Thomas Piketty
Thomas Piketty is a French economist who helps organisations, policymakers, and leaders understand income and wealth inequality through historical and economic analysis.
- Directeur d’études (professor) at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales.
- Professor at the Paris School of Economics.
- Former assistant professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- Author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century and subsequent books on inequality and political economy.
- Co-founder of the World Inequality Lab and contributor to the World Inequality Database.
- TED speaker on inequality and capital.
Full Profile
Key speaking topics
- Income inequality
- Wealth distribution
- Capital and economic growth
- Taxation and public policy
- Political economy
- Historical analysis of inequality
- Global inequality trends
Ideal for
- Corporate leaders and senior executives
- Policymakers and public sector leaders
- Financial and economic decision-makers
- Academic and research-focused audiences
Audience outcomes
- Clear understanding of long-term trends in income and wealth inequality
- Insight into the economic role of capital, taxation, and inheritance
- Context for interpreting global and national inequality data
- Frameworks for discussing inequality in economic and policy settings
Why organisations work with Thomas Piketty
- Provides rigorous, research-based analysis grounded in historical data.
- Connects economic theory with real-world policy and business implications.
- Brings global perspective on inequality relevant to markets and institutions.
- Offers clear, structured insights suited to senior and expert audiences.
Biography
Thomas Piketty is one of the most influential contemporary economists examining how income and wealth are distributed across societies. His work brings long-term historical analysis into today’s economic and policy debates, helping organisations and public leaders understand the structural forces shaping inequality and growth.
He is a directeur d’études at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales and a professor at the Paris School of Economics, where he has played a central role in building modern economic research on inequality. His academic career also includes time as an assistant professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and research appointments within France’s national research system.
Piketty is the author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century, alongside later books including Capital and Ideology and A Brief History of Equality. These works have shaped global discussion on capital, taxation, and political economy, translating complex economic evidence into frameworks used by policymakers, business leaders, and institutions worldwide.
Beyond academia, he contributes to public debate through opinion writing in major French media and has delivered a widely viewed TED talk on inequality and capital. He is also associated with the World Inequality Lab and the World Inequality Database, reinforcing his role at the intersection of rigorous research, public policy, and organisational decision-making.