Katty Kay is an award-winning BBC journalist, bestselling author and podcast host known for sharp insight on power, politics and confidence.
5.00 of 5
Top rated!5 of 5
“I just wanted to let you know that everyone was crazy about Katty. They loved her message and her delivery. I think Katty has converted many of the attendees to BBC News.”
Denise Billing
President, PRMC Foundation
Katty Kay is one of the most respected voices in global journalism, known for her ability to make complex political and societal shifts both clear and compelling. As U.S. Special Correspondent for BBC Studios, she has spent decades reporting on the forces shaping the modern world, always with an international lens that challenges assumptions and deepens understanding. Alongside her journalism, Katty has become a powerful voice on confidence, leadership and women’s power through her bestselling books and popular podcast. As a keynote speaker, moderator and host, she brings intelligence, authority and a calm, engaging presence to every stage.
Katty Kay’s career has been shaped by living and working across continents, giving her a rare vantage point on American politics and global affairs. Based in Washington, DC, she serves as U.S. Special Correspondent for BBC Studios, creating and hosting documentaries from both the United States and Europe. Her work spans presidential elections, financial collapse, economic cycles, the pandemic, global conflict, technological change and the emergence of a new world order. What sets Katty apart is her instinct for context. She goes beyond headlines, helping audiences understand why events matter and how global dynamics intersect.
Throughout her career as an anchor and reporter, Katty Kay has earned a reputation for rigorous journalism combined with a thoughtful, human approach. In her Influential documentary series, she interviews some of the most powerful and change-making figures in culture, business and science. These conversations are marked by sharp questioning, curiosity and respect, allowing speakers to reveal both ideas and intent. This same skill makes Katty a highly sought-after moderator and event host, trusted to guide complex discussions with confidence and precision.
A central thread in Katty Kay’s work is her exploration of confidence, leadership and women’s power. Together with Claire Shipman, she has co-authored six books examining the forces that shape success at work and in life. Four of these titles became New York Times bestsellers, including two that reached the number one spot.
Womenomics explored a workplace revolution and encouraged women to rethink how work fits into their lives while building stronger, more profitable organisations. The Confidence Code reframed confidence as a choice, grounding its message in research and real-world examples that resonated with women across industries.
Responding to widespread interest from parents and educators, Katty expanded this work to younger audiences. The Confidence Code for Girls debuted at number one on The New York Times bestseller list, followed by The Confidence Code for Girls Journal and Living the Confidence Code, a collection of real stories about girls learning to build confidence through action, effort and resilience. Her most recent collaboration with Claire Shipman, The Power Code, examines how women experience and exercise power at work, in politics and at home, proposing a model designed to help both women and men thrive.
Beyond television and publishing, Katty Kay has built a strong presence in the streaming world. She co-hosts the popular podcast The Rest is Politics US with Anthony Scaramucci, where sharp analysis meets candid conversation about American politics and global trends. Her influence also extends into popular culture, from being referenced on a Jeopardy episode to being portrayed in a Saturday Night Live skit, moments that underline her visibility and relevance far beyond traditional news audiences.
Katty Kay is an engaging keynote speaker on politics, leadership, confidence and the shifting nature of power. She adapts her message to corporate audiences, leadership teams, conferences and public forums, always grounding big ideas in real-world experience. Event organisers also value her ability to moderate panels, interview high-profile guests and host live conversations with authority and ease.
Popular reasons to book Katty Kay include:
Insightful keynotes on global politics, power and leadership
Evidence-based talks on confidence, particularly for women and girls
High-level moderation and interviewing for executive and public events
Katty Kay settled in Washington, DC in the mid-1990s, where she lives with her husband, their pets and remains closely connected to their four grown children. This balance between global engagement and personal perspective informs her work, giving her insights a grounded, relatable quality that resonates with audiences worldwide.
Book Katty Kay for your event to give your audience clarity, confidence and a broader understanding of the forces shaping our world.
5 of 5
“I just wanted to let you know that everyone was crazy about Katty. They loved her message and her delivery. I think Katty has converted many of the attendees to BBC News.”
