Mitch Landrieu
"Mitch Landrieu inspires like few leaders today can. He speaks from the commanding heights of someone who has accomplished much while leading from a position of purpose and principle. Mayor Landrieu is smart, funny, articulate and able to connect with audiences across all divides — a genuine breath of fresh air." Financial Services
Mitch Landrieu served as the 61st Mayor of New Orleans, leading the city through a period of recovery, reform, and long-term renewal after a historic civic crisis.
When Landrieu took office, New Orleans faced fiscal instability, high violent crime, and a police department under federal oversight. Over two terms, he helped stabilize city finances, reform public safety, and advance major investments in infrastructure, education, and healthcare, securing billions in public and private funding. Under his leadership, New Orleans emerged as a nationally recognized turnaround story.
Landrieu gained national attention for his decision to remove Confederate monuments from public spaces, a defining act of civic leadership that earned him the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. He later chronicled that experience in his New York Times bestselling book In the Shadow of Statues.
Before serving as mayor, Landrieu held statewide office as Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, served sixteen years in the state legislature, and later became president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
As a speaker, Landrieu draws on firsthand experience leading through crisis and division to help leaders understand how trust is rebuilt, decisions are made under pressure, and organizations move forward after periods of deep conflict.
Mitch Landrieu on Overcoming Division in America
Mitch Landrieu on Resilient Leadership
Mitch Landrieu on The Path Forward for The U.S.
Mitch Landrieu on Turning Legislation into Action
Mitch Landrieu on Turning Legislation into Action
In an era of gridlock and “alternative facts,” Landrieu brings a problem-solving approach to governance. A strong proponent of bipartisan collaboration, he shares strategies for finding common ground on complex, high-stakes issues, including infrastructure, healthcare, immigration, and supporting working families. This talk, or moderated conversation, when paired with a prominent Republican, demonstrates how the most effective solutions emerge when leaders reach across ideological divides with practical governance and mutual respect.
From guiding New Orleans through Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill to leading a trillion-dollar federal infrastructure rollout, Landrieu has led through some of the most complex crises in modern American history. In this powerful keynote, he introduces his proven framework for leadership in chaos—command, control, and communication—alongside his philosophy of “facilitating, linking, and leveraging” to move stalled organizations forward. He reveals how strong leadership, public-private partnerships, and ethical governance transformed New Orleans from the brink of bankruptcy into one of America’s greatest comeback stories, with reforms spanning public safety, education, healthcare, and economic development.
In this masterclass on organizational turnaround, Landrieu reveals how disciplined management, ethical leadership, and smart public-private partnerships can revive even the most broken systems. The lessons translate seamlessly from city halls to boardrooms focused on making high-stakes decisions, aligning teams, and turning uncertainty into momentum.
Based on his bestselling book In the Shadow of Statues, Landrieu confronts how history, race, and identity shape leadership today. With honesty and humanity, he shows how leaders can face difficult truths, navigate backlash, and bring people together without retreating from principle. Drawing from his nationally acclaimed decision to remove Confederate monuments in New Orleans—which earned him the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award—he provides a roadmap for addressing difficult truths while building more inclusive and unified organizations and communities. This is a deeply moving and timely talk about courage, reconciliation, and what it means to lead in a divided society.
Drawing from his experience overseeing over 70,000 projects and $1.2 trillion in federal investments as White House Infrastructure Coordinator, Landrieu discusses how modern infrastructure extends beyond traditional construction. He explores strategic investments in high-speed internet, clean energy, and transit systems that create quality jobs and drive long-term economic growth. This talk provides organizations with insights into navigating technological advancements and understanding how infrastructure shapes competitive advantage in today’s economy.
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