John Kampfner is Adviser to Google on freedom of expression and culture. He is an author, broadcaster and commentator specialising in UK politics, international affairs, media and human rights issues.
He is also Chair of the board of Turner Contemporary, one of the UK's highest profile art galleries. The opening of the gallery in Margate in April 2011 received plaudits around the world, and it is regarded as one of the UK's most important culture-driven regeneration projects.
From Sept 2008 until March 2012 he was Chief Executive of Index on Censorship, one of the world's leading free expression organisations. In late 2009 Index launched a successful campaign to change UK libel laws.
He began his career as a foreign correspondent with the Daily Telegraph, first in East Berlin where he reported on the fall of the Wall and the unification of Germany, and then in Moscow at the time of the collapse of Soviet Communism. He went on to become Chief Political Correspondent at the FT and political commentator for the BBC's Today programme.
As Editor of the New Statesman from 2005-2008, he took the magazine to 30 year circulation highs. He was the British Society of Magazine Editors Current Affairs Editor of the Year in 2006.
He is the author of a number of books. His most recent book, Freedom For Sale, was launched in the UK in September 2009 and in the US in March 2010, and was published in Italian, Spanish and Russian. His previous books include the critically acclaimed and best selling Blair's Wars, an account of the former prime minister's militaristic hubris.
John has presented several documentaries for BBC television and radio. In 2002 he won the Foreign Press Association award for Film of the Year and Journalist of the Year for his two-parter on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, called 'The Ugly War'. His film 'War Spin', exposing the propaganda behind the rescue of Jessica Lynch, received considerable publicity in the US and UK.
John is a regular pundit for all channels on politics and foreign affairs.