Available to book
Tim Harford
Artificial Intelligence
Crisis Management
Data Science
Transform data-driven decision making with Tim Harford, speaker, behavioural economist and statistics expert. Tim works with organisations to simplify complex economic concepts, manage uncertainty and learn from failure, delivering award-winning insights as an FT columnist and BBC broadcaster.
Oxford University
Journalist
Thought Leader
Business Leader
Economist
Author
Tim Harford is a behavioural economist, columnist for the Financial Times, bestselling author, and BBC broadcaster. Often compared to Malcolm Gladwell, he is recognised for his ability to tell stories that clarify complex topics. Tim's work focuses on risk, economics, and statistics.
His Radio 4 show and podcast, "More or Less", investigates misleading statistics in the news, addressing figures used by politicians, businesses, and social media. Other projects include "How To Vaccinate The World", "Fifty Things That Made The Modern Economy", and "Cautionary Tales", which explores human error through various narratives.
Tim has a strong background in economics, with experience at Oxford, Shell, and the World Bank. His FT columns provide insights into everyday economic issues, often with humorous solutions. His first book, "The Undercover Economist", sold nearly two million copies and drew comparisons to "Freakonomics" for its exploration of topics like coffee shops and organised crime. He has since established himself as a leading writer on economics.
Other notable titles include "The Logic of Life", which examines human decision-making; "Adapt: Why Success Always Starts With Failure", which highlights learning from failure; "Messy: How to Be Creative and Resilient in a Tidy-Minded World", which challenges conventional views on tidiness; and "How to Make the World Add Up: Ten Rules for Thinking Differently About Numbers", a guide to understanding numerical data.
Tim's work covers a range of subjects, including learning from mistakes, uncertainty, forecasting, and innovation. He draws examples from diverse fields, such as the military and ballet, questioning established wisdom and statistical norms. He is a member of Nuffield College, Oxford, and the only journalist to be an honorary fellow of the Royal Statistical Society. Tim has received multiple awards for his contributions to economic journalism.
Topics, sessions and talks
In this session, Tim Harford discusses the parallels between and lessons from new and old technologies. He delves into how to work with, not against, artificial intelligence, AI and the truth behind the scare stories.
In this talk, Tim Harford discusses how we prepare for and react to crises. He shares what resilience in organisations and individuals means and lessons from how the public and private sectors dealt with vaccination from the logistics to the misinformation.
In this session, Tim Harford explores how data can both mislead and illuminate so we can all use the data we have more effectively. He shares what algorithms really do to data and how to understand it. He’ll also explore why we can all be better at understanding statistics, and why we need to be.
In this talk, Tim Harford teaches how to embrace failure and confusion, how to learn from mistakes, and how to manage intentional or inevitable failure.
In this session, Tim Harford discusses where creative solutions and ideas come from. He explores whether AI helps or hinders creativity and collaboration and why some ideas are dropped and some embraced. Tim will also delve into how we shape new ideas, how they shape us and how to create an innovative environment.
Book Tim Harford to inspire your team with his engaging storytelling and sharp insights into economics and decision-making. His unique blend of humour and intelligence will challenge conventional thinking, helping you navigate uncertainty and embrace innovation. Elevate your understanding of data and risk with a truly compelling speaker.
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frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Email tim.harford@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Tim's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
Tim Harford structures his talks around real-world case studies and statistical examples drawn from his research and journalism, using these to break down complex economic and data-driven concepts into accessible insights.
Tim Harford OBE speaks on working with artificial intelligence, crisis preparedness and organisational resilience, and the effective use of data and statistics. He is the only journalist to hold an honorary fellowship of the Royal Statistical Society and hosts the BBC Radio 4 programme and podcast More or Less, which investigates misleading statistics in the news.
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Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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