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Rory's availability and speaking fee. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and about your audience.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.
The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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