Gavin Esler - Speaker

Gavin Esler is a former BBC broadcaster, journalist, and author. He served as the BBC’s North American Correspondent for eight years, based in Washington, where he reported extensively during the Clinton presidency. Gavin has hosted various programmes, including Dateline London and Hardtalk, and left the BBC in 2018 to pursue freelance work.

He is the presenter of the award-winning podcast The Big Steal, which focuses on Vladimir Putin. He has received multiple accolades, including a Royal Television Society award and a Sony Gold award. His current podcast series, This is Not a Drill, addresses global stability issues from Ukraine to China. Gavin has authored five novels and four non-fiction books, including How Britain Ends and Lessons From The Top.

Lessons from the Top draws on Gavin’s interviews with numerous world leaders, such as Bill Clinton and Angela Merkel, examining how effective leaders use storytelling to influence and inspire change. He frequently shares these insights with business and public sector leaders.

In addition to his broadcasting career, Gavin has reported from diverse locations, including China, Cuba, and Iran. He has also been a visiting lecturer at various institutions and organisations, including the British military. After two terms as Chancellor of the University of Kent, he stepped down in 2024.

In How Britain Ends, Gavin explores the future of the United Kingdom, questioning what it means to be British in the 21st century. He discusses the potential for the UK to reinvent itself or face dissolution, considering the implications of nationalism and interdependence. Through literature and culture, he examines whether a federal structure could preserve the union or if internal divisions would lead to its end.