Julie Bishop to host leadership talk with former US President, Barack Obama

The former Foreign Minister will appear alongside former US President Barack Obama in two exclusive talks later this month.

Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will host two talks with former US President Barack Obama when he lands in Australia later this month.

Dubbed “An Evening with President Barack Obama”, the pair will discuss foreign policy, navigating leadership and navigating global challenges at two events held by Growth Faculty at Sydney (March 28) and Melbourne (March 29).

Tickets for the talks cost between $195 to $895, or $295 for a livestream pass. The top-tier “platinum” pass gets recipients premium seating, a separate red carpet entrance, designated check-in staff, a pre-show drink voucher, and a copy of Mr Obama’s 2020 memoir, A Promised Land.

Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop with US President Barack Obama during Nuclear Security talks at the White House. Picture: Twitter.

Ms Bishop and Mr Obama met multiple times during her 21-year stint in federal government, in which she served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2018. She was also the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party from 2007 to 2018.

She said his insights into current world events will “invaluable”.

“President Obama faced a number of complex challenges, including the rise of China, ISIL

taking territory in Syria and Iraq, the Syrian civil war, the 2008/09 global financial crisis and

much more,” she said.

“He sought closer economic relationships with key nations of the Indo-Pacific through enhanced trade.”

Ms Bishop at the David Jones Runway as part of the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Picture: Naomi Rahim/ Getty Images

The 44th American President, who served from 2009 to 2017, will visit Australia in the first time since 2014, when he attended the G20 conference hosted in Brisbane.

Since leaving politics, Ms Bishop was appointed Australian National University’s Chancellor in 2020, and pursued consulting work through her first Julie Bishop & Partners.

In an interview with Stellar Magazine on Saturday, she also spoke about her new role as an official “friend” of David Jones.

“David Jones supports established and emerging designers. That gives the ‘friends’ of David Jones the opportunity to showcase the designs, and the more we can support Australian fashion – and through the international brands, Australian retail – the better it is for our country,” she said.

Originally published as Julie Bishop to host leadership talk with former US President, Barack Obama