

Author, Boombustology: Spotting Financial Bubbles Before They Burst, Yale Lecturer and Harvard Senior Fellow
Named LinkedIn’s Top Voice on Finance and the Global Economy for the second year in a row. One article alone generated over a million views! Vikram believes that the future doesn’t have to surprise us – and won’t – if we adopt a generalist’s mindset. He show audiences how to use his multi-lens approach to manage risk, navigate uncertainty and peer into the future on crucial areas like China, food, the global economy, Africa, housing, investing, financial cycles, energy and much more.
Biography
See Vikram’s “17 predictions to watch for in 2017 (and the next five years)” – as posted by PBS NewsHour
Vikram Mansharamani first gained widespread attention in 2011 with his book Boombustology: Spotting Financial Bubbles Before They Burst. Since then he’s gone on to show others how to use his multi-lens approach to manage risk, navigate uncertainty and peer into the future on crucial areas like China, food, the global economy, Africa, housing, investing, financial cycles, energy and much more. Vikram believes that the future doesn’t have to surprise us – and won’t – if we adopt a generalist’s mindset.
His speeches show audiences how to develop a broader view of the world by embracing a generalist mindset. As we encounter information that seems irrelevant, most people think “So What?!” – but Generalists think “isn’t that interesting” and try to connect the dots. When they do, the conclusions they draw and decisions they make may be very different from the more narrow-focused “experts.” Vikram shows audiences how to use this approach to spot opportunities and reduce risk.
Vikram Mansharamani is a global equity investor with more than 20 years’ experience investing in public and private markets. He served as Managing Director of SDK Capital (and its predecessors). Currently he is a Lecturer at Yale University and teaches three popular classes: “Investment Management”, “Financial Booms and Busts” and “Adventures in Business Ethics.” He is also a Senior Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business & Government at the Harvard Kennedy School. His current research interests include bubbles in both financial and non-financial markets, the unsustainable dynamics of food and fuel, and the relative value of experts vs. generalists in navigating complex uncertainties and risk.
A regular commentator in the financial media, Vikram has contributed to Bloomberg, MarketWatch, CNBC, Forbes, Fortune, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Yale Global, The South China Morning Post, The Korea Times, The Khaleej Times, and The Daily Beast, among others.
He is a frequently sought-after speaker by a wide range of organizations. As a Tiger21 Scholar, he regularly advises the organization’s members on matters of asset allocation and investment strategy. He regularly addresses those focused on allocating large pools of capital. He has spoken to audiences of sovereign wealth funds, family offices, endowments, foundations, and registered investment advisors and – of course – a variety of major corporate and association groups.
Vikram’s consulting work builds on these speaking and advisory roles and focuses on thematic investment analysis and risk management. He is a paid advisor to several leading endowments and currently serves as a Senior Advisor to the Investment Committee of LVW Advisors, a Rochester-based investment advisor serving non-profit institutional clients. Vikram is also a Senior Advisor to the Crumpton Group, LLC, a strategic advisory firm founded by Ambassador Hank Crumpton.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Africa Opportunity Fund, a London-listed closed-end investment vehicle and as chairman of the Torit Montessori School in Boston. He previously served on the boards of the Association of Yale Alumni, the US-Pakistan Business Council, Interelate, and ManagedOps. He earned a Ph.D and MS from the Sloan School of Management at MIT, an MS in Political Science from MIT, and a BA from Yale University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Topics
You may want to go deeper into a topic for your audience. The keynote topics can be tailored and developed to suit your audience needs, be it a 90 minute Masterclass, half-day, full-day workshop or a full online or face to face programme we can help. Please contact one of our expert team to discuss.
THE GENERALIST ADVANTAGE
- Expertise and specialization can hamper the ability to navigate the uncertainty of a complex world. Instead, Vikram advocates cultivating a broader view – a generalist’s mindset. Most people who encounter seemingly irrelevant information think “So what?!” Generalists think “isn’t that interesting!” and looks to connect the dots – often arriving at very different conclusions from the “experts.” Vikram’s real life examples reveal an effective approach to anticipate the future.
