Biography: Richard Balfe

Richard is currently Chairman of the European Parliament Members Pension Fund, a fully invested scheme registered in Luxembourg. This is a part-time position taking around four days a month.

From 1979-2004 Richard was, for twenty-five years, a Member of the European Parliament. For the last ten of them, a Quaestor and member of the European Parliament Bureau and for two and a half years of this, Chairman of the five strong House Administration Committee. (The College of Quaestors).

During his period of service Richard was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee for most of his time in parliament. He was an active member of the EP Turkey delegation from 1984-2004 and has visited Turkey on many occasions. In 2004 and 2007 he was an elector monitor in the Ukraine.

Richard is the first substitute for the Conservative Party London list for the European Parliament. He is the President of Tottenham (London) Conservative Party and a member of a number of advisory bodies within the Party.

After leaving a Children's home and a Sheffield secondary modern school, Richard passed the Civil Service Clerical examination and came to London at age 16. He worked for government departments until 1973, he was the research officer for Sir Keith Joseph's Committee on One Parent Families and for a time in the Foreign Office. From 1973-79 he was Political Secretary for a Co-operative society and from 1978-82 the youngest Director of the CWS Board in Manchester since 1947.

Richard finished his education with a BSc (Hons) in Social Policy and Administration at the London School of Economics, having gone there at the age of 23 as a mature student. Royal Statistical Society.

Apart from full time work Richard has a long history of involvement with a wide range of charities; he has held most positions, including Chairman and Treasurer as well as a board member of several charities. He prides himself that he is good at getting the best out of people.

He gave his first lectures on Social Policy and Administration shortly after leaving the LSE. In recent years he has lectured principally on European Institutions particularly the European Parliament. In 2005 and 2006 he was a guest lecturer at Universities in Turkey on the European Union and its Institutions.

More Biographies

Douglas C. Rowland, C.D., Canada, President
Richard Balfe, Europe, Vice President - Program
The Hon. Dennis Hertel, United States, Vice President - Finance
The Hon. Don Boudria, Canada, Member of the Board
The Hon. Jack Buechner, USA, Member of the Board
The Hon. Helene Chalifour Scherrer, Canada, Member of the Board Jan-Willem Bertens, Europe, Member of the Board
José Maria Gil Robles, Europe, Member of the Board
Karin Junker, Europe, Member of the Board
The Hon. Jack Murta, Canada, Member of the Board
The Hon. John J. Rhodes, III, United States, Member of the Board
The Hon. Joseph Tydings, United States, Member of the Board

Peter M. Weichlein, Executive Director

Back to About IEMI

About IEMI | Contact | Donate | Programs | Links | Members | Research