How Speakers Corner Curates 5 Leading Economic Trends Keynote Speakers for Market Forecasts 2026

The global economic environment in 2026 is marked by volatility, structural shifts, and deepening divergence. Event organisers seeking to equip their audiences with actionable intelligence need speakers who can cut through complexity and translate macro trends into strategic business insights. At Speakers Corner, we've spent over 20 years connecting organisations with voices that don't just analyse what's happening, they help leaders navigate what comes next.

This guide walks you through the five most critical economic trends driving 2026 business strategy, and how we identify, vet, and select the speakers best positioned to address them.

Trend 1: Tariff Wars and Trade Policy Uncertainty

Trade policy has become the dominant business concern. Approximately 60% of surveyed executives identified trade policy changes, including tariffs and protectionist measures, as one of the greatest risks to global growth. This marks a significant shift from previous years. Organisations are actively reshaping supply chains, accelerating nearshoring initiatives, and renegotiating supplier contracts. Lead times in electronics manufacturing spiked 85% in early 2026, comparable to early pandemic signals.

Your audience doesn't need abstract economic theory. They need someone who can translate tariff regimes into ROI implications, explain supply chain resilience strategies, and help anticipate policy pivots. Speakers with board experience at multinational corporations and deep advisory backgrounds are particularly sought after for this theme.

Trend 2: Artificial Intelligence Investment Surge and Productivity Paradoxes

Generative AI attracted $33.9 billion in global private investment in 2024, an 18.7% increase from 2023. Yet enterprise-wide profitability gains remain elusive: only 39% of respondents attribute meaningful EBIT impact to AI adoption. This paradox, high investment, delayed returns, is creating urgent questions for C-suite leaders about implementation strategy and competitive differentiation.

Event planners are booking speakers who can bridge the AI investment gap. Organisations setting growth and innovation as primary objectives, rather than cost-cutting alone, are seeing the strongest financial returns. The message resonates: technology is a tool, not a strategy.

Trend 3: Labour Market Cooling and Persistent Wage Pressures

Global labour markets have shifted markedly. Job growth across major developed economies has fallen well below 2019 pre-pandemic rates. US Consumer Confidence plummeted 9.5 points to 116.8 in December, with apprehensions about jobs and income deepening. Simultaneously, wage growth remains sticky in service sectors, creating wage-price spiral risks that central banks are monitoring closely.

Event directors working with HR, operations, and finance teams benefit from speakers experienced in policy-making. Those with central bank or government treasury backgrounds can contextualise wage trends, skills gaps, and demographic shifts affecting workforce planning.

Trend 4: Regional Economic Divergence and the UK Inflation Outlier

Global economic performance is increasingly fragmented. Whilst inflation in most G7 nations has either declined or remained stable, the UK stands as a notable outlier. UK inflation reached 3.8% in August 2026, the highest in 18 months. The International Monetary Fund specifically flagged the UK for significant upside inflation surprises. Simultaneously, UK GDP per capita growth is projected as the weakest in the G7 for 2026.

When planning events for UK and European audiences, Speakers Corner prioritises economists and policy commentators with deep regional expertise. This includes former Bank of England officials, treasury advisors, and financial journalists who can explain why UK inflation has diverged and how businesses should adjust their strategy accordingly.

Trend 5: Energy Transition, Infrastructure Investment, and Capital Flow Imbalances

Global energy demand surged 2.2% in 2024, driven by data centre expansion and electrification. Yet capital deployment remains geographically misaligned: emerging and developing economies account for 80% of demand growth but receive only a fraction of clean energy investment. Infrastructure investment, particularly in grid modernisation, data centres, and renewable systems, is emerging as a cornerstone of 2026 growth strategies.

Event organisers focused on energy, infrastructure, or ESG themes benefit from speakers who can articulate the intersection of climate transition, capital flows, and competitive advantage.

Selecting the right economic speaker isn't about booking the most famous name. Our curation process, refined across over 20 years and 1, 000 events annually, matches speaker expertise, delivery style, and accessibility to your event's specific objectives, audience, and timeframe.

We begin by understanding your event's core message and the key challenges your audience faces. We then identify speakers whose expertise, board experience, or policy background directly addresses those challenges. We vet credibility through track records, recent publications, and evidence of thought leadership. For a deeper dive into how we match speakers to specific business themes, explore our guide to curating technology speakers; the same rigorous approach applies to economic trends.

