A Packed Evening at Drapers’ Hall
On October 22, 2025, more than 240 guests gathered at London’s historic Drapers’ Hall for the eleventh Ayn Rand Lecture, featuring businessman and former MEP Lance Forman. This year’s event saw record youth turnout and continued its tradition as “a significant date in the European free-market calendar”
A Battle Against Bureaucratic Overreach
Forman delivered a compelling address on eminent domain, recounting how he saved his family’s century-old salmon smokehouse from a compulsory purchase order and exposed “the many corrupt government practices involved in that episode.” His remarks—rooted in the Randian virtues of independence, integrity, and justice—highlighted the real-world consequences of government overreach on small enterprises.
A Tradition Rooted in Objectivist Thought
The Ayn Rand Lecture has grown remarkably since its inception in 2011. Initiated by Carl Barney in partnership with the Adam Smith Institute’s Madsen Pirie and Eamonn Butler, the series has featured distinguished entrepreneurs such as John Allison, Lars Seier Christensen, Ken Moelis, Yaron Brook, Johan Norberg, and Lars Tvede. Hosted annually at prestigious venues including Goldsmiths’ Hall and Drapers’ Hall, the Lecture attracts several hundred leaders from business, politics, academia, and finance.
Inspiring the Next Generation
As the ASI’s 2025 summary notes, this year’s event not only advanced Objectivist ideas among a new generation but “significantly boosted our exposure among young people” and reinforced Rand’s enduring relevance in today’s political landscape
(This year’s lecture can be viewed here.)
