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Duncan Wardle

5 out of 5

Former Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney

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Duncan Wardle Biography

As Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney, Duncan Wardle helped teams at Disney Parks, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar, Imagineering and Animation to innovate, creating magical new storylines and amazing experiences for consumers around the globe.

He now brings his Disney experience to audiences around the world, delivering a series of keynotes, masterclasses, and ideation forums, that help people capture unlikely connections, leading to both disruptive thinking and revolutionary ideas.

He is a multiple TEDx speaker and frequent contributor to Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and Forbes, and he teaches Innovation and Creativity Masterclasses at Yale and Harvard Universities. Wardle holds the American Citizen Award presented at the White House, an Honorary Doctorate from Edinburgh University, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award, presented by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth.

Speaking Topics
  • AI is Not Your Enemy

    Well before ChatGPT became a household name, I shared the stage with Nicholas Thompson, then Editor in Chief of Wired. During his presentation, Thompson stated that he believes 20% of all occupations will be replaced by AI by 2030.

    At the time, this declaration seemed outlandish. How could a robot replace 1 in 5 workers? But today, this outcome is far from fiction. Just look at IBM, who recently announced that it expects 30% of its workforce to be displaced by artificial intelligence over the next 5 years.

    The future is here, and for the first time in history, it’s highly skilled labor at risk of losing their jobs to robots. But even with the uncertainty it brings, I do not believe that AI should be treated as our enemy. In fact, just the opposite. AI should be embraced by workers, because it’ll take over the tedious, repetitive parts of our jobs, freeing us up to leverage the skills that make us uniquely human: Creativity, Intuition, Empathy, and Imagination.

    Here's how you can leverage these human traits to work together in harmony with AI.

    • Creativity • Thanks to Amazon Prime, there is a constant stream of cardboard boxes clogging up my recycling bin. But what is a nuisance today once was an outlet for endless creativity.

    To a six-year-old, a box can be anything. A castle, a rocket ship, a fort, a kitchen. At this age, our creativity knows no bounds. But then we go to school and to work and most of us are told “you’re not creative” or “leave those ideas to the Creative Team”. And over time we end up believing we’re not creative.

    But creativity is more than the ability to paint or play music. It’s the ability to solve problems in unique ways. To connect seemingly unconnected ideas. A skill that AI will struggle to master with its linear thinking, no matter how advanced it gets.

    • Intuition • Have you ever had the feeling that someone was staring at you from across the coffee shop, only to look up and meet their gaze?

    How did you know they were looking? Intuition. A survival engine hard-wired into our inner “reptilian” brain that drives our subconscious. Think about the decisions you make every day. The dress you wear, the restaurant you visit, the music you listen to. These are not rational decisions made by your outer, conscious brain; they are decisions you make with your inner, subconscious brain.

    While our outer brain allows us to synthesize all the big quantitative data in front of us to find core insights, our inner, intuitive brain allows us to take all that data, match it up with our qualitative findings, and take the leap towards action. And it’s this symbiotic relationship between our inner and outer brains that make humans uniquely capable of uncovering massive innovation.

    While AI will certainly be able to help us parse through data, it will struggle to have those “gut feelings” that connect data and insights in unique ways that unlock hidden potential.

    • Empathy • One of the most important emotions to create buy-in for your ideas is empathy.

    The writers at Pixar are excellent at using empathy to connect with their audience. In WALL-E, audiences around the world empathized with a voiceless robot. Why? Because at the beginning of the film there’s a scene where WALL-E watches a clip from Hello, Dolly! And in his eyes the audience sees that more than anything, WALL-E wants to be loved. And that’s a feeling we all can empathize with, even if it’s coming from an animated robot.

    Empathy empowers you to look past the data and immerse yourself in the lives of others, enabling you to speak to what truly matters to them. It’s driven by the shared human experience – an experience which AI will struggle to understand.

    • Imagination • When President Kennedy said, “We choose to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade,'' he didn’t have the slightest idea as to how it would be achieved. Had he possessed a robust knowledge of space travel, he might not have given this iconic speech, choosing instead to believe that a moon landing was impossible. But he led with his imagination, and believed that the U.S. had the people, resources, and willpower to achieve this audacious goal. And he was right. In fact, his declaration was so profound that it gave birth to the phrase Moonshot Thinking.

    Humans are engineers to dream. AI, on the other hand, educates itself on reality. Things that have already happened in the past. It lacks the human imagination, which is precisely what’s needed to push humanity forward.

    Working with AI in Harmony • As A.I. becomes more intelligent, we must become more creative, intuitive, empathetic, and imaginative. Instead of taking your entire job, proactively find ways to let AI take over the mundane, repetitive, and time-consuming tasks, so you can focus your energy on delivering a human touch to your role.

    While A.I. may one day replicate these core human traits, I don’t believe it’s coming anytime soon. The coming decade belongs to those of us who can leverage these uniquely human skills to disrupt and innovate the next wave of incredible discoveries.

    The good news is that you don’t have to learn anything new. These traits have been with you all along. You just need to find them.

  • Customer Experience Magic

    Transforming a product centric culture into a consumer centric one. How companies can create Customer Experience Magic by deeply understanding their consumer, transforming their culture with amazing results.

  • Embedding Innovation Into Everyone’s DNA

    How do you create a culture that embraces risk and entrepreneurialism, allowing everyone to innovate? Duncan shares how he infused a culture of innovation across the world’s most creative company, Disney.

