Alex Edmans
Alex Edmans makes complex finance, data, and decision-making clear, practical, and engaging for modern business leaders.
Why you should book Alex Edmans for your next event
- Translates complex finance, ESG, and data into clear, practical insights audiences can act on immediately.
- Trusted advisor to global institutions, combining academic rigour with real-world boardroom experience.
- Inspires better decisions through critical thinking, psychology, and evidence-based strategies.
Non-binding request for Alex Edmans
Professor, author, and voice on sustainable finance and smarter decisions
Alex Edmans is Professor of Finance at London Business School and one of the most prominent voices on sustainable finance, responsible investing, and smarter decision-making. With a rare ability to turn complex concepts into clear, engaging insights, he equips leaders and organizations to navigate uncertainty, use data wisely, and create long-term value. His talks blend academic depth with real-world relevance, leaving audiences both inspired and equipped to act.
Who is Alex Edmans?
Alex Edmans is Professor of Finance at London Business School and a globally respected expert in sustainable finance, responsible investing, and corporate purpose. His work sits at the intersection of business, society, and decision-making, helping organizations rethink how they create value in a rapidly changing world.
He combines deep academic rigour with hands-on experience in business and policy. This balance allows him to challenge conventional thinking while offering practical frameworks that leaders can apply immediately. His expertise spans a wide range of critical topics, including diversity, equity and inclusion, group decision-making, time management, and the psychology behind financial markets.
A leading voice on sustainable business
Alex is a central figure in the movement to reform business so it serves wider society while remaining profitable. He has played a key role in shaping how companies and investors approach sustainability and long-term value creation.
His influence extends across major institutions. He serves as Non-Executive Director of The Investor Forum and sits on advisory bodies including Morgan Stanley’s Institute for Sustainable Investing Advisory Board, Novo Nordisk’s Sustainability Advisory Council, and Royal London Asset Management’s Responsible Investment Advisory Committee.
He was also appointed by the UK government, alongside PwC, to examine the alleged misuse of share buybacks and the relationship between executive pay and investment. This reflects the trust placed in his ability to bring clarity and evidence to complex, high-stakes debates.
Engaging, clear, and thought-provoking
One of Alex Edmans’ defining strengths is his ability to make complex ideas accessible without losing their depth. Whether discussing financial markets, data interpretation, or corporate responsibility, he presents with clarity, energy, and precision.
He is widely recognized for his engaging speaking style, breaking down technical topics into relatable insights that resonate with both experts and non-specialists. His talks are dynamic and thought-provoking, encouraging audiences to question assumptions and think more critically about the information they consume.
Alex has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, testified in the UK Parliament, and delivered widely viewed TED and TEDx talks, including What to Trust in a Post-Truth World, The Pie Growing Mindset, and The Social Responsibility of Business, which together have reached millions of viewers.
Author of influential books
Alex is the author of several acclaimed books that challenge how we think about business, data, and decision-making. His book Grow the Pie: How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit was named a Financial Times Book of the Year in 2020 and has become a key reference in discussions on corporate purpose.
He also wrote May Contain Lies: How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases – And What We Can Do About It, a powerful exploration of how data can mislead and how to think more critically. In addition, he co-authored the classic textbook Principles of Corporate Finance with Brealey, Myers, and Allen.
His upcoming book, The Madness of Markets: How Smart Investors Make Crazy Decisions – And How To Exploit Them, further explores the psychology behind financial decisions and will be published in September 2026.
Topics Alex Edmans covers
Alex’s talks are tailored to the audience but often include:
- Sustainable finance and responsible investing
- Corporate purpose and long-term value creation
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Critical thinking and decision-making
- The psychology of finance and market behavior
- The use and misuse of data
- Practical investment strategies
- Time management and productivity
Book Alex Edmans for your event
Booking Alex Edmans means bringing in a speaker who challenges conventional thinking while providing clear, actionable insights. He helps organizations cut through noise, question assumptions, and make better decisions grounded in evidence.
His sessions leave audiences with a sharper understanding of how markets, data, and human behavior interact and how to use that understanding to create meaningful impact. Whether speaking to executives, investors, or broader teams, Alex delivers content that is both intellectually rigorous and immediately useful.
