Robert Safian Speaker Biography
Founder of The Flux Group, Host of Masters of Scale, Former Managing Editor at Fast Company, Time, Fortune and Money
Robert Safian is one of the most sought after speakers, moderators and interviewers in modern business by chronicling thousands of odds-defying organizations and leaders, getting inside access to their secrets of success. He synthesizes their lessons into insightful and thoroughly entertaining presentations filled with compelling storytelling.
Fast Company
Robert Safian is the founder of the Flux Group and the former editor-in-chief and managing director of the influential, award-winning business magazine, Fast Company, the world’s leading progressive business media brand, with a unique editorial focus on innovation, technology, and leadership. Written for, by, and about the most creative business leaders, Fast Company and its affiliates inspire people to think beyond traditional boundaries and embrace a future that is evolving more rapidly than ever. Under Safian’s leadership, Fast Company has received numerous accolades, including the highly coveted National Magazine Award for Magazine of the Year in 2014. Named Editor of the Year by Adweek in 2009, Safian has also served as an executive editor for Time and Fortune and headed Money as its chief editor for six years.
Innovation Economy
Safian has emerged as a leading voice in the innovation economy, propelled by a reputation for near-clairvoyant prediction. He was the first editor to put Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg on a magazine cover and covered Airbnb, Netflix, and Uber long before they were household names. Whether assessing a startup in Detroit or the tech scene in Palo Alto, an innovator in Shanghai or an iconoclast in Cape Town, Safian is constantly translating what is cutting-edge to the mainstream. By presenting stories of the people behind innovative business thinking, he provides hope to millions of talented professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders that meaningful change is possible.
Media
Robert Safian stewards several of the most groundbreaking business gatherings, including The Innovation Festival in New York City and the Creativity-Counter Conference in Los Angeles. He has conducted onstage interviews with many of the world’s most intriguing leaders including Serena Williams, Chelsea Clinton, Princess Reema Bint Bandour of Saudi Arabia, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Sarah Jessica Parker and the CEOs of Pepsico, Chobani, Pixar, Nike, Under Armour, J Crew, Warby Parker and more. He has been a keynote presenter at events ranging from SxSW Interactive to the United Nation’s Global Accelerators Council, the National Retail Federation’s “Big Show” to the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival. He is a frequent guest on CBS, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, and other TV networks.
In addition to all of Safian’s wide experiences, pool of knowledge, and deft storytelling skills, he is also warm, approachable, and an expert at working with event organizers to personalize his presentations for each audience.
Robert Safian Speaking Topics
The Secrets of Generation Flux
Modern business is pure chaos. To succeed in this climate requires a whole new approach. Organizations need to cultivate people who can thrive in an environment of constant change. They are the members of Generation Flux. Less a demographic designation than a psychographic one. Generation Flux describes a mindset that embraces instability and finds opportunity in disruption, recalibrating careers, business models, and assumptions.
Is Your Company a "Fast" Company?
With the rising pace of competition and ever-changing consumer demands, it can be very hard for business leaders to look toward the future. Robert Safian, editor of the award-winning innovative business magazine Fast Company, defines the important distinction of being "fast", and provides three distinct guidelines to help companies and businesspeople determine how to ensure future success by incorporating elements of agility and adaptation. Audiences walk away with the tools necessary to assess and implement a "fast" approach to business.
How Breakthrough Leaders Thrive Amid Chaos
This may be one of the most intriguing leadership speeches you will ever experience. Safian shares the inside stories of amazing leaders who have transformed their organizations and their industries in the face of constant change in culture and business. He explores how and why these leaders view rapid changes as a vast pool of opportunities, and how they develop and coordinate a talented workforce to creatively capture these opportunities. Both inspiring and educating, Safian shares the tools and knowledge necessary to become breakthrough leaders.
Leading in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Recently, Netflix quietly deleted all the remaining user reviews on its service. And just like that, CEO Reed Hastings completed the latest shift in his company’s ever evolving strategy: away from the wisdom of crowds in its content recommendations, in favor of the wisdom of the machine. The implications of artificial intelligence and the rise of the algorithm have never been more relevant, more important, or more complex. In this presentation, Robert Safian explores five lessons that underscore how AI and the algorithms redefine business and organizational leadership—including the biggest lesson every leader and businessperson needs to grapple with to thrive in this era.
No Books Found
Robert Safian Videos
Robert Safian Speaker Testimonials
Yesterday's appearance was fantastic! Bob was a pleasure to meet and see in action. An interesting presentation and audience participation was exactly what VMware was looking for and they got it. He stayed and additional hour listening to the following panel discussion before departing.
- Event Planner |
Bob Safian was an excellent speaker at our annual meeting. His keynote really resonated with our audience because of his intimate knowledge of events and the challenges that our attendees face on a day-to-day basis. His thought-provoking session provided valuable insight, allowing our audience to immediately connect with him. It was the perfect kickoff to start our annual event.
- President & CEO, International Association of Exhibitions & Events |
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for delivering such a thought-provoking experience at our Leadership Forum this week. In talking to my team, it was clear that they heard your message. A “Fast Company” must relentlessly question, collaborate and challenge assumptions. Thank you again for reminding us to use a wide lens on our work.
- President, Astellas Pharma US, Inc. |
