Few people have spent decades translating the complexities of Wall Street into stories that millions can understand quite like Bob Pisani. For more than 35 years at CNBC, Bob became one of the most trusted voices reporting from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, bringing clarity, perspective, and humanity to the financial markets. Today, as he begins a new chapter beyond his daily reporting role, it is the perfect time to look beyond the market ticker and discover the person behind the microphone.
I've had the privilege of watching Bob's remarkable capital markets reporting firsthand and working with him throughout the years during his CNBC career—not only on business coverage, but also on projects centered around food, wine, and giving back to the community. In fact, our conversations rarely begin with the markets. More often, they start with the arts, comparing notes on recent travels, interesting projects, memorable meals, and favorite wines. Those moments have revealed a side of Bob that many viewers may not know: an endlessly curious storyteller with a genuine appreciation for culture, meaningful conversation, and the joy of sharing exceptional food and wine with good company.
In this edition of The Art of Balance, I am spotlighting Bob as he reflects on the passions that have shaped his life beyond Wall Street, proving that while markets may have defined his career, it is curiosity, creativity, and connection that have always defined him.
What does "work" & “balance” look like in your life right now?
I worked 60 hour weeks for 35 years, including most Sundays. I’m still working, but I don’t get up at 5:15 a.m. like I used to, I get up at 8 a.m. and make tea for my wife. I really savor drinking coffee at my desk at 10:00 a.m., working for a few hours, then taking a walk in the middle of the day, going back to work, then going to the gym around 4:30. I get more time to think deeply about big issues I care about.
What fuels you outside of work (on weekends, on your plate, in your glass, or in your home)?
Traveling with my wife, a great glass of chardonnay or pinot noir, a really good concert from an old-school 60s rock star that still hasn’t lost his or her touch.
The ritual you never skip, no matter how busy things get?
I learned to meditate 25 years ago in the aftermath of 9/11, and I still try to do it for a few minutes every day. It taught me that fears and anxieties do not have an external reality, that they only exist in your head, and that it is possible to change the way you look at and interact with those fears and anxieties. It changed my life.
A recent meal, bottle, trip, or exhibition that left a lasting impression?
The three-course prix-fixe lunch at the Modern in New York. Pricey but worth every penny. All the qualities of a great restaurant—ambience, service, and food—come together perfectly. The main dining room is filled with light from the Rockefeller Sculpture Garden. The service is attentive without being obtrusive. And the food—chilled lobster, heritage pork, trumpet mushrooms and red cabbage, sea bass, clams, dry-aged duck—is exquisite.
Continue reading The Art of Balance series for more conversations with notable leaders on food, travel, culture and life beyond work.
What’s one pursuit beyond your career that’s shaped how you think and lead?
In 1968, when I was 12, I joined the Science Fiction Book Club, and was introduced to writers like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Philip K. Dick. I’ve been a science fiction fan ever since, mostly for short stories and movies. I recently wrote about what the great science fiction writers have had to say about Artificial Intelligence and job displacement, a topic that these writers have been addressing for 80 years.
Reach Bob Pisani at Substack: @BobPisani or X: @BobPisani
Bob Pisani was Senior Markets Correspondent for CNBC, where he worked for 35 years, from 1990 to 2025. He was Real Estate Correspondent from 1990-1996, then became Stocks Correspondent in 1997, working on the floor of the NYSE from 1997 to 2025. In addition to covering the global stock market, he also covered initial public offerings (IPOs), exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and financial market structure for CNBC. He is a Trustee of the Museum of American Finance, which promotes financial literacy and educates the public on the impact of financial markets on the United States economy.
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