Innovation
Peter Sheahan
About Peter Sheahan – Bestselling Author on Innovation & Accelerating Growth
About
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Talks about accelerating growth through transformation that outpaces the external changes that are constant in the business environment.
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Audiences learn how to increase operational and organizational agility by compressing the time between becoming aware of necessary changes to be competitive, and implementing them.
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Founder of the global business growth consultancy, Karrikins Group, with employees in 23 cities across 7 countries
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Past clients include: AT&T, Apple, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, and Wells Fargo
About Peter Sheahan - Bestselling Author on Innovation & Accelerating Growth:
Having grown his own companies by accelerating the growth and transformation for clients that include: Apple; Chick-fil-A; DeBeers; and AT&T — Peter will provoke you to get bigger, by getting better! When leaders are true to their purpose, they gravitate towards doing work that matters and solving higher-order problems. The journey to get there requires that they have the courage to tell themselves the truth, take intelligent risks, and assume ownership for driving the alignment necessary to build an organization which behaves in ways worthy of its leadership position.
In being true to his own ambitions and relentless pursuit of growth, Peter has published seven books, built three global companies and delivered more than 2,500 presentations in 40+ countries. Today he and his team at Karrikins Group are focused exclusively on inspiring leaders to do the hard work required to accelerate growth and transformation.
Click Here to Watch Peter's Virtual Video
Anders Sorman-Nilsson
Author of Thinque Funky, Speaks on Future Thinking, Innovation, and Generational Trends
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Anders talks about how organizations can prepare themselves for a world facing new technologies, disruptive innovation and new customer demands.
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Audiences leave inspired by fascinating case studies and best practices from smart brands that understand how intelligent technologies can amplify customer service, create compelling customer experiences, remove friction and transform our lives.
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Anders Sörman-Nilsson (LLB / EMBA) is a global futurist and innovation strategist who helps leaders decode trends, decipher what’s next and turn provocative questions into proactive strategies.
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Past clients include: Apple, Cisco, Mercedes Benz, Hilton, SAP, Gartner and Macquarie Bank.
Anders Sörman-Nilsson is a visionary futurist and a global authority at the intersection of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and sustainability. As the founder of the avant-garde think tank, Thinque, Anders offers data-driven insights and strategic foresight to global brands, helping them navigate the complexities of the modern world.
With an impressive client roster that includes industry giants such as Apple, Meta, Google, McKinsey, Lego, and Rugby New Zealand Anders is trusted by leaders across four continents to provide guidance on the cutting edge of technology and innovation.
Holding a Global Executive MBA and an LLB, Anders' unique blend of strategy and entrepreneurial acumen, combined with his forward-thinking approach, makes him a sought-after and awarded Keynote Speaker of the Year. He specializes in decoding complex trends and turning challenging questions into actionable strategies, inspiring audiences to embrace change and future-proof their organizations.
Anders is the acclaimed author of three pivotal books on digital transformation and innovation: 'Aftershock' (2020), 'Seamless' (2017), and 'Digilogue' (2013). He is a Brand Ambassador for Adobe, and his thought leadership extends to impactful trend reports like "How Artificial Intelligence is Powering Australian Retail," commissioned by Microsoft, and the creation of marketing award-winning tools like the Adobe Creative Intelligence test, and brand collaborations with Meta, ING Bank, Jaguar Land Rover and Zurich.
A recognized figure in global thought leadership circles, Anders is a member of TEDGlobal and the Entrepreneurs Organization, where he serves as the Leadership Impact Chair for the Sydney Chapter. His nomination to the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders in 2019 underscores his influence and commitment to shaping a sustainable future.
Anders' insights have been featured in prestigious publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and the BBC, establishing him as a leading voice in the realm of futurism. As the host of the 2nd Renaissance Podcast and the Entrepreneurs Organization's Scaling Impact podcast, he continues to explore and share revolutionary ideas that expand minds and inspire a change of heart.
Engaging Anders Sörman-Nilsson for your next event guarantees an enlightening experience that will leave your audience equipped to sustainably lead in an ever-evolving digital and AI-driven landscape.
Click Here to Watch Anders' Virtual Presentation
Jason Sosa
Technologist and keynote speaker on AI and the future of finance.
About
Scott Steinberg
About Scott Steinberg – Business Strategist & Technology Futurist
About
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Scott talks about how even the most successful organizations must continually reinvent their products, services and solutions to remain market leaders in an age of growing change, connectivity and globalization.
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Audiences leave with powerful ways to unleash innovation to solutions for better capitalizing on cutting-edge advancements, discover how you and your organization can flourish in tomorrow’s world – and effectively apply its most crucial success strategies and skills in context.
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One of America's top futurists (per the BBC); a bestselling author of Make Change Work For You and Millennial Marketing; and a strategic adviser to CEOs and four-star generals.
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Past clients include: IBM, PwC, The US Dept. of Defense, Dell, MTV.
Hailed as The Master of Innovation by Fortune magazine, and World’s Leading Business Strategist, award-winning strategic consultant, trends expert, and professional speaker Scott Steinberg is a bestselling expert on leadership, change + innovation. A go-to resource for C-level leaders, he has served as a source of thought leadership, insight, and consulting for over 1000 leading brands, and advised on household-name products found in 100+ million homes.