THE GLOBAL CONSUMPTION BOOM – WHY EVERYTHING IS ABOUT TO CHANGE
As the middle-class balloons in emerging nations, a global consumption boom will have an unprecedented impact on food, fuel, precious metals and other commodities. The likely impact on the global standard of living will drive geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Vikram Mansharamani untangles the dynamics and helps audiences think differently about the nature of global prosperity and how it will shape their business.
THE END OF CHEAP FOOD – A FORECAST
Food is emerging as one of the future’s most volatile assets. Shifting political, economic, climatic and societal change all factor into the equation. Vikram Mansharamani shows that the era of cheap food is over and describes the geo-political and geo-economic ramifications – from Wall Street to Pudong. The implications of land grabs, fertilizer availability, climate change, water scarcity, and price-related food (in)security will have profound impact on our world.
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY – AN UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK
Europe falling apart? China collapsing? Treasury bubble popping? Japan’s economy imploding? Energy dynamics creating geopolitical unrest? Vikram Mansharamani applies his multi-lens approach to help people manage the cross-currents of rapidly-changing global economic, financial and political developments. His customized content incorporates information that’s fresh and relevant.
SPOTTING BUBBLES BEFORE THEY BURST
Vikram contends the ability to identify financial (and other) bubbles before they burst is easier if you step outside your expertise. Narrow focus can lead to tunnel vision. Instead, look broadly through multiple lenses – to art markets, architecture, popular culture, economics, politics and more. Vikram empowers audiences – assuring them that they don’t need to be an expert to effectively anticipate the future.
Videos
Resources
Books

Testimonials
“Dr. Mansharamani is a talented speaker who connects with his audience. He is able to distill broad themes into relatable bites through illustrative and effective storytelling and use of visual images. He invites the audience to engage directly with him and they do! He is adept at and seems to enjoy responding to questions and challenges to his point of view. Dr. Mansharamani was among the best speakers we’ve had in our Author Series – evidence: the long line of people who sought to meet him and ask more questions following his presentation.” – Suzannah L. Susser, Deputy Director, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
“Rare is the speaker that offers a perspective culled from a variety of disciplines. Seeking such a person, we booked Vikram to speak to our group, which is comprised of CFA charter holders with a wealth of experience in financial markets. He was someone we thought would inspire outside-the-box thinking, and he delivered in spades. Vikram offered a broad, macro-level presentation that exposed our audience to potential opportunities and threats facing the world. He’s an incredibly knowledgeable, dynamic speaker whose presentation just might change your worldview – he certainly changed a few among our group.” – Sayer P. Martin, CFA, President, Sagacious & Programming Chair, CFA Society of Iowa
“Vikram is a lively and engaging speaker. Right from the first moment Vikram steps on stage he captivates the audience and involves them in the session- no one is looking at Blackberries or leaving the room – they are all fascinated with what he has to say. Vikram is a very versatile speaker- he can give thoughtful and entertaining solo presentations communicating a clear and relevant business message but in addition he is a real asset to panel discussions- he encourages debate and creates a compelling dialogue. You can trust Vikram to add value, insight and personality to any conference.” – Victoria Chatterton, Conference Director, ICBI
“One of the most important topics in global economics today was presented with enthusiasm and humor, supported by well-researched analysis. This attention-grabbing presentation is a must for anyone who’s looking ahead to the Next Big Boom (or Bust).” – Trey Seitz, Investment Manager, External Equities Department, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
“Vikram is a wonderful speaker. He engaged the audience from his opening comments and kept them entertained and informed until the end. The Q and A session was equally beneficial. He handled all the questions with colorful concise answers and encouraged everyone to participate. The audience clearly enjoyed the presentation and gave him great reviews in the survey. I would certainly recommend him to any group that needs insight into Bubbles and the Global Economy.” – Richard L. Ware, CFA, Program Chair, CFA Virginia
