LinkedIn Top Voices 2018: Economy & Finance

These are the 10 must-know writers cutting through the noise on everything from Wall Street to the global economy.

Every day, more than 2 million posts, videos and articles course through the LinkedIn feed, generating tens of thousands of comments every hour — and tens of millions more shares and likes. So, who stood out in 2018 — and who should you be following to stay ahead?

We dug into the data to reveal our 4th annual LinkedIn Top Voices list, uncovering today's must-follow professionals in finance and the economy.

To find standout voices, we use a combination of data and editorial signals. We screen for engagement among professionals sharing in their area of expertise, looking at what kind of conversations — measured by engagement, including comments and re-shares — their original content is creating. We track relative follower growth, too: Are these professionals attracting dedicated fans in their particular sector? Finally, we emphasize quality and diversity; the list should reflect the world in which we work.

These members have written about everything from escalating trade skirmishes and possible asset bubbles to the effects of climate change on the oil market and the lack of diversity in finance. They are curating what you need to know to stay ahead when it comes to understanding the markets and the sectors driving them.

Here are this year’s 10 #LinkedInTopVoices in finance and the economy.

David Haber | VP, Strategy & Corporate Development, Goldman Sachs

What he talks about: Haber writes about changes and opportunities in fintech, drawing on his experience in both sectors to weigh in on trends and ask meaningful questions of his network.

Favorite conversation starter: Haber recently ruminated on the fact that while venture capital firms have built a brand around themselves as the go-to source of capital for high-growth companies, we talk less about those who can lend to such companies. The conversation led to new connections among participants, some of whom later met offline.

Where and when he does his best writing: “On my mobile phone, often while walking outside between meetings,” he says.

See more by David Haber.

Edward Yardeni | President & Chief Investment Strategist, Yardeni Research

What he talks about: Trade war? Financial crisis anniversary? The Federal Reserve’s latest action? Whatever is top of mind for investors, they look to Yardeni for his take on it.

Favorite conversation starter: Yardeni’s seven-part reflection on the financial crisis gripped readers throughout the week that marked the 10th anniversary of the crash. More than 150 commenters weighed in with their own lessons and observations.

What’s not on his LinkedIn profile: Yardeni and his wife see a movie every Friday night. He recently started sharing his reviews on LinkedIn.

See more by Edward Yardeni.

Danielle DiMartino Booth | CEO & Director of Intelligence, Quill Intelligence

What she talks about: A former top adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Booth writes about the intersection of financial markets, economics and monetary policy.

Favorite conversation starter: Booth’s July article about what GDP doesn’t tell us about the economy was, even to her, “contrarian and controversial” at the time. Nearly 300 members weighed in or shared it with their networks.

Trend she’s watching in 2019: “2019 will be all about being on recession watch,” Booth tells LinkedIn.

See more by Danielle DiMartino Booth.

Jesse Colombo | Economic Analyst & Investment Advisor, Clarity Financial

What he talks about: Colombo writes about what he believes are bubbles forming in various markets around the world, including U.S. stocks and shale energy, Canadian and Australian real estate, and technology startups.

Favorite conversation starter: His posts about the divergence between U.S. household wealth and the underlying economy have been among Colombo’s most popular for discussion, generating dozens of comments each.

Most interesting news story of 2018: “Bethany McLean's September piece about the shale energy bubble,” says Colombo. “Very few people are aware of this issue, but it's something I've been warning about for years.”

See more by Jesse Colombo.

David Janny | Senior Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager & Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley

What he talks about: Janny relishes in fleshing out the relationship between the economy, behavioral finance and the markets, recently pointing to signs of what he sees as an inflection point in the economic cycle and potentially challenging markets ahead.

Favorite conversation starter: Janny’s April post about his lack of trust in information struck a chord with his network, who discussed their faith in financial media and data sources.

Don’t miss: Some of his most insightful commentary can be found in meaty comments replying to other LinkedIn members.

