Horst Schulze
Co-Founder & Former President, The Ritz-Carlton | Founder, Capella Hotel Group | Bestselling Author, Excellence Wins | Service & Leadership Visionary
Emil Michael
U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering | Former Chief Business Officer at Uber | Tech Investor and Strategic Advisor
Speaker Emil Michael is the U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and one of Silicon Valley's most experienced operators. As former Chief Business Officer at Uber, he helped scale the company from a $350 million valuation to $70 billion. Today he drives U.S. defense innovation across AI, autonomy, quantum, and hypersonics, while sharing rare insight into leadership, negotiation, and high-stakes growth.
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Emil Michael biography
Speaker Emil Michael is one of the most experienced operators in technology and now the Pentagon’s top technology officer, serving as U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Confirmed by the Senate in May 2025, he leads the Department of Defense’s work on artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, quantum computing, directed energy, hypersonics, and other emerging capabilities critical to national security.
Before joining government, Michael spent more than two decades helping build and scale category-defining technology companies. He is best known for his tenure as Chief Business Officer at Uber from 2013 to 2017, where he helped grow the company from 50 cities to over 1,000 across 70 countries, lifted its valuation from $350 million to $70 billion, and raised nearly $15 billion in capital. He led strategic moves including the merger of Uber’s China operations with Didi Chuxing and the launch of UberMilitary, which connected more than 50,000 service members with earning opportunities.
Builder, Investor, and Public Servant
Earlier in his career, speaker Emil Michael was Chief Operating Officer at Klout, leading the company through its acquisition by Lithium Technologies, and played a key role in scaling Tellme Networks to its acquisition by Microsoft for roughly $800 million. As an angel investor and strategic advisor, he has backed more than 50 startups and mentored a generation of founders and operators across Silicon Valley.
Born in Egypt and raised in the United States, Michael holds degrees from Harvard University and Stanford Law School. He previously served as a White House Fellow and Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, and has supported organizations including the Innocence Project, Design Miami, and Culture Shift Labs.
As a speaker, Emil Michael delivers a rare blend of operating depth, capital-raising experience, and policy insight. He is in demand as one of the world’s most compelling leadership speakers for boards, executive offsites, and global summits focused on growth, innovation, and the future of technology.
Emil Michael Speaking Videos
How Uber became the FASTEST growing company in the world with Emil Michael
Emil Michael: The State of Entrepreneurship in America
Emil Michael Keynote Topics
Most books on negotiation focus on tactics, not people, argues Emil Michael, who has raised more than $25 billion and led landmark deals across borders, including an $8 billion transaction in China closed in 60 days. In this session, he shares the unfiltered story behind turning a $300 million Microsoft offer into an $800 million acquisition, expanding Uber into hostile new markets, and reading the human signals that decide whether deals live or die. Audiences learn how empathy, cultural fluency, and disciplined preparation outperform any scripted technique at the negotiating table.
Building one strong team is hard. Sustaining a high-performance culture across thousands of employees, dozens of countries, and constant scrutiny is something almost no leader survives. As Uber's Chief Business Officer during its hyper-growth years, Emil Michael did exactly that. He shares how he balanced hiring deep specialists with versatile generalists, embedded a consistent culture across regions, and kept leadership standards intact as the company multiplied in size. Executives walk away with concrete frameworks for hiring, onboarding, and leading teams that perform when the pressure is highest.
Every early-stage company runs as a tribe, where survival, shared mission, and fluid roles drive everything. Once a business hits product-market fit, that same tribe must evolve into something closer to a civilization, with structure, capital discipline, and clear authority, without strangling the speed that made it work. Drawing on his front-row view of Uber, Klout, and Tellme Networks, Emil unpacks how leaders should sequence structure, decide when to add process, and resist the gravity of the Innovator's Dilemma as growth accelerates.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Emil Michael
Why Emil Michael?
Speaker Emil Michael offers something almost no other keynote speaker can: the rare combination of front-line tech operator, world-class dealmaker, and current senior U.S. government leader. As the architect of Uber's global expansion from $350 million to $70 billion, the closer of multibillion-dollar acquisitions, and now the Pentagon's top technology officer, he brings firsthand insight into how innovation, leadership, and national security intersect. Audiences gain unfiltered lessons from the rooms where the most consequential decisions in technology are made. Book Emil Michael through Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring this perspective to your stage.
What was Emil Michael's role at Uber?
Emil Michael served as Chief Business Officer at Uber from 2013 to 2017, the senior operator responsible for strategic deals, capital raising, and global expansion. Under his leadership, Uber grew from 50 cities to more than 1,000 in 70 countries, its valuation climbed from $350 million to $70 billion, and it raised nearly $15 billion in financing. He also led the merger of Uber China with Didi Chuxing and launched UberMilitary, which connected more than 50,000 service members with earning opportunities.
What is Emil Michael's current role in government?
Emil Michael is the United States Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, often described as the Pentagon's Chief Technology Officer. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in May 2025 and is responsible for the Department of Defense's strategy and investment across artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, quantum computing, directed energy, hypersonics, and other emerging capabilities. The role places him at the center of how the U.S. military adopts and scales next-generation technology.
What kind of audiences book Emil Michael as a speaker?
Emil Michael is booked by corporate boards, executive offsites, defense and technology summits, private equity gatherings, and global leadership conferences that want a candid look inside scaling, dealmaking, and national security innovation. His talks resonate with senior leaders responsible for growth, strategy, M&A, and technology transformation. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Emil Michael's operating and policy experience to your next high-level event.
How to book Emil Michael as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Emil Michael as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Emil Michael's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Emil Michael or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Emil Michael speaking fee?
Emil Michael speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Emil Michael to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Emil Michael.
How can I contact Emil Michael?
We only work with Emil Michael on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Emil Michael and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Emil Michael speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Emil Michael for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Emil Michael for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Emil Michael is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Emil Michael for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
