Brad Katsuyama Speaking Fee: $30,000 to $50,000

Brad Katsuyama is the CEO and co-founder of IEX Group, Inc., a financial exchange committed to creating a fairer and more transparent trading environment. Born in 1978 in Markham, Ontario, Canada, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2001, graduating with the Alumni Gold Medal as the top student in the School of Business and Economics. After completing his degree, Katsuyama began his career at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), where he held various leadership positions in risk trading and electronic trading over a span of 12 years. During his tenure at RBC, Katsuyama became acutely aware of the challenges posed by high-frequency trading (HFT). He discovered that HFT firms were exploiting the speed advantages of their technology to front-run large institutional orders, resulting in higher costs for investors. In response, Katsuyama and his team developed THOR, an order-routing system designed to neutralize these speed advantages by introducing intentional delays, ensuring that all market participants received orders simultaneously. Despite the success of THOR, Katsuyama recognized the need for a more systemic solution to address the broader issues within the financial markets. In 2012, motivated by a desire to reform the financial system, Katsuyama left RBC to co-found IEX. IEX was established with the goal of creating a stock exchange that prioritized the interests of investors and traders over the speed advantages exploited by HFT firms. A key innovation introduced by IEX is the "speed bump," a 38-mile coil of fiber-optic cable that introduces a 350-microsecond delay to all orders, leveling the playing field for all market participants. This approach was designed to prevent HFT firms from exploiting their technological advantages and to promote fairness in trading. IEX's journey gained significant public attention through Michael Lewis's 2014 book Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt, which chronicled the challenges posed by HFT and IEX's efforts to address them. The book brought widespread awareness to the issues of market fairness and transparency. Under Katsuyama's leadership, IEX has continued to advocate for reforms that prioritize investor interests and has expanded its services to include options trading and other financial products. Beyond his professional achievements, Katsuyama is recognized for his commitment to integrity and fairness in the financial industry. He has been honored with several accolades, including being named to the New York Times DealBook's inaugural class of Groundbreakers, Fortune's 40 Under 40, Crain's 40 Under 40, and receiving the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award. Katsuyama resides in New York with his wife, Ashley, and their two sons, balancing his professional endeavors with a focus on family and community.