Platon
"Platon is one of those wonderful and most rare speakers where the audience arrives intrigued, but not quite sure what to expect, and then leaves completely blown away. He is a masterful storyteller, with his photographs and with his accompanying presentation. Simply one of the best." Open-ticketed
Platon is one of world’s most renowned portrait photographers, having photographed more world leaders than anyone else in history, including six American presidents. Shooting portraits for a range of international publications including Rolling Stone, The New York Times magazine, Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ and The Sunday Times magazine, Platon developed a special relationship with TIME magazine, producing over 25 covers for them. In 2008, he photographed Russian Premier Vladimir Putin for TIME magazine’s “Person of the Year” cover. This image was awarded 1st prize at the World Press Photo Contest. Most recently, Platon photograph Donald Trump in 2024 for TIME’s “Person of The Year” cover.
In 2008, he signed a multi-year contract with The New Yorker. As the staff photographer, he has produced several large-scale photo essays, two of which won ASME Awards in 2009 and 2010. Platon’s New Yorker portfolios have focused on themes including the U.S Military, portraits of world leaders and the Civil Rights Movement.
In 2009, Platon teamed up with Human Rights Watch to help them celebrate those who fight for equality and justice in countries suppressed by political forces. These projects have highlighted human rights defenders from Burma as well as the leaders of the Egyptian revolution. Following his coverage of Burma, Platon photographed Aung San Suu Kyi for the cover of TIME—days after her release from house arrest. In 2011, Platon was honored with a Peabody Award for collaboration on the topic of Russia’s Civil Society with The New Yorker magazine and Human Rights Watch.
In 2013, Platon founded The People’s Portfolio, a non-profit foundation dedicated to celebrating emerging leaders of human rights and civil rights around the world. The People’s Portfolio creates a visual language that breaks barriers, uplifts dignity, fights discrimination, and enlists the public to support human rights around the world.
Platon has published five books of his work: Platon’s Republic (Phaidon Press, 2004), a retrospective of his early work; Power (Chronicle, 2011), 100 portraits of the world’s most powerful leaders; China: Through the Looking Glass (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2015), in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Service (Prestel, 2016), dedicated to the men and women in the United States Military, their physical and psychological wounds, their extraordinary valor, and the fierce emotions that surround those who serve; The Defenders (Matsumoto, 2024), was made in collaboration with The People’s Portfolio and celebrates human rights activists from around the world.
Platon’s life’s work is the subject of a Netflix documentary, Abstract: The Art of Design. Platon’s first film, My Body Is Not A Weapon, features survivors of wartime sexual violence and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege. Platon’s second film, Portrait of a Stranger, was made in partnership with the United Nations, honoring the voices of refugees from around the world.
Platon is a communicator and storyteller. He has been invited to be a keynote speaker on leadership at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Chanel, Nike, Yale University, Oxford University, Wharton University, the National Portrait Gallery in London and International Center of Photography in New York. He has also appeared on a range of television media including Charlie Rose (PBS), Morning Joe (MSNBC), Fareed Zakaria’s GPS (CNN) and the BBC World News.
Platon’s work has been exhibited in galleries and museums both domestically and abroad. He has exhibited in New York at the Matthew Marks Gallery and the Howard Greenberg Gallery, as well as internationally at the Colette Gallery in Paris, France. The New York Historical Society has exhibited a solo show of Platon’s Civil Rights photographs, which remain as part of the museum’s permanent collection. Other permanent collections holding Platon’s photography include The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts in Tampa, Florida and The Westlicht Museum for Photography in Vienna, Austria and the Scotland National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. In 2020, Platon’s archive of prominent African American civil rights leaders and cultural leaders was acquired by the Smithsonian.
Platon on the Power of Human Connection
A master communicator and storyteller, Platon has photographed a unique mix of subjects across the globe—ranging from the world’s most powerful to everyday people.
