Courtney Fingar is one of the world's top experts on International investment.
Most recently the editor-in-chief of Investment Monitor, a digital publication focused on cross-border investment, she previously spent 15 years with the Financial Times where she was head of content for fDi Intelligence and editor-in-chief of fDi Magazine. As part of these roles, she oversaw the creation of sponsored content campaigns for clients (investment promotion agencies, economic development organizations and free zones) aimed at promoting their locations for inward investment and generating leads.
In early 2023, she set up Fingar Direct Investment, a boutique consultancy advising governments on investment promotion, location marketing and content creation.
She is also a contributor to Forbes.com, writing a regular column on FDI; and a contributing editor for Real Asset Media, which provides market insight, thought leadership, strategy and research with a global audience of senior leaders in the real estate and real asset markets. In 2023 she was also appointed regional director for Europe and communications advisor for the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies.
An in-demand event moderator and professional speaker on matters of global business and investment, she has participated in hundreds of events worldwide and now advise event organisers on content and assist with promotion. She has appeared on television and radio in dozens of countries as a commentator on international investment and have twice been called to give evidence to the UK Parliament about inward investment.
She is passionate about mentoring, especially for girls and young women, and currently mentors several early-career female professionals. She actively participates as a mentor in the Financial Times’ official mentoring scheme. She has been a speaker at Career Day for her postgraduate alma mater, the University of Edinburgh, and spoke to journalism classes at her undergraduate alma mater, the University of Alabama, about how to break into international journalism.
Before joining fDi in 2004, she served as the editor of Trade & Forfaiting Review, a London-based magazine focusing on trade finance. She worked previously as a journalist in Washington, DC.
She has a BA in journalism from the University of Alabama in the United States and an MSc in International and European Politics, with a special focus on political economy and trade issues, from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She served as an advisory council member for the Advocacy in the Global Environment Master’s Program at the George Washington Graduate School of Political Management.
"Few speakers are able to engage as effectively with audiences as I have witnessed Courtney Fingar demonstrate over the past decade and a half. This is founded on not only her grasp of the essentials of global investment trends, but her ability to illustrate these trends and their impacts with examples relevant to whichever type of audience, and wherever, she is presenting or moderating to. To my knowledge, this has ranged from senior government leaders, sovereign wealth managers and CEOs in the finance sector, to global sports personalities, taciturn trade financiers, Midlands metal-bashers and earnest first-year undergraduates. Across what constitutes an international spectrum of audience participants, she has an uncanny knack ofmaking them feel that they are making a critical contribution to the debate – an enviable skill, crucial to the success of any conference."
Paul Forrest, Director, Director, Sovereign Wealth Focus and West Midlands Economic Forum
“I have had the pleasure of attending many conferences and events over the years at which Courtney has spoken, either as a presenter, keynote speaker or moderator. She is a natural on stage, always well prepared and well presented. What impresses me the most is the diverse range of topics from all corners of the world that Courtney is able to address. She brings a truly global perspective and yet is able to be insightful on the most local of issues.”
David Parker, Commercial Director, Oxford Intelligence. Previously with Invest Hong Kong
“Having delivered a range of content at our flagship events recently we would highly recommend Courtney as keynote speaker and moderator. As a speaker Courtney has extensive international experience, while as a moderator her engaging style wins the audience over every time.”
Paul Britton, Head of Inward Investment & Reinvestment, Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce