Scott Bales Speaker Biography
Global Futurist, Innovation & Digital Strategist,
Serial Entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, and Best-Selling Author
A technology and innovation guru, Scott Bales is a global leader in the cutting edge arena known as “The Digital Shift”, encompassing innovation, culture, design, and mobility in a world gone digital. As thought leader, Scott thrives on the intersection between cultural and behavioural changes in the face of technology advancement.
Metlife’s Innovation Centre
In his most recent career whirlwind as Founder of Metlife’s Innovation Centre, a regional first. Scott, a self-proclaimed extrovert, successfully meshes his fascination with people and what motivates them, with a raw enthusiasm for innovation. A pattern that has seen him lead multiple corporate spin-outs, acquisitions and corporate startup collaborations.
Innovation Labs Asia
Originally from Australia, Scott runs the leading innovation firm, Innovation Labs Asia, based out of Singapore. Blessed with industry recognition in financial services, insurance and consumer goods, he successfully moved from one technology venture to the next, while weaving the evolution of digital centric markets. With over ten years of international experience in innovation, thought leadership, implementation planning, and strategy, he built a reputation as a sought after consultant and speaker, with a unique ability to communicate unorthodox ideas with passion, charisma and clarity.
Keynote Speaker
Like most little boys, Scott grew up with dreams of being a fighter pilot – a Top Gun influence that quickly took a back seat when he discovered the magic of mobile and technology. Now, instead of dodging rapid fire, Scott travels the globe dodging the rapid fire of traditional thinking and digital skepticism. Driven by a deep belief in user centricity, Scott preaches the need for organizations to start listening to their customers before they design products or services and highlights how customers are behaving through the use of data and promotes technology as a way to create enriching and interactive experiences.
Information Technology
Outside of the corporate sphere, Scott has worked with various governments across the globe, taking on key advisory roles in countrywide infrastructure. As a multifaceted techie, he was instrumental in developing the mobile centric industries for markets across Asia-Pacific. He’s a man on a mission to transform mainstream thinking around conventional business practices, and unlock the potential of innovation.
Books
When not in a boardroom or on centre stage, you’re likely to find tweeting and blogging on the latest and greatest in the world of mobility, digital, innovation, user experience and entrepreneurial leadership, outlets that landed him contributions to best-selling books, Bank 3.0, and Next Generation Finance. Scott took his authoring to the market in the consumer behaviour best-seller Mobile Ready and Innovation Wars.
Scott Bales Speaking Topics
Recode Leadership: Navigating the Challenges of the Digital Economy
Are you prepared to lead in the digital future? In a world where organizations are undergoing transformative changes, leadership faces unprecedented challenges. The rapid shift to a digital economy demands not only a change in mindset, culture, and approach but also a profound adaptation in leadership styles, especially with the influx of digital natives into the workforce. This keynote is a clarion call to leaders to reevaluate and recalibrate their purpose in an ever-evolving digital landscape. You will discover the critical importance of leveraging your experience while simultaneously embarking on a practical journey to Reskill, Retool, Reinvent, and Recode your Leadership approach to meet the changing demands. Key Takeaways from this Keynote: • Four Steps to Transformational Leadership: Scott presents a simple yet effective four-step framework to guide leaders in reshaping their approach for a digital-first workforce, encompassing executives of all ages. • Adapting Leadership to a Digital Workforce: Learn how to modify leadership styles to effectively lead a growing number of digital natives, who bring new expectations and work styles to the organizational dynamic. • Case Studies and Self-Awareness: Deep dive into case studies that provide insights into developing self-awareness and strategies for leaders to redefine their value and purpose in a technology-driven world. • Leadership in Constant Evolution: Equip prospective leaders with the understanding that the modern leadership reality vastly differs from traditional business school teachings, preparing them to lead successfully in a constantly changing digital environment. This keynote will not only inspire you to thrive in a technology-saturated world but will also equip you with the tools and insights necessary to lead effectively in the dynamic digital economy.
