The BBC presenter, Oxford Fellow, data detective and million-selling author is a compelling storyteller on economics, psychology and the unexpected bits in between. Tim explores innovation and how ideas spread, what disasters teach us about ourselves, the power of price, and the use of uncertainty as a competitive weapon. He also reveals truths and myths in data – whether public information, misinformation or deliberate disinformation.... Read more
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Tim Harford is a world-renowned behavioural economist, award-winning Financial Times columnist, data detective and BBC broadcaster. Described as ‘Britain’s Malcolm Gladwell’ (and as “a genius at telling stories that illuminate our world” by Gladwell himself), and by the New Statesman as ‘perhaps the best popular economics writer in the world’, Tim brings storytelling, humour, insight and intelligence to the world of data, work and statistics.
His long-running Radio 4 show and podcast More or Less looks at the truth behind the dubious statistics and manipulated figures making the news, whilst his Cautionary Tales podcast is a journey through stories of human error and its unexpected impact, with guests including Russell Tovey and Alan Cumming. He’s also presented the popular Fifty Things That Made The Modern Economy series (and wrote the accompanying books) and, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, he hosted How To Vaccinate The World. On television, he wrote and fronted Channel 4’s examination of the nation’s financial challenges in Skint: The Truth Behind Britain’s Broken Economy.
Although he’s a ‘serious’ economist with a career spanning Oxford, Shell and the World Bank, Tim’s FT columns dwell on the economics of daily life and offers tongue-in-cheek solutions to readers’ problems. His first book The Undercover Economist, sold almost two million copies, and built on these themes. It was likened to Freakonomics in its explanation of everything from coffee shops to organised crime to development aid. He’s since gone on to be one of the foremost writers on economics.
Tim’s other titles include: The Logic of Life which applies economic theory to the world to explain how rational (or otherwise) our decisions are; Adapt: Why Success Always Starts With Failure which shows how challenges of all types need to be tackled by learning to improvise and allowing for failure. Messy: How to Be Creative and Resilient in a Tidy-Minded World, considers why tidiness, organisation and predictability aren’t always the best environments to foster innovation and achievement; and How to Make the World Add Up: Ten Rules for Thinking Differently About Numbers, equips readers with the tools to understand and question the numbers that dominate headlines, and sometimes seem to confirm our own biases.
From why we might be misunderstanding the advantages and difficulties of AI (and what the history of technology can tell us about both) to how to identify and challenge misinformation. Why it’s so hard yet so important to learn from mistakes, to how to deal with uncertainty, predict disasters and deal with flawed forecasting, Tim explores a fascinating world of behaviours, numbers and assumptions. Taking in everything from the military to game shows, aviation to ballet, he questions received wisdom, common sense, and statistical certainty. His accessible, easy style provides entertaining, thought-provoking insights relevant to every person and organisation. Tim is a member of Nuffield College, Oxford, and the only journalist to be an honorary fellow of the Royal Statistical Society. He’s a two-time winner of the Bastiat Prize for economic journalism and has been named Science and Data Commentator of the Year, Economics Commentator of the Year, and has won the Society for Business Economists writing prize and the Royal Statistical Society prize for journalism.
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You can book Tim Harford OBE through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Tim's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Tim Harford OBE'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 Tim tailored to your event.
Tim Harford OBE speaks on Artificial Intelligence, Authors, Economics, Economics & Finance, Financial. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Tim to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Tim Harford OBE for events worldwide, subject to Tim's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Tim Harford OBE is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
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 Tim can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Tim Harford OBE 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 Tim can offer.
Tim Harford OBE delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Tim Harford OBE's areas of expertise include Artificial Intelligence, Authors, Economics, Economics & Finance, Financial. To get a clear sense of Tim'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.
Tim Harford OBE 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, Authors, Economics, Economics & Finance, Financial is relevant. Details of Tim'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.
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 Tim Harford OBE is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Tim Harford OBE, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Tim's current availability for your dates.