Sung Won Sohn Ph.D

Renowned Economist Dr. Sung Won Sohn: WSJ's Most Accurate Economist

Dr. Sohn is a Professor of Finance and Economics at Loyola-Marymount University. He is also president of SS Economics, an economic consulting firm focused on the U.S. economy, international trade in the pacific-rim and technology including AI. Dr. Sohn was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hanmi Financial Corporation, a commercial bank in Los Angeles, California.  Before joining Hanmi in 2005, Dr. Sohn was an Executive Vice President and Chief Economic Officer at Wells Fargo Banks.  He was also Vice Chairman of the Board at a retailer Forever 21. Dr. Sohn also serves as Commissioner for LACERS (Los Angeles City Employee Retirement System) and Chair of the Investment Committee, managing $17 billion in assets.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Western Alliance Bancorporation and National Association of Corporate Directors PSW. Dr. Sohn is an internationally-known economist.

  • Sung Won Sohn Ph.D Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    $10,001 - $20,000

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    California, USA

  • Sung Won Sohn Ph.D Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    $10,001 - $20,000

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    California, USA

Suggested Keynote Speaker Programs

Behavioral Economics

Behavioral economics is a relatively new field of economics. Some of the recent Nobel Prizes were awarded to Behavioral Economics which is a combination of psychology and economics. In traditional economics, rational decisions based on the price ...

Behavioral economics is a relatively new field of economics. Some of the recent Nobel Prizes were awarded to Behavioral Economics which is a combination of psychology and economics.
In traditional economics, rational decisions based on the price mechanism are the norm. Then how do we explain booms, recessions, inflation, failures, etc? This is where behavioral economics comes in. Here are the ten topics included in the speech:

1.Decisions are often irrational

2.Social preference often drive decisions

3.We learn socially affecting outcomes.

4.Non-monetary motivations weigh heavily on decisions

5.We make quick decisions, not necessarily deliberate.

6.How heuristics (rules of thumb) are used in decisions

7. People are not good at forward Planning

8. Mood, Personality and Emotion matter a lot

9. We have aggregation problems

10. How to use “Nudges” to Change Behavior

 

Learn More

Blockchain Applications to Finance and Banking

Internet, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency The role of stable coin in finance Decentralized Finance (DeFi) vs. Traditional Banking How CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) could affect banking and finance Blockchain applications to real ...

  • Internet, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency
  • The role of stable coin in finance
  • Decentralized Finance (DeFi) vs. Traditional Banking
  • How CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) could affect banking and finance
  • Blockchain applications to real estate
  • Regulatory constraints

Learn More

Blockchain and Cryptocurrency

How do they work together? Simple Examples Why Popular in EM? Stable Coin Central Bank Digital Currency -Pros and Cons of CBDC -How banks are affected by it Blockchain in Real Estate Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ...

How do they work together?

Simple Examples

Why Popular in EM?

Stable Coin

Central Bank Digital Currency

-Pros and Cons of CBDC

-How banks are affected by it

Blockchain in Real Estate

Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

Problems w/ Blockchain

Learn More

Economy: Recession?

Why Economic Growth in 2022?

Inflation: How High and Long?

Labor Shortages and Inflation

Stock Market

-Economy

-Federal Reserve

-Earnings

-Valuations

Geopolitics (Ukraine)

Global Economic Outlook

Whither the Economy (after Pandemic)?

1. Biden’s $4 trillion stimulus plan: – Why such a large plan? – Short- vs. long-term consequences. – Winners and losers 2. Infrastructure plan: – Why is this different from the other stimulus plan? – Winners...

1. Biden’s $4 trillion stimulus plan:
– Why such a large plan?
– Short- vs. long-term consequences.
– Winners and losers

2. Infrastructure plan:
– Why is this different from the other stimulus plan?
– Winners and losers

3. How to pay for the stimulus
– Printing money and its consequences/ What is Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)?
– Tax the rich? Will it pay for the stimulus? Economic consequences of higher taxes on productivity and growth
– Borrow from China and other foreign countries? Consequences of foreigners owning a bigger piece of America.