Future Cities and Digital Citizens: Navigating Tomorrow's Urban Landscape
In an era where technology is rapidly redefining the parameters of our daily lives, the concept of Smart Cities and their inhabitants, the Future Citizens, is more pertinent than ever. Each week, groundbreaking apps and technologies emerge, altering the way we interact, move, consume, connect, learn, and build communities. The keynote delves into the exciting, yet challenging journey of understanding the evolution of our urban spaces in the context of IoT, artificial intelligence, and autonomous vehicles. World-leading examples such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Dubai have made significant strides in integrating Smart City technology. But what does this transformation entail? This talk aims to unravel the essence of a Smart City and seeks to identify the technologies that will revolutionize societal norms, transportation, utilities, and the very infrastructure of our urban existence. Key Takeaways from this Keynote: • Through the Lens of a Digital Citizen(Isaac): Embark on a journey to understand how smart cities will develop from the perspective of a digital citizen – individuals whose preferences and biases are moulded by the likes of smartphones and superApps. Explore their daily routines and see how they differ fundamentally from the previous generation. • Trend Analysis and Framework Development: Gain insights into the trends that are reshaping nations worldwide. The talk aims to demystify technological jargon, providing a clear framework to comprehend and anticipate the changes brought about by these advancements. This keynote is not just a glimpse into the future; it's a guide to understanding and preparing for the dynamic, tech-driven world that awaits us. It offers a unique opportunity to envision the future of urban living and the role we all play as future citizens in shaping this new world.
Adapting to the Future Consumer: The Challenge for Contemporary Businesses
In a world where the pace of technological adoption has reached unprecedented levels, both organizations and individuals find themselves in a constant state of adaptation. This rapid evolution in technology use has significantly enhanced our collective digital proficiency. However, it has also ushered in a growing behavioral and cultural divide, posing a formidable challenge for companies striving to understand and respond to the ever-changing needs of society, predominantly shaped by digital natives. This keynote seeks to delve into the characteristics of the digital native (Isaac) – individuals who have grown up in the era of digital technology, possessing an intrinsic understanding of its nuances. This group primarily includes Millennials and Generation Z, who were born around or after the turn of the millennium. Their interaction with digital technology from a young age has not only shaped their perspectives but also their expectations from products, services, and brands. Key Takeaways from this Keynote: • Decoding the Modern Consumer: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors that influence the contemporary consumer, including the demand for transparency, authenticity, and on-demand services. • Strategic Engagement and Service: Learn actionable strategies that your organization can implement today to effectively engage with this generation. Understand how to tailor your approach to meet their expectations and how to measure the impact of these actions. This keynote aims to equip businesses with the insights needed to navigate the complexities of catering to a generation that is reshaping the consumer landscape. It's about bridging the gap between traditional business practices and the dynamic, technology-driven world of the future consumer.
The Future of Work: Embracing the Digital Shift
In the past decade, and particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nature of work has undergone a profound transformation. The crisis has accelerated the shift to hybrid and remote work models, compelling businesses, from sprawling multinationals to nimble startups, to embrace digital transformation like never before. This shift has been further influenced by the increasing presence of digital natives in the workforce, a generation that brings fluency in technology and an expectation for digital-first work environments. The proliferation of advanced productivity tools tailored for remote work has become crucial in this new landscape. Technologies such as IoT, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain are now at the forefront, enabling innovative and efficient working methods. These tools are not just reshaping our work methodologies but are also essential in navigating the challenges and opportunities of a post-pandemic market. Key Takeaways from this Keynote: • Integration of Digital Natives in Work Environments: Understanding how the growing influx of digital natives reshapes workplace dynamics and expectations. • Adapting to New Work Models: Insights into how businesses can evolve with the shift towards hybrid and remote work, accelerated by the pandemic. • Leveraging Digital Tools for Enhanced Productivity: Exploring the suite of advanced tools that facilitate effective remote work and how they can be integrated for optimal business performance. • Navigating Market Shifts with Strategic Frameworks: Providing a framework to help businesses adapt to rapidly changing trends and customer preferences, crucial in an era where digital natives are becoming dominant in the workforce. This keynote addresses the need to understand and leverage the unique skills and expectations of digital natives, integrating their perspective into the broader digital transformation strategies essential for success in a post-pandemic world. It offers a comprehensive guide for businesses aiming to stay relevant and competitive in this new era of work.
Scott Bales Books
Innovation Wars: Driving Successful Corporate Innovation Programs
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Mobile Ready: Connecting With The Untethered Consumer
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Scott Bales Speaker Testimonials
Scott is himself on the stage, as a passionate individual and a rare industry leader in the intersection of banking, technology and trend. His talk conveys so much of his passion, energy and insight. Simply contagious!
- | Next Bank Asia Singapore 2012
Scott is one of the up and coming leaders in mobile financial services. He's got an abundance of broad experience in the hottest mobile markets on the planet, and gets the interaction imperative in the payments, banking and handset ecosystem.
- | The Asian Banking Summit
Scott is obviously passionate about mobile commerce. His content is industry-forward and delivery, energetic and engaging. He is not afraid to take side, express and defend an opinion.
- | Mobile Commerce Summit Singapore 2012
It's tough to make talks in the Financial space exciting, and Scott delivered. I would highly recommend him for speaking engagements in the Finance/Banking industry.
- | Head of Marketing, Google Philippines