Step 1: Understand Your Event Objective. We start with conversation, not templates. Our Account Managers ask: What's the core objective? Who's in the room, and what decisions will they be making? This discovery phase often uncovers that event sponsors care less about a famous name and more about a speaker who can credibly address their specific business challenges.

Step 2: Map Expertise Against Your Brief. Once we understand your objectives, we identify economists and policy commentators who've recently published on your focal trends. We cross-check speaker expertise against the latest IMF outlooks, central bank publications, and business intelligence reports to ensure relevance.

Step 3: Verify Track Record and Speaking Style. Not all credible economists are great event speakers. We assess delivery style, audience engagement, and adaptability. We review video showreels, testimonials from past events, and references from other event organisers.

Step 4: Negotiate Transparently. Budget, availability, and logistics matter. We're upfront about speaker fees, travel requirements, and preparation needs. We explain that booking speakers 8 to 12 weeks ahead typically offers better availability and rates than last-minute requests.

Based on current market trends, speaking experience, and event fit for corporate boards and investor audiences, we frequently recommend these five speakers for economic trend discussions.

1. Dr Dambisa Moyo: Global Growth and De-Globalisation

Dr Moyo is a co-principal at Versaca Investments and serves on corporate boards including 3M, Chevron, and Condé Nast. She's a bestselling author respected for contrarian analysis paired with measured judgment. Her keynotes cover global growth outlooks, investment themes in a de-globalising world, technology unpacking, and the intersection of policy, business, and democracy. She's particularly sought after for events addressing trade policy uncertainty and emerging market opportunities.

2. Andrew Sentance: UK and European Economic Policy

Andrew is Senior Economic Adviser at PwC and a former member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee. His deep experience navigating UK economic policy and inflation dynamics makes him invaluable for events addressing the UK inflation outlier trend or European economic divergence. His articulate analysis of economic trends resonates particularly well with corporate leadership and finance teams.

3. Zanny Minton Beddoes: Global Economics and Emerging Markets

Zanny is Editor in Chief of The Economist, the first female editor in the publication's 180-year history. Her role covering global economy, policy, and business enterprise gives her unrivalled insight into multi-regional trends. She's particularly strong on emerging market opportunities, trade policy implications, and the intersection of economics and geopolitics. For guidance on selecting speakers with strong editorial and thought leadership credentials, visit our guide to finance and economics speakers.

4. Jo Ann Barefoot: Fintech, Regulation, and Financial System Innovation

Jo Ann is CEO of the Alliance for Innovative Regulation and a former US bank regulator turned digital transformation advocate. Her expertise spans the convergence of technology, financial services, and regulatory innovation. For events addressing AI in financial services or regulatory compliance trends, she brings authentic policy and practice experience.

5. Peter Frankopan: Historical Context for Geopolitical Complexity

Peter is an acclaimed historian and author of The Silk Roads and The Earth Transformed. He brings a historical perspective to current geopolitical and economic challenges. His keynotes help audiences understand how historical patterns inform current market dynamics, particularly valuable for strategy-focused events aiming to contextualise 2026 uncertainty within longer-term structural shifts.

Use these questions to ensure your speaker choice aligns with your event objective, audience, and intended impact:

What specific economic trend will this speaker address? Vague briefs lead to generic keynotes. The more specific your brief, the better we can match expertise directly to your challenge.

Who is your audience, and what decisions will they be making? More senior audiences often prefer speakers who can move quickly from macro context to specific business implications.

Do you need policy credibility or board experience? For internal strategy alignment, policy backgrounds carry credibility. For investor relations, board experience may be preferable.

What's your timeline and budget flexibility? Premium economic commentators often book 8 to 12 weeks ahead. Understanding your budget window helps us identify speakers who fit both your timeline and investment.

Getting Started: Your Next Steps

If you're planning an event in 2026 focused on economic trends, whether trade policy, AI, labour market dynamics, regional divergence, or energy transition, let's talk. Our Account Managers are ready to understand your event objective, audience, and budget, then curate tailored speaker recommendations. We'll manage negotiations, contracts, logistics, and delivery, ensuring your event leaves a lasting impact. Reach out today, and let's make your event unforgettable.