One of America's top futurists (per the BBC); the author of Make Change Work For You and Millennial Marketing; and among today's top business strategy + leadership training providers, the Fortune 500 calls him a "defining figure in business + technology" and "top trendsetter to follow."
A strategic adviser to CEOs and four-star generals, firms like IBM, PwC, and the US Dept. of Defense regularly seek his insight. As the CEO of BIZDEV: The International Association for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, and management consulting + market research firm FutureProof Strategies, he helps partners stay one step ahead of emerging trends – and drive growth around them.
One of the world's 150 most influential keynote speakers + futurists, and today’s #1 generations expert and technology expert (per Google), he offers breakouts, workshops, and speeches at meetings/events, and has consulted on dozens of industry-leading solutions. A noted content strategy, social media + communications expert, his eye for business analysis has also led to work as an insider for 600+ media outlets from CNN to The Today Show. From Dell to MTV, he’s worked with many top brands to drive success. An expert witness + board member who advises C-level leaders, attorneys + investors, he also offers sales and media training, and hosts many executive summits.
About
Curt Steinhorst: Bestselling Author of Can I Have Your Attention? | Former Head of People at Venus Aerospace | Speaker on Leadership, Culture and Focus
Why Book Curt Steinhorst?
Curt connects engaging stories with specific choices leaders and employees can make. He helps audiences examine what is slowing their work, clarify what matters most, and communicate in ways people can hear and act on. His keynotes are tailored to the challenges facing the people in the room.
Why Is Curt Steinhorst Right for Your Audience?
Curt is a strong fit for leadership meetings, company conferences, sales events, and gatherings focused on culture or the changing workplace. He is especially valuable when competing priorities, constant communication, or new technology are making it harder for people to do their best work.
Book Curt when your audience needs to:
- Protect time and attention for its most important work
- Lead teams through change without adding unnecessary friction
- Communicate priorities more clearly
- Build a culture that can handle demanding goals
- Reach customers or colleagues amid information overload
- Think carefully about where AI helps and where human judgment matters
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Better able to spot habits that divide a team’s attention
- Clearer on which priorities deserve time and energy
- Ready to improve the meetings and messages they control
- More aware of what people need from leaders during change
- Equipped to make important communication easier to hear and act on
Keynote Programs
Rethinking Leadership
Curt examines what teams need from leaders as AI changes how work gets done. Drawing on his experience leading people strategy at an aerospace company, he helps audiences consider which tasks can be handed off and where leaders must stay engaged. Ideal for executive and management audiences navigating new technology.
Rethinking Culture
Curt looks at how the work people are asked to do, and the way they are asked to do it, creates culture. He helps leaders identify practices that create friction or exhaustion and make clearer choices about how teams work together. Ideal for organizations pursuing ambitious goals through change.
Finding Focus in a Distracting World
When everything is a priority, attention gets scattered. Curt helps audiences decide what deserves focus and examine the interruptions, meetings, and messages that pull people away from it. Ideal for company meetings and teams seeking better work habits.
Breaking Through the Noise
Curt shows leaders, sales teams, and communicators how to earn attention in a crowded information environment. He explores what audiences already believe, why they might listen, and how to shape a message they can understand and act on. Ideal for anyone whose results depend on influencing others.
Is Curt Steinhorst Right for Your Event?
Tell us where your audience is losing focus, facing friction, or struggling to get its message heard. We can help select Curt’s most relevant keynote, discuss customization, and confirm his availability and fee.
Contact The Sweeney Agency 1-866-727-7555 or [email protected] for more information on this speaker.
James Taylor
Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Author, Inspiring Keynote Speaker on a Global Mission to Unlock Creativity, Increase Productivity, and Accelerate Innovation
About
James Taylor; Keynote Speaker on Creativity, Innovation & AI | Author of SuperCreativity | Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts | Global Innovation Expert
James Taylor is an internationally recognized keynote speaker on creativity, innovation, artificial intelligence and human-AI collaboration.
For more than 20 years, James has helped leaders and organizations understand how technology is changing the way we work, create and compete. His message is optimistic and practical: AI doesn't diminish the importance of human creativity—it makes creativity an even greater competitive advantage.
Through highly visual, engaging and customized presentations, James shows audiences how to combine uniquely human capabilities with the extraordinary power of artificial intelligence.
Why Book James Taylor?
James helps answer one of the biggest questions facing organizations today:
How do we capture the benefits of AI without losing the human creativity, collaboration and judgment that drive breakthrough performance?
His perspective comes from an unusual background. James began his career managing high-profile rock stars and creative talent before becoming an internationally recognized authority on creativity, innovation and AI.
He has since interviewed more than 750 of the world's leading creative minds and delivered over 3,000 events around the world.
The result is a keynote that combines inspiration, emerging technology and practical strategies audiences can immediately apply.
What Makes James Taylor Different?
