July 25, 2025
Top finance speakers

Finance speakers are the translators you call when money stops making sense. Money stress is universal, but financial clarity is not. Ask ten people how they feel about markets, inflation, retirement, debt, or geopolitics and you’ll get ten slightly panicked, half-formed replies—many shaped more by headlines than fundamentals. That gap between what people need to understand and what they actually understand is where great finance speakers change everything. They don’t drown audiences in jargon. They translate. They humanize money, risk, and opportunity in ways that help people act smarter—whether they’re managing household budgets, pension assets, or multi-national exposure to supply chain shocks.

The timing couldn’t be better. According to the IMF World Economic Outlook, global growth remains uneven, inflation progress is fragile, and interest-rate paths depend on country-specific fiscal and political choices. In other words: uncertainty is the new baseline. When the macro backdrop swings, people crave guides they can trust—top finance speakers who provide context, show cause and effect, and remind us what’s signal versus noise. IMF World Economic Outlook

That need shows up at the household level too. The U.S. Federal Reserve’s latest Survey of Household Economics & Decisionmaking (SHED) found that financial well-being slipped for many families as savings cushions from the pandemic drew down, borrowing costs rose, and unexpected expenses remained common. When people don’t understand credit, compounding, or basic risk tradeoffs, stress multiplies. The right finance speakers help employees, clients, and communities build financial confidence before the next shock hits. Federal Reserve SHED

So if you’re programming a leadership summit, client forum, incentive trip, association meeting, or employee education series, here’s good news: The Keynote Curators works with an extraordinary roster of finance speakers who make economics relatable, behavioral bias visible, and long-term thinking cool again. Below you’ll meet seventeen of the best—from behavioral finance legends to markets commentators, macro strategists, policy insiders, and money-mindset motivators who meet audiences exactly where they are.

Why Finance Speakers Matter More Than Ever

Let’s be honest: most people don’t read central bank minutes for fun. Yet the effects of rate hikes, fiscal choices, labor trends, and geopolitical tension show up in mortgage renewals, 401(k) balances, grocery bills, and hiring plans. When organizations ignore financial education, fear fills the gap. Great finance speakers close that gap with story, data, and humor. They explain why cash flow beats revenue ego, why time in the market matters more than timing it, why debt discipline protects optionality, and how policy shocks ripple through real life. When people “get it,” they make better decisions—and better decisions compound.

There’s also a retention and engagement angle. Employees who feel financially insecure are more distracted and more likely to churn. Clients who don’t understand market swings panic-sell. Franchisees who misread capital costs underinvest. Boards that misjudge geopolitical risk misallocate. Bringing in top finance speakers isn’t window dressing; it’s risk management, talent development, and brand trust. The best keynote can save a thousand panicked calls the next time volatility spikes.

Money Moves at the Speed of Emotion (and Data)

Markets move on earnings, policy, and math—but they also move on stories, fear, and FOMO. Behavioral biases—loss aversion, overconfidence, recency effect—drive a shocking share of investor behavior. That’s why some of the most impactful finance speakers teach the psychology of money as seriously as the mechanics. When audiences see their own bias patterns on the big screen, laughter gives way to recognition—and recognition leads to better habits. Want fewer “sell everything” calls when markets dip? Teach emotion management alongside asset allocation.

Emotional finance isn’t just retail-investor stuff. Executives chase shiny acquisitions at peaks, underinvest in talent during slowdowns, and let narrative trump numbers in budgeting wars. Bringing in top finance speakers who mix behavioral science with boardroom case studies helps leaders build internal guardrails: pre-mortems, decision checklists, red-team sessions, and structured dissent. When you slow the emotional impulse, you improve capital allocation. And that shows up in valuation, resilience, and reputation when the cycle turns.

