Robyn Curnow is an Adjunct Lecturer in Leadership at Brown University, where she teaches Navigating Complexity in Emerging Markets in the Brown–IE Executive MBA program. Her teaching focuses on leadership and decision-making in complex environments, particularly how leaders navigate uncertainty, institutional constraints, competing interests and incomplete information.

Curnow is a former CNN anchor and international correspondent with nearly three decades of experience covering global politics, business, leadership and breaking news. During her career at CNN, she served as Africa Correspondent based in Johannesburg, Europe Correspondent based in London, and as an anchor for CNN International and CNN U.S. from Atlanta. She was also the founding host of CNN’s Marketplace Africa, covering business, investment and economic development across the continent.

Her reporting has taken her across Africa, Europe and the United States and included major political transitions, elections and international crises. She reported from Cuba during President Barack Obama’s historic 2016 visit to Havana and returned later that year to cover the death and funeral of Fidel Castro. She interviewed Nelson Mandela in one of his final interviews, as well as Desmond Tutu, Oprah Winfrey, U.S. presidents and first ladies, and other political and business leaders. Her work contributed to coverage recognized with a duPont-Columbia Award and a Royal Television Society Award, and she has received three Emmy nominations.

Curnow holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, where she was a Chevening Scholar. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of The Schenck School in Atlanta, one of the oldest schools in the United States dedicated to educating students with dyslexia.

Events

Robyn has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more. 

She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.

CNN Marketplace Africa with Robyn Curnow

Strengthening Business Relationships

CNN Marketplace Africa

Robyn was the founding host of CNN’s weekly business programme Marketplace Africa for six years. She interviewed and profile the leaders of global companies operating in Africa and with African CEO’s across industries.