President, Chief Executive Officer & Director, Fti Consulting
Search every verified Steven Gunby interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In November 2024, Gunby delivered opening remarks at a Wall Street Journal and FTI Consulting event on artificial intelligence, where he compared the current state of AI to the splitting of the atom and the Industrial Revolution. He stated that AI will allow machines to exceed humans in intellectual ability, and he cited Bill Gates’ observation that people tend to overestimate technological change in the short term and underestimate it in the long term. Gunby also described FTI Consulting’s role in major corporate crises, noting that the firm has 6,500 professionals globally and works on investigations, bankruptcies, and crisis communications. At a September 2024 event on white-collar investigations, Gunby discussed the expanding role of general counsel, saying they are increasingly becoming the line manager in charge of crises. He noted that the probability of a major company facing a "Black Swan" event over five years approaches zero, citing examples such as Wells Fargo and FTX. Gunby also described FTI Consulting’s work on investigations including those involving Lehman Brothers, Hertz, and Steinhoff, and said the firm has doubled in size over the past six years to a market capitalization of about $7 billion.
“My company is involved in helping companies on more major corporate events and crises than any other Professional Services firm in the world.”
“The general counsel's role has become increasingly important and broad, often acting as the chief line manager in charge of crises that involve both legal and broader business issues.”
“Cyber breaches are not rare anymore, and the number and potential types of crises that can affect a company have soared, magnifying the consequences of handling them well or poorly.”
“AI is comparable to the Industrial Revolution; instead of machines exceeding humans in physical strength, AI will allow machines to exceed people in intellectual ability, and we have no experience of what it's like to have things smarter than all of us.”
“The state of AI today is like the state of the world when we split the atom: there are visions of free, safe, and environmentally sound energy, but also fears of nuclear destruction.”
“When there are real revolutions in technology, we tend to overestimate what will happen in the next two years and dramatically underestimate the multiple ways it will affect us in the ensuing 10 years.”
“Historically, FTI Consulting has worked almost entirely through outside law firms, which is why many clients may not have met us directly despite our involvement in major investigations and crises.”
“FTI Consulting has 6,500 professionals worldwide, larger than almost any law firm, working to help prevent or respond to major corporate events and crises.”
“Compass Lexecon, part of FTI, is the leading group of economists globally for testifying on big cases and antitrust clearance around the world.”
“In every crisis, including cyber breaches like Colonial Pipeline, companies face immediate communications challenges that must be managed alongside the technical and legal issues.”
“FTI I believe it's true to say is involved in helping more companies on the major crises types of crises than we just talked about than any other Professional Services firm in the world.”
“The probability of facing zero Black Swan events over a 5-year period in a major, particularly highly regulated company, approaches zero, and we know what the consequence of not handling those well is: Wells Fargo, FTX, and a whole list of other ones.”
“In many companies the general counsel is not only the chief legal adviser, he or she is becoming the line manager in charge of crisis.”
“Historically this company only went to market through major law firms, so we did the Wells Fargo investigation with Sherman and Sterling, the AMX investigation with Debevoise, the Clifford Chance with the bank wire card, and so forth. We never met our ultimate client.”
“We are the largest bankruptcy firm in the world; we are number one or two in more markets than anybody else, handling major global assignments like Lehman Brothers, Hertz Global, LATAM Airways, and Steinhoff.”
Steve Gunby, President and Chief Executive Officer of FTI Consulting, delivers his opening remarks at The Modern GC: ...
Steve Gunby, President and Chief Executive Officer of FTI Consulting, delivers his opening remarks at The Modern GC: New ...
Steve Gunby, President and Chief Executive Officer of FTI Consulting, delivers his closing remarks at The Modern GC: New ...
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