- Creativity + AI expertise — connects human ingenuity with artificial intelligence
- 3,000+ events delivered — extensive experience with corporate and association audiences
- Global perspective — has presented across more than 50 countries
- 750+ creative leaders interviewed — draws insights from innovators, entrepreneurs and AI pioneers
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts — recognized for his contribution to creativity and innovation
- Author of SuperCreativity — explores augmenting human creativity with artificial intelligence
- Former music-industry leader — brings an unusual perspective from working with highly creative performers
- Highly customized — builds presentations around the audience, industry and event objectives
- Practical frameworks — gives audiences tools for turning ideas into action
Why Is James Right for Your Audience?
James is an outstanding choice when you want your audience to understand AI without becoming overwhelmed by it—and recognize the uniquely human capabilities that will matter even more in the future.
He is particularly effective for leadership conferences, AI events, innovation summits, association meetings and organizations navigating digital transformation.
Book James when your audience needs to:
- Understand how AI is changing work and business
- Develop greater creativity across the organization
- Build effective human-AI collaboration
- Generate and implement better ideas
- Become more comfortable with technological disruption
- Strengthen collaboration across teams
- Lead people confidently through change
- Turn innovation into competitive advantage
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Understanding why creativity becomes more valuable as AI advances
- Better prepared to work alongside artificial intelligence
- Equipped with practical tools for generating stronger ideas
- Understanding how human-AI collaboration can improve performance
- More confident navigating technological change
- Better prepared to create cultures that encourage innovation
- Recognizing the importance of communication and persuasion
- Inspired to turn ideas into action
James Taylor Keynote Programs
SuperCreativity™: Accelerating Innovation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. When AI can generate ideas in seconds, where does human creativity create competitive advantage?
James explores how organizations can combine the imagination, empathy and original thinking of humans with the extraordinary processing capabilities of artificial intelligence.
Drawing from his research with hundreds of leading creative thinkers, he shows audiences how to develop their creative capacity and use AI as a partner in the innovation process.
The goal isn't simply to become more comfortable with AI. It's to use AI to amplify what humans do best.
Ideal for: Innovation summits, AI conferences, leadership meetings and organizations navigating technological disruption.
SuperCollaboration™: The Rise of Human-AI Collaboration. The future isn't humans versus machines. It's humans working more effectively with machines.
James explores how AI, digital twins, robotics and intelligent technologies are transforming the workplace.
He shows audiences how high-performing organizations are combining human judgment, creativity and collaboration with the capabilities of intelligent machines.
The result is a practical roadmap for building teams that are more innovative, adaptive and future-ready.
Ideal for: AI conferences, future-of-work events, executive meetings and organizations accelerating AI adoption.
SuperCommunication™: How the World's Best Leaders Inspire, Influence and Drive Action In a world where AI can generate unlimited information, the ability to inspire people to act becomes even more valuable.
James explores the communication principles used by highly effective leaders to turn ideas into action.
Audiences discover how to communicate ideas more clearly, build support for change and persuade others to move from understanding an idea to actually doing something about it.
Because innovation isn't just about having great ideas.
It's about getting people to believe in them.
Ideal for: Leadership conferences, executive meetings, sales events and organizations navigating transformation.
Why Book James Taylor Through The Sweeney Agency?
James Taylor combines creativity, innovation, AI and highly engaging storytelling to help audiences understand how human potential can be amplified rather than diminished by technology.
The Sweeney Agency can help you:
- Confirm James Taylor's availability and current speaking fee
- Determine which James Taylor keynote best fits your audience
- Discuss customization around your industry and AI priorities
- Coordinate format, timing and event logistics
- Compare James with other leading AI, innovation and future-of-work keynote speakers
Is James Taylor Right for Your Event?
Tell us how AI, innovation or technological change is affecting your organization—and what you need your people to do differently.
We'll help you determine whether James is the right fit, confirm availability and fees, and make the booking process simple.
Planning an AI conference, innovation summit, leadership meeting or corporate event? Contact The Sweeney Agency today [email protected] to discuss booking James Taylor as your keynote speaker.
Hamish Taylor
Award-winning CEO and Global Keynote Speaker on Entrenching the Customer in the Heart of All Activities by Creating The Customer Promise
About
Hamish Taylor has a CV that the Times describes as “takes some beating.” His energetic, thought-provoking and humorous keynotes are based on a rare combination of real stories - and a fantastic ability to inspire audiences with tailored advice and practical tools. Regularly featured in broadcast media, today Hamish acts as an advisor to some of the world’s largest companies (and even Governments) - assisting with specific innovation projects, customer focus and/or people leadership.
Hamish is an award-winning CEO whose career has taken him from the international consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble, consultancy firm Price Waterhouse and British Airways - to become CEO of the channel tunnel railway Eurostar, and then CEO of Sainsbury’s Bank… all before he was 40! In all cases, he left behind a record of significant business growth triggered by a willingness to challenge the normal way of doing things - so much so that his advice and assistance is now sought by organizations all over the world in many different industries.
As the self appointed “chief dumming down officer” in each of his roles, his approach is simple - but highly effective in delivering breakthroughs.