See more by David Janny.

Sonya Dreizler | Consultant & Founder, Solutions With Sonya

What she talks about: Dreizler writes about impact investing, diversity in finance and best practices in running a financial services consultancy.

Favorite conversation starter: “Financial services has a diversity and inclusion problem,” proclaimed Dreizler in the beginning of a post. The statement kicked off a spirited conversation among her network, including many women in finance.

Trend she’s watching in 2019: “I would love to see every company actively working to make its board, executive team, management team and staff reflective of the communities they serve in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and life experience,” she says.

See more by Sonya Dreizler.

Hillary Stevenson | Director, Oil Markets & Business Development, Genscape

What she talks about: Stevenson muses on all things oil. “Be it natural disasters, refinery explosions or new infrastructure build-outs, I write about the noteworthy, unexpected changes that make waves in the market (literally and figuratively),” she says.

Favorite conversation starter: Hurricanes raise all sorts of concerns, including potential disruptions to the supply and transport of oil. Readers follow Stevenson’s posts on storms closely, often tuning in to her webinars after seeing notices of them on LinkedIn.

Most interesting news story of 2018: The U.S. reclaimed the title of world’s largest producer of crude oil for the first time since 1973 — “a culminating moment that highlighted the major shift in global and domestic oil markets,” according to Stevenson. “Global oil production percentages impact much more than oil prices: international relations, sanctions, tariffs, gasoline prices, locations of new jobs, investment decisions.”

See more by Hillary Stevenson.

Krishna Memani | Chief Investment Officer, OppenheimerFunds

What he talks about: From the U.S. economy, interest rates and bond markets to global trade wars and turbulence in emerging markets, Memani covers what’s important to today’s investment professionals.

Favorite conversation starter: Investors are “anxious” to know what the various outcomes of global trade wars will mean for their portfolios, Memani says. His October article “Playing with fire on trade” sparked a conversation about those potential ripple effects.

The TV series that inspired him this year: Netflix’s “The Sacred Games,” about gritty life in the underworld of India’s financial capital Mumbai, was “riveting,” Memani says. “It proved to me that we truly live in a global world when such dramas get traction the world over, irrespective of the locale or where they were produced.”

See more by Krishna Memani.

Frank Holmes | CEO & Chief Investment Officer, U.S. Global Investors

What he talks about: Holmes writes about financial markets, specifically as they relate to gold, precious metals and mining. His interests also include emerging markets, especially China and Eastern Europe; bitcoin and cryptocurrency; and behavioral finance.

Favorite conversation starter: Holmes’s August article about the price of gold in Venezuela and what it means for the nation’s currency crisis took off with readers, with more than 700 members weighing in or sharing it with their networks.

Trend he’s watching in 2019: Brexit. “Once the U.K. has successfully negotiated what it believes are satisfactory terms, I'll be curious to see what implications this might have on global trade and the European Union experiment,” Holmes says.

See more by Frank Holmes.

Stefania Perrucci | Founder & Chief Investment Officer, New Sky Capital

What she talks about: Perrucci writes about the intersection of markets and human nature — a mix of both quantitative models and emotions — often with a healthy dose of dry wit.

Favorite conversation starter: “Always hedge yourself against yourself.” That was the takeaway from a suboptimal investment strategy that Perrucci shared in detail with her network in early October. Members praised her honesty and public display of introspection.

What’s not on her LinkedIn profile: “I was taken prisoner in a war zone when I was young and traded back to safety for a few — too few — bottles of wine,” she tells LinkedIn.

See more by Stefania Perrucci.

You’ve read about the Top Voices in economy & finance this year. Now, check out the 20 must-know Influencers and #LinkedInTopVoices in technology, health care and more.

All activity measured took place over a 12-month period, from mid-September 2017 to mid-September 2018. As with all LinkedIn Lists, we excluded LinkedIn and Microsoft employees from consideration.