The Rt Hon Lord Robertson KT, GCMG, HonFRSE, PC

The Rt Hon Lord Robertson KT, GCMG, HonFRSE, PC was the tenth Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, between 1999 and 2004. He served as UK Defence Secretary from 1997 to 1999. He is Advisor to BP plc. 

After a ten-year tenure as full time official for the General, Municipal and Boilermakers’ Union, he became an MP for Hamilton and Hamilton South. He was made Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Social Services in 1979.

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This was followed by positions as opposition spokesman on Defence from 1980 to 1981; Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 1981 to 1993 and principle spokesperson on European Affairs from 1984 to 1993.

He was Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland from 1993 to 1997.

Lord Robertson served as Vice-Chairman of the British Council from 1985 to 1994. In 1993 he was named joint Parliamentarian of the Year for his role during the Maastricht Treaty ratification.

He has been Deputy Chairman of Cable & Wireless plc and a Non-Executive Director of Weir Group, Smiths Group, Monaco Telecom and Western Ferries. He is Vice-Chairman of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Chairman of the FIA Foundation.

He has received honours from many countries including the US Presidential Medal of Freedom. He is one of the 16 Knights of the Thistle and Chancellor of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Lord Robertson served two terms as a President of Chatham House until summer 2011.