Vikram Mansharamani speaking topics
Compelling Keynotes“The Generalist Advantage: Going Beyond Expertise”
We live in a culture that places high value on deep expertise and specialized skills. But can expertise blind you into tunnel vision and single-mindedness? Vikram Mansharamani has scores of examples that shows it can. In a fast-paced world driven by complex and diverse factors, connecting the dots is often more important than developing the dots. Building on insights from the research he is conducting at Harvard, Mansharamani shows why generalists are better-suited to navigating uncertainty than specialists; he opens the minds in the audience with real tools to help people think beyond their area of expertise. Entertaining and empowering, with examples drawn from finance, politics, agriculture, medicine, and education, Mansharamani helps people manage risk and anticipate the future with intriguing specifics to convince the audience of the value of the generalist approach. “Spotting Bubbles Before They Burst” In a globally dynamic environment, boom and bust cycles occur more frequently than in the past. It seems there’s always something that has reached unsustainable levels. The trick, of course, is recognizing it and taking action before the bubble bursts. In direct contrast to the views espoused by most academics, Vikram Mansharamani makes a persuasive case that it is possible to identify financial (and other) bubbles before they burst. He draws on entertaining and engaging examples from art markets, architecture, and popular culture – as well as economics and politics – to powerfully demonstrate that you do not need to be an expert to effectively anticipate the future. Audiences walk away empowered to think independently and to connect obvious dots to generate not-so-obvious conclusions. “The Global Economy – An Unconventional Look” Europe falling apart? China collapsing? Treasury bubble popping? Japan economic implosion? Social networking bubble? Alternative energy dynamics creating geopolitical unrest? Vikram Mansharamani applies his experience as a practitioner and an academic to help audiences navigate the seemingly unending cross-currents of global economic, financial and political developments. While audiences often find themselves agreeing with Mansharamani each step of the way, they’re frequently surprised by what turn out to be unconventional conclusions. He customizes the content of his talk to the audience using information that’s fresh and relevant. “The End of Cheap Food – A Global Forecast” Food is emerging as one of the future’s most volatile assets. Shifting political, economic, climatic and societal change all factor into the equation. Vikram Mansharamani applies his multi-lens bubble-spotting approach to the key drivers of food prices in a global marketplace. He suggests that the era of cheap food is over and describes the geo-political and geo-economic ramifications of such developments – from Wall Street to Pudong. Audiences leave understanding the dynamics of land grabs, water scarcity, and the implications of food (in)security for national defense as well appreciating how food-price dynamics will affect their industry – however remote from the food industry it may be. “Global Prosperity – Why Everything is About to Change” As the middle-class booms in emerging nations, a global consumption boom is likely to have an unprecedented impact on a wide range of commodities – food, fuel, precious metals – that will impact the global standard of living. The result will be geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Vikram Mansharamani untangles these dynamics through easy-to-understand, entertaining, and engaging analysis that evaluates the effect of a ballooning middle-class on an unlikely collection of industries — from education and entertainment to defense, finance and healthcare. Mansharamani’s insights help audiences look differently at the nature of global prosperity and how it may shape their business and their future. |
“One of the most important topics in global economics today was presented with enthusiasm and humor, supported by well-researched analysis. This attention-grabbing presentation is a must for anyone who’s looking ahead to the Next Big Boom (or Bust).  
“Thank you again for working with us for the Industry Business Forum and Convening leaders. Quite simply you were GREAT. The content was enriching for all, high level and you forced us to think differently.” |