- The first thing that has to change is the way you look at your customers (both internal and external) - if you look at your customers the same way, you will get the same answers and keep doing the same things
- Secondly, you need to use your customer insights to create a new leadership tool - a simple “customer promise” as a platform for ALL future activity that puts customer benefit at the heart. Your customer doesn’t care about what you do, but about how they benefit as a result of what you do - so use this as your key purpose
- Thirdly, you must look to other environments and industries if you want breakthrough ideas - for product, service, process, leadership and much more. The Inspired Leaders Network dubbed Hamish the “Master thief” due to his track record in this area
- Concentrate your major energy on changing the way you engage with the team that will deliver the customer promise
Hamish’s keynotes will demonstrate the major breakthroughs that can be achieved by changing your approach. Hamish’s message can be tailored to a variety of topics and levels within an organization.
About
Mark is an expert on executive leadership, business strategy, and innovation who has spent over 25 years leading teams and building companies from the ground up. He delivers actionable, valuable and practical advice for leaders at all levels of an organization.
Currently a highly sought after executive coach and venture investor, Forbes called Mark one of America’s Top Venture Investors with the "Midas Touch." Mark was recently featured as one of the "World’s Top Executive Coaches" by the American Management Association and #1 Thought Leader on Innovation and Engagement. He was named one of the "Top 30 Communications Professionals for 2015" by Global Gurus. Mark advises top leaders in Fortune 500 and Global Fortune 1000 companies as well as the executive teams who are leading high growth startup companies in Silicon Valley today.
A New York Times bestselling author whose books include: ADMIRED: 21 Ways to Double Your Value; Now Build a Great Business; and Success Built to Last - Creating a Life that Matters, Mark is also an Innovation Leadership columnist for Forbes.com, Inc.com and FastCompany.com. His most recent bestseller ADMIRED is a primer on how the world’s "Most Admired Companies" achieve long-term success and growth as well as the qualities that are common to "Most Admired Leaders."
Mark has worked side by side with three of the world’s most legendary disruptive innovators: Steve Jobs, Charles Schwab and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson. He brings insight from decades of experience with these great leaders and research on the culture of companies and brands that achieve the highest levels of employee engagement, customer loyalty and continuous sales growth.
Mark was Charles Schwab’s former Chief of Staff and Chief Customer Experience Officer, and the Executive Producer of Schwab.com which today has assets over $2.4 Trillion. He is a co-founder of Sir Richard Branson’s Entrepreneurship Centers and an advisor to Virgin Unite Entrepreneurs.
Mark is a founding advisor of the Stanford Realtime Venture Design Lab, and is a visiting scholar at his alma mater, Stanford University. He has served as faculty at the World Economic Forum and World Business Forum, is a member of the Clinton Initiative, and an executive coach for TED Fellows.
A successful venture capitalist over the last two decades, Mark was as an early investor in companies like Facebook, Netflix and eSurance. He has been a Board Member for many well known technology, biotech and retail companies, including: Best Buy, Korn Ferry, and Interwoven (now owned by HP). He was the Chairman of the Board for Rioport, which popularized the MP3 player prior to the iPod. He is an investor in Cancer Genetics, a leader in DNA-based diagnostics for clinical management of cancer treatment.
Among Mark’s passions are music and Broadway. Mark serves as a founding Board of Directors member for Smule, the top music app company on iTunes which has over 125 million users worldwide. As a Broadway producer, Mark’s plays have earned five Tony Awards and a total of ten Tony nominations, including Peter and the Star-Catcher with Disney, and StickFly with Alicia Keys.
Mark lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Manhattan with two extraordinary women – his wife Bonita and their daughter Vanessa.
Jack Uldrich
Global futurist, sought-after business speaker on technology and trends.
About
No one can predict the future, but Jack Uldrich can help you prepare for it. Jack is a global futurist, speaker, and author of 13 books, including award-winning best sellers, who helps organizations gain the crucial foresight they need to create a successful future. His talks land at the intersection of advancements in technology, change management and leadership and are styled to educate, inspire and entertain.
Jack speaks over 50 times a year especially on the transformation of finance, health care, agriculture, education, energy, retail and manufacturing. He argues that creativity and action are more powerful and versatile than knowledge. He professes the transformational principles of unlearning, or freeing yourself from obsolete knowledge and assumptions, as a strategy to survive and thrive in an era of unparalleled change.
Jack is a former naval intelligence officer, Defense Department strategic planning official and served as the director of the Office of Strategic and Long-Range Planning under Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura.
Jack is inspired by the role he is meant to play to help businesses pivot toward a new future. The publishing arm of Fast Company (Greenleaf Book Group) secured him to write two books in 2020: Business as Unusual and The Rise of Generation RE. Jack’s remarks are always customized for your industry and speak to your audience’s particular issues and concerns.
About
Vivek Wadhwa's background is impressive - an entrepreneur, academic, business strategist, author, keynote speaker wrapped into a wonderfully vibrant and charismatic package. His research is focused on the critical advances in robotics, artificial intelligence, computing, synthetic biology, 3D printing, medicine, and nanomaterials, and how these advances are creating disruptive changes for companies, industries, governments and the culture at large.
