Geoff Colvin

In an uncertain and fast-changing world, it’s tempting to hold on to the familiar. It’s also hazardous to the business. In this presentation, Geoff Colvin inspires audiences to stop protecting the past and invent the future by focusing on three interconnected priorities: how to find advantage in an environment of AI and automation; how business models and strategies must change to create value in new ways; and the future of workers and the role of people. In an upbeat and optimistic view of what’s ahead, Geoff draws on his relationships with CEOs across industries to arm audiences with insights and examples of what top leaders and their companies are thinking, seeing, and doing right now to win. In this presentation, Geoff shows leaders a path to making important change happen in their companies.

Head-spinning technological change is transforming work, leaving leaders and workers wondering how people fit in. Geoff Colvin has been foreseeing the future on this topic since before his groundbreaking book Humans are Underrated was released in 2015. He’s made the case, correctly, that empathy, collaboration, creativity, communication, storytelling, and creating relationships would be increasingly prized skills in this environment. Formerly called “soft skills”, they’re now referred to as “durable skills” because the skills of human interaction are eternal. Geoff comes before audiences with insights and hard data examples from the biggest private equity firms and preeminent executive search firms showing how organizations that make these skills a priority produce the best financial results. Geoff reveals what the best leaders and companies are doing now to prioritize them. In an AI world, the most valued skills and traits for people are changing fast. You can’t afford to be left behind.

Economic, regulatory, and political risk have an outsized impact on every business and industry. Geoff Colvin brings his experience at Fortune to show the interconnectedness of these factors, empowering audiences with information they can use to anticipate and strategize effectively. Geoff’s approach is strictly non-partisan, and it’s not just a barrage of statistics. He presents the current economy as a story and urges leaders to confront reality as it is – not as they wish it would be. He weaves in real-world examples of how companies are responding successfully to the current environment with an eye for opportunities, not just dwelling on problems. Audiences benefit from Geoff’s experience as he takes two steps back and offers a long-view vision of a future which he believes is full of promise. Geoff’s insights help business leaders not only weather storms but also capitalize on emerging opportunities in today’s volatile environments.

Geoff Colvin’s unique gift is his ability to brilliantly moderate panels, lead onstage interviews, and host/emcee. He’s played these roles for more than three decades at Fortune conferences worldwide. Top companies and associations regularly utilize Geoff because he gets the most out of participants; he asks the right questions, listens intently to what’s being said on stage, and responds to that. He also connects ideas and insights across sessions, transforming a multi-part program into a satisfying, unified whole. He always keeps the discussion relevant and the energy high.