Mikko Hypponen
Chief Research Officer, Sensofusion | Cybersecurity Expert with Over 30 Years of Experience | Bestselling Author, If It's Smart, It's Vulnerable
Rory Sutherland
Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK | Behavioral Science Pioneer | Bestselling Author, Alchemy | TED Speaker | Marketing & Consumer Psychology
Rory Sutherland is the advertising world's most provocative thinker, turning behavioral economics into a competitive weapon for organizations. As Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK and bestselling author of Alchemy, he reveals why the most powerful driver of human decisions is never what spreadsheets predict. Audiences leave his talks with counterintuitive frameworks that unlock growth, loyalty, and innovation by designing for perception rather than logic.
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Rory Sutherland biography
Rory Sutherland is one of the most original and influential thinkers in the global marketing and business world — a Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK who has spent decades turning behavioral science into a practical toolkit for leaders, brands, and organizations. Where most business thinking defaults to logic and data, Sutherland champions a radical alternative: understand how humans actually make decisions, and you unlock disproportionate value that competitors — armed only with spreadsheets — will never find.
Marketing speaker Rory Sutherland is best known for pioneering what he calls “psycho-logic” — the insight that perception, context, and meaning often drive behavior far more powerfully than price, features, or rational incentives. At Ogilvy, he co-founded the behavioral science practice that has helped some of the world’s most recognized brands rethink how they design products, communications, and customer experiences from the ground up.
Bestselling Author & Globally Recognized Thought Leader
His bestselling book Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life became an instant hit among CEOs, strategists, and marketers worldwide for its provocative argument: the most creative, counterintuitive solutions consistently outperform the seemingly “rational” ones. The book draws on psychology, evolutionary biology, and advertising history to show why trust, status, and perceived effort matter more than objective quality — and how smart organizations exploit this truth.
Beyond books, Sutherland is one of the most-watched voices on the global ideas circuit. His TED and TEDx talks have accumulated millions of views, making him one of the most recognized advertising and behavioral science voices in that forum. He is also a longtime columnist and contributor to publications covering business, culture, and technology, and has advised governments, financial institutions, and Fortune 500 companies on applying behavioral insight to real-world challenges.
As a speaker, Rory Sutherland delivers some of the most intellectually provocative and practically useful keynotes available on the international circuit. His talks blend wit, vivid storytelling, and deep behavioral science research to challenge senior audiences to question the assumptions underlying their strategies. Attendees consistently leave with new mental models for pricing, customer experience, innovation, and brand-building — insights that require no additional budget, only a willingness to see problems differently. He is an ideal choice for events focused on marketing, behavioral economics, leadership decision-making, customer psychology, and creative strategy.
Rory Sutherland Speaking Videos
Rory Sutherland: Perspective is everything
The Lost Genius of Irrationality: Rory Sutherland at TEDxOxford
Rory Sutherland Keynote Topics
Why do seemingly irrational solutions often outperform logical ones? Drawing directly from his bestselling book, Sutherland dismantles the myth of the "rational consumer" and reveals how perception, trust, and context shape decisions in ways conventional analysis consistently misses. Leaders leave equipped to find hidden value in their products, pricing, and brand by thinking like a behavioral scientist rather than an economist.
This keynote explores the invisible forces — status signals, perceived effort, social proof, and framing — that drive purchasing and loyalty decisions far more reliably than features or price. Sutherland shows organizations how small, inexpensive changes to the way something is presented or positioned can produce dramatic shifts in behavior, revealing why the most powerful lever in business is often meaning, not performance.
Most organizations optimize for efficiency while creativity quietly starves. Sutherland makes the case for "satisficing" over maximizing, explaining how genuine innovation almost always looks irrational in hindsight and how the businesses that win are those willing to experiment with ideas that spreadsheets would never approve. A sharp, energizing talk for leadership teams wrestling with how to break out of incremental thinking.
Traditional strategy assumes people are predictable and rational. They are neither. This talk explores how leaders can use insights from behavioral economics — loss aversion, default effects, the role of trust — to design better decisions, build more resilient strategies, and communicate change in ways that actually move people. Highly relevant for financial services, healthcare, government, and any organization navigating complex stakeholder behavior.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Rory Sutherland
Why Rory Sutherland?
Booking Rory Sutherland means bringing one of the world's most original business thinkers to your stage. As Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK and the author of the acclaimed bestseller Alchemy, Sutherland has spent decades at the intersection of advertising, psychology, and strategic thinking — advising governments, Fortune 500 companies, and leading brands on why human behavior defies rational models, and how to profit from that reality. His keynotes are intellectually charged, genuinely funny, and packed with practical frameworks that senior audiences can apply immediately. Unlike many "behavioral economics" speakers, Sutherland doesn't just describe the research — he shows organizations exactly where to look for hidden value in their pricing, communications, products, and customer experience. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to check his availability and fees.
What is Rory Sutherland's book Alchemy about?
Published in 2019, Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life argues that the most powerful business solutions are often the ones that appear irrational at first glance. Sutherland draws on evolutionary psychology, advertising history, and behavioral science to explain why human beings consistently respond more to meaning, perception, and context than to objective facts — and how companies can use this insight to create loyalty, unlock growth, and build stronger brands. The book became a bestseller praised by leaders across business, technology, and government.
What topics does Rory Sutherland cover in his keynotes?
Sutherland's most requested keynote themes include behavioral economics, consumer psychology, brand and reputation, marketing strategy, innovation and creativity, and decision-making under uncertainty. He is equally effective at corporate leadership conferences, marketing summits, financial services events, and innovation forums. His talks are known for blending rigorous behavioral science with sharp wit and memorable storytelling — making complex ideas immediately useful for senior business audiences. To inquire about availability and customize the theme for your event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How many TED views does Rory Sutherland have?
Rory Sutherland has delivered multiple TED and TEDx talks that together have accumulated tens of millions of views, making him one of the most-watched advertising and behavioral science speakers on the TED platform. His talks — which include "Sweat the small stuff" and "Life lessons from an ad man" — are widely shared in business schools, marketing programs, and boardrooms for their blend of humor, counterintuitive insight, and practical relevance.
How to book Rory Sutherland as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Rory Sutherland as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Rory Sutherland'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 Rory Sutherland or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Rory Sutherland speaking fee?
Rory Sutherland 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 Rory Sutherland 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 Rory Sutherland.
How can I contact Rory Sutherland?
We only work with Rory Sutherland on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Rory Sutherland and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Rory Sutherland 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 Rory Sutherland for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Rory Sutherland for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Rory Sutherland is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Rory Sutherland for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
