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KATTY KAY

Lead anchor, BBC World News America. Insights on American politics, global affairs and issues for women



Katty (pronounced CAT-TEE) Kay is the lead anchor for BBC World News America. She is seen in America on nearly 300 Public Broadcasting Stations which carry BBC World News America broadcasts. Katty’s reports on the latest U.S. economic and political news are also carried by BBC News channels globally, giving her a vast international audience. In addition, Katty is also a frequent guest commentator on NBC’s Meet the Press as well as a regular guest and substitute co-host on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. She also hosted 100 Days on the BBC, covering the first 100 days of the Trump administration.

The daughter of a British diplomat, Katty grew up all over the Middle East. Her career with the BBC began in Zimbabwe in 1990 where she started filing radio reports for BBC World Service radio. From there she also covered the end of apartheid in South Africa. Katty then went on to work as a BBC correspondent in London, and later Tokyo, reporting on stories including the Kobe earthquake and the Japanese economic recession. She settled in Washington in 1996 where she took some time out from broadcast journalism to join The Times’ (the British newspaper) Washington bureau before returning to the BBC in 2002.

Katty is a popular speaker who addresses both current political events and also issues impacting women. Katty’s talks on American politics and global affairs offer the fresh perspective of someone who has lived in and reported from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and now Washington, D.C. She looks beyond the headlines and provides valuable insights on the top stories making news right now — the challenges facing the President and Congress, the outlook for the next major U.S. election, global economic news, world trouble spots, diplomatic dustups, terrorism, and more. Additionally, the challenges of juggling a demanding career and a family with four children led her to speak and write on two topics that strongly resonate with women: confidence and something she calls “Womenonics.”

Katty Kay is co-author (with Claire Shipman) of two New York Times bestsellers. Her latest, The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know, inspires women to understand that confidence – the lynchpin of success – is a choice. She shows ways to break out of comfort zones and take risks that pay off. In her first book, Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success, she examined the workplace revolution and inspired women to take control, dream big and discover a different way of weaving work into their lives – and in the process create more profitable companies with happier and more productive employees.

Katty studied modern languages at Oxford from where she went on to work for a brief period with the Bank of England. She speaks fluent French and Italian and also what she describes as ‘rusty Japanese’. Katty is married to Tom Carver, a strategic risk consultant. They live in Washington, D.C. with their four children.

  • American Politics
  • Current Events and News
  • Global Affairs
  • Women and Workplace
  • Leadership
  • Motivation
  • Peak Performance
  • Moderator & Interviewer

THE POWER CODE – MORE JOY. LESS EGO. MAXIMUM IMPACT FOR WOMEN (AND EVERYONE)

New research shows women don't want power - the cost of getting it is too high and power itself looks unappealing. But companies do better with more women in leadership. Countries do better with women in political office. Everyone does better with more women in power. So, what will it take for women to overcome their reluctance and take the reins? Rather than women changing themselves, Katty Kay suggests we need to change the meaning of power and the routes that lead to it. When we do that – when women can focus on using power to make positive changes, with a clear understanding of why power is important – power becomes more accessible, appealing and impactful for women. This new model, designed by and for women, empowers women to become their most powerful selves and lead fuller and more satisfying lives, and helps men do the same. 

“WASHINGTON FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE”

The election of Donald Trump has turned the American political world upside-down. His presidency continues to be just as unpredictable. President Trump’s way of doing things is unconventional – and that’s going down well in some quarters; not so well in others. And it doesn’t fall just along party lines. How is it playing out? What’s next? What do administration insiders say in private moments? How does the rest of the world view it? Can Congress – and members of the president’s own party – find common ground to make progress? Will the White House be able to overcome the increased levels of polarization? As a British journalist in Washington, DC, Katty Kay looks at Washington from a different angle. She offers a perspective on the latest drama of American politics that only an outsider can provide. The veteran BBC anchor has the experience and sources to reveal the story behind the headlines and provide valuable context for her audience. Katty tailors this speech to suit the interests of each audience – delivering solid insights with charm and understated humor.

 

“A GLOBAL UPDATE”

Global times call for global perspective. As someone who has lived in and reported from North America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe, Katty Kay’s speech offers rich observations on the global news making headlines right now and what world leaders are doing. The world is changing at lightning speed. Understanding the complex issues requires a constant refresh of perspective. It’s a world where many of the fastest growing economies are in Africa; where 300 million micro-bloggers challenge the supremacy of the Chinese state; and where one-third of the population of the Middle East is under thirty. It’s a world where big challenges abound – economically, politically and in terms of security and safety. And the landscape changes on a daily basis. Where is it headed? Katty Kay offers insights on what the future holds globally and how it will impact her audience.

 

“THE CONFIDENCE CODE”

Confidence! With it, we can take on the world; without it, we don’t ask for raises, request that important meeting or take risks. In the success equation, research shows that confidence is even more critical than competence. But what is confidence? Where does it come from? Are we born with it or do we acquire it? And why do women have less of it than their talents deserve? In this speech Katty Kay inspires audiences with the latest scientific research and anecdotes from her own career and the many women she interviewed for the book. “Neurologists have isolated a ‘confidence gene,’” says Katty “and when I was tested, I learned I am not genetically predisposed to being confident.” Her experience is like that of so many women, even senior women, whose lack of confidence is what really holds them back. But confidence is also art – impacted by how we choose to live with our genes. The good news then is that being confident is a choice. Katty’s talk inspires audiences to take action — to go outside their comfort zones, to try new hard things, to take risks, to be prepared to fail and to discover the secret to success.

 

MODERATOR, DISCUSSION LEADER & INTERVIEWER

Katty Kay has interviewed scores of political dignitaries and business leaders for her news broadcasts and at top live events. The skills, grace and humor she brings to the live stage as a panel moderator, discussion leader and interviewer help create memorable experience for the audience.