Bethany McLean is a columnist for Slate and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. She joined Slate in October 2010 and Vanity Fair in July 2008 after spending thirteen years at Fortune, where she was an editor-at-large. In early 2001, McLean was one of the first reporters to raise questions about Enron, with her story Is Enron Overpriced? She and fellow Fortune senior writer Peter Elkind exposed the Enron scandal and wrote the national bestseller The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron, which went on to become an Oscar-nominated documentary.
McLean has also written in-depth pieces about the credit rating agencies, Goldman Sachs, President Clinton’s global philanthropy, Australia’s Macquarie Bank, and more. Before joining Fortune, she spent three years as an analyst at Goldman Sachs. She graduated from Williams College in 1992 with a double major in mathematics and English.
Author of Saudi America: The Truth About Fracking and How It’s Changing the World, Bethany McLean shares her expertise on fracking with audiences. McLean shares her insights on the issues surrounding fracking as well as its causes and effects on other areas of our society – how low-interest rates are driving fracking, the shifting world of energy, and changing relationships between Russia and Europe. She discusses the issue of the development of fossil fuels not aligning with the math of the Paris climate accord, posing the question of what might be next for fossil fuels and how we can protect the environment in finding the answer.
From her experience as an analyst at Goldman Sachs through her work at Fortune exposing the Enron scandal, Bethany McLean gives audiences a look into what it means for a business to be ethical. In her talks, she delves into the discrepancies between morality and illegality and offers insight into the corruption that occurs when the people at the top take on all of the reward and none of the risk. In these talks, McLean draws on her published works and her personal findings as a member of the business world.
This speaker tailors this topic for each event. Please let us know if you'd like us to source a topic description.
This speaker tailors this topic for each event. Please let us know if you'd like us to source a topic description.
This speaker tailors this topic for each event. Please let us know if you'd like us to source a topic description.
This speaker tailors this topic for each event. Please let us know if you'd like us to source a topic description.
This speaker tailors this topic for each event. Please let us know if you'd like us to source a topic description.
Leadership insights from Navy submarine officer Marc Koehler on making decisions under pressure using the 40-70 rule and crisis-ready preparation.
Read More
Learn how events build trust, prove ROI, and drive business outcomes with Rachel Andrews, Global Head of Meetings & Events at Cvent.
Read More
Top women keynote speakers in 2026 who give audiences permission to lead, speak up, and take action beyond Women's History Month celebrations.
Read More
Discover the Best Artificial Intelligence Speakers for Manufacturing Conferences. Compare AI experts on automation, Industry 4.0, robotics, and leadership.
Read More
Fear blocks clarity and purpose. Keynote speaker Magie Cook shares neuroscience-backed strategies to shift from fear to joy and unlock your potential.
Read More
Events create magical experiences when you prioritize intimate connections over crowd size, transforming how attendees engage and remember your gathering.
Read More