Featuring The Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH

In conversation with Dr. Peter Abbott OBE, British Consul-General

Registration for this event is now closed. If you'd like to be added to our wait-list or have questions, please contact Kelly Neagle at kelly.neagle@nehgs.org or call 617-226-1215. 

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Sir John Major, Statesman and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1990-1997, who will address a wide range of topics, including international events, the Good Friday Peace Accords, his family history, and more.

Dress code: cocktail attire.

No cell phones please. 

Sir John entered the British Parliament in 1979 and joined Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet in 1987. Between 1989–1990 he served as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He became Prime Minister in November 1990 and, in 1992, led the Conservative Party to an unprecedented fourth term in office.

As Prime Minister, Sir John focused his efforts upon securing peace in Northern Ireland and upholding Britain’s position in the world community as a political, social, and economic leader. He was Prime Minister throughout the first Gulf War and, at home, instigated long-term reforms in education, health, and public services. On leaving office in 1997, he handed over the strongest economy any incoming UK Government had inherited.

Sir John retired from Parliament at the UK General Election in May 2001. His business interests include Chairman of the Advisory Board of Global Infrastructure Management. He is President Emeritus of Chatham House; and Patron or President of a number of UK and international charities. In October 2011, he was appointed Chairman of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, a Commonwealth-wide initiative which was established to create a lasting legacy to Her Majesty’s 60 years as Sovereign.

In 1999, Sir John was awarded the Companion of Honour by Her Late Majesty The Queen, in recognition of his initiation of the Northern Ireland Peace Process.

In 2005, Her Late Majesty The Queen appointed him a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, England’s highest award for chivalry. In 2012, he was awarded The Grand Cordon of The Rising Sun by The Emperor of Japan 

In Conversation With

Dr. Peter Abbott has been a member of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service since 2005. Before becoming British Consul General to New England in 2010, he served as Counsellor at the British High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan, with operational oversight of the largest mission in the UK's overseas diplomatic network. 

Earlier in his career, Peter was Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Lisbon. Before being posted to Portugal, Peter covered West Africa, with a particular focus on the emerging threat of terrorism and instability in Mali and the sahel. Prior to this, he led the Government's review of the UK counter-radicalisation strategy, Prevent, based in the Office for Security and Counter-terrorism at the Home Office. This followed a posting to the British Embassy in Washington where he was Private Secretary to the Ambassador, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, from 2008-2010. 

Before joining the FCDO, Peter lived, studied, and worked in the United States, including interning in the office of Dennis Hastert when he was Speaker of the US House of Representatives and working on Arianna Huffington’s 2003 gubernatorial campaign in California.

Peter holds a double first class honours degree from the University of Cambridge as well as a PhD in Greek Tragedy. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year Honours List for services to British Foreign Policy. He is married with three children. 

Platinum Benefactor

Brady Brim-DeForest
Thomas Bailey Hagen

Silver Benefactors

Bruce and Patricia Bartlett
Cheryl L. Edwards
Peter and Brantley Knowles
Helen E.R. Sayles
Herbert D. Simons
Jonathan Buck Treat and Leslie Aitken
Tawny Welch

Bronze Benefactors

David H. Burnham
Lea Sinclair Filson
Stefani and Ray Operacz