John Manzella: GeoPolitical Economist

Geopolitical economist and global business strategist who decodes trade, policy, and market risk with actionable scenarios to protect growth and seize cross-border opportunities.

Quick Facts:

Highlights:
  • Delivered compelling keynotes and expert insights at hundreds of conferences, corporate events, and universities across the United States and worldwide, both live and virtually.
  • Authored multiple books on international trade, labor economics, and global business strategy, recognized for their clarity, forward-thinking analysis, and relevance to today’s market challenges.
  • Sought-after authority in analyzing economic shifts, trade wars, and labor market evolution, frequently consulted by Fortune 500 companies, policymakers, and media.

Formats Available: Keynote (45–60 min); Executive Briefing
Preferred Audience Sizes: Leadership teams (25–150); Conference keynotes (200–2,500)
Outcomes:
  1. Actionable scenario planning for supply chain and trade disruption.
  2. Clear risk indicators leaders can monitor immediately.
  3. Strategies to protect revenue and exploit cross-border opportunities.

Keynote Topics

Pandemic-related realities and the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war continue to impact the U.S. and global economy, while complexities with China add new risks. Combined with the energy revolution, shifting demographics, and challenges with the USMCA and Europe, these issues are shaping our future.

What does this mean to you? This invaluable program analyzes economic trends, examines trading relationships, reveals Chinese dangers, and explores critical issues involving labor, skills, automation, and immigration. Additionally, it offers survival strategies and provides insight on what’s ahead.

This popular program covers four important areas that impact each other:

(1) Macroeconomics: GDP forecast, long term economic risks, factors impacting growth and inflation, energy, housing, global GDP, and country forecasts, etc.

(2) Labor: unemployment forecasts, shifting demographics, worsening labor shortages, falling participation levels and reasons, strategies to attract and retain labor, automation, immigration, etc.

(3) Trade and globalization: the direction of globalization, impact on industry and workers, USMCA, Europe and Brexit, emphasis on China’s direction, decoupling prospects, Chinese risks and challenges, etc.

(4) Capitalism is being threatened: The need to maintain reasonable tax rates is necessary in order to incentivize entrepreneurs to take risk, while generating enough revenue to help stabilize or prevent the continued erosion of the U.S. middle class (similar situation around the globe). As the middle class erodes, voters tend to support populists on the far right and left. In both cases, capitalism is at risk.

The key to American free-market capitalism lies in our ability to innovate new products and services and deliver them worldwide. This requires pro-globalization policies, an educated labor force, and an environment that incentivizes entrepreneurs to take risks that create new companies, technologies, and jobs. 

However, critical risks stand in the way. 

New technologies and globalization have tremendously improved our standard of living, but many have been left behind that support far left and right populists who may ultimately threaten capitalism. 
Unless addressed, shifting demographics will translate into fewer consumers and worsening labor shortages. 
The pandemic, Russian war, and Chinese tensions have forced companies to continually assess risks that impact supply chains and globalization. 
This stimulating and insightful program explores these issues, analyzes economic trends, delves into labor and Chinese challenges, and provides strategies to prepare for what’s ahead.

Economic trends, global tensions and rising protectionism are forcing companies to reassess trading relationships, investments, friend shoring and supply chain options. Plus, demographic shifts, labor issues and immigration concerns are increasing levels of volatility.

This thought-provoking program peers into the chain reactions of what’s unfolding, examines the positions of President Trump, and analyzes risks and realities with a focus on international trade, China, Europe, Mexico, Canada, and changing world economic order. Additionally, it explores strategies to reduce dangers and navigate the waters ahead.

The United States and Europe face many critical risks and realities that are shaping our future.

These include:

(1) rising trade protectionism, Chinese challenges, supply chain concerns, the direction of globalization, and the need to achieve access to the world’s 8 billion consumers;

(2) demographic shifts, worsening labor shortages, immigration concerns, and the need to automate; and

(3) rising inequality, growing populism, divisive polarization, threats to capitalism, and the need for balance.

