Harvard Professor Alison Wood Brooks Joins the NBF 2026 Lineup

We’re excited to announce that Alison Wood Brooks, conversation expert, bestselling author, and Harvard Business School professor, will be taking the stage at Nordic Business Forum 2026 in Helsinki.

With Alison joining the program, Nordic Business Forum 2026 speaker lineup is now complete. Next September, 8,500 senior decision-makers will gather in Helsinki to explore the theme Human Edge with 11 of the world’s top business thinkers and leaders.

At the event, Alison will deliver a keynote that explores one of the most underestimated drivers of collaboration: how we talk to each other when the stakes are high.

The Expert Behind High-Stakes Conversations

Alison is an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Her research has helped pioneer the emerging field of conversation science, and her course at Harvard Business School has become one of the school’s most sought-after classes.

She is also the Co-Founder and CEO of TALK Studios, an organization dedicated to helping people develop better conversation skills at every stage of life.

In 2025, her first book, TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves, became a national bestseller. Alison’s work has also been featured in top-tier academic journals, media outlets, podcasts, and in Disney-Pixar’s 2023 movie Inside Out 2.

A Crucial Skill for Modern Leaders

In today’s fast-paced and complex organizations, difficult conversations are unavoidable. From giving critical feedback to managing strategic disagreements, leaders constantly face moments where emotions run high and clarity matters most.

At Nordic Business Forum 2026, Alison will give a keynote titled “Conversation as the Operating System of Collaboration: Under Pressure.” The talk promises to provide leaders with a few useful practical tools that strengthen collaboration through better conversations.

Alison will reveal how collaboration rarely breaks down because of poor strategy. Instead, teams struggle when their “conversational operating system” fails under pressure. By understanding the science behind conversations, leaders can build teams that communicate clearly, navigate friction productively, and make better decisions when it matters most.

Join Us at NBF 2026

Nordic Business Forum 2026 will take place on 16–17 September in Helsinki, bringing together 8,500 leaders for two days of inspiration, learning, and networking.

With Alison Wood Brooks completing the lineup, the program will explore how leaders can strengthen their Human Edge from performance and decision-making to teamwork and collaboration.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from Alison and our full lineup of world-class speakers!