Designated a “Global Leader for Tomorrow” by the World Economic Forum, Zachary Karabell is bringing a profound and refreshingly optimistic outlook to a world economy in crisis. As the President of River Twice Research, where he analyzes economic and political trends, Karabell challenges common assumptions ranging from global economics to the future of American innovation and growth to environmental sustainability. With a prolific, award winning writing career, an illustrious background on Wall Street and a Ph.D. from Harvard, Karabell brings a unique perspective to the discussion of globalization, the domestic and world economy, the greening of business and the shape of things to come.
At the podium, Karabell goes beyond data points to explore the complex and multifaceted shifts in our world economy. In such an important election year, audiences are questioning what’s going on in Washington and along the campaign trail and how the country is evolving economically. Having run a small company and invested in the financial markets, Karabell is uniquely positioned to explain these issues in an engaging and entertaining way, using humorous anecdotes, uplifting perspective and sparkling wit to connect with audiences and explain how these issues will affect them in laymen terms. From the rise of China and the increasing cost of energy and raw materials to the challenge of unemployment, uncertainty in Europe and the emergence of new players on the global economic stage, Karabell will leave audiences well-informed, educated and better prepared for their futures.
Karabell developed his keen economic insight as the Executive Vice President, Head of Marketing and Chief Economist at Fred Alger Management, a New York based investment firm. Quickly becoming President of Fred Alger and Company, he was the Portfolio Manager of the China-US Growth Fund, which won both a Lipper Award for top performance and a 5-star designation from Morningstar.
From his work on the fund, Karabell began to identify the profound implications of converging economies between China and the United States, a phenomenon he and others have called “Chimerica.” Considered the leading expert on the complicated relationship between China and the United States, Karabell’s book Superfusion: How China and America Became One Economy and Why the World’s Prosperity Depends on it was published by Simon & Schuster in 2009.
In October 2012 he joined OTR Global as a Senior Strategist, releasing a bi-monthly commentary on the most pressing macro issues. He is also the President of River Twice Research, and a Senior Advisor for Business for Social Responsibility, which advises Global 1000 corporations on how to integrate sustainability into their business practices. “Sustainability is the only way to growth,” says Karabell. “We have no choice but to move forward, and more efficient growth is our gateway to innovation.”
In his latest book, Sustainable Excellence: The Future of Business in a Fast-Changing World, Karabell uses his economic insight and experience working with Global 1000 companies to accurately and profoundly explore the ways in which today’s business landscape is changing in fundamental ways. By examining the stories of the companies who are transforming themselves by responding to these changes, Coca-Cola, BestBuy and Nike, to name a few, Sustainable Excellence makes the case for a different way of doing business—one that will define both business success and economic vitality in the 21st century.
The author of numerous books, including The Last Campaign: How Harry Truman Won the 1948 Election, which won the Chicago Tribune Heartland Award for best non-fiction book of the year and Peace Be Upon You: The Story of Muslim, Christian and Jewish Coexistence (Knopf, 2007), a book which examined the forgotten legacy of peace among the three faiths that The New York Times called “enlightened and enlightening.”
Karabell is a regular contributor on CNBC and Fast Money, and is also a frequent commentator on MSNBC, NBC Nightly News, CNN, Fox News and The History Channel. Karabell regularly writes for such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and Newsweek-The Daily Beast.
