Noreena Hertz

Noreena Hertz Profile

Economic expert Noreena Hertz’s track record of predicting financial, political, and business trends is second to none. For over 20 years Hertz has been advising national governments, global corporations, and nonprofit organizations, helping them to expand their vision and make smarter decisions in an increasingly complex world.

An honorary professor at University College London, Hertz is one of the world’s leading researchers on decision-making as well as “Generation K,” people who were born from 1995 to 2001. She has presented her findings at the World Economic Forum in Davos and the Women in the World Economic Summit in New York City, while her best-selling books, Eyes Wide Open, The Silent Takeover, and IOU: The Debt Threat have spread her insights and research to millions of readers in 22 different languages.

After years of academia and consulting work, Hertz became an overnight celebrity in 2001 with the release of The Silent Takeover, a study of how multinational corporations were taking over government roles, crossing ethical boundaries, and driving the world towards financial crisis. Branding herself as a “campaigning academic,” she has used her fame to raise awareness and funds on several social issues, including canceling the debt of the world’s poorest countries, battling HIV and AIDS in Africa, and raising nurses’ wages in the U.K.

Currently, Hertz acts as the economic editor of ITV news.

• View Extended/Alternate Bio

  A renowned economist and strategic thinker with an impressive track record in predicting global trends, Noreena graduated from university at the age of 19. By 23, Hertz was advising the Russian government on its economic reforms and investors on M&A transactions as the Russian economy opened up to capitalism. At the age of 29, Hertz was working with the governments of Israel, Egypt, Palestine and Jordan on the role economics could play in The Middle East Peace Process.

  Hertz’s thinking was the inspiration for Product (RED), which has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa. Most recently she has been exploring the world of today’s teenagers, who she has coined “Generation K”, with articles published in the UK, US, Europe and China.

  The Observer has named Hertz as “one of the world’s leading thinkers.” Vogue has described her as “one of the world’s most inspiring women’. In 2013, Hertz was the Cover Feature of Newsweek.

  Noreena’s best-selling books, The Silent Takeover, IOU: The Debt Threat and Eyes Wide Open, are published in 22 countries. She has given Keynote speeches at TED, The World Economic Forum and Google Zeitgeist sharing platforms with President Bill Clinton, James Wolfensohn and David Beckham amongst others. From 2014-16 she served on the Board of Warner Music Group.

  Noreena has a PhD from Cambridge University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She is Visiting Professor at University College London. She has held professorships at Erasmus University and Utrecht University and fellowships at the University of Cambridge and the London School of Economics.