Vivek just rejoined Harvard as a Distinguished Fellow, Harvard Law School, Labor, and Worklife Program, where he will help lead a critical three-year research project on the effects of technology on future employment and work. This will be the first study on how technology will affect the core foundations of our economy.
He is also currently a Distinguished Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering, he teaches on CMU's Silicon Valley campus about the latest exponential technologies; technology convergence and industry disruption; risks and regulation; and the new rules of innovation. Vivek was also a Director of Research at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering, Vice President of Innovation and Research at Singularity University, and Fellow at Stanford University's Rock Center for Corporate Governance, Harvard Law School, and Emory University. Remarkably, he has held as many as six simultaneous appointments at top universities.
Vivek's syndicated column for The Washington Post is one of the world's most popular columns on all things technology and innovation. His newest best-selling book is Your Happiness Was Hacked: Why Tech is Winning the Battle to Control Your Brain--and How to Fight Back. Previous books include the award-winning, The Driver in the Driverless Car: How Our Technology Choices Will Create the Future, he also wrote The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent, which was named by The Economist as a Book of the Year of 2012, and Innovating Women: The Changing Face of Technology, for which the Financial Times named him #2 on its global list of the top ten men worth emulating.
This talent for communicating the complexities of global technological advancements in simple, almost poetic ways, have made Vivek one of the most in-demand keynote speakers in the world. He gives more than 100 talks every year to the most prestigious and powerful audiences, including world leaders, CEOs, industry organizations, universities, entrepreneurship groups, and a multitude of national science and engineering academies.
He started his career as a software developer and gained a deep understanding of the challenges in building computer systems. His experience as Vice President of Information Services at investment banking powerhouse CS First Boston (CSFB), spearheading the development of technology for creating computer-aided software-writing systems, was so successful that CSFB decided to spin off that business unit into its own company, Seer Technologies. As its Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Wadhwa helped grow the nascent startup into a $118 million publicly traded company.
The explosive growth of the internet afforded Vivek with an even greater opportunity to help businesses adapt to new and fast-changing technologies, and founded Relativity Technologies. As a result of his vision, Forbes.com named Wadhwa a Leader of Tomorrow, and Fortune declared Relativity one of the 25 coolest companies in the world.
In 2012, the U.S. Government awarded Wadhwa distinguished recognition as an "Outstanding American by Choice", for his "commitment to this country and to the common civic values that unite us as Americans". He was also named one of the world's "Top 100 Global Thinkers" by Foreign Policy magazine in that year; in June 2013, he was on TIME's list of "Tech 40", one of forty of the most influential minds in tech; and in September 2015, he was second on a list of "ten men worth emulating" in the Financial Times.
About
Erik Wahl is an internationally recognized artist, TED speaker, and No. 1 bestselling author. His breakthrough experience as an artist and entrepreneur has translated into making him into one of the most sought-after corporate speakers on the circuit today.
On stage, Erik’s keynote experience creates a dynamic multidimensional metaphor for how to systematically embrace innovation and risk. His message: disruption is the new normal and businesses must embrace creativity in a wholesale fashion, or risk being left behind. Erik’s presentation inspires organizations to be increasingly agile and outlines how to use disruption as a competitive advantage. Some companies will be disrupted others will choose to be the disruptor. Choose wisely.
His new book, The Spark and the Grind, activates the essential components of translating ideas into action. His breakthrough thinking has earned praise from the likes of top influencers in both art and business. Erik’s previous book, a bestseller called Unthink was hailed by Forbes Magazine as The blueprint to actionable
creativity, and by Fast Company Magazine as “provocative with a purpose.”
The Warhol of Wall Street, the Renoir of ROI, The Picasso of Productivity, the Jobs of … Well, Jobs.
Erik discovered an alarming truth early in his career as a partner in a corporate firm: organizations that encouraged the mental discipline of creativity did better than those that did not put innovation as a priority mission. So he set out to challenge companies to change their way of thinking.
In the meantime, inspired by street art, he became an acclaimed graffiti artist—though he has since stopped selling his works for personal gain, and instead uses his art to raise money for charities. His keynote is where his passion for business growth and art converge into a fascinating performance.
Erik’s list of clients includes AT&T, Disney, London School of Business, Microsoft, FedEx, Exxon Mobil, Ernst &
Young, and XPrize.
Click Here to Watch Erik's Virtual Presentation
Mike Walsh
Author of The Algorithmic Leader and Speaker on Change, Technology and Innovation.
About
Mike Walsh: Futurist Keynote Speaker on AI, Leadership & Transformation | Bestselling Author | HBR Columnist | Fortune 50 Advisor
Reinvent Your Organization for the AI-Powered Future. AI isn't simply changing how we work. It's changing what organizations can become.
Known for combining provocative ideas with practical business insight, Mike helps leaders understand how AI, algorithms, automation and digital labor will reshape organizations—and what they need to do now to stay relevant and competitive.
His message goes beyond adopting the latest technology. The real opportunity is to reinvent how your organization works, makes decisions and creates value.
Why Book Mike Walsh?
