Steven Rattner is not just the man brought in by the President to save the auto industry, he is a former chief economic correspondent for The New York Times who earned a place among the top tier of Wall Street’s most informed investment bankers and corporate experts.

Famously known as the Obama Administration’s “Car Czar,” Rattner led the successful effort to save the U.S. auto industry, widely considered among the administration’s most substantial achievements. Rattner was selected in the midst of the historic global recession to lead the largest industrial restructuring in American history — the $82 billion decision that saved three major corporations and millions of jobs –- following his remarkable success as a dealmaker and money manager.

Rattner’s unique economic perspective is informed by an impressive, multi-faceted career that has spanned journalism, finance, business and politics.  He is an Op-Ed contributor for the New York Times, an Economic Analyst on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and writes a monthly column for the Financial Times. Rattner’s deep knowledge of the world of finance and economics is enhanced by his role of advising New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as to the management of his personal and philanthropic assets.

After graduating from Brown University with honors in Economics, Rattner served as a correspondent for The New York Times covering business, energy, and economics, Nine years later, he transitioned into the world of business, ultimately serving as a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and Deputy Chairman and Deputy Chief Executive of Lazard Frères & Co. Immediately prior to joining the U.S. Treasury Department in February 2009, Rattner was a Managing Principal of Quadrangle Group LLC, a private investment firm that he co-founded in 2000 and led to having more than $6 billion of assets under management.

After completing his government service, Rattner published the first book written by a former member of the Obama Administration. Overhaul: An Insider’s Account of the Obama Administration’s Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry earned praise as “required reading” by The New York Times, “unquestionably the best book so far about the Obama presidency,” by Slate, and “unexpectedly fascinating” by Malcolm Gladwell in The New Yorker magazine.

Rattner has served on the boards of a number of philanthropic and public policy organizations as well as on several government commissions. Among these have been the Brookings Institution, the New America Foundation, the International Monetary Fund Advisory Committee and the President’s Commission to Study Capital Budgeting. He is a Fellow of Brown University and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

At the podium, Rattner shares up-to-the moment analysis of the global economy, the future of finance and the challenges facing the Obama Administration. With a thoughtful balance of optimism and concerns, he examines America’s economic future—and what can be done to move forward with greater success and stability.

Uniquely equipped to discuss economics, finance and the political scene, Rattner’s expertise includes how management matters to the longevity and success of any business structure—including the government. Drawing upon his time in the White House, Rattner also delves into the lessons learned in his book Overhaul, describing the tough choices he and his team made to save America’s auto industry.Rattner is married to Maureen White, a State Department official in the Afghanistan-Pakistan group.