Christine Ockrent

About Christine Ockrent

Her television work has seen Ockrent awarded several distinctions, including Best Presenter and Personality of the Year award, in France in 1985.

• Journalist and broadcaster
• Former Editor in Chief of L’Express
• Former Chief Operating Officer of RFI and France 24
• Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
• On the Board of Directors of Reporters Without Borders
• Anchor for a weekly one hour programme on international affairs on France Culture radio
• Board member for the French American Foundation, the Centre for European Reform and the European Council on Foreign Relations
• Officer of the Legion d’Honneur and the Belgian Ordre de Leopold

Christine Ockrent is a popular public speaker and communicates with confidence and authority. Her astute insight and understanding of politics allow her to offer advice in numerous circumstances.

Early Life

Christine Ockrent was born in Brussels, the daughter of the diplomat Charles Ockrent. Ockrent attended Institut d’tudes Politiques de Paris (which specialises in political studies and social sciences) in France and graduated in 1965.

Television and Radio

Ockrent worked for a while on Europe 1 (a French radio station) as a morning news presenter. In 1981, she moved to television channel Antenne 2, becoming the first female news anchor on the channels 8pm bulletin. She has since worked for TFI, France 2 and France 3 and appeared on 60 Minutes for CBS News in the USA. Interested and informed about all matters European and an advocate of the European Union, Ockrent was presenter of France Europe Express, a television programme examining European affairs.

Editorial Work and Writing

As well as being a respected news anchor, Ockrent is known for her work both as an editor and an author. She has written numerous French language books relating to political matters. She worked as Editor in Chief for L’Express, a French news magazine and has worked as a columnist for La Provence and Dimanche CH.

Personal and Charitable Interests

Ockrent lives with former French Foreign Minister and politician Bernard Kouchner. The couple have been together for many years and had a son, Alexandre, in 1986.

She was a member of the (now dissolved) Saint-Simon Foundation. This independent think-tank was committed to democracy and aimed to enable easy communication between thinkers from a variety of backgrounds and institutions.