“PwC engaged Vikram Mansharamani to conduct a two hour session in August, 2011 as part of the firm’s full day pension plan Trustee education session. I worked with Vikram prior to his presentation and found him to be very responsive and easy to work with. Roughly 20 people attended the session. We asked Vikram to talk about his book, Boombustology. We provided the book to the attendees prior to the meeting; however, time constraints prevented many of the attendees from reading the book prior to the meeting. Vikram’s presentation — the first of the day — was very engaging… We were entertained, but we learned a lot…His arguments were very specific and quite convincing. His methodical approach resonated well with our group of accountants and financial professionals. Vikram kept the group’s interest and also entertained them. His professorial approach made me wish I were back in school… Of the four groups that presented that day, I felt that Vikram’s presentation was the best. We still discuss his material six months after the presentation.” – C. B. Bianco, Director of Investments, PricewaterhouseCoopers
“We host a variety of authors, professors, economists, doctors, and architects for a lecture and Q&A session. Typically, these lectures draw between 30 and 60 members. On Wednesday September 28, 2011, Vikram Mansharamani joined 50+ members to discuss his book entitled “Boombustology”. Our members thoroughly enjoyed the evening and were very impressed with Dr. Mansharamani’s engaging style and charisma. After the Q&A section of the lecture, members swarmed Dr. Mansharamani to continue asking their questions before he had to depart for a flight to another lecture. I received positive feedback about Dr. Mansharamani’s lecture from our members and am pleased that his lecture could kick-off our fall season of library lectures.” – Lesley Kiger, Activities Manager, The Yale Club of NYC
“I want to thank you for the terrific presentation you made to the Hamilton Trust on November 10, 2011 at the Brae Burn Country Club. Our membership enjoyed your talk and thought it was one of the best presentations we have had. Our 60-person membership, consisting mostly of CEO types, is a very sophisticated and learned audience. As you know, I was initially concerned that your subject on Boombustology and Yale connection might be too academic and that you also might have a challenge in controlling the questions and debate from our group. Well, I was amazed that your presentation totally captured their interest without exception, and you controlled their questions without losing a beat on your subject matter. The members felt you were providing them with a completely new way to view the economic signals of booms and busts, and were taken with your energy and vibrant presentation skills. You came highly recommended from your previous engagements and, after this delightful experience, I would highly recommend you to any other groups looking for an entertaining and stimulating speaker. Finally, you should know that, after your presentation, I received four unsolicited e-mails from members congratulating me for bringing in such a terrific speaker.” – David Quade, President, Berkshire Income Realty & Chairman, Program Committee, The Hamilton Trust
“I have had the pleasure of working with Vikram on a number of occasions. There are few Academics that are as abreast of market concerns as he, but even more, there are few market strategists that can remain on top of the latest research and thinking. Vikram remains one of Track.com’s top speakers and dinner guests. His insights and easy-going, straightforward speaking style make him the go-to expert for China and anything global.” – Robert Savage, Chief Executive Officer, Track.com
“What a hit you were at our meetings! So many people commented on how much they enjoyed your presentation and how much they gained from it! Thank you for spending the time you did up front to really understand our audience.” – Manager of Advisor Training, Lincoln Financial Advisors
“Great session by Vikram in my opinion, and informal feedback has been quite positive. He didn’t stint on the prep time (in fact he asked for more), and it showed in how well prepared he was for the Invesco audience.” – People Development Adviser, Human Resources, Invesco
“Thank you again for working with us for the Industry Business Forum and Convening leaders. Quite simply you were GREAT. The content was enriching for all, high level and you forced us to think differently.” –Chief Operating Officer, Professional Convention Management Association
“Vikram uses economic data and social science to challenge business leaders to think beyond their tenure and outside their comfort zone on what might be possible and likely in today’s highly disruptive world.” -Bruce MacMillan, CEO, Bandwidth Management & Consulting
“Vikram has been a speaker at several of our client events in the past. His dynamic and entertaining talk on the boom & bust cycles is not only very engaging but it really pushes the audience to think outside the box. He leaves us inspired about “connecting the dots.”” – M. Sa’ad Shah, Managing Director, THE CARLYLE GROUP