Haiyan Wang
Managing Partner, China India Institute | Thinkers50 Hall of Fame 2024 | Adjunct Professor of Strategy, INSEAD | Co-author, 3 Books
Michael Reid
Former Americas Editor, The Economist | Author of Forgotten Continent, Brazil & Spain (Yale) | Visiting Professor, LSE | Leading Latin America Analyst
Michael Reid is one of the world's foremost analysts of Latin America and Iberian affairs. As The Economist's Americas Editor and longtime Bello columnist, he interpreted the region for global readers across three decades, and his Yale books on Latin America, Brazil, and Spain are widely respected. On stage, he moves audiences beyond the headlines to grasp the institutions, politics, and power that shape where the region is really headed.
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Michael Reid biography
Global affairs speaker Michael Reid is one of the world’s most authoritative interpreters of Latin America and its place in the world. An English journalist, author, and commentator, he spent more than three decades at The Economist, where he shaped global understanding of the Americas and Iberia during years of profound political and economic change.
Reid joined The Economist in 1990 and served as its Americas Editor from 1999 to 2013, overseeing coverage of Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada. He later became a senior editor and writer-at-large for the region, writing the influential Bello column on Latin America and serving as the magazine’s Spain correspondent before stepping down in 2023. His career began in the 1980s in Lima, reporting on the Andean countries for The Guardian and the BBC, followed by correspondent postings across Brazil, Mexico, and Central America.
Author, Analyst, and Trusted Voice
Reid is the author of several influential books published by Yale University Press, including Forgotten Continent: A History of the New Latin America, Brazil: The Troubled Rise of a Global Power, and Spain: The Trials and Triumphs of a Modern European Country. In 2023 he was appointed a visiting professor at the London School of Economics, where he focuses on politics, democracy, and international relations, and he serves on the advisory council of Spain’s Elcano Royal Institute. His reporting earned the Maria Moors Cabot Prize and Brazil’s Order of the Southern Cross, and he has testified before both the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee.
As a speaker, Michael Reid helps audiences move beyond the headlines to understand why the Americas and Iberia evolve as they do. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, he combines long-range historical perspective with sharp analysis of institutions, democracy, and power, offering leaders a clear-eyed reading of where the region is constrained and where real opportunity lies. Business, academic, and public-policy audiences value his independence, depth, and refusal to settle for easy answers.
Michael Reid Speaking Videos
Brazil: The Troubled Rise of a Global Power by Michael Reid
Michael Reid: “Latin America Is Never Simply a Disaster”
Michael Reid Keynote Topics
Drawing on his book Forgotten Continent, Reid examines the structural forces that have repeatedly held back Latin America's development. He unpacks the roles of institutions, inequality, and political incentives, explaining why reform proves so difficult even in moments of optimism and growth.
A clear-eyed look at Brazil's long-term prospects and the gap between its potential and its performance. Reid explains how politics and institutions shape the country's economy, and what Brazil's trajectory means for global markets, geopolitics, and the wider region.
A sober reading of relations between Washington and the region, shaped by US domestic politics, migration, trade, and security. Reid explains why Latin America often matters less to the United States than its leaders assume, and what that means for both sides.
Why democratic systems across the region are under strain. Reid analyzes populism, eroding public trust, weak institutions, and executive overreach, and explains what these pressures mean for stability, investment, and long-term governance.
Drawing on decades of reporting and analysis, this talk looks ahead to the next decade. Reid outlines how global fragmentation, technology, demographics and geopolitical rivalry will shape Latin America’s options, risks and opportunities, and what leaders should realistically expect from the region in the years ahead.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Michael Reid
Why Michael Reid?
Booking Michael Reid brings one of the world's most respected authorities on Latin America to your stage. For over three decades at The Economist, including as its Americas Editor, he interpreted the region's politics and economics for a global readership, and his Yale University Press books are standard references on Latin America, Brazil, and Spain. Reid offers audiences rare independence and historical depth, cutting through headlines to explain why the region behaves as it does and where real risks and opportunities lie. For events on global affairs, geopolitics, emerging markets, and Latin American or Iberian strategy, few speakers match his authority. Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you bring Michael Reid to your next event; complete our contact form to check his availability.
What is Michael Reid known for?
Michael Reid is known as one of the leading international analysts and commentators on Latin America and Iberian affairs. He served as The Economist's Americas Editor from 1999 to 2013 and later wrote its Bello column on Latin America. He is also the author of widely read books published by Yale University Press, including Forgotten Continent, Brazil: The Troubled Rise of a Global Power, and Spain: The Trials and Triumphs of a Modern European Country.
What books has Michael Reid written?
Michael Reid has written several influential books on Latin America and Spain, all published by Yale University Press. They include Forgotten Continent, first published in 2007 and later revised as Forgotten Continent: A History of the New Latin America; Brazil: The Troubled Rise of a Global Power (2014); and Spain: The Trials and Triumphs of a Modern European Country (2023). His work combines historical perspective with rigorous analysis of contemporary politics and economics.
What topics does Michael Reid speak about?
As a speaker, Michael Reid addresses Latin American and Iberian politics and economics, US relations with the region, democracy and populism, and the outlook for emerging markets in a fragmented world. He blends decades of on-the-ground reporting with sharp institutional analysis, giving audiences a realistic view of risk and opportunity. To invite Michael Reid to speak at your event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau through our booking form.
How to book Michael Reid as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Michael Reid as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Michael Reid's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Michael Reid or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Michael Reid speaking fee?
Michael Reid speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Michael Reid to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Michael Reid.
How can I contact Michael Reid?
We only work with Michael Reid on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Michael Reid and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Michael Reid speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Michael Reid for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Michael Reid for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Michael Reid is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Michael Reid for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