Denise Billing President, PRMC Foundation
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“I want to thank you for leading such a superb panel discussion. The rapport that you established through the conversation was just wonderful and the panelists were both extremely candid in their views which our members appreciated (and commented on). It was one of the best discussions on emerging markets that we've featured at the Winter Forum. Some of their perspectives were unexpected, like those related to Russia and other regions - which made the session all the more interesting. The difference in ensuring this was executed at a high level was all the preparation you undertook and your willingness to tailor the discussion for actionable ideas for the audience. I was thrilled with the outcome and it was a real honor to have you join us.”
Founder NMS Management
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“It was great to see you again. You were incredibly well-received – both last night and this afternoon. Your message is powerfully and passionately delivered, and really resonates with us. Thank you again for taking the time to join us.”
Kenneth M. Doran Chairman & Managing Partner, Gibson Dunn
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“It was our pleasure to have you appear before our attendees last week in Miami on the occasion of our annual meeting of the American Cotton Shippers Association. Your comments and analysis of domestic and international matters was very well received and enjoyed by everyone I spoke with afterwards. The connections you made with our members regarding their export markets relating to China, Turkey, and others was a very good fit. Your genuine approach to the audience was refreshing and made personal by your wonderful smile and personality.”
President/CEO ACSA
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“You were absolutely fantastic – and got rave reviews.”
Partner Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“I can’t begin to describe how well Katty connected with our audience. She really resonated with the group as a single presenter discussing politics in DC and the obvious partisanship and discord that threaten our political representatives to govern. Interestingly, she does not give the press a free ride either, as too often, be it television or radio, the media has turned nearly as partisan as our politics. She was engaging, confident and yet self-deprecating at the same time. Doing double duty, she then moderated a business session discussing gender issues in the industry where she performed magnificently. With her recent book, “Womenomics”, it was obvious she knows the concerns and problems of women in the corporate world and their impact in the marketplace. We had several compliments about this session, especially from men. Having said all that, perhaps her most important attribute is her genuineness. She was perfect for our program and our audience. I would not be hesitant to recommend her to any organization.”
President/CEO NABCA
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“Thank you for being such a great keynote speaker. Your presentation touched our entire membership. The way you set the table with your message of where America fits in today's Global Economy, was quite skillful and eye opening for those attending. They felt reassured that the USA was still the world leader that they all grew up believing and yes ... better days are on their way!”
Education Consultant Florida Public Pension Trustees Association
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“Katty Kay was a huge hit with the attendees at NY Cash Exchange! She did a great job of creating a current events message geared to our group’s primary areas of interest and her presentation style was very polished and professional. Her humor provided a welcome balance. Perhaps the highest point was the Q&A session. She is obviously very well informed and quick minded. We would certainly book her again.”
Managing Director Ruzek Management
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“Fantastic!!!! Katty was simply fabulous. The audience loved her.”
Senior Vice President Business Development
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“On behalf of the entire Ellucian team, thank you for giving up valuable family time last week to join the female leaders. Your message on “The Confidence Code” was profoundly on target and inspirational to all of us!”
CEO Ellucian
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“Thanks to Katty the event was very successful. We have gotten back a lot of positive feedback from the group. She was fantastic at the event and the topic was something all of the women could relate including me. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Katty and listening to her. She is a very down to earth person who brings a lot of knowledge and experience to any group that she has the pleasure to speak to their group.”
Executive Assistant Penske
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“Katty did an amazing job!”
Vice President Business Banking, Great Western Bank
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“Our audience loved Katty Kay for her warmth, genuine connection and substance. Her presentation will absolutely help us shift our focus as an organization and reach more women long-term!”
Chattanooga Women's Leadership Institute
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from everyone who attended the session in Austin last Friday. ‘Insightful, empowering and inspirational’ were some of the words used.”
Digital Reality
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“The conversation was absolutely lovely. Katty is such a joy to listen to and so relatable and understandable…I think this is the 4th or 5th time we have had Katty speak at Toyota, and we definitely will look to have her again soon.”
Toyota (VIRTUAL EVENT)
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“FYI – Katty is killing this presentation! She is so natural and easy going, yet professional. Really enjoyed her. Thank you for another great pick!”
Kestra Financial (VIRTUAL EVENT)
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“It was amazing!!!!!! I got so caught up in the discussion I missed several of my spotlighting queues. She was warm, friendly, engaging, Just Brilliant!”
