Washington
#2 Business & Financial Industry Event
At this year’s event, an impressive speaker lineup that included Michael Bloomberg, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board Alan Greenspan discussed economic opportunity and how to address the nation’s long-term debt. Next: Spring 2016
New York
#3 Business & Financial Industry Event
The event marked its 20th anniversary in 2015 and drew a record-breaking attendance of more than 3,000 people. Speakers included Bill Ackman, David Einhorn, and David Tepper. The event doubles as a fund-raiser to fight pediatric cancer and reported $4 million raised at this year’s event. Next: May 4, 2016
Los Angeles
#4 Business & Financial Industry Event
More than 3,500 participants gathered for the think tank’s conference, which this year featured a conversation that Facebook C.O.O. Sheryl Sandberg led with former United States treasury secretaries Timothy Geithner, Henry Paulson, and Robert Rubin. Hollywood also plays a role in the event, with actresses Patricia Arquette and Freida Pinto participating on a panel about making the world better for women and girls. Next: May 1-4, 2016
Las Vegas
#5 Business & Financial Industry Event
Known as the Salt Conference, the splashy, invite-only event for the hedge fund industry featured an array of fascinating people as speakers, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, business magnate T. Boone Pickens, and singer and entrepreneur Will.i.am. Next: May 10-13, 2016
Los Angeles
#6 Business & Financial Industry Event
Investment banking firm Roth Capital Partners draws more than 3,600 institutional investors, private equity investors, executives, and others to its Newport Beach conference, which marked its 27th year in 2015. Next: March 13-16, 2016
New York
#7 Business & Financial Industry Event (new to the list)
Media titans such as Les Moonves of CBS and James Murdoch of 21st Century Fox were among the keynote presenters at the venerable event in 2014. The event, which in 2015 marks its 43rd iteration, last year drew 1,457 attendees, among them investors, analysts, and members of the press. Next: December 7-9, 2015
