Chris Colbert
- Globalist, innovator, and advisor who believes digital transformation requires human transformation
- Served on various leadership councils
- Talks about the various aspects of global innovation, the human truth, and technology stewardship
- Author of “This Is It”
Due to his father’s career in the military, Chris Colbert grew up in different countries across the globe, This led to two things: his interest in the world around him, and innovation. His father, a four-star US Navy admiral, played an important role in developing his leadership abilities. Together, these qualities have resulted in his unique ability to help organisations realise their full potential while embracing the human truth, challenging legacy thinking, and creating the foundation for both functional and behavioral growth. As for his view of himself, Chris Colbert regards himself as a simplifier who integrates systems thinking with intuitive, non-linear activity. In doing so, he can solve complex issues.
The period before 2005 saw Chris Colbert run various companies that focused on innovation and technology. These include Database Marketing Corporation, BeNow, and Holland-Mark. The timeframe between 2006 and 2012 saw him as the Holland-Mark CEO. He also worked with various CEOs and their leadership terms, focusing on growth and turnaround strategies that enabled them to leverage innovation best practices while encouraging organisational alignment while motivating at both individual and collective levels.
Upon becoming Chairman Emeritus of Holland-Mark, Chris Colbert took on a position as SVP Strategy at the Scholastic Corporation in New York. His role was to guide its business into the digital strata. After successfully completing this initiative, he left. His next challenge was at the Harvard Innovation Lab. He served as their managing director until 2019. His time there saw him explore the world of higher education and its digital transformation process.
Since then, Chris Colbert has traveled the world, speaking to, and advising countries and organisations. He focuses on the importance of adopting new behaviours to fully realise the potential offered by new technologies while at the same time not suffering unintended consequences or costs.
In his bestseller “This Is It”, he focuses on the importance of innovating oneself. He also hosts Insert: Human, a popular podcast.
With regards to his educational background, Chris Colbert received a BA from Connecticut College and an International MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. He has served on the Leadership Council of the MGH Cancer Centre, MassArt Corporate Advisory Council, Pillar Ventures, and various others.
Chris Colbert – Speaker
As a keynote speaker, Chris Colbert focuses on a range of topics. These include global innovation, the human truth, and technology stewardship. He tailors each of his talks according to his audience’s needs. He lives in the USA and presents in English.
Speaking Topics
- Innovation
- Digital Transformation & AI
- Entrepreneurship