4. Inflation: Short- vs. long-term risks
– Gap between potential and actual GDP growth path
– Bottlenecks and supply chain. Winners and losers
– Labor costs and long-term inflation
– Inflation expectations and long-term inflation

5. Global Economic Impact on countries
– Minimum corporate tax and economic outcome
– Trade flows in the new economic paradigm
– Winners and losers

6. Public opinion on:
– Taxing the wealthy
– Massive expansion of government benefits
– Universal Income
– Why it matters

7. Economic Outlook
– Economic growth
– Inflation
– Interest rates
– Stock market
– Real estate
– Winners and losers

Learn More

The Evolution of Digital Currency

– Are bitcoins, dogecoins, nonfungible tokens (NFT), etc. bubbles or investments? – Does the extreme volatility disqualify digital coins as a normal investment and is deemed speculative? – Crypto currencies and the environment....

– Are bitcoins, dogecoins, nonfungible tokens (NFT), etc. bubbles
or investments?
– Does the extreme volatility disqualify digital coins as a
normal investment and is deemed speculative?
– Crypto currencies and the environment.
– The “Greater Fool” theory in cryptocurrency
– Stable coins have been invented. The value of a stable
coin is tied to another asset, such as the U.S. dollar.
Tether (USDT) is a popular stable coin
– Are there tax implications of owning cryptocurrencies?
– Moving money in the existing payment system is
expensive and slow. Here comes the digital currencies
(DC)
– Digital currencies have been gaining popularity taking over
a growing share of payments from the traditional banking
system. Implications?
– Some 50 central banks around the world, including the
Federal Reserve, are considering the CBDC (Central Bank
Digital Currency), a substitute for a fiat money like the U.S.
dollar.
– The power of monetary policy to dampen economic cycles
become less effective.
– Despite these reservations about cryptocurrencies, there
has been growing acceptance among institutional
investors. Digital currencies are here to stay.
– Individual and small investors must be extra cautious
about the risk, particularly volatility of the assets.

Learn More

Successful Business Strategies in Stressful Environment

– Disruptions emanating from the global, national and local economies will become more frequent and severe in the post- pandemic economy. How should businesses cope with the changes? – Employees haven’t recovered from the pandemic stress, ...

– Disruptions emanating from the global, national and local
economies will become more frequent and severe in the post-
pandemic economy. How should businesses cope with the
changes?
– Employees haven’t recovered from the pandemic stress, but
will experience continuing changes negatively affecting
productivity. Some are burned out.
– In the post-pandemic environment, the emphasis on ESG,
equality, fairness, etc. make management more challenging.
– What to do? A clear and frequent communication of vision and
goals as well as understanding and protecting competitive
advantages are important.
– Do you know what your competitive advantages are? Do you
know what your competitors are doing? Can you predict your
competitors’ reactions to any move you make?
– Understanding your competitive advantage is a key to success.
Once you understand the wall protecting you, reinforcing and
fortifying it is important.
– What gives you the advantages? How do you respond when
your competitors gain?
– Several case studies are introduced including Walmart, Coors
Beer, Fox, Cola Drinks, Kodak, Polaroid, Microsoft, Disney,
Neflix, etc.
– In the long-run, everything is a toaster. How do you maintain
your competitive advantage in the long run? How do you know
you are enjoying competitive advantages in the long run?
– The speech concludes with some Do’s and Don’ts for
businesses to consider to remain competitive.

Learn More

Economy: Will good economic times continue? How long?

1. President Biden’s Economic Philosophy – Why such a large stimulus? – Short- vs. long-term consequences. – Winners and losers 2. Infrastructure plan: – Will it raise productivity of ...

1. President Biden’s Economic Philosophy
– Why such a large stimulus?
– Short- vs. long-term consequences.
– Winners and losers

2. Infrastructure plan:
– Will it raise productivity of the economy?
– Winners and losers

3. How to pay for the stimulus
– Printing money and its consequences/ What is Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)?
– Tax the rich? Will it pay for the stimulus? Economic consequences of higher taxes on productivity and growth
– Borrow from China and other foreign countries? Consequences of foreigners owning a bigger piece of America.

4. Inflation: How transitory is it?
– Is it a short-term phenomenon?
– Could Chairman Powell be wrong?
– Why could it be a long-term problem?
– Labor costs and long-term inflation
– Inflation expectations and long-term inflation
– Winners and losers from sustained inflation

5. Minimum corporate tax and economic outcome
– Will it work?
– Who are the winners and losers?

6. What does the public opinion say about:
– Taxing the wealthy
– Massive expansion of government benefits
– Universal Income
– Why it matters to you and the economy.

