Available to book
John List
Economics
Behavioural Science
Business Growth
Scale proven ideas into measurable impact with John List, behavioral economist and field experiment specialist. John works with organizations to optimize incentives, test scalable strategies, and replicate success through evidence-based frameworks. Former Chief Economist at Uber and Lyft, 7th most cited economist globally.
Economist
John List is a University of Chicago economist whose research on human behaviour has reshaped how organisations scale ideas from promising concepts into measurable, real-world impact. List ranks as the 7th most cited economist globally. He has served as chief economist for Uber and Lyft, applying field experiments to solve problems in pricing, incentives, and growth. His book, The Voltage Effect, offers a framework for taking small successes and replicating them at scale. His work bridges the gap between academic theory and operational results. List has helped companies like Uber optimise driver incentives, guided nonprofits toward more effective fundraising, and advised policymakers on education reform. Audiences benefit from his ability to translate complex data into actionable strategies that have been tested across industries, from tech platforms to public health initiatives. Those who attend John's sessions walk away with concrete tools: how to identify which ideas will survive scaling and which will fail, how to design low-cost experiments that reveal what actually works, and how to avoid the common pitfalls that cause promising programmes to lose their impact as they grow. Book John List to give your audience a proven, evidence-based approach to turning good ideas into lasting results.
List's field-tested frameworks from Uber and Lyft translate directly into how leadership teams can pressure-test which initiatives will hold their impact at scale. His work as the 7th most cited economist globally gives him unusual credibility when diagnosing why promising pilots fail during rollout, making him particularly valuable for organisations navigating growth or operational transformation.
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frequently asked questions
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Email john.list@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm John's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
John List structures his sessions around field experiment methodology, drawing on case studies from his tenures as chief economist at Uber and Lyft to show how real-world experiments — rather than theoretical models — reveal which ideas hold up under scaling. He uses a diagnostic framework from The Voltage Effect to walk audiences through the conditions that cause promising programmes to lose impact as they grow, giving attendees a replicable process for testing and scaling their own initiatives.
John List speaks on behavioural economics, scaling ideas from concept to real-world impact, and the design of field experiments across sectors including tech, public health, and education. He ranks as the 7th most cited economist globally and has served as chief economist for both Uber and Lyft, where he applied experimental methods to pricing, incentives, and growth.
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