Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit Auckland in December to attend a speaking event hosted by financial company General Capital.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit Auckland in December to attend a speaking event hosted by financial company General Capital.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit Auckland in December to attend a speaking event hosted by financial company General Capital.
Following the release of his memoir Unleashed, Johnson will share stories, during the four-hour event on December 3, from his time in power as foreign secretary and then Prime Minister.
The 60-year-old last visited New Zealand in 2017 in his role as foreign secretary, where he described the country as “the most mind-blowingly, mind-numbingly beautiful country”.
“I am sure the good people of New Zealand will not hesitate to hammer me with some excellent questions, and I’m up for answering them all,” he said.
“If you want to know what it was like to make big decisions about Brexit and Covid, or have difficult conversations with Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, or Donald Trump — then come along.”
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is set to provide the opening address, while broadcasters Kerre Woodham and Paul Henry will be the emcee and moderator for the evening.
The event will be hosted by Duco Events and General Capital.
Duco Events founder David Higgins said the event was the “must-attend lunch of the year”.
“It’s a rare opportunity to hear from a key player, at the centre of so many major global events.
“Boris Johnson’s unique blend of intelligence and humour will make for an unforgettable afternoon. We can’t wait to see how it unfolds. And without the generous support of Brent King and General Capital this event would not have been possible.”
General Capital and General Finance managing director Brent King said Johnson would bring valuable insights to the event, in a world where political discourse has become deeply divided.
“The chance to have frank, open dialogue that honestly confronts world events is important. You will not leave wondering what he thinks,” he said.
“We are very proud to support this event, knowing that the discussions will be lively and could well divide the audience. We’re okay with this — we value diverse perspectives and positions. The key is to be informed and also, to have a laugh.”