7. Economic Outlook
– Economic growth
– Inflation
– Interest rates
– Stock market
– Real estate
– Delta Virus
– Winners and losers

8. Your Industry and Business
– How will your industry fare in either scenario?

Learn More

Blockchain and Digital Currency for Dummies

Blockchain technology – What is the Blockchain technology? – How does it work? – Why should we care about it? Applications of Blockchain: Tokens – What is tokenization? – ...

Blockchain technology
– What is the Blockchain technology?
– How does it work?
– Why should we care about it?

Applications of Blockchain: Tokens
– What is tokenization?
– Examples (ticketing, real estate, bonds, carbon trading)

Applications of Blockchain: Cryptocurrency

– What are Cryptocurrencies and Stable Coins?
– What is Bitcoin and why is it so important?
– What is a stable coin/ Tether?
– Key risks in cryptocurrencies
– Regulatory issues

Digital Finance (DeFi)
– What is it?
– How is it related to Cryptocurrency?
– No intermediaries
– Smart contract

Central Bank digital Currency (CBDC)

– What is it?
– Why does it matter to you?
– Impact on banking and payment system
– Replace the banking system?
– Creative destruction in progress?

Learn More

About Keynote Speaker Sung Won Sohn Ph.D

Dr. Sohn is a Professor of Finance and Economics at Loyola-Marymount University. He is also president of SS Economics, an economic consulting firm focused on the U.S. economy, international trade in the pacific-rim and technology including AI. Dr. Sohn was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hanmi Financial Corporation, a commercial bank in Los Angeles, California. Before joining Hanmi in 2005, Dr. Sohn was an Executive Vice President and Chief Economic Officer at Wells Fargo Banks. He was also Vice Chairman of the Board at retailer Forever 21. Dr. Sohn also serves as Vice President and Commissioner for LACERS (Los Angeles City Employee Retirement System) and Chair of the Investment Committee, managing $18 billion in assets. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Western Alliance Bancorporation, and National Association of Corporate Directors PSW. Dr. Sohn is an internationally-known economist.

Dr. Sohn was Martin V. Smith Professor of Economics at California State University CI and director of Institute for Global Economic Research (IGER) forecasting economic and investment conditions in the Pacific-rim countries. 

Prior to Wells Fargo, Dr. Sohn was a Senior Economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisors in The White House. He was responsible for economic and legislative matters pertaining to The Federal Reserve and financial markets. Dr. Sohn has also been a tenured professor in the Pennsylvania State University System.

In 2001, Bloomberg News selected Dr. Sohn was one of the five most accurate forecasters in the United States. In 2002, Blue Chip Publications picked him as the most accurate forecaster for the Western States, and he was named to Time Magazine’s Board of Economists. In 2006, The Wall Street Journal featured a story naming Dr. Sohn as the most accurate economist in the United States. This is one of the most prestigious honors in the economics profession. 

Dr. Sohn was chosen as one of the 100 most influential Minnesotans of the 20th century by the state’s largest daily newspaper, The Star Tribune. Others on the list included Charles Lindberg, Sinclair Lewis, Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale and Charles Schultz of Peanuts. 

Dr. Sohn was a Commissioner of the Port of Los Angeles, the nation’s largest seaport. He has served on the boards of Hanmi Financial Corporation, First California Bancorporation, Cryo Cell International, Ministers Mutual Life Insurance Company, LA Music Center (Performing Arts), Children’s Bureau of Los Angeles, Foreign Affairs Council of LA, Park Nicollet Health Services, The Blake School, Minnesota Community College System, North Memorial Medical Center, Harvard Business School Association of Minnesota, Crystal Evangelical Free Church, Children’s Theater Company, and the American Heart Association of Minnesota and Girl Scouts of Minnesota. 

He is the author of two books: Global Financial Crisis and Exit Strategy (2009) and The New Economy (2014). 

Dr. Sohn was educated at the University of Pittsburgh, Harvard Business School and MIT.

Close

My Catalog

PDF

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    Submit Clear All

    You have not added any speakers yet.