Saul Blinkoff
Hollywood Filmmaker | Disney, DreamWorks, Netflix & Amazon | Director of Pocahontas, Mulan & Tarzan | Keynote Speaker & Podcast Host
Benjamin List
Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 | Director at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research | Pioneer of Asymmetric Organocatalysis | Innovation & Sustainability Speaker
Benjamin List is a Nobel Prize–winning chemist who co-founded asymmetric organocatalysis, one of the most important advances in modern chemistry. A director at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, he shows senior audiences how simplicity, curiosity, and fundamental research drive breakthrough innovation and more sustainable industry. His keynotes turn Nobel-level science into practical insight on creativity and long-term thinking.
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Benjamin List biography
Benjamin List is a Nobel Prize–winning chemist whose work has reshaped modern chemistry by introducing simpler, more sustainable ways to drive chemical reactions. Awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, speaker Benjamin List is internationally recognized for co-founding asymmetric organocatalysis, a breakthrough that transformed how scientists design molecules for medicine, materials, and industry.
Trained in chemistry in Germany and the United States, List built his career at the intersection of deep academic research and real-world application. After early roles in Berlin and Frankfurt and postdoctoral work in California, he challenged a long-standing assumption in his field: that catalysis required metals or complex enzymes. His research showed instead that small organic molecules could act as highly selective, efficient catalysts, opening an entirely new class of chemical reactions that are both precise and more environmentally responsible. Today, organocatalysis is widely used in pharmaceutical development and chemical manufacturing, reducing waste while improving efficiency and control.
Leadership in Fundamental Science
List is a director of the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, professor of organic chemistry at the University of Cologne, and a principal investigator at Hokkaido University’s Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery. He also serves as editor-in-chief of the journal Synlett. In these roles he shapes research agendas at the meeting point of chemistry, sustainability, and scientific creativity, and his work has earned many of the field’s highest honors, reflecting both scientific excellence and long-term influence.
For audiences, Benjamin List brings a rare view inside the process of discovery, exploring why simplicity often outperforms complexity, how sustained curiosity drives progress, and what fundamental research reveals about tackling global challenges, from sustainable production to responsible technological advance. As a speaker, Benjamin List connects breakthrough science to the broader questions of innovation and resilience that matter to leaders, ranking among Aurum’s most compelling innovation speakers.
Benjamin List Speaking Videos
Benjamin List: Breaking the Wall to Organocatalysis
Nobel Prize Lecture: Benjamin List, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021
Benjamin List Keynote Topics
Complex problems are often solved not by adding layers but by stripping ideas down to their essence. Benjamin List explores how some of the most transformative scientific advances emerge from simple, unconventional thinking. Drawing on his Nobel Prize–winning work, he shows how reexamining assumptions can unlock new paths to innovation, efficiency, and long-term progress.
Scientific discovery does not stop at the laboratory door. Benjamin List examines how foundational research becomes the basis for advances in medicine, industry, and sustainability. Audiences gain insight into how long-term investment in science fuels innovation ecosystems and why curiosity-driven work often delivers the most enduring results.
Modern innovation must balance performance with responsibility. This keynote explores how advances in chemistry can reduce environmental impact while increasing precision and efficiency. Benjamin List shares how organocatalysis reshaped sustainable chemical processes and what the approach reveals about designing technologies that support long-term global goals.
Breakthroughs rarely follow a straight line. Benjamin List offers a behind-the-scenes look at how scientific ideas evolve, how failure informs progress, and why persistence matters, drawing a compelling parallel between scientific discovery and innovation in business, policy, and leadership.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Benjamin List
Why Benjamin List?
Benjamin List offers something few speakers can: a Nobel laureate's authority paired with the ability to make complex science clear and inspiring. He co-founded an entirely new field of chemistry, showing how questioning assumptions and embracing simplicity can produce world-changing breakthroughs. Audiences leave with fresh perspective on innovation, sustainability, and long-term thinking. Book Benjamin List through Aurum Speakers Bureau for your next event.
What did Benjamin List win the Nobel Prize for?
Benjamin List shared the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with David MacMillan for developing asymmetric organocatalysis, a precise way to build molecules using small organic catalysts. The method is greener and more efficient than traditional approaches and is now widely used in pharmaceuticals and chemical manufacturing.
What does Benjamin List speak about?
His keynotes connect Nobel Prize–winning science to broader lessons on innovation, sustainability, and creativity. He explores how foundational research becomes real-world impact, why simple ideas often outperform complex ones, and how curiosity-driven thinking fuels progress across business, technology, and policy.
What audiences is Benjamin List best suited for?
Benjamin List resonates with scientific institutions, universities, innovation summits, and business and policy leaders interested in sustainability and research-driven progress. He translates deep expertise into accessible insight for decision-makers. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Benjamin List to your stage.
How to book Benjamin List as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Benjamin List as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Benjamin List's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Benjamin List or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Benjamin List speaking fee?
Benjamin List speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Benjamin List to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Benjamin List.
How can I contact Benjamin List?
We only work with Benjamin List on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Benjamin List and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Benjamin List speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Benjamin List for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Benjamin List for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Benjamin List is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Benjamin List for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
