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Keynote SpeakerPaul Christensen

Fintech founder, Board Chair, Author and London Business School Contributor

Paul Christensen brings a 360° view of what it takes to build, scale, and exit technology companies: 25+ years as founder, CEO, investor, buyer, and seller across AI, fintech, and regulated markets. For the past decade, he has led the practical application of AI in business as co-founder and CEO... Read more

Popular Talks

  • Fintech Innovation
  • AI for Knowledge Workers

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Biography

Paul Christensen brings a 360° view of what it takes to build, scale, and exit technology companies: 25+ years as founder, CEO, investor, buyer, and seller across AI, fintech, and regulated markets.

For the past decade, he has led the practical application of AI in business as co-founder and CEO of Previse, an AI-driven B2B payments company whose technology was licensed to global financial institutions and white-labelled to Mastercard, Citi, and HSBC. Earlier, he was Global Co-Head of Strategic Investments at Goldman Sachs, where he managed a $1 billion portfolio of 55 investments with board seats across market infrastructure, electronic trading, and fintech. He previously served as Global Head of Strategic Investments at Deutsche Bank, leading a $600 million portfolio.

His board experience spans more than 15 companies, from early-stage venture through IPO and major acquisitions. A 10-year tenure at IHS Markit, working closely with CEO Lance Uggla from consortium-backed infrastructure through Nasdaq IPO to the S&P Global acquisition, gives him rare founder-to-IPO pattern recognition. He has also served on the boards of Tradeweb, Source ETF, LMAX Group, MTS Markets, NYSE Liffe, SwapClear, LCH CDSClear, and other market infrastructure businesses.

He is Course Director of Fintech Strategy: A Playbook from the Experts at London Business School, where he has been a regular contributor since around 2010. He is co-author of How Fintech Founders Win (Bloomsbury, November 2026), based on eight global founder case studies and a clear thesis: innovation gets attention, but distribution wins markets.

Paul has delivered executive education and keynote sessions for central banks, financial regulators, business schools, and global financial institutions across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, including a multi-day programme for the Central Bank of Bahrain.

He holds an Executive MBA from London Business School, an LLM from the London School of Economics, and an LLB/BCom from the University of Queensland. He is a qualified solicitor in the UK and Australia. Originally from Papua New Guinea, he has been based in London for around 30 years and will divide his time between London and Brisbane from late 2026.

"Paul was a keynote speaker at three of our most important events: the Start Path Annual Summit in Miami, the Mastercard Global Connections conference in San Diego, and the Mastercard European Summit in London. The latter two are our premier client events, attended by senior executives from across the global financial services industry, with audiences of up to 1,000 people. Paul spoke on innovation and the application of AI in financial services. He commands a room beautifully - authoritative and data-rich, but also warm, energetic, and accessible. The feedback from our clients was exceptional. I would not hesitate to recommend him to any organisation looking for a world-class speaker on fintech and financial innovation." Andrea Gilman, Mastercard
"Paul delivered an outstanding session for our Waqf Fund Corporate Banking Leadership Programme at the Central Bank of Bahrain. He took a complex and fast-moving subject — the transformation of financial services through fintech — and made it immediately accessible and relevant for a room of senior banking executives. His four-part innovation framework gave participants a clear and practical lens for thinking about how incumbents and startups compete and collaborate. The case studies were particularly well chosen: grounded in real-world experience rather than textbook theory. The audience engagement was exceptional throughout. Paul is a rare speaker who combines genuine intellectual depth with the ability to hold a room." Shakeel Bharmal, Ivey Business School
"Paul is a regular contributor at London Business School, speaking to audiences ranging from 30 to 100 students across our MBA and executive education programmes. He combines deep practitioner experience with genuine teaching skill: complex ideas land clearly, and students leave energised rather than overwhelmed. His NPS scores are consistently high. I recommend him without hesitation to any audience that wants a speaker who is both intellectually rigorous and genuinely engaging." Gary Dushnitsky, Deputy Dean, London Business School
"Paul is one of our highest-rated speakers on the MBA entrepreneurship programme. He brings genuine credibility to the room — not as a theorist, but as someone who has actually built and backed companies at the highest level. What sets him apart is his openness and authenticity: he shares the difficult moments as honestly as the wins, and students respond to that. With classes of around 50, the feedback is consistently outstanding. He is one of the very best speakers we bring in." George Davies, London Business School

Popular Talks by Paul Christensen

  • Fintech Innovation

    The practical lessons behind how the best founders solve distribution, not just technology, drawn from Paul’s proprietary framework and eight global case studies from How Fintech Founders Win (Bloomsbury, November 2026).

  • AI for Knowledge Workers

    How to Turbocharge Productivity and Judgment, practical lessons from a decade building AI products in high-stakes, regulated markets.

How to book Paul Christensen as a keynote speaker

How do I book Paul Christensen for a keynote speech?

You can book Paul Christensen through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Paul 's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.

What are Paul Christensen's speaking fees?

Paul Christensen's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Paul tailored to your event.

What topics does Paul Christensen speak about?

Paul Christensen speaks on Artificial Intelligence, Entrepreneurial, Financial, Fintech, Future & Technology. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Paul to align the content with your delegates and goals.

Is Paul Christensen available for international events?

London Speaker Bureau can book Paul Christensen for events worldwide, subject to Paul 's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.

Does Paul Christensen deliver virtual or online keynotes?

Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Paul Christensen is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).

How long is a typical keynote by Paul Christensen?

Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Paul can accommodate.

Can Paul Christensen tailor the keynote to our industry and audience?

London Speaker Bureau will brief Paul Christensen on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Paul can offer.

What languages does Paul Christensen present in?

Paul Christensen delivers keynotes in English. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.

What makes Paul Christensen a strong fit as a keynote speaker?

Paul Christensen's areas of expertise include Artificial Intelligence, Entrepreneurial, Financial, Fintech, Future & Technology. To get a clear sense of Paul 's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.

What kind of events can Paul Christensen speak at?

Paul Christensen can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Entrepreneurial, Financial, Fintech, Future & Technology is relevant. Details of Paul 's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.

Does Paul Christensen offer workshops, panels or fireside chats in addition to keynotes?

Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Paul Christensen is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.

How far in advance should we book Paul Christensen?

We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Paul Christensen, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Paul 's current availability for your dates.