Mike doesn't simply predict the future. He helps leaders prepare to compete in it.
As a strategic advisor to Fortune 50 companies, Harvard Business Review columnist, bestselling author and global researcher, Mike studies how the world's most innovative organizations are using technology to transform the way they operate.
His global perspective allows him to connect emerging technologies with changing customer behavior, workforce expectations and new business models.
Audiences leave with something more valuable than a list of trends: a clearer understanding of what AI means for their organization and how leaders need to respond.
What Makes Mike Walsh Different?
- Futurist for leaders — focuses on the strategic implications of technology rather than technology alone
- AI and digital labor authority — explores how AI agents will reshape organizations and work
- Fortune 50 advisor — works directly with senior leaders navigating transformation
- Harvard Business Review columnist — translates emerging trends into practical leadership insights
- Three-time bestselling author — including The Algorithmic Leader
- Global perspective — researches innovation, technology and consumer behavior around the world
- Leadership focused — explores how decision-making must evolve in the Algorithmic Age
- Highly customized — connects his research directly to the client's industry and challenges
Why Is Mike Right for Your Audience?
Mike is an outstanding choice when you want your audience to understand where AI is heading, what it means for their business and how they need to lead differently as a result.
He is particularly effective for CEO conferences, executive leadership meetings, AI summits, technology conferences, association events and organizations navigating significant transformation.
Book Mike when your audience needs to:
- Understand what's coming next in AI
- Prepare for AI agents and digital labor
- Reimagine how their organization operates
- Identify new opportunities created by automation
- Lead people confidently through technological disruption
- Make smarter data-driven decisions
- Rethink customer and employee experiences
- Move beyond incremental improvement toward genuine reinvention
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Understanding how AI agents could reshape organizations
- Better prepared for the next decade of AI-powered transformation
- Thinking differently about the future of work
- Recognizing where human capabilities create the greatest value
- Better equipped to lead hybrid teams of humans and machines
- Understanding why AI requires organizational—not simply technological—change
- More willing to challenge outdated assumptions
- Ready to rethink how their organization creates value
Mike Walsh Keynote Programs
Abundant Intelligence: How Digital Labor Will Rewrite the Rules of Business. What happens when AI stops being simply a tool and becomes part of your workforce?
AI agents capable of independently analyzing information, making decisions and taking action represent a fundamental shift in how organizations may operate.
Mike explores the emergence of digital labor and what it could mean for organizational structure, governance, workforce strategy and competitive advantage.
He challenges leaders to look beyond today's copilots and chatbots and consider how organizations will operate when humans work alongside potentially vast networks of intelligent digital agents.
Ideal for: CEO conferences, AI summits, executive leadership meetings and organizations developing their AI strategy.
The AI-Powered Decade Ahead. Are you using AI to improve what you already do—or rethink what your organization could do?
Mike takes audiences on a journey toward 2035, exploring how AI, algorithms and automation could drive a new industrial revolution.
He argues that the greatest opportunity isn't simply making existing processes faster. It's reimagining customer experiences, redesigning organizations and finding entirely new ways to solve problems.
Technology is only part of the transformation.
Leadership ambition will determine what organizations actually do with it.
Ideal for: Leadership conferences, technology events, strategy meetings and organizations preparing for long-term transformation.
The Future Favors the Bold. Incremental improvement may help you keep up. Bold thinking is what creates what's next.
Technology breakthroughs, changing customer behavior, geopolitical uncertainty and machine intelligence are challenging many of the assumptions on which organizations were built.
Mike shows why successful transformation requires leaders willing to experiment, challenge conventional thinking and make courageous decisions.
Because the future isn't simply an upgraded version of the present.
It requires leaders willing to reinvent it.
Ideal for: Leadership conferences, transformation events, executive meetings and organizations facing disruption.
The Algorithmic Leader. What capabilities will leaders need when machines can increasingly analyze, predict and decide?
Based on his bestselling book The Algorithmic Leader, Mike explores how AI, automation and algorithms are changing leadership itself.
He challenges leaders to rethink how they make decisions, use data, design teams and combine machine intelligence with uniquely human capabilities.
Audiences leave with practical ideas for redesigning their organizations, reimagining their roles and reinventing how they make decisions.
Ideal for: Leadership development programs, executive conferences, technology events and organizations developing future-ready leaders.
Why Book Mike Walsh Through The Sweeney Agency?
Mike Walsh combines AI expertise, strategic foresight, global research and practical leadership insight—making him particularly valuable when you need executives to understand not simply what technology is doing, but what they should do differently because of it.
The Sweeney Agency can help you:
- Confirm Mike Walsh's availability and current speaking fee
- Determine which Mike Walsh keynote best fits your audience
- Discuss customization around your industry and AI priorities
- Coordinate format, timing and event logistics
- Compare Mike with other leading AI, futurist and future-of-business keynote speakers
Is Mike Walsh Right for Your Event?
Tell us what's changing in your industry—and what your leaders need to understand about AI and the future ahead.
We'll help you determine whether Mike is the right fit, confirm availability and fees, and make the booking process simple.