Having recently worked with Donald Trump, Platon shares a rare and unique insight into the U.S. President’s current mindset and character. Platon also reflects on his personal encounters with Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, and tech titans Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Against an ever-changing political, cultural, and technological landscape, Platon calls for constructive optimism and unity. Leaving audiences enthralled, Platon explores the poignant and riveting stories behind his renowned portraits, showcasing his extraordinary ability to penetrate the barriers of his sometimes weary subjects. He reveals the lessons in leadership and compassion that he’s learnt from some of the world’s most prominent figures — like George Clooney, Condoleezza Rice, Adele, Nicole Kidman, Muhammad Ali, Edward Snowden, Stephen Hawking, heads of state and government, U.S. military heroes and human rights champions — and how they can be applied to our everyday interactions.
“Something is fundamentally shifting in the values of our society,” says Platon. “As we learn to navigate the forces of AI and respond to global disruption and uncertainty, we must remind ourselves that genuine human connection and real emotional intelligence bind our society together. It’s time to celebrate a new set of cultural heroes: those who inspire us with their courage, their curiosity and their compassion.”
Memorable and soul-stirring, Platon’s one of a kind emotional presentation promises to bring people together to embrace new perspectives, bridge divides, and create a stronger sense of belonging. Taking listeners on an emotional journey, from laughter to tears to reflection, he’ll leave your audience wanting more from this master of his craft.
Master photographer Platon shares a career’s worth of lessons learned from interacting with some of the world’s most prominent figures — including Donald Trump, George Clooney, Mohammed Ali, Mark Zuckerberg, Edward Snowden, Stephen Hawking, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege, and other heads of state and U.S. Military heroes.
Sharing the stories behind his iconic portrait sessions, Platon teaches audiences how to spot the opportunity to create a meaningful connection – revealing his near-foolproof way of breaking down barriers, especially in times of great division.
With massive disruption infiltrating industries, a looming recession, and growing filter bubbles, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is marred by complexities, discomfort, and change. Businesses, at the same time, are also being tasked with communicating purpose over profit, in order to drive employee engagement and customer loyalty.
“In a fast-paced environment with increased transparency, leaders need to spend more time thinking about people, and how we relate to each other,” says Platon. “We must dare to be transformative, instead of reactive,” he adds.
This presentation places a few members of the audience in the frame, as Platon emphasizes the importance of building teams and creating a sense of belonging, in order to propel people and organizations forward.
Using an anecdotal and interactive approach, he offers this workshop as a learning tool for those who are interested in strengthening their ability to create trusting, respectful, and productive business and personal relationships – as explained through the intimate meetings and experiences with various cultural icons.
A master communicator and storyteller, Platon has photographed a unique mix of subjects across the globe — ranging from the world’s most powerful to everyday people.
Through his up-close-and-personal experiences with disparate figures, Platon pulls back the façade of our differences to reveal our common humanity. In a call for unity, he shows how we can wield mankind to rekindle the spirit of optimism and propel ourselves forward.
At a time of great transformation and extreme divisiveness, “we can create positive change,” he says. “Not in spite of our differences, but because of them.”
Platon leaves audiences enthralled as he explores the poignant and riveting stories behind his renowned portraits, showcasing his unique ability to penetrate the barriers of his sometimes-wary subjects. He reveals the lessons in leadership and compassion that he’s learned from some of the world’s most prominent figures— like Donald Trump, George Clooney, Mohammed Ali, Mark Zuckerberg, Edward Snowden, Stephen Hawking, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege, and other heads of state, U.S. Military heroes, and human rights champions — and how they can be applied to our everyday interactions.
“Something is fundamentally shifting in the values of our society,” says Platon. “It is time to celebrate a new set of cultural heroes: those who inspire us with their courage, and move us with their integrity and compassion for fellow men and women.”
Memorable and soul-stirring, Platon’s unique and emotive presentation promises to bring people together to embrace new perspectives, bridge divides, and create a stronger sense of belonging. Taking listeners on an emotional journey, from laughter to tears to reflection, he’ll leave your audience wanting more from this master of his craft.
As an Amazon Associate WSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Tell us about your event and the speaker you are interested in booking and we will be in touch right away.