With more than 30 teaching awards and recognition as Professor of the Year by Poets & Quants in 2021, along with fellowships from the British Academy and the Academy of Social Sciences, Alex Edmans stands out as a speaker who brings credibility, clarity, and lasting value to every stage.
Keynotes
Keynote by speaker Alex Edmans:
The Power of Purposeful Business
Purpose is the buzzword of today, with politicians, the public, and even shareholders calling on businesses to serve wider society. But purpose is also controversial, because companies need to make a profit. Is there a trade-off between purpose and profit, or can companies achieve both? This talk will critically examine the case for purposeful business, using rigorous evidence and real-life examples to show what works – and, importantly, what doesn’t. It will discuss practical ways for companies of all sizes to put purpose into practice – to ensure it guides their day-to-day decisions, is embedded throughout the organisation, and enhances rather than jeopardises long-run returns.
Keynote by speaker Alex Edmans:
ESG: The Beginning, the End, and the Future
The rapid rise in ESG has been met with an equally fierce backlash. Should companies respond by dismissing the criticism and pressing on regardless, or by recognising the shifting sands and abandoning ESG altogether? This talk argues for a middle path. It introduces Rational Sustainability: a way forward that harnesses ESG’s benefits while addressing legitimate concerns. Rational Sustainability serves both shareholders and stakeholders, positioning sustainability as a mainstream business issue rather than one confined to ESG specialists.
Keynote by speaker Alex Edmans:
Time Management in the Digital Age
Classic time management frameworks advise us to focus on the important rather than the urgent. However, these frameworks seem not to be applicable to the 21st century, where technology means that we are constantly bombarded with deadlines, and it is not realistic to simply ignore the urgent. This talk will explain how to focus on important long-term goals but at the same time meet urgent short-term deadlines, how to use email as an effective communication tool without being overwhelmed with it, and how to instil superior time management practices within the teams that we lead. It will be based on insights from behavioural economics which demonstrate the most effective ways to develop new habits.
Keynote by Alex Edmans:
The Complexities of Conscience Capital
Responsible investing promises financial returns, social impact, and values alignment – but these objectives often conflict, and delivering even one is challenging. Common claims that sustainable investing always pays off are based on flimsy evidence, and the most eye-catching strategies, such as blanket exclusion, are often ineffective. This talk highlights the trade-offs and nuances in issues often portrayed as black-and-white, and outlines a way forward for responsible investing that navigates these complexities and achieves real impact rather than simply ticking boxes.
Keynote by Alex Edmans:
Rethinking DEI
DEI has surged to the top of corporate agendas – but so has the backlash. This talk argues that the solution is neither to abandon it nor to ignore the pushback, but to evolve. Drawing from academic evidence and practitioner experience, it highlights that cognitive diversity is the true driver of performance, of which demographic diversity is only one source. Moreover, cognitive diversity is ineffective without inclusion: a psychologically safe environment that encourages dissenting views. It will discuss best practices for building cognitively diverse teams and creating inclusive corporate cultures.
Keynote by Alex Edmans:
How Boards Make Better Decisions
Boards make their most serious mistakes not through lack of intelligence, but through poor group decision processes. This talk explains how groupthink, informational cascades, and hierarchy can derail even the most experienced boards, drawing lessons from famous policy failures and successes. It highlights the importance of cognitive diversity, psychological safety, and well-designed processes in improving judgement. The talk offers practical steps for boards to encourage dissent, surface better information, and make more rigorous, resilient decisions.
Keynote by Alex Edmans:
Mastering Misinformation
One of the most dangerous phrases is “evidence shows that …”, because you can almost always find evidence to support any viewpoint. Experts are similarly untrusted, because they may have motives other than the truth. These problems are particularly severe in the digital age where people are bombarded with data and supposed expert opinions. This talk will explain the common mistakes people make in interpreting data, and the biases that cause us to make them. It will provide a practical guide for how to discern whether a particular study or expert opinion is trustworthy – even if we’re pressed for time and don’t have specialist knowledge in the field – and how to create a culture that actively promotes a diversity of thinking.
From post-truth to pro-truth | Alex Edmans | TEDxLondonBusinessSchool
Watch Alex Edmans in action
Books by Alex Edmans
May Contain LiesHow Stories, Statistics and Studies Exploit Our Biases - And What We Can Do About Itby Alex Edmans
