Upcoming Events
Pi brings to its members an exceptional and uniquely broad programme of events throughout the year with the world’s most authoritative and exciting speakers. The Mayfair based events are a mix of breakfasts, lunches and dinners with virtual events when the speaker is based overseas.
Pi speakers span the range from established global leaders — past Presidents of the United States and General Secretaries of the United Nations — to top cultural, economic and scientific figures. We identify trends as they emerge and always ensure that our members are informed on the most pressing issues of the day.
October 2024
Yuval Noah Harari
Historian and Philosopher
Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, in collaboration with How To Academy
Yuval asks us to consider the complex relationship between information and truth, bureaucracy and mythology, wisdom and power. He explores how different societies and political systems have wielded information to achieve their goals, for good and ill. And he addresses the urgent choices we face as non-human intelligence threatens our very existence.
Sir Dave King
Chair of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group
The Climate Crisis: the State of the Science, and a Comprehensive Strategy for Humanity’s Future.
Dave will give an overview of the current state of the climate crisis and the prognosis over the coming decades, followed by a comprehensive strategy based on 4Rs: Reduce emissions deeply and rapidly; Remove excess greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere and to come; Repair those parts of the climate system already tipping; and generate Resilience in all cities and regions of the world against the inevitable impacts.
Gareth Gore
Author, Financial Journalist, Editor
OPUS: dark money, a secretive cult, and its mission to remake our world
An eye-opening exposé of Opus Dei — a secretive, ultra-conservative Catholic sect — and how its members pushed its radical agenda within the Church and around the globe, using billions of dollars siphoned from Banco Popular. When investigating the demise of the bank, Gore uncovered decades of deception that hid one of the most brazen cases of corporate pillaging in history, perpetrated by a group of men sworn to celibacy and self-flagellation who had secretly controlled Popular and abused their positions there to help spread Opus Dei to every corner of the world.
Jean-Pascal Tricoire
Chairman of Schneider Electric
How technology is reshaping the established order in the energy world
How technology is reshaping the established order in the energy world
Jean-Pascal is the Chairman of Schneider Electric. He previously served as COO of Schneider from 2003, CEO from 2006 to 2011, and Chairman and CEO from 2011 to 2023. Under Jean-Pascal’s leadership, Schneider has transformed and become a technology company leading in software, sustainability, digitisation, and electrification. Jean-Pascal joined Schneider Electric in 1986 and held various positions across France, Italy, China, South Africa, the United States and Hong Kong.
Jean-Pascal also serves as an independent director on the board of Qualcomm. He is a director of the worldwide board of the United Nations Global Compact, a United Nations #HeForShe Corporate IMPACT champion and a member of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum as well as the Asia Business Council. He is also a member of the board of trustees of Northeastern University. Jean-Pascal is a member of the International Advisory Council of the Singapore Economic Development Board and a member of the advisory councils of Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong. He led the France-China Business Council from 2009 to 2019. He is a Knight of the Legion of Honor and an Officer of the National Order of Merit in France.
Sir Nick Clegg
President of Global Affairs at Meta
The importance of Liberal Democracy in our new Parliament
The importance of Liberal Democracy in our new Parliament
Nick is President of Global Affairs at Meta. He joined the company, then called Facebook, in 2018 after almost two decades in British and European public life. Prior to being elected to the UK Parliament in 2005, he worked in the European Commission and served for five years as a member of the European Parliament. He became leader of the Liberal Democrat party in 2007 and served as Deputy Prime Minister in the UK’s first coalition government since the war, from 2010 to 2015. He has written two best-selling books, Politics: Between the Extremes and How To Stop Brexit (And Make Britain Great Again).
Jeremy King
Restaurateur
Hard Hat Tour of Simpson's in the Strand
Simpson’s in the Strand first opened its doors in 1828. In Spring 2025, just a few years short of its 200th anniversary, the consummate restaurateur Jeremy King will relaunch this legendary restaurant. The revitalised Simpson’s will encompass two dining rooms – the Grand Divan and the Green Room; two bars – Simpson’s Bar and Nellie’s; and a private ballroom seating 100 – the Assembly Room. We are delighted that Jeremy has invited us for an exclusive tour of the premises ahead of the refurbishment.
Marko Papic
Chief Strategist, BCA Research
Geopolitical Trilemma
Marko will present his secular thesis – which he has dubbed The Geopolitical Trilemma – and how it impacts long-term investors over the rest of this decade. In addition, he will give his view on where the alpha may be over the short-term horizon, focusing on the interaction of markets with the upcoming US election.
November 2024
Henley & Partners
Global leader in residence and citizenship by investment
Implications and impacts of the 30th October budget
With 55 offices around the world, Henley & Partners is the global leader in residence and citizenship by investment, and author of the seminal wealth migration report so heavily quoted in recent weeks. Joining us shortly after the budget, Stuart and Peter will be updating us on changes to UK tax and IHT and advising on potential relocation options.
