Robyn Curnow is an adjunct lecturer in leadership at Brown University and IE Business School where she teaches the Executive MBA.

As a former CNN anchor and foreign correspondent, Robyn has had a front-row seat to leadership, power and change. She reported from around the world, covering elections, conflict, political upheaval and some of the defining international stories of our time.

During her career, Robyn interviewed Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Oprah Winfrey, Congressman John Lewis, Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Vice President J.D. Vance and First Ladies Michelle Obama and Laura Bush, as well as leading figures from the worlds of politics, business and culture.

She interviewed Mandela in Qunu in one of his final interviews and led exclusive reporting on his death and funeral. She reported from Havana during President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Cuba and returned later that year to cover the death and funeral of Fidel Castro. She also reported from the Vatican for the death and funeral of Pope John Paul II and covered American politics through the Obama, Trump and Biden presidencies.

Her work with CNN teams has been recognized with a duPont-Columbia Award and a Royal Television Society Award, and she has received three Emmy nominations.

Today, Robyn brings nearly three decades of experience observing leadership at close quarters into the classroom and the boardroom. As an Adjunct Lecturer in Leadership at Brown University, she teaches Executive MBA students about navigating complexity, emerging markets and strategic decision-making.

As an international speaker, moderator and strategic communications adviser, Robyn works with leaders and organizations on communication, leadership and navigating an increasingly complex world.

She holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, where she was a Chevening Scholar.

Leadership. Complexity. Communication.

Robyn's career has been built around asking questions, challenging assumptions and trying to understand how people make decisions when the stakes are high.

Today, that experience informs a question at the heart of her work:

How do we lead well when there are no easy answers?

Connections

Robyn has worked closely with the Prince Albert Foundation in Monaco as well as in Philadelphia. She hosted two Blue Economy events in the principality in conjunction with His Serene Highness Prince Albert of Monaco where she was the Master of Ceremony as well as a panel moderator over several days of talks. She introduced His Royal Highness Prince William as well as world leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron. There were 1800 attendees, 150 heads speakers and 6 Heads of State.

Curnow was the keynote speaker at the annual Digital Media Licensing Association annual gathering in Atlanta, Georgia. She spoke about her career and the future of journalism, media ethics and trust in a world of disinformation and AI.

Curnow has hosted or spoken at events at the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Onassis Stegi Centre in Athens, the Cape Town Convention Centre, the United Nations in New York as well as various World Economic Forum events.