Richard Quest
Richard Quest is CNN’s foremost international business correspondent and anchor of Quest Means Business, the definitive word on how we earn and spend our money. As one of the most instantly recognizable members of the CNN team, Quest also serves as CNN Business editor-at-large in the network’s New York bureau. Additionally, Quest is the host of CNN International’s signature monthly feature program Quest’s World of Wonder, an immersive travel series that finds him exploring a new destination each month and meeting fascinating people who reveal the heart of that city.
Quest Means Business, which airs weekdays at 4pm ET / 9pm UK on CNN International, destroys the myth that business is boring, bridging the gap between hard economics and entertaining television. CEOs and global finance ministers make a point of appearing regularly on QMB. Guests of the show include the biggest names in banking like Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase; former Federal Reserve Vice Chair Richard Clarida and former presidents of the World Bank Robert Zoellick and Jim Yong Kim; European policy makers including current and former IMF chiefs Kristalina Georgieva, Christine Lagarde and Dominique Strauss-Kahn as well as former EC President Jose Manuel Barroso, and some of the most influential names in business including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey, Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev and Hans Vestberg of Verizon.
Quest has covered every major stock market and financial crisis since Black Monday in 1987 and has reported from key financial centers globally including Wall Street, London, Sao Paolo, Tokyo and Hong Kong. As US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping trade policy of tacking steep tariffs on most goods that cross America’s borders early in his second term, Quest reported extensively on the potential impact on the global economy across all CNN platforms. His ability to break down the complexity of the situation helped American consumers and companies alike better understand who will feel the immediate effect of Trump’s tariffs.
In addition, Quest is the established airline and aviation correspondent at CNN. He has interviewed all of the major airline executives including current Delta CEO Ed Bastian, former Delta CEO Richard Anderson, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker, United CEO Scott Kirby, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes, Emirates CEO Sir Tim Clark, British Airways CEO Sean Doyle, Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson and Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury.
He has covered a number of breaking aviation stories like the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Ukraine, the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo crash and the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.
Quest is the author of ‘The Vanishing of Flight MH370: The True Story of the Hunt for the Missing Malaysian Plane,’ which details his unique perspective on covering MH370 for CNN. Quest is also the face of CNN’s coverage of major UK events. He led CNN’s coverage of the ‘Brexit’ vote in 2016, and the impact the historic vote is making on markets, economies and businesses. He used his expert knowledge of the British Royal Family to front the channel’s coverage of the 2023 coronation of King Charles III; the 2022 death of Queen Elizabeth II; the 2018 marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle; the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 live from the banks of the River Thames; and the 2011 marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
His coverage of breaking news, which has spanned more than three decades, has seen him report on a range of stories from the Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnosis, Covid-19 pandemic, the death of Yasser Arafat, the Lockerbie Pan Am 103 crash to the death of Michael Jackson. Quest is more than just business; there are few journalists who have had guests as varied, from His Holiness The Dalai Lama to actress Joan Collins to the late founder of Playboy magazine, Hugh Hefner.
Quest’s dynamic and distinctive style has made him a unique figure in the field of business broadcasting. He has regularly reported from G20 meetings and attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland each year. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) awarded Quest the 2013 UNWTO Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of his work as a business journalist reporting on the tourism industry.
Prior to joining CNN, he worked at the BBC, where he was the North America business correspondent, based on Wall Street for 12 years.
Quest is British, holds an LLB (Hons) degree in Law from Leeds University, and was called to the Bar.
AGENDA
HORIZON STAGE
CLOSING FIRESIDE CHAT
THE BIG STEP FORWARD
As TOURISE 2025 draws to a close, bold ideas have set the stage for tourism’s next chapter, highlighting the opportunities and tensions that will shape the decade ahead. The opportunity now is clear: how can cross-industry collaboration, global partnerships and local action come together to take a big step forward; turning ambition into tangible outcomes that reshape economies, enrich societies, and inspire travellers for generations to come?
HORIZON STAGE
PANEL
FICTION TO FANDOM: HOW SHOWS DRIVE NICHE TRAVELS
From Game of Thrones and Emily in Paris to literary classics and blockbuster films, stories have the power to turn ordinary places into global icons. As audiences seek to step inside their favorite fictional worlds, the intersection of film, culture, and tourism is becoming a powerful catalyst for understanding and exchange. With the creative economy emerging as a major economic driver, how can the sector harness data, advanced analytics, and AI-driven audience insights to build immersive, authentic experiences that celebrate storytelling, fuel local industries, and strengthen community impact?
HORIZON STAGE
PANEL
BRIDGING THE SKIES: UNLOCKING GLOBAL CONNECTIVITY
With around 58% of international tourists traveling by air, connectivity remains the lifeblood of global tourism. Yet, while major hubs flourish, regions such as Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific continue to face critical gaps in routes and infrastructure. Targeted policies, public–private investment, and strategic partnerships hold the potential to unlock transformative opportunities, expanding access, resilience, and economic inclusion. How can we bridge the skies to build a truly connected tourism future?
HORIZON STAGE
PANEL
INVESTING: MORE THAN MARGINS
With global Travel & Tourism forecast to inject $16.5 trillion into the global economy by 2035, strategic investment at every level, from large-scale infrastructure to micro-finance for local entrepreneurs, has never been more critical. How can leaders harness bold capital, through public–private partnerships and cross-border collaboration, to unlock innovation, empower communities, and elevate tourism’s global impact?
HORIZON STAGE
FIRESIDE CHAT
THE NEXT CHAPTER OF TOURISM
Tourism’s influence has never been broader; shaping economies, cultures, and connections worldwide. Realizing its full potential now requires recognition as a strategic sector with a seat at the table. As destinations confront sustainability imperatives, crisis readiness, and rapid technological change; the focus turns to resilience, seamless travel, and greater opportunity for people everywhere. What kind of collaboration and shared ambition will enable the sector to fulfill its promise, as a driver of prosperity, sustainability, and soft power for decades to come?
