Takaaki Kajita
2015 Nobel Laureate in Physics | Distinguished University Professor, University of Tokyo | Pioneer of Neutrino Oscillation & Gravitational Wave Research
Carla Harris
Vice Chairman & Managing Director at Morgan Stanley | First African American on the Firm's Management Committee | Bestselling Author & Creator of Carla's Pearls
Carla Harris is a Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, with more than 35 years on Wall Street, and the first African American to join the firm's management committee. A bestselling author, sought-after leadership speaker, and gospel recording artist who has sold out Carnegie Hall, she is famous for 'Carla's Pearls', the hard-won wisdom she shares to help leaders and emerging talent maximize their success.
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Carla Harris biography
Leadership speaker Carla Harris is one of the most powerful and inspiring voices in American business, a trailblazing Wall Street executive who has spent more than three decades at the very top of global finance. A Vice Chairman, Managing Director, and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, she made history as the first African American to join the firm’s management committee. Alongside her extraordinary corporate career, she has become one of the world’s most sought-after speakers on leadership, career success, and how to show up as your most powerful self.
Harris joined Morgan Stanley in 1987 after earning an economics degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, and went on to build a distinguished career across mergers and acquisitions, equity capital markets, and wealth management. In 2013, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women’s Business Council. She has been named to Fortune’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in Corporate America and, in 2020, as one of the Top 40 Female Speakers in the World.
Carla’s Pearls
Harris is the bestselling author of Expect to Win, Strategize to Win, and Lead to Win, and the creator of “Carla’s Pearls”, the powerful, actionable pearls of wisdom, hard-earned and hard-learned over her Wall Street career, that are the centerpiece of her speeches. In another life, she is an acclaimed gospel recording artist who has released multiple albums and performed sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall and the Apollo Theater, a reminder of the authenticity and joy she brings to everything she does.
As a speaker, Carla Harris is magnetic, authentic, and deeply motivating, blending the hard-earned wisdom of a Wall Street leader with the warmth and energy of a performer. She speaks on intentional leadership, maximizing your career and showing up with your best self, authenticity and executive presence, and empowering women and diverse talent to reach the top. Audiences of executives, emerging leaders, and entire organizations leave energized, inspired, and armed with practical “pearls” they can use immediately.
Carla Harris Speaking Videos
How to find the person who can help you get ahead at work | Carla Harris
Carla Harris Keynote at Women in ETFs 10yr Anniversary Event
Carla Harris Keynote Topics
Drawing on her bestselling book and more than three decades at the top of Wall Street, Carla Harris shares her proven strategies for thriving in any workplace and taking control of your career. She unpacks the difference between performance currency and relationship currency, the power of sponsorship, and how to position yourself for the opportunities you want, delivered through her signature "Carla's Pearls." Practical, energizing, and deeply motivating, it is an unforgettable keynote for professionals at every level who are determined to win.
What does it take to be a truly powerful, impactful, and influential leader in today's challenging environment? Based on her book Lead to Win, Carla Harris shares the principles of "intentional leadership", the deliberate behaviors and choices that build trust, drive performance, and create real influence. She gives leaders a practical framework for leading with authenticity and purpose, and for bringing out the best in their teams. A galvanizing keynote for leaders at every stage.
Carla Harris believes that authenticity is the ultimate competitive advantage, and that the most powerful thing you can bring to any room is your genuine self. In this keynote, she explores how to build executive presence, project confidence and credibility, and lead without pretending to be someone you're not. With warmth, humor, and hard-won wisdom, she helps audiences understand how showing up authentically unlocks trust, influence, and success. An empowering talk on presence, perception, and personal power.
As a trailblazer who broke barriers on Wall Street, and a former chair of the National Women's Business Council, Carla Harris is a powerful advocate for women and diverse talent. In this keynote, she shares candid, practical guidance on navigating and rising within organizations, the strategies that helped her succeed, and what individuals and companies can do to build more inclusive paths to leadership. Inspiring and actionable, it is ideal for women's events, employee resource groups, and any organization committed to developing diverse leaders.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Carla Harris
Why Carla Harris?
Booking Carla Harris brings audiences a genuine Wall Street icon and one of the most magnetic, motivating speakers anywhere. A Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley with more than 35 years in global finance, and the first African American on the firm's management committee, she pairs extraordinary corporate credibility with the warmth and energy of a gospel performer who has sold out Carnegie Hall. Through her famous "Carla's Pearls," she delivers practical, hard-won wisdom on leadership, career success, and authenticity that audiences remember and use. She is ideal for events on leadership, career development, women's empowerment, diversity and inclusion, and business. To bring Carla Harris to your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
Who is Carla Harris?
Carla Harris is a Wall Street executive, bestselling author, keynote speaker, and gospel recording artist. She serves as a Vice Chairman, Managing Director, and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, where she has spent more than 35 years and became the first African American to join the firm's management committee. A graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Business School, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women's Business Council in 2013. She is the author of Expect to Win, Strategize to Win, and Lead to Win, and the creator of "Carla's Pearls." She has been named to Fortune's list of the 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in Corporate America and as one of the Top 40 Female Speakers in the World. As a vocalist, she has released multiple gospel albums and performed sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall and the Apollo Theater.
What are "Carla's Pearls"?
"Carla's Pearls" are the practical, memorable pearls of wisdom that Carla Harris shares in her speeches, books, and television appearances, hard-earned and hard-learned over more than three decades on Wall Street. They distill the strategies, behaviors, and mindsets that helped her succeed, and that she teaches leaders and emerging professionals to use to maximize their own success, on topics like building both performance and relationship "currency," the importance of sponsorship, showing up authentically, and leading with intention. Delivered with warmth, energy, and candor, "Carla's Pearls" are the centerpiece of her keynotes and the reason audiences leave not just inspired, but equipped with concrete, actionable advice they can apply right away.
What topics does leadership speaker Carla Harris cover?
Carla Harris speaks on maximizing your career and success (the themes of Expect to Win), intentional leadership, authenticity and executive presence, and empowering women and diverse talent to lead. Her keynotes suit events on leadership, career development, women's empowerment, diversity and inclusion, and business, for corporate audiences, emerging leaders, and employee networks. To book Carla Harris as a speaker, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Carla Harris as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Carla Harris as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Carla Harris'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 Carla Harris or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Carla Harris speaking fee?
Carla Harris 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 Carla Harris 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 Carla Harris.
How can I contact Carla Harris?
We only work with Carla Harris on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Carla Harris and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Carla Harris 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 Carla Harris for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Carla Harris for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Carla Harris is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Carla Harris for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
