José Manuel Durão Barroso was President of the European Commission and was previously Prime Minister of Portugal. Since January 2021 he is Board Chair of Gavi, the vaccine Alliance and since 2024 Chair of International Advisors of Goldman Sachs. After university, Barroso (*1956 in Lisbon) embarked on an academic career, working successively as a teaching assistant on the Law Faculty of the University of Lisbon, in the Department of Political Science of the University of Geneva, and as a visiting professor at the Department of Government and School of Foreign Service in Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.). In 1995, he became head of the international relations department of Lusíada University (Lisbon). Since 1985 ee was elected member of the Portuguese Parliament (Assembleia da República) several times and served as Chairman of its Committee on Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. He was successively State Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Administration, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation and Minister for Foreign Affairs. During his tenure he played a key role as mediator of the peace accords for Angola in Bicesse (Estoril, Portugal) in 1991. He also launched the talks with the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, under the auspices of the Secretary General of the United Nations which ultimately led to the independence of East Timor. Between 1999 and 2004 Mr Barroso was President of the PSD, Social Democratic Party, and Vice President of the European People's Party. Under his leadership, the PSD won the general election in 2002 and he was appointed Prime Minister of Portugal. He remained in office until July 2004 when he was nominated by the European Council and elected by the European Parliament to the post of President of the European Commission for two terms. In 2012 José Manuel Barroso received the Nobel Peace Prize, on behalf of the EU, in recognition of over 60 years of peace, reconciliation and democracy. After his presidency he has started to give guest lectures at Princeton and Berkeley Universities as well as at the Universities of Geneva and Lisbon. From 2015 to 2017 José Manuel Durão Barroso was the first President of the UEFA-Foundation for Children. In 2016 he became Non-Executive Chairman of Goldman Sachs International and Advisor to Goldman Sachs. Since 2024 he is Chair of International Advisors of Goldman Sachs. Since 2021 José Manuel Barroso is Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Gavi is a public–private global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to immunization in poor countries, supporting the immunization of almost half the world's children. He has been awarded numerous honorary degrees and has received over 60 decorations, prizes and distinctions. He is the author of numerous publications on political science, international relations and the European Union. Mr Barroso is a dedicated European and a much sought-after keynote speaker. His opinion and views on Europe are as much in great demand as his expertise as Board Chair of Gavi, the vaccine Alliance.