06 Aug Speaker Spotlight: Carla Harris: Leadership and Career Strategy Keynote Speaker
Carla Harris is a Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley with more than 35 years in financial services, and one of the most requested leadership keynote speakers in the country. For event planners who need a speaker with genuine authority in front of an executive audience, she is a proven choice. Collaborative Agency Group works with planners booking Carla Harris for corporate conferences, leadership summits, and association events in 2027.
What Carla Harris Speaks On
Harris built her reputation executing landmark transactions, including the initial public offering for UPS, and leading Morgan Stanley’s Emerging Manager Platform. Her keynotes distill that career into what she calls Carla’s Pearls: specific, memorable tools for maximizing success, building relationship currency, and creating a powerful presence. Her core topics include leadership in times of change, career strategy, and the difference between performance currency and relationship currency.
She is the author of the bestselling career strategy books Expect to Win and Strategize to Win, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women’s Business Council.
Who Books Carla Harris
Planners who have booked Carla Harris put her in front of their most senior rooms: financial services conferences, corporate leadership summits, women’s leadership programs, and association general sessions. She is also a natural anchor for Black History Month and Women’s History Month programming, where her content carries far beyond the observance.
What Audiences Take Away
Audiences leave with language and tools they use immediately: how to build sponsorship, how to be intentional about the perceptions they create, and how to lead with authenticity when the stakes are high. Her delivery, honed by decades of presenting to boards and, separately, performing as a gospel recording artist, holds a general session from the first minute.
The Bottom Line
Carla Harris is one of the most in-demand leadership speakers in the country, and her 2027 calendar, especially February and March, will fill early. Keynote speaker fees for Carla Harris vary based on event type and date; contact Collaborative Agency Group for current availability and fee information.
Interested in booking Carla Harris for your next event?
Collaborative Agency Group can check her availability, provide current fee information, and help you determine whether she is the right fit for your specific audience.