Biography

David has worked with radical innovation and lean start-up methods in small businesses and large global corporations for the last 16 years – e.g. as Head of Innovation at Scandinavian Airlines, as Senior Innovation Director in LEGO’s Future Lab, and recently as Venture Partner in LEGO Ventures. Using design thinking and agile development, David has been developing and leading innovation units and projects from early incubation to full maturity. He has recently been instrumental in building and launching LEGO Ventures, the new strategic venture arm at the LEGO Brand Group.

David is co-founder of Diplomatic Rebels, a company dedicated to empowering companies and intrapreneurs worldwide to become stronger innovators. He is passionate about transforming large organizations into lean innovators. Believing that companies not only have an opportunity to better leverage their resources, assets and expertise in creating value, but also a responsibility to lead the global change in a way that has a long-term positive impact on human beings and the planet.

Through his experience, David has obtained several unique insights and developed approaches to how businesses can stay afloat in an ever-changing world and transform the organization into a change-leading innovator. He believes that anybody can become an innovator in their own organization or as he calls it a Diplomatic Rebel. As an experienced international keynote speaker and executive advisor, David uses his passion for breakthrough innovation to inspire and infuse this new mindset and toolbox in organizations worldwide.

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Radical Innovation Through Intrapreneurship

Intrapreneurship is behaving like an entrepreneur while working within a large organization. This approach enables larger companies to break from old habits and ways of working to meet future challenges and disruptions in an agile, nimble and fast manner to minimize risk and maximize learning.

Key takeaways include:
- Identifying and disrupting old habits
- Innovation with an entrepreneur’s mindset
- Fostering the future on a company-wide level

From Corporate Giant to Agile Ecosystem – Leveraging Corporate Venturing

Growing big is no longer a clear strength for companies as they risk becoming slow and unable to adapt. It seems that with size comes a growing fear of failing, paralyzing experimentation. Future organizations need to become more like open platforms enabling multiple stakeholders, incl. partners, startups and customers, to engage and create value around the edges of the company.

Audience takeaways:
- Understand how to transform the growing organization into a nimble and adaptive ecosystem of capabilities, assets, and talent, enabling meaningful collaboration with startups while empowering employees to build new startups in the ecosystem.

The Foundation for Effective Innovation

To pursue radical innovation successfully, companies first need to set a strong foundation for its execution. This includes defining a clear purpose for why the company is exploring new territory and a strategy for where and how to explore. The right Opportunity Spaces should be identified to avoid “boiling the ocean.”

Audience takeaways:
- Understand why having a clear purpose and understanding of
the company’s core capabilities is essential for driving effective innovation and how setting limits to what you do will dramatically increase your chances of success.

Diplomatic Rebels - Disrupting Large Organizations From Within

How to challenge the status quo with disruptive and provocative new ideas and projects– without losing the support and respect from colleagues and management. This is a difficult balance and many intrapreneurs either give up and do as they are told, or they burn out and leave. To overcome this, you need to balance the innovator's rebel nature with the corporate navigator's diplomatic skills.

Audience takeaways: Understand the 5 habits of highly impactful intrapreneurs and how to become a Diplomatic Rebel. Learn how to foster and train these skills and how to build and lead an organization of diplomatic rebels.

Leading Millennials as Intrapreneurs

Attracting, retaining, and leading the millennial & GenZ intrapreneurs demands a new approach to leadership and new ways of working. It calls for more autonomy and empowerment in the organization carried by visionary leadership, where coaching and EQ development replaces micromanagement and IQ focus. This is a transformation of leadership and organizational management.

Audience takeaways: Understand how to embrace the skills and mindset of the new generations to drive disruptive innovation. Learn how to attract, motivate, and measure the future workforce.

Leading & Exploring the Future of Education

The Educational industry is changing radically. Education is being democratized as it moves online, allowing many new startups to emerge, and putting the industry's traditional players and business models under pressure. New technologies, like AI and Blockchain empower personalized and adaptive learning while empowering the users to become educational content creators. Experimentation and intrapreneurship are needed for the existing industry players, new startups, and investors in the industry to navigate and explore these disruptions.

Audience takeaways: Understand some of the key drivers of the changing educational industry and how to effectively explore and validate investment theses in this space.

Blog Posts

United in Gratitude and Respect on Veterans Day

On Veterans Day, let's proudly unite in our deep respect for those who served and continue to serve fearlessly and faithfully to protect our freedom.

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Introverts vs Extroverts: How Different Personality Types Build Relationships

Learn how introverts and extroverts approach relationship-building in the workplace, with insights from a top business speaker.

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Powerful Ways to Overcome Life’s Toughest Challenges with Merril Hoge

Ever wondered what it takes to face life’s most difficult challenges and help others? Learn powerful lessons from inspirational keynote speaker Merril Hoge.

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The Power of Optimism & Choosing to Focus Forward

Learn practical tips to cultivate optimism daily, plus insights on how optimism differs from hope and why it’s so powerful in creating meaningful connections.

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How Events Are Shaping Experiences and Exceeding Expectations

Discover how events are evolving into immersive experiences and learn how to exceed attendee expectations.

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The Power of Improvisation in an AI-Driven World

Discover the power of improvisation in an AI-driven world, enhancing adaptability, teamwork, and authentic human connection with insights from expert keynote speakers.

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Blog Posts

 

United in Gratitude and Respect on Veterans Day

Let's be honest. Politics divides us as a nation daily. However, on this Veterans Day,...

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Introverts vs Extroverts: How Different Personality Types Build Relationships

In every workplace, different personality types, from quiet introverts to outgoing extroverts, contribute uniquely to...

Read More

Powerful Ways to Overcome Life’s Toughest Challenges with Merril Hoge

Ever wondered what it truly takes to face life’s most difficult challenges and emerge stronger,...

Read More

The Power of Optimism & Choosing to Focus Forward

Learn practical tips to help you cultivate optimism daily, plus insights on how optimism differs...

Read More

How Events Are Shaping Experiences and Exceeding Expectations

Events are rapidly transforming from traditional gatherings into immersive experiences that captivate attendees. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7TJEdYZDgc&list=PLXTlGHk63lLgbS8LN-PENXDzwMdqWAnOm With...

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The Power of Improvisation in an AI-Driven World

Why Improvisation is Essential in a Tech-Focused Era In an era where artificial intelligence is...

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