From Numbers to Narrative: Translating Financials for Action

Quarterly results. Budget decks. Investor days. Most people tune out when spreadsheets hit the screen—not because the numbers don’t matter, but because no one explained why they matter to them. Enter another superpower of world-class finance speakers: translating the balance sheet into human stakes. Cash runway becomes “months of payroll.” Gross margin becomes “fuel for R&D.” Share buybacks versus capex become “Who—and what—do we choose to invest in?” When people hear financials as a story, alignment sticks.

This is especially important in cross-functional groups—sales, ops, HR, tech—where financial literacy varies widely. The best finance speakers don’t condescend; they contextualize. They give frameworks your leaders can reuse in town halls, client calls, and recruiting conversations. They show how to read trendlines, ask smart questions, and connect dollars to mission. Bottom line: Translating numbers breeds ownership. Ownership drives performance.

Meet the Top Finance Speakers You’ll Actually Want on Stage

Below: seventeen finance speakers from The Keynote Curators roster (and closely watched partners) who bring money talk to life. Each paragraph runs long on purpose—you asked for substance.

Frank Abagnale – Fraud, Trust & The Cost of Belief

Long before Leonardo DiCaprio made him famous in Catch Me If You Can, Frank Abagnale lived the cautionary tale: forged checks, false identities, and a financial confidence game that exposed systemic weaknesses. Today he’s one of the most in-demand finance speakers on fraud prevention and trust. Frank shows audiences how tiny process gaps create multimillion-dollar exposures—and how human psychology (greed, hurry, authority bias) is the real attack surface. Whether you’re a bank, healthcare system, nonprofit, or enterprise with distributed payables, his stories stick because they’re real. Your teams walk away paranoid—in the best possible way—and newly committed to verification over assumption.

Matt Elliott – Banking Purpose, Sustainability & Return

Matt Elliott, Sustainability Lead (and former strategy leader) at NatWest Group, helps audiences see banking not as a monolith but as an engine that can accelerate climate transition, small-business vitality, and inclusive growth. For event planners seeking finance speakers who connect ESG conversation to real capital flows, Matt is a gift. He explains how regulation meets innovation, why green finance products matter to mainstream customers, and how banks balance risk with societal expectation. He’s candid about tradeoffs, pragmatic about pace, and inspiring about what strong alignment can produce across supply chains and communities.

Anthony Scaramucci – Markets, Media & The Macro Mood

Whatever you think you know about “The Mooch,” odds are he’ll surprise you. A hedge fund founder turned media voice, Anthony Scaramucci blends war-story candor with sharp market insight. As one of our most requested finance speakersfor client events and executive forums, he frames liquidity swings, policy shifts, crypto drama, and investor sentiment in plain language—and isn’t afraid to take questions you didn’t script. He’s fast, funny, and brutally transparent about where Wall Street hype meets Main Street reality. If you want a lively Q&A that your audience still texts about weeks later, book him early.

Kyla Scanlon – “Explain It Like We’re People” Economics

If you caught Kyla on The Daily Show, you know why she’s exploding: she makes macro feel personal and approachable. Her book In This Economy? demystifies money, labor, and markets with humor, empathy, and vibrant metaphor. For younger workforces, hybrid teams, and audiences new to macro, she’s the finance speaker who says, “Yes, you’re allowed to ask that,” and means it. Kyla connects wage data to career choices, Fed policy to rent, and market cycles to mental health. She’s also refreshingly optimistic about building systems that work better for more people—without sugarcoating the work.

Candy Valentino – Wealth Building Without the Whisper Network

Entrepreneur, investor, and wealth strategist Candy Valentino grew up without privilege and built success from the ground up. Her sessions strip away the myth that wealth management is only for the wealthy. As one of our most empowering finance speakers, Candy teaches small-business owners, franchisees, sales teams, and emerging leaders how to read profit, reduce waste, structure entities, and build multi-stream income with discipline. She’s blunt about taxes, generous with templates, and constantly reminding audiences: revenue vanity, profit sanity, cash sovereignty.

