Jon Danielsson Keynote Speaker

Director of the Systemic Risk Centre at the London School of Economics
Professor of finance at the London School of Economics
Author of three highly regarded books on financial risk

Jon Danielsson's Biography

Jon Danielsson is a renowned financial economist and a professor of finance at the London School of Economics. He is the director of the Systemic Risk Centre, a research center that aims to understand the causes and consequences of systemic risk in the financial system. Danielsson has made significant contributions to the field of financial risk management and has extensive expertise in financial regulation, financial policy, the drivers of long term risk, and investment.

Danielsson received his PhD in the economics of financial markets, and since then, his research has focused on how economic policy can lead to prosperity or disaster. He is an authority on both the technical aspects of risk forecasting and the optimal policies that governments and regulators should pursue in this area. He has written three highly regarded books on these topics: “The Illusion of Control” (Yale University Press, 2022), “Financial Risk Forecasting” (Wiley, 2011), and “Global Financial Systems: Stability and Risk” (Pearson, 2013). His books have been widely recognized as important contributions to the field and have been included in the Financial Times best economics books of the year (2022).

In addition to his books, Danielsson has also contributed numerous academic papers on systemic risk, artificial intelligence, financial risk forecasting, financial regulation, and related topics to leading academic journals, including the Review of Financial Studies and the Journal of Econometrics. His research has been widely cited and has had a significant impact on the field.

At the LSE, Danielsson teaches courses in technical risk forecasting and on how the global financial system operates. He is highly respected by students and is considered one of the most knowledgeable experts on the subject. He has also worked for the Bank of Japan and the International Monetary Fund, providing valuable insights and expertise on financial risk management and regulation.

Danielsson’s practical and authoritative perspective on financial risk and the financial system means he is regularly interviewed by media organizations including the BBC, Financial Times, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He is also a regular speaker at conferences and events related to financial risk management, long term risk, investment and regulation.

The illusion of control:

How the way we manage risk can lead to a false sense of security.

Artificial intelligence:

What financial risks it can and cannot manage, and the threats it poses to financial stability.

Financial regulations and stability:

What financial regulations aim to do. What works, what does not, and which regulations can increase instability and hold back growth.

Risk appetite, crises and growth:

A more technical discussion on the the relationship of risk appetite today to future economics growth and the likelihood of crises

He sits at the heart of systemic risk research as Director of the LSE’s Systemic Risk Centre, helping leaders understand how financial instability builds and how it spreads across markets and institutions.
He translates the mechanics of crises into boardroom-relevant insight as the author of The Illusion of Control, equipping audiences to challenge false certainty in models, regulation and risk management.
He combines rigorous expertise in risk forecasting and regulation with real-world policy experience from work with the IMF and the Bank of Japan, giving executives a practical lens on what governments and regulators can and cannot control.
He brings the credibility of a widely cited academic and teacher of risk and the global financial system, helping organisations stress-test strategy, investment decisions and resilience under uncertainty.
He is a trusted public voice on financial stability, regularly called on by major media to explain fast-moving market and policy shifts with clarity leaders can act on.