Graydon joins us to tell of how he made his mark as one of society’s most talented editors and shapers of culture, having arrived in New York from Canada with little more than a suitcase.  At Vanity Fair he assembled one of the best-ever stables of writers and photographers under one roof, cementing its place as the epicentre of art, culture, business and politics. Charming, candid and brimming with humour, he perfectly captures the last golden age of print magazines from the inside out.

Christophe and Karen will be joining us to share their insights into the economic and geopolitical landscape in the US and Europe, including the latest developments on Trump 2.0, tariffs, AI, and private capital.

Sir John is Executive Chairman of Newbridge Advisory, which he founded in 2019 to advise corporate leaders on geopolitics and political risk. He is also a non-executive director of BP. Sir John has 36 years’ experience in diplomacy and intelligence, culminating in five years as Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) from 2009 to 2014. Prior to leading MI6 he was the UK’s Ambassador to the United Nations (2007-2009), Political Director of the Foreign Office (2003-2007), Special Representative in Iraq (2003), Ambassador to Cairo (2001-2003) and Foreign Policy Adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair (1999-2001). In his earlier career he worked overseas in Yemen, Syria, South Africa and Washington, and at home was involved in policy on the EU, Russia and the Middle East.

Thorold is the former Editor for Europe, Middle East and Africa at the Wall Street Journal. He was also the Journal’s masthead editor overseeing all global events and live journalism, including the CEO Council franchise. His live interviews have included Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Christine Lagarde, Rishi Sunak, David Attenborough, Satya Nadella, Ana Botin, Ryan Reynolds, Antony Blinken, Olaf Sholz. Before joining the Wall Street Journal in 2008, to recreate the paper’s Heard on the Street Column, he was U.S. Lex Editor for the Financial Times in New York. Thorold started his career as a strategy consultant at Bain & Co and has a degree in Modern Languages from Trinity College Cambridge.

Is Britain a minor player, marginalised by our departure from the EU and dwarfed by the rise of new economies? Or is there a major role for us to play in a rapidly changing international order? With rising global tensions and superpower competition, the UK’s role matters. Jeremy Hunt, reflecting on his diplomatic career, explores whether Britain should retreat or champion freedom and democracy in an uncertain future.

In collaboration with How To Academy.

Doug will join us to expand on his goals for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), and how he plans to create a regulatory environment that encourages the greatest possible level of business investment whilst respecting the absolute importance of healthy competition and strong consumer protection.

Join us for a private curator led tour of the V&A’s new exhibition, Cartier. A major exhibition featuring more than 350 objects, including precious jewels, historic gemstones, iconic watches and clocks, that chart the evolution of Cartier’s legacy of art, design and craftsmanship since the turn of the 20th century.

Please note the timing of this event: 9-10am.