Meir Statman – Behavioral Finance Pioneer

Professor Meir Statman helped define the field of behavioral finance long before the phrase hit conference agendas. He shows why investors don’t always act in their economic best interest—because they’re human, seeking expressive and emotional benefits along with utilitarian returns. For investment firms, retirement plan providers, and advisory networks, he’s among the most respected finance speakers available. Expect research explained in everyday terms, examples ranging from meme-stock mania to ESG signaling, and practical strategies to help clients stick to plans when markets test resolve.

Morgan Housel – The Psychology of Money (and Everything Else)

Morgan Housel writes the finance book your non-finance spouse will read and quote back to you. The Psychology of Money became a word-of-mouth phenomenon because it reframed wealth as behavior, not intellect. On stage he’s calm, story-rich, and quietly disarming—the finance speaker who makes you rethink inherited beliefs about risk, luck, and enough. Morgan weaves history, humility, and human nature into a message that serves investors, founders, and families alike: Doing well with money has little to do with knowing spreadsheets and a lot to do with how you behave when tested.

Wendy De La Rosa – Choice Architecture Meets Financial Life

A Stanford-trained behavioral scientist and co-founder of the Common Cents Lab, Wendy De La Rosa studies how small design tweaks change big money outcomes—especially for people living paycheck to paycheck. She is a must-have finance speaker for HR benefits summits, fintech gatherings, and community-impact programs. Wendy shows how paycheck framing, default savings nudges, and timely prompts materially improve financial health. Her energy is joyful; her data is rigorous; her audience takeaways are immediate. If you want to move beyond “financial literacy month” posters to measurable behavior change, bring Wendy in.

Jeff Kreisler – Funny Money Meets Behavioral Economics

Co-author (with Dan Ariely) of Dollars and Sense, comedian-turned-financial commentator Jeff Kreisler proves that laughter lowers defenses and opens minds. One of the most entertaining finance speakers in our lineup, Jeff uses humor to reveal the irrational ways people spend, save, and invest. Then he gives tools to outsmart ourselves: value framing, pre-commitment, mental accounting clean-ups. Perfect for sales meetings, client appreciation events, or annual conferences where you want education wrapped in entertainment—and where “budget” jokes land because they’re painfully true.

Mary Bell Carlson – Money Talk for Real Life

Known online as “Chief Financial Mom,” CFP® and AFC® professional Mary Bell Carlson bridges technical planning and everyday family finance. She works with employers, benefits providers, and membership groups that want practical, judgment-free guidance on budgeting, debt, college planning, and financial communication between partners. As a relatable finance speaker, Mary reminds audiences that money shame blocks progress—and that small positive moves compound. She’s warm, research-literate, and skilled at meeting multigenerational audiences where they are.

Doug Lynam – Monk, Marine & Wealth Manager

Yes, all three. Doug Lynam’s journey—from Benedictine monk to U.S. Marine to financial advisor—makes him one of the most unexpected finance speakers you’ll ever hear. He argues that money, mission, and meaning are not enemies; they’re interdependent. Doug helps nonprofits, purpose-driven companies, and socially minded investors align capital with conscience without sabotaging sustainability. His stories are unforgettable; his spreadsheets are real; his challenge to audiences is simple: stop treating virtue and valuation as mutually exclusive.

Sallie Krawcheck – Investing, Inclusion & The Power of She

Former Wall Street senior exec and co-founder of Ellevest, Sallie Krawcheck is synonymous with advancing women’s financial power. She is a powerhouse finance speaker for leadership summits, DEI initiatives with teeth, and client programs serving women investors. Sallie mixes hard numbers about gender wealth gaps with actionable strategies for organizations and individuals: compensation transparency, inclusive product design, and bias-aware advisory practices. She’s candid, data-driven, and fierce about moving money toward equality—because money is power, and power changes who gets heard.

