Lord Patten of Barnes, The Right Honourable Chris Patten delivered the eighth Annual Leadership Lecture entitled ‘G1, G2… G20 – Who Leads the World?’ in RCSI on Thursday, 6 May 2010.

Lord Patten was also awarded an Honorary Fellowship of RCSI.

The Rt Hon Lord Patten of Barnes is the former European Commissioner for External Relations and the former Governor of Hong Kong. He was appointed Governor of Hong Kong in April 1992, a position he held until 1997, overseeing the return of Hong Kong to China. He was Chairman of the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland set up under the Good Friday Peace Agreement, which reported in 1999.

In September 1999 Lord Patten was appointed European Commissioner for External Relations, a post he held until November 2004. On leaving office in Brussels he was made a life peer and took his seat in the House of Lords in January 2005.

Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO/Registrar, RCSI, said: “The RCSI Leadership lectures offer a unique opportunity to hear first-hand of the outstanding work carried out by some of the world’s greatest leaders and an opportunity to welcome industry leaders to the College. RCSI is committed to creating leaders in the medical professions to enhance human health and well-being. Lord Patten is a leader in his field; the outstanding contributions he had made to society not only in Ireland through the Patten Commission in Northern Ireland, but also as Governor of Hong Kong and as European Commissioner for External Relations, makes him most worthy of delivering the annual RCSI Leadership lecture.”

Over 100 prominent figures from the world of business and industry attended the event in RCSI. Previous speakers at the RCSI Leadership Lecture include Peter Sutherland, Sir Anthony J. F. O’Reilly, Sir Niall Fitzgerald, Sir Terry Leahy, Baroness Margaret Jay and Sir Bob Geldof.