Planning an AI summit, executive conference, leadership meeting or association event? Contact The Sweeney Agency today [email protected] to discuss booking Mike Walsh as your keynote speaker.
Duncan Wardle
Former Walt Disney Executive & Speaker on Innovation and Creativity
About
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Talks about creative techniques and behaviors to develop big, innovative ideas
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Uses Disney’s iconic brand and characters to leave audiences with actionable takeaways about creative problem solving and out-of-the-box thinking
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Disney’s Former Head of Innovation and Creativity
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Past clients include: Apple, Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Corp., IBM, Johnson & Johnson, McKinsey, NBC Universal, Twitter
Click Here to Watch Duncan's Virtual Presentation
Duncan Wardle maintains that "we are all born creative - we are born with amazing imaginations, are full of curiosity, and carry this remarkable built-in tool known as intuition." Duncan spent 25+ years in leadership roles at Disney - where, when he was Head of Innovation and Creativity, he led the team that helped Imagineering, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar and Disney Parks to innovate, creating magical new storylines and experiences for consumers around the globe. As founder of iD8 & innov8 he now brings his extensive Disney experience delivering keynotes, workshops and ideation forums, around the globe helping companies strategize and embed a culture of innovation into everyone’s DNA.
Duncan’s talks are anything but ordinary. Sharing real world stories and lessons learned from the innovation battlefield, Duncan leaves audiences inspired, motivated, and ready to innovate for their own organizations.
On a mission to eradicate the status quo - Duncan challenges everyone to claim their own creativity, thus creating a culture of innovation never possible before. Duncan is now one of the world’s most highly regarded innovation speakers and consultants, teaching companies, brands and individuals across the globe to overcome their own expertise and get out of their own way. To think differently and creatively.
In an age where meetings and projects and presentations have your employees feeling like they are “too busy to think,” Duncan teaches how to create an innovation “light switch.” A way to turn on their creative brain and access the ideas that turn ordinary companies into industry leaders.
It takes time and money to find, hire, and build your teams. So why not leverage the full potential of their creativity and harness the full spectrum of their innovation? Through his pioneering consulting services, Duncan teaches organizations how to do just that, maximizing the ROI they receive on their most valuable resource: their people.
Are you ready to see the ideas that are unleashed by fostering a culture of innovation and creativity within your organization? Duncan’s unique design thinking process will empower your entire organization to redefine how they think about problems and solutions. Teams leave with the tools they need to start innovating today and to immediately drive positive growth for your organization.
Duncan is a multiple TEDx speaker and contributor to Fast Company Magazine. He teaches Innovation and Creativity Masterclasses at Yale University, UNC and U.F. He also holds the American Citizen Award presented at the White House, an Hons. MBA and Hons. Doctorate from Edinburgh University and the Duke of Edinburgh Award, presented by her majesty, Queen Elizabeth.
Nicholas J. Webb
World Renowned Innovation and Healthcare Futurist, Best-selling Author
About
Nicholas Webb: Innovation and Healthcare Futurist | Bestselling Author | Speaker on AI, Leadership and Customer Experience
Why Book Nicholas Webb?
The author of books including The Innovation Mandate, What Customers Crave and Happy Work, Nick explores how innovation, customer insight and workplace culture support growth. His energetic presentations combine research, stories and practical ideas, with content tailored to the audience’s industry and priorities.
Why Is Nicholas Webb Right for Your Audience?
Nick is a strong fit for leadership conferences, healthcare events, innovation meetings and customer experience programs. He is particularly relevant when an organization wants people to understand changing expectations, identify opportunities and turn new ideas into action.
Book Nick when your audience needs to:
- Understand trends shaping its industry
- Explore how AI could change work and service delivery
- Build a culture that supports practical innovation
- Use customer insight to improve experiences
- Strengthen employee engagement and retention
- Make clearer decisions during rapid change
Audience Takeaways
Depending on the program selected, attendees will leave:
- Better able to connect emerging trends with business priorities
- Equipped with ideas for turning innovation into useful action
- More aware of what customers value and what frustrates them
- Ready to consider how employee experience affects organizational performance
- Clearer on opportunities to improve service, culture and leadership
Keynote Programs
Healthcare Future Trends and Artificial Intelligence
Nick explores the forces reshaping healthcare, including AI and changing expectations among patients, providers and staff. Ideal for health systems, payers, life sciences organizations and healthcare associations preparing for change.
Unlock the Superpower of Innovation
Drawing on his experience as an inventor and CEO, Nick shows how organizations can build a culture that turns ideas into growth. Ideal for teams seeking practical ways to move innovation forward.
Thrive in the Customer Experience Economy
Nick examines how a deeper understanding of customers can inform better experiences and stronger loyalty. Drawing on What Customers Crave and What Customers Hate, this program is ideal for sales, service and customer experience audiences.
Leadership in a Time of Rapid Change
Based on Lucid Leadership, Nick explores how leaders gain clarity about their markets, cultures and responsibilities. Ideal for executives and managers navigating changing priorities.
Is Nicholas Webb Right for Your Event?