What should we do?

This engaging program explores these issues, cuts through the clutter, and offers strategies to navigate the dangers ahead. Plus, it connects the dots between declining fertility rates and living standards, examines the Brexit blunder, and reveals Chinese dangers, unmasks Chinese vulnerabilities, and delves into its unsustainable trajectory.

Talent Short Bio

John Manzella is a geopolitical economist and global business strategist who helps executives translate complex global trends into concrete strategy. With decades of experience advising corporations, policy makers, and trade organizations, John decodes trade policy, labor dynamics, and macroeconomic developments into understandable and actionable guidance.

His presentations cover supply chain risk, rising trade tensions, labor market changes, and the intersection of energy and demographic trends. John’s style is evidence-based and scenario-driven: audiences leave with prioritized risks, practical contingency steps, and signaling indicators tailored to their industry.

He has written extensively on labor economics and trade policy and is regularly cited by major business publications. John’s briefings are ideal for C-suites and boards preparing for regulatory shifts, global sourcing changes, or workforce disruptions. Whether a large conference or an executive retreat, John delivers analysis that helps leaders protect growth, allocate capital thoughtfully, and spot high-reward opportunities across borders without getting lost in jargon.

John Manzella is a world-recognized speaker (live and virtual), author of several books, and an international columnist on global business, trade policy, labor, and the latest economic trends.

His valuable insight, analysis and strategic direction have been vital to many of the world’s largest corporations, trade associations and universities preparing for the business, economic and political challenges ahead.

John’s views have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Bloomberg, NPR, Newsday, Houston Chronicle, Denver Post, and other publications in China, Singapore, Mexico, Canada, Korea, Japan, and the Middle East.

His books include Global America: Understanding Global and Economic Trends and How To Ensure Competitiveness, Grasping Globalization: It’s Impact and Your Corporate Response, and Mexico and NAFTA: The Real Impact, among others.

John Manzella is founder of the ManzellaReport.com, a premier source for global business and economic analysis, and Manzella Trade Communications, a public affairs, publishing and consulting firm.

Additionally, he is Chair of the Upstate New York District Export Council, a position appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, former Executive Director of goTRADE New York, an advocacy coalition sponsored by the Washington, D.C.-based Business Roundtable, and former President and CEO of World Trade Center BN.

View All Speakers and follow us on Twitter

Travel & Fee Range:**

  • Travels from: East Amherst
  • **Fee range: $10,000 - $15,000
  • In-Person: $15,000
  • Virtual: $10,000

* Travel Buyout of $1,500

Talent FAQ's

A: Yes. He customizes case studies and forecasts to your sector and market geography.

A: Yes. John often offers a follow-up executive briefing or board Q&A.

A: John uses up-to-date datasets and custom research so material reflects current trade and labor conditions.

Talent Resources

In order to view the below you must be logged in.

  • Powerpoint Slide – For meeting and event planners
  • Gallery Images
  • High Resolution Images
  • PDF Files
  • Books and Magazine Links
  • Music List
  • Podcast Shows
  • Courses
  • + more

Videos

Interest to Book? Send us your enquiry

Speaker Contact Form

Enquiry Form

You may be interested in...

  • (59)
Rawi Abdelal

Rawi Abdelal is recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on how globalization and geopolitics affect businesses, economies, supply chains and social structures Herbert F. Johnson Professor of International Management at Harvard Business School, faculty co-chair of the Bloomberg-Harvard City Leadership Initiative and faculty chair of the Harvard Business School/YPO Presidents’ Program Work focuses […]

  • Travels from: Cambridge, MA
  • Political Speakers
Disclaimer
The profiles and images embedded on these pages are from various conference entertainers and other talent.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Speakers Inc.

Fee ranges where listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only.

All talent fees exclude VAT, travel and accommodation where required.

Subscribe to our Newsletter and get connected:

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated.

We use Brevo as our marketing platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo's Privacy Policy.

Our Mission:

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2025.  Designed using Voxel

Speakers Inc Logo 2024
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.