The future is now

James Clear is a writer and keynote speaker focused on habits, decision making, and continuous improvement. His book, Atomic Habits, has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, has been translated into more than 60 languages and was the #1 best-selling book of 2021 and 2023 on Amazon and #1 audiobook on Audible. Clear is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies and his work has been featured in publications such as Time magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and on CBS This Morning and Today Show Australia. He is a MasterClass instructor, alongside the world’s top experts such as Serena Williams, Neil Gaiman and Gordon Ramsay. His popular “3-2-1” email newsletter is sent out each week to more than 3 million subscribers.

James doesn’t merely report the research of others. He tries out the concepts for himself as he experiments with building better habits as an entrepreneur, writer, and weightlifter. In the end, his talks end up being one-part storytelling, one-part academic research, and one-part personal experiment, forming a colorful blend of inspirational stories, academic science, and hard-earned wisdom.

More About James Clear

Some of James’ engagements include Fortune 1000 and strategic clients such as Amazon, KPMG, Microsoft, A&T, Bristol-Myers Squibb, DellTechnologies, Facebook, Google, Liberty Mutual, Pfizer, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Procter & Gamble, Adobe, Cisco, Lockheed Martin, and Wells Fargo.

James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. In his book Atomic Habits, which has spent over four years on the New York Times bestseller list, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible.

Audiences come away from his talks learning how to:

• Build a system for getting 1% better every day.
• Break bad habits and stick to good ones.
• Avoid the common mistakes most people make when changing habits.
• Overcome a lack of motivation and willpower.
• Develop a stronger identity and believe in yourself.
• Make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy).
• Design an environment to make success easier.
• Make tiny, easy changes that deliver big results.
• Get back on track when you get off course.
• Put these ideas into practice in real life.

James is a supporter of the Against Malaria Foundation, donating five percent of his income to support AMF in distributing nets to protect children, pregnant mothers, and families from mosquitos carrying malaria. It is one of the most cost-effective ways to extend life and fulfills his bigger mission to spread healthy habits and help others realize their full potential.

Prepare to be inspired by Dr. Scott Parazynski, a multifaceted explorer whose extraordinary journey spans the realms of medicine, space, and extreme adventure. As a veteran NASA astronaut, Dr. Parazynski has completed five Space Shuttle missions and conducted seven spacewalks, including a daring repair of a live solar array during the STS-120 mission—an endeavor hailed as one of the most challenging spacewalks in history.

Beyond the stars, Dr. Parazynski achieved a terrestrial milestone by becoming the first person to both fly in space and summit Mount Everest. His relentless pursuit of exploration has taken him to the depths of the ocean, the peaks of the Andes, and the heart of active volcanoes, exemplifying his commitment to pushing human boundaries.

A graduate of Stanford University and its School of Medicine, Dr. Parazynski’s expertise in human physiology and adaptation to extreme environments has been instrumental in advancing space medicine. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to found Fluidity Technologies, a company dedicated to developing innovative control devices for various applications, from drones to surgical robotics.

Dr. Parazynski’s compelling memoir, The Sky Below, offers a profound narrative of resilience, courage, and the indomitable human spirit. His insights into leadership under pressure, innovation, and teamwork are invaluable for professionals across all industries.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a true pioneer whose life story is a testament to the power of determination and the pursuit of excellence.

Chief Investment Officer, Mercer Advisors

Donald Calcagni serves as the Chief Investment Officer at Mercer Advisors, where he leads the strategic direction of the firm’s investment platform, chairs the investment committee, and oversees all investment-related communications. With a career spanning over two decades, Donald’s expertise encompasses fiduciary oversight, economics, financial mathematics, portfolio management, corporate finance, and taxation.

As a thought leader and educator, Donald has contributed to the financial industry through his roles on the Advisory Board of Institutional Investors, the RIA Institute, and the Journal of Financial Services editorial board. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Widener University and as a guest lecturer at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Donald holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Master’s in Taxation from Widener University. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and has earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® designation.

In his upcoming session, Donald will address the challenges and opportunities presented by today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, marked by AI acceleration, geopolitical volatility, and increasing complexity.

Clarity Amid Chaos: The Strategic Edge of Institutional Wealth Management

Owning the Future in an Age of Acceleration

The pace of change has shifted. We’ve entered an era defined by AI acceleration, geopolitical volatility, and relentless complexity. Specialists—who are already leaders in clinical care—now face a deeper challenge: how to lead their financial lives with the same level of intention, clarity, and control.

This isn’t just about investing. It’s about owning your future. It’s about making decisions today that hold up tomorrow, no matter how fast the world moves. Institutional-grade wealth management isn’t just a solution—it’s a philosophy. A way to streamline complexity, integrate everything (tax, insurance, investments), and stay positioned for opportunity when others are overwhelmed by change.

In a world full of noise, your margins become your message—the difference between surviving and compounding toward a vision that’s actually yours.

Today, Clarity Matters More Than Ever

The ground beneath us is shifting faster than ever, driven by global instability, disruptive technology, and the accelerating influence of AI. As a specialist, your success already demands clarity, precision, and leadership. Now, your financial life must meet that same standard.

You can no longer rely on outdated strategies, fragmented advice, or passive planning. This is your moment to lead, not react.

This session will help you:

• Ask the right questions—ones that cut through outdated models and surface what truly matters now.
• Clarify the type of advisory leadership you need—and the kind of leadership you must bring to the financial side of your life.
• Understand how to surround yourself with the right minds—people and partners who simplify complexity and amplify your strategy.

You’ll walk away with more than insight. You’ll walk away with a framework for action—a lens to navigate uncertainty with intention, and the confidence to build a plan that puts you fully in control of your destiny.

Salima Lin is the Managing Partner for Strategy, M&A, Transformation, and Thought Leadership at IBM Consulting. With over 25 years of experience in management consulting and leadership, she has guided numerous Fortune 500 companies in developing and executing business and operating strategies, driving transformation, and operationalizing process improvements. Her expertise spans various industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, diagnostics, medical devices, managed care, and healthcare delivery.

In her role, Salima oversees the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV), which is recognized for its high-quality thought leadership and has been ranked #1 by Source Global. Under her leadership, the IBV has produced award-winning, evidence-based studies that provide strategic insights to business leaders worldwide.

Salima’s commitment to benchmarking and thought leadership as strategic business capabilities has been acknowledged through her recent appointment to the board of directors at APQC, the benchmarking and best practices authority. She is a fierce advocate for leveraging these tools to maintain competitiveness in the AI era.

She holds a master’s degree in health policy and administration from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration and biology from Simon Fraser University.