Tell us about your audience, the changes affecting your organization and what you want attendees to do differently. We can help select Nick’s most relevant program, discuss customization, and confirm his availability and fee.
Contact The Sweeney Agency 1-866-727-7555 or [email protected] for more information on this speaker.
John Winsor
Innovator, Entrepreneur, Author and Speaker on The Future of Work
About
John Winsor is an entrepreneur, thought-leader and global authority on the future of work, open talent and remote work. John’s ideas, expressed through his writing, speaking, and the companies he’s built, have placed him at the intersection of innovation, disruption and storytelling.
John is currently the executive-in-residence at Harvard Business School’s Laboratory for Innovation Science at Harvard (LISH), which studies AI and Workforce Transformation strategies, and founder and CEO of Open Assembly, a company that provides content, community, and strategic advising to organizations, people, and platforms to co-create the future of work.
Recently, he has been leading a global industry coalition made up 4000 global leaders in the open talent and innovation industry to start a non-profit trade association, The Center for the Transformation of Work with the goal of Transforming work for a billion people by 2025.
In his past life, John was the chief innovation officer of Havas, when Havas purchased his open advertising agency, Victors & Spoils, in 2015. Winsor founded V&S after introducing the advertising world to the practice of co-creation in his role as vice president and executive director of strategy and innovation at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky. Winsor had merged his company Radar Communications, the world’s leading open strategy and research company, with CP+B back in 2007. Other companies Winsor founded include Sports & Fitness publishing, sold to Conde Nast, and the Gravity Games, sold to NBC.
Winsor’s new book, “Open Talent: Leveraging the Global Crowd to Solve Your Biggest Challenges,” published by Harvard Business Press, comes out in the fall of 2023.
Winsor’s is also the author of “Beyond the Brand,” “Spark,” “Flipped,” and the best-selling “Baked In,” winner of the 2009 800-CEO-READ Business Book Award in marketing. Winsor is also an advisor to the Digital Initiative at Harvard Business School, and a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, The Guardian, Forbes and Digiday.
Winsor was an early digital nomad. Twenty years ago, he found a satellite dish, mounting it on his house in a village in Mexico and connecting in illegally to a network in Canada to communicate with the world. He has also worked on his skiing, surfing and climbing exploits from Fiji to Alaska.
Steve Wozniak
“The Woz” – Co-Founder of Apple Computer, Inc., Chief Scientist at Primary Data
About
A Silicon Valley icon and philanthropist for more than thirty years, Steve Wozniak has helped shape the computing industry with his design of Apple’s first line of products the Apple I and II and influenced the popular Macintosh. In 1976, Wozniak and Steve Jobs founded Apple Computer Inc. with Wozniak’s Apple I personal computer. The following year, he introduced his Apple II personal computer, featuring a central processing unit, a keyboard, color graphics, and a floppy disk drive. The Apple II was integral in launching the personal computer industry.
In 1981, he went back to UC Berkeley and finished his degree in electrical engineering/computer science. For his achievements at Apple, Wozniak was awarded the National Medal of Technology by the President of the United States in 1985, the highest honor bestowed on America’s leading innovators.
In 2000, he was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame and was awarded the prestigious Heinz Award for Technology, The Economy and Employment for single-handedly designing the first personal computer and for then redirecting his lifelong passion for mathematics and electronics toward lighting the fires of excitement for education in grade school students and their teachers.
Through the years, Wozniak has been involved in various business and philanthropic ventures, focusing primarily on computer capabilities in schools and stressing hands-on learning and encouraging creativity for students. Making significant investments of both his time and resources in education, he adopted the Los Gatos School District, providing students and teachers with hands-on teaching and donations of state-of-the-art technology equipment. He founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and was the founding sponsor of the Tech Museum, Silicon Valley Ballet and Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose.
Wozniak is Chief Scientist at Primary Data and is a published author with the release of his New York Times best selling autobiography, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon by Norton Publishing. His television appearances include reality shows Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and The Big Bang Theory. In 2014, he was awarded the Hoover Medal, a prestigious honor given for “outstanding extra-career services by engineers to humanity,” and was inducted into the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame.
About
Edith Yeung is a venture capitalist, technology executive, and a China Internet expert. She is also the author and creator of the China Internet Report, an annual report on China technology trends that is widely popular among investors and corporate executives.
Selected by Inc Magazine as one of the Silicon Valley investors you must know, Yeung is a partner at 500 Startups - the world’s most active early seed investor. She has invested in over 40 mobile, AI and blockchain startups including Silk Labs (acquired by Apple), Fleksy (acquired by Pinterest), Human (acquired by Mapbox), AISense , DayDayCook, AppOnBoard, Hooked, Oasis, Stellar, Solana, CoCos-BCX, and many more.
Before 500, Edith was previously a GM at Dolphin Browser, a Sequoia-backed mobile browser with over 150 million installs worldwide. Yeung also worked with many Fortune 500 companies such as Siebel, AMS, AT&T Wireless and Autodesk.
Yeung has been featured on CNBC, the Wall Street Journal, SCMP, the BBC, Bloomberg, CBS, NPR, TechCrunch, Asia Society, the Economist, and many more.