Paul Craven

Paul Craven is a founding member of the Cialdini Institute and former Managing Director at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, where he spent nearly three decades mastering behavioural economics and investment strategy. Now CEO of Craven Partners Ltd and adviser to major pension schemes, he combines rigorous financial expertise with his Magic Circle membership to reveal how psychology drives decision-making. Audiences leave his sessions with practical tools to influence ethically, mitigate bias, and improve outcomes across sales, leadership, and strategic planning.

Boardrooms and investment committees face a persistent challenge: even the most experienced professionals fall victim to cognitive biases, groupthink, and flawed decision-making processes that can cost organisations millions. Paul Craven is a behavioural economics expert and founder member of the Cialdini Institute who specialises in the art and science of ethical persuasion, helping leaders understand the psychological forces that shape decisions, influence outcomes, and drive commercial success.

Paul's credibility is rooted in nearly three decades at the heart of global financial markets. He began his career as a portfolio manager at Schroders before progressing to Head of UK Institutional Sales, later moving to PIMCO Europe as Head of UK Business Development. At Goldman Sachs Asset Management, he served as Managing Director and Head of European Institutional Business before retiring to establish Craven Partners Ltd. Today, he advises major pension schemes, including the £2 billion Akzo Nobel Pension Scheme and serves as Trustee Director on the Mitchells & Butlers Pension Plans. As a founding member of the Cialdini Institute, Paul works at the forefront of research and training in the seven principles of ethical persuasion and influence. He is also a non-executive director at specialist coaching firm Salomon Partners, where he advises asset managers and pension funds on applying behavioural science insights to strategy and skills development. Beyond finance, Paul is a member of the exclusive Magic Circle, combining his understanding of psychological principles with the art of misdirection to reveal how the mind processes information and makes choices.

Paul transforms how audiences approach critical business challenges, from mitigating bias in investment decisions to avoiding groupthink around the board table. His presentations blend rigorous behavioural science with practical application, whether exploring how to build client empathy, improve procurement techniques through psychology, or master the dynamics of group persuasion. He delivers keynotes, workshops, and after-dinner presentations that often include live psychological experiments and demonstrations, making complex concepts immediately accessible and memorable. Audiences leave equipped with actionable frameworks for better decision-making, stronger influence, and more ethical persuasion, gaining a competitive advantage through a deeper understanding of human behaviour in commercial contexts.