  • Think Different

    Duncan’s shares insights from his time as Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney, providing a unique set of Innovation Tools and Techniques that everyone can use to Think Different

Videos
FAQs
  • HOW TO BOOK Duncan Wardle?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Duncan Wardle for both live and virtual events for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Duncan Wardle, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Duncan Wardle or any other celebrity of your choice.
  • HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BOOK Duncan Wardle?

    Speaking fees for Duncan Wardle, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that Duncan Wardle charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Duncan Wardle, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
  • WHO IS THE AGENT FOR Duncan Wardle?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Duncan Wardle for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Duncan Wardle for your next private or corporate function.
  • WHAT IS A FULL-SERVICE TALENT BOOKING AGENCY?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Duncan Wardle or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Duncan Wardle or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
Check Availability

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Duncan Wardle

5 out of 5

Former Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney

Travels From:
Orlando, FL, USA
Speaking Fee:

Duncan Wardle Biography

As Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney, Duncan Wardle helped teams at Disney Parks, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar, Imagineering and Animation to innovate, creating magical new storylines and amazing experiences for consumers around the globe.

He now brings his Disney experience to audiences around the world, delivering a series of keynotes, masterclasses, and ideation forums, that help people capture unlikely connections, leading to both disruptive thinking and revolutionary ideas.

He is a multiple TEDx speaker and frequent contributor to Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and Forbes, and he teaches Innovation and Creativity Masterclasses at Yale and Harvard Universities. Wardle holds the American Citizen Award presented at the White House, an Honorary Doctorate from Edinburgh University, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award, presented by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth.

Duncan Wardle Speaking Topics

  • AI is Not Your Enemy

    Well before ChatGPT became a household name, I shared the stage with Nicholas Thompson, then Editor in Chief of Wired. During his presentation, Thompson stated that he believes 20% of all occupations will be replaced by AI by 2030.

    At the time, this declaration seemed outlandish. How could a robot replace 1 in 5 workers? But today, this outcome is far from fiction. Just look at IBM, who recently announced that it expects 30% of its workforce to be displaced by artificial intelligence over the next 5 years.

    The future is here, and for the first time in history, it’s highly skilled labor at risk of losing their jobs to robots. But even with the uncertainty it brings, I do not believe that AI should be treated as our enemy. In fact, just the opposite. AI should be embraced by workers, because it’ll take over the tedious, repetitive parts of our jobs, freeing us up to leverage the skills that make us uniquely human: Creativity, Intuition, Empathy, and Imagination.

    Here's how you can leverage these human traits to work together in harmony with AI.

    • Creativity • Thanks to Amazon Prime, there is a constant stream of cardboard boxes clogging up my recycling bin. But what is a nuisance today once was an outlet for endless creativity.

    To a six-year-old, a box can be anything. A castle, a rocket ship, a fort, a kitchen. At this age, our creativity knows no bounds. But then we go to school and to work and most of us are told “you’re not creative” or “leave those ideas to the Creative Team”. And over time we end up believing we’re not creative.

    But creativity is more than the ability to paint or play music. It’s the ability to solve problems in unique ways. To connect seemingly unconnected ideas. A skill that AI will struggle to master with its linear thinking, no matter how advanced it gets.

    • Intuition • Have you ever had the feeling that someone was staring at you from across the coffee shop, only to look up and meet their gaze?

    How did you know they were looking? Intuition. A survival engine hard-wired into our inner “reptilian” brain that drives our subconscious. Think about the decisions you make every day. The dress you wear, the restaurant you visit, the music you listen to. These are not rational decisions made by your outer, conscious brain; they are decisions you make with your inner, subconscious brain.

    While our outer brain allows us to synthesize all the big quantitative data in front of us to find core insights, our inner, intuitive brain allows us to take all that data, match it up with our qualitative findings, and take the leap towards action. And it’s this symbiotic relationship between our inner and outer brains that make humans uniquely capable of uncovering massive innovation.

    While AI will certainly be able to help us parse through data, it will struggle to have those “gut feelings” that connect data and insights in unique ways that unlock hidden potential.

    • Empathy • One of the most important emotions to create buy-in for your ideas is empathy.

    The writers at Pixar are excellent at using empathy to connect with their audience. In WALL-E, audiences around the world empathized with a voiceless robot. Why? Because at the beginning of the film there’s a scene where WALL-E watches a clip from Hello, Dolly! And in his eyes the audience sees that more than anything, WALL-E wants to be loved. And that’s a feeling we all can empathize with, even if it’s coming from an animated robot.

    Empathy empowers you to look past the data and immerse yourself in the lives of others, enabling you to speak to what truly matters to them. It’s driven by the shared human experience – an experience which AI will struggle to understand.

    • Imagination • When President Kennedy said, “We choose to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade,'' he didn’t have the slightest idea as to how it would be achieved. Had he possessed a robust knowledge of space travel, he might not have given this iconic speech, choosing instead to believe that a moon landing was impossible. But he led with his imagination, and believed that the U.S. had the people, resources, and willpower to achieve this audacious goal. And he was right. In fact, his declaration was so profound that it gave birth to the phrase Moonshot Thinking.

    Humans are engineers to dream. AI, on the other hand, educates itself on reality. Things that have already happened in the past. It lacks the human imagination, which is precisely what’s needed to push humanity forward.