McCain Foods (VIRTUAL EVENT)
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“Katty was amazing…Our audience loved her.”
Public Relations Society of America
Katty Kay
5 of 5
“You know who’s a real rockstar? Katty Kay. We are so grateful…She was amazing!!!!”
Manager Events and Communications Marketing, AssetMark
Katty Kay
5 of 5
She was fantastic! Incredibly well received. So authentic and knowledgeable.
Director, Multi-Cultural Marketing Strategy, Northwestern Mutual
Katty Kay
5 of 5
Wanted to let you know that Katty was fantastic!! Great way to end the conference session today. She is such a great speaker and her Q&A session was great and we could have went on forever if she didn’t have to catch a flight. She had a lot of interesting questions.
Executive Director, SAE Detroit Section
Katty Kay
5 of 5
We are still getting high praise from our members (and staff) on Katty Kay’s presentation. She definitely was one of the highlights of the conference and I have let my colleagues know that they should definitely consider her as a speaker for any future events.
Communications Manager, Government Affairs, National Association of REALTORS®
Katty Kay
5 of 5
She may have been our best speaker (ever) - delightful and substantive and a pleasure to work with - our members just loved her.
Vice President, Public Affairs, HR Policy Association
Katty Kay
5 of 5
Katty was absolutely fantastic. The attendees loved her. Her comments couldn't have been more well suited for our audience. She's a very personable person which makes hosting so much easier. I am so glad that we were able to do this.
Margaret M. Timony Executive Director, Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association
Katty Kay
Keynote by Katty Kay:
Leaders in Washington, DC have upended everything we know about politics and convention. Never have there been so many dramatic domestic and global policy shifts in such a short period of time. Longtime Washington-based journalist Katty Kay has covered the first and now the second Trump administrations and is well-sourced on both sides of the political aisle. She sorts through the noise to explain what you really need to pay attention to – decoding what is performance and what is really changing America and the rest of the world. It has never been more important for business leaders to get an authoritative, objective take on events in Washington. After years living and reporting around the globe, Katty marries her insider access with an outsider’s perspective, bringing a truly global perspective to American politics.
Keynote by Katty Kay:
Confidence! With it, we can take on the world; without it, we don’t ask for raises, request that important meeting, or take risks. In the success equation, research shows that confidence is even more critical than competence. But what is confidence? Where does it come from? Are we born with it or do we acquire it? And why do women have less of it than their talents deserve?
This speech can be tailored to women or girls/parents and is based on Katty’s bestselling books on the subject. Katty Kay inspires audiences with the latest scientific research and anecdotes from her own career and the many women and girls she interviewed. Katty’s experience is like that of so many women, even senior women, whose lack of confidence is what really holds them back.
The good news then is that being confident is a choice. Katty’s talk inspires audiences to take action – to go outside their comfort zones, to try new hard things, to take risks, to be prepared to fail and to discover the secret to success.
Keynote by Katty Kay:
Veteran journalist Katty Kay brings a uniquely personal global perspective shaped by growing up in the Middle East and decades of reporting from Washington, Tokyo, London, and international hotspots. In her talk, Katty cuts straight to the forces redefining world affairs: rising geopolitical tensions, shifting power centers, and the strains facing Western democracies. Drawing on frontline reporting and conversations with global leaders, Katty explains how conflict, economic volatility, and misinformation are reshaping alliances and public trust. She also tackles America’s evolving role – where influence is strengthening, where it’s slipping, and why the world is watching closely. With crisp analysis and vivid storytelling, Katty gives audiences a sharp, accessible roadmap to the trends that will shape the next decade – leaving them more informed, more aware, and better equipped to lead.
Keynote by Katty Kay:
As a journalist, Katty Kay regularly interviews scores of political dignitaries, business leaders, and cultural icons for her news broadcasts. She brings that talent to corporate, association, and organization events where she’s interviewed noted figures from a wide variety of backgrounds including Condoleezza Rice, Anna Wintour, Dan Levy, Michael Lewis, Cynt Marshall, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Carlo Ancelotti, Anoush Ansari and scores more.
The skill, grace and humor Katty brings to in-person and virtual events as a panel moderator, discussion leader, and interviewer will get the most out of her guest/panelists and create a memorable experience for the audience.
Watch Katty Kay in action!
Watch Katty Kay in action!
