Ade McCormack keynote speaker

Ade McCormack is an experienced international keynoter and public speaker. His audiences range from a select gathering of executive diners through to arena-scale events.

His focus is on disruption and people-centric transformation. He covers the implications for business models, leadership and talent management. He explores the changing nature of risk and culture. He considers the path humanity is taking in respect of augmentation and cognition. Strategically, he provides guidance on how to harness disruption and thus create super-resilient organisations. Ade guides the audience on what they need to do to remain economically relevant in these increasingly uncertain and volatile times.

His thought leadership and practical experience enable him to provide both a zoom-out and zoom-in perspective. He is often asked to be the opening keynoter because his perspectives set a disruptive and mind-moving tone for the overall summit / conference / event.

His work has taken him to 40 countries working with the world’s most recognised brands across many sectors. He is a former Financial Times columnist on digital leadership, has lectured at MIT Sloan School of Management on that theme and today works with the University of Cambridge at the sharp end of executive education. Ade is also a strategic advisor in both the public and private sector. He has written six books on digital matters and has a ‘bits to boardroom’ understanding of the issues, given his past life as a technologist (IT and astrophysics).

Ade McCormack has been referred to as ‘an inspiring slap in the face’ for his ability to convey the true extent of the challenges that we all face coupled with a way forward that will ultimately liberate us.

The problem he addresses is that many organisations are in a tailspin because their business model was not designed for the growing uncertainty and volatility. Some leaders are in denial and some think that the digitalisation of their anachronistic model will somehow save them.

Ade will make them acutely aware of the scope of the problem they are facing and how holding their breath and hoping the world will return to normal shortly will not cut it. He will highlight the implications in relation to a variety of areas including leadership, risk, innovation, talent, business models and strategic planning (RIP). He will then introduce them to the concept of super-resilience and how to build what in effect is a people-centric situationally aware ‘living organism’.

In order to capture the attention of the audience, Ade draws upon a variety of disciplines, including strategy, IT, neuroscience, anthropology, biology and human performance. He uses very memorable soundbites and memes to maximise audience resonance and retention.

Ade McCormack storifies his keynotes and thus they play out like a compelling drama where your audience is the hero. There is even a love interest! And there is quite a twist at the end when the antagonist’s true role is revealed. Your audience can expect to leave profoundly moved, enlightened and inspired. Ade’s keynote will reset the bar in respect of subsequent conversations within your organisation / throughout your event.