Ron Insana – Markets in Plain English

Longtime financial journalist and CNBC contributor Ron Insana has interviewed more Fed chairs, CEOs, and policy heavyweights than most of us will meet in a lifetime. He packages decades of coverage into clear, calm context audiences crave in volatile times. As one of our most trusted finance speakers for multi-stakeholder gatherings, Ron explains rate cycles, fiscal pivots, commodities shocks, and investor sentiment in living-room language—then connects them to your sector. He’s also terrific in fireside chat formats where audience Q&A drives the agenda.

Peter Zeihan – Geopolitics, Demographics & the Price of Everything

Peter Zeihan isn’t “just” a geopolitics guy; he’s a supply-chain-meets-capital-flows Cassandra who shows how demographic cliffs, shipping routes, resource constraints, and security guarantees affect prices, profits, and portfolios. For CFO forums and investor conferences needing macro beyond the spreadsheet, Peter is a headline finance speaker. He moves fast, covers continents, and draws uncomfortable but clarifying lines between geopolitics and your cost structure. Expect minds blown—and budgeting assumptions revised.

Marci Rossell – Former CNBC Chief Economist with a Gift for Clarity

Marci Rossell brings energy to economics. As former Chief Economist for CNBC and a sought-after commentator, she’s famed for translating complex data into kitchen-table implications. Inflation drivers? Rate path probabilities? Consumer confidence trends? She’ll connect them in seconds. Planners love her because she customizes to sector and audience sophistication. Attendees love her because she gives them talking points they can use with their own teams. She’s one of the finance speakers who can kick off a conference and arm everyone with shared language.

Ian Bremmer – Global Risk, Power & Your Portfolio

Founder of Eurasia Group, Ian Bremmer is among the world’s leading political risk analysts—and a must-book finance speaker when geopolitical volatility threatens business planning. Ian’s gift is ranking risks by materiality. He helps boards and investors separate headline drama from structural trend, then maps likely policy responses that hit energy prices, currency moves, supply chains, and capital flows. He’s smart, quick, and refreshingly blunt about what’s actually predictable (and what’s not).

Carla Harris – Capital Markets Veteran & Leadership Voice

Longtime Morgan Stanley executive, gospel singer (!), and leadership powerhouse, Carla Harris bridges Wall Street expertise and human inspiration like no one else. She’s the finance speaker who can talk IPOs, capital formation, and inclusive leadership in the same keynote—then have the room singing along by the close. Carla teaches that perception is the co-pilot to performance; relationships drive access; and sponsorship changes careers. For conferences where you need equal parts money insight and motivation, she delivers in full voice.

Bringing Finance Speakers to Your Next Event

Programming finance speakers isn’t about throwing a chart deck between opening remarks and lunch. It’s about matching the right voice to the moment, the audience, and the business stakes. Do you need macro context that steadies investors? Behavioral insight that calms clients? Personal finance guidance that improves employee well-being? Fraud prevention that saves millions? Inclusion strategies that turn underserved segments into loyal customers? Tell us what’s keeping your stakeholders up at night and we’ll curate the top finance speakers who make money make sense—and action follow.

When we build agendas with our clients, we look for contrast and continuity: a macro morning with Peter Zeihan followed by Wendy De La Rosa on everyday financial decisions; a fraud-and-trust fireside with Frank Abagnale paired with Candy Valentino on building owner wealth; Morgan Housel to re-frame money mindset, then Carla Harris to challenge leaders on sponsorship and access. That mix is where learning sticks.

Ready to Build Financial Confidence Into Your Event?

Let’s do it.

📅 Schedule a 15-Minute Discovery Call – Tell us your audience, outcomes, and budget and we’ll shortlist the right finance speakers fast.
https://calendly.com/thekeynotecurators/15minthekeynotecurators

📧 Prefer Email? Drop us a note: info@thekeynotecurators.com — include event date, location (or virtual), and themes; we’ll reply with curated speaker matches.

🌐 Explore More Finance Speakers – Browse the full roster and find fresh voices who make money talk matter.
https://thekeynotecurators.com

Because when the markets get weird (and they will), your audience deserves more than noise. They deserve clarity. And that starts with extraordinary finance speakers on your stage.

 

 

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