Nikki Lanier Keynote Speaker

CEO & Founder of Harper Slade
Former Federal Reserve Executive
3x Public and Private Sector Chief Human Resources Officer & Labor Attorney

Nikki Lanier's Biography

Nikki Lanier is an internationally recognized cultural economist and future-of-work strategist whose insights sit at the nexus of macroeconomics, human behavior, and labor evolution. A former senior executive with the Federal Reserve Bank, she brings a rare perspective on how demographic inevitability, workforce sentiment, and public policy converge to shape national prosperity and organizational resilience.

As CEO of Harper Slade, Lanier advises executives and boards worldwide on aligning economic realities with human readiness. She is the creator of Swan Stacking™, a governance framework now featured in publications for boards of directors that helps leaders anticipate and manage “volatile capacity” within human capital—those unseen disruptions in workforce cohesion, confidence, and capability that profoundly affect strategic stability.

A three-time Chief Human Resources Officer and trained labor and employment attorney, Lanier’s thought leadership has been featured in Forbes, Essence, NPR, USA Today, Ebony Media, CNBC, and PBS. She was named among the 100 Women to KNOW in America and is a 2025 Enterprising Woman of the Year honoree.

Renowned for her warmth, wit, and economic acuity, Lanier invites global audiences to confront the profound human and cultural forces reshaping work, leadership, and growth in a changing world.

The Economics of Us: How Demographic Shifts Are Rewriting the Future of Work

By 2045, the United States will become a minority-majority nation—an inflection point with vast economic implications. Drawing on Federal Reserve insights and workforce data, Lanier explores how demographic transformation will redefine labor markets, innovation, and leadership imperatives across the globe, urging executives to treat demographic inevitability as an economic asset rather than a social challenge.

The Macroeconomics of Mindset: How National Psychology Shapes Organisational Readiness

As inflation, political polarization, and post-pandemic fatigue shape the modern psyche, Lanier examines how collective mindset drives productivity, innovation, and trust. She reveals how leaders can recalibrate culture and communication to build organizational resilience amid widespread psychological strain.

Leading Through the Next Economy: Human Capital Strategy in a Post-Policy World

Traditional policy mechanisms are proving inadequate to address modern economic complexity. Lanier argues that companies—more than governments—must now act as microeconomic stabilizers. Drawing on her experience in monetary policy and corporate governance, she shows how organizations can prepare their human infrastructure for the next economic era.

The Power of Her: Women as Architects of the Next American Renaissance

Women are emerging as central architects of societal and economic renewal. In this inspiring and data-rich keynote, Lanier explores how women’s advocacy and cross-cultural fluency will shape civic trust, economic growth, and national vitality in the coming decades. Drawing from her work with The RAARE Woman Collective and The 2045 Fellowship, she presents a bold economic case for women’s leadership as a driver of global progress.