Meredith Whittaker
President, Signal Foundation
AI and Surveillance
AI and Surveillance
Meredith is the President of the Signal Foundation, the non-profit organisation founded to “protect free expression and enable secure global communication through open source privacy technology. The foundation wholly owns Signal Messenger, the secure messaging app used by 40M people around the world. Meredith was previously the co-founder and Faculty Director of the AI Now Institute at NYU. Prior to founding AI Now, she worked at Google for over a decade, where she led product and engineering teams, founded Google’s Open Research Group, and co-founded M-Lab. She has advised the White House, the FCC, FTC, the City of New York, the European Parliament, and many other governments and civil society organisations on artificial intelligence, internet policy, measurement, privacy, and security.
Anthony Scaramucci
Founder and Managing Partner of SkyBridge; co-host of The Rest is Politics USA
US Election Debrief
US Election Debrief
Anthony is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Prior to founding SkyBridge in 2005, Scaramucci co-founded investment partnership Oscar Capital Management, which was sold to Neuberger Berman in 2001. Earlier, he worked in Private Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs & Co. Anthony is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and a board member of the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation. He is the author of five books. He served on President Donald J. Trump’s 16-person Presidential Transition Team Executive Committee, and in 2017 briefly served as Chief Strategy Officer of the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank and White House Communications Director.
Duncan Mavin
Journalist and author
Meltdown: Scandal, Sleaze and the Collapse of Credit Suisse
Duncan takes us inside the hushed corridors at Credit Suisse, detailing its secretive culture and a series of decisions that ultimately led to disaster. It is a fascinating history of one of the biggest financial institutions of our times – and a thrilling exposé of the wider financial services sector. Meltdown promises to shock as Duncan reveals a world of greed, lies and unrelenting human ambition.
Casey Michel
Foreign Agents: How American Lobbyists Threaten Democracy Around the World
For years, foreign lobbyists have worked as foot-soldiers for the most authoritarian regimes around the planet. In the process, they’ve not only entrenched dictatorships and spread kleptocratic networks, but they’ve secretly guided U.S. policy without the rest of America even being aware. Casey joins us to shed a light on this powerful group and the damage and devastation they have caused in Washington and elsewhere.
Andrew Haldane CBE
Chief Executive of the RSA
The UK’s economic and social challenges
The UK’s economic and social challenges
Andy is the Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Arts. He was formerly Chief Economist at the Bank of England and a member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee. He was the Permanent Secretary for Levelling Up at the Cabinet Office from September 2021 to March 2022. Andrew is Founder and President of the charity Pro Bono Economics, Vice-Chair of the charity National Numeracy and Chair of the National Numeracy Leadership Council. Andrew chairs the Government’s Levelling Up Advisory Council and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre’s Industrial Board. He is contributing editor at the Financial Times and Chief Economic Advisor at PwC. Among other positions, he is Honorary Professor at the Universities of Nottingham, Manchester and Exeter, Visiting Professor at King’s College, London and a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Academy of Social Services.
Thomas Friedman
Author, reporter, columnist and winner of three Pulitzer Prizes
The Future of America and the World: Post-Election Dissection (in collaboration with Intelligence Squared)
In conversation with Ritula Shah, Thomas will dissect the aftermath of the 2024 US presidential election. He will share his insights into the political turbulence ahead, analysing what the election means for the US, its allies and the wider international community.
Prof Sir John Bell
President, Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford; Co-CEO EIT Global
The Elliston Institute of Technology
John joins us to tell us more about the Ellison Institute of Technology’s mission to develop and deploy technology in pursuit of solving some of humanity’s most challenging and enduring problems. Guided by world leaders, scientists and entrepreneurs, EIT seeks to accelerate innovation in health and medical science, food security and sustainable agriculture, climate change and clean energy, and government innovation and era of artificial intelligence.
Professor Eugene Rogan
Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History, Oxford University
What can the Damascus Events of 1860 teach us?
Eugene will tell the story of what happened in Damascus in 1860, discussing the lessons we can learn from that period and how they relate to current tensions in the Middle East.
December 2024
Zanny Minton Beddoes
Editor-in-Chief, The Economist
Global Economic Trends post the US Election
Global Economic Trends post the US Election
Zanny is the Editor-in-Chief of The Economist. She is a renowned global economics expert, sought-after for her authoritative perspectives on the world economy. She previously worked at the IMF, and as an adviser to the Minister of Finance in Poland.
Cass Sunstein
Professor at Harvard Law School
How to become famous
Focusing on both famous and forgotten (or simply overlooked) artists and luminaries in music, literature, business, science, politics, and other fields, Cass explores why some individuals become famous and others don’t and offers a new understanding of the roles played by greatness, luck, and contingency in the achievement of fame.
Michael Morris
Cultural Psychologist and Columbia Professor
Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together
Shortlisted for the FT’s Business Book of the Year, Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together, demystifies our tribal instincts and shows us how to use them to create positive change. Bracing and hopeful, Tribal unlocks the deepest secrets of our psychology and gives us the tools to manage our misunderstood superpower.
January 2025
Sonia Purnell
Biographer
Kingmaker: Pamela Churchill Harriman's astonishing life of seduction, intrigue and power
Sonia joins us to discuss the remarkable life of Pamela Harriman. There is practically no-one in twentieth-century politics, culture and fashion whose lives she did not touch. From seducing Americans during World War II at the behest of her father-in-law, Winston Churchill, to plucking Bill Clinton from obscurity and vaulting him to the presidency, her influence knew no bounds.