CHAIR

“Oliver Balch is a perfect host. He can do invisible facilitator or toe-to-toe interrogator. He’s always prepped and makes the guests shine. Hay chair MVP.”

Peter Florence, Director and co-founder, Hay Festival

I chair events for festivals and conferences, and moderate roundtable discussions and panel events in locations around the world. Please contact me directly to inquire about availability: oliverbalch@gmail.com

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Some recent events:

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT PUTIN: Mark Galeotti, Peter Pomeranstev, Andrew Monaghan and Gabriel Gatehouse. Chaired by Oliver Balch (Cheltenham Literary Festival, 2019) 

A WORLD OF SECRETS: David Omand and Richard Aldrich talks to Oliver Balch (Cheltenham Literary Festival, 2019)

PASTURE TO PLATE®: ALL AMONG THE BARLEY: Melissa Harrison talks to Oliver Balch (Oxford Literary Festival, 2019)

THREE DIMENSIONS OF FREEDOM: Billy Bragg talks to Oliver Balch (Hay Festival, 2019)

LITERARY BRIEFS: John Bird talks to Oliver Balch (Hay Festival, 2019)

WHEN THE DOGS DON’T BARK – A FORENSIC SCIENTIST’S SEARCH FOR TRUTH: Angela Gallop talks to Oliver Balch (Hay Festival, 2019)

THE ECCLES CENTRE PLATFORM AT HAY: THE ADVENTURES OF ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT, THE GRAPHIC NOVEL: Chaired by Oliver Balch (Hay Festival, 2019)

FICTIONS: RED STRIKE – Chris Ryan talks to Oliver Balch (Hay Festival, 2019)

THE MAP OF KNOWLEDGE: Violet Moller talks to Oliver Balch (Hay Festival, 2019)

UNNATURAL SELECTION: Katrina Grouw talks to Oliver Balch (Hay Festival, 2019)

FICTIONS: IN THE 20TH CENTURY WORLD – Isabella Hammad and Sarah Ladipo Manyika talk to Oliver Balch (Hay Festival, 2019)

THE SPYING GAME: Gordon Corera talks to Oliver Balch (Cheltenham Literature Festival, 2018)

NIETZCHE AND FASCISM: Hugo Drochon and Lucy Hughes-Hallett talk to Oliver Balch(Cheltenham Literature Festival, 2018)

TALKING CLIMATE – FROM RESEARCH TO PRACTICE: George Marshall talks to Oliver Balch Hay Festival, 2017)

INGLORIOUS EMPIRE: WHAT THE BRITISH DID TO INDIA: Shashi Tharoor talks to Oliver Balch(Hay Festival, 2017)

THE ICE: Laline Paull talks to Oliver Balch(Hay Festival, 2017)

THE ETHICS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Joanna Bryson, Hassan Ugail talk to Oliver Balch(Bradford Literature Festival, 2017)

HUMANS, SEX BOTS & VIRUAL ROMANCE: Trudy Barber, Kathleen Richardson talk to Oliver Balch(Bradford Literatures Festival, 2017)

FOOTNOTES: HOW RUNNING MAKES US HUMAN: Vybarr Cregen-Reid talks to Oliver Balch(Hay Festival, 2016)

MACAULAY: BRITAIN’S LIBERAL IMPERIALIST: Zareer Masani talks to Oliver Balch(Hay Festival, 2015)

GUN BABY GUN: Iain Overton talks to Oliver Balch(Hay Festival, 2016)

THE RICE PAPER DIARIES: Francesca Rhydderch In Conversation With Oliver Balch (Crickhowell Literary Festival, 2015)

THE LAST VOTE: THE THREATS TO WESTERN DEMOCRACY: Philip Coggan speaks to Oliver Balch(Hay Festival, 2014)

DREAM DRIVE LOVE: Colin Javens talks to Oliver Balch (Hay Festival, 2013)

 

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Oliver Balch chairing a roundtable debate on Renewable Heating for a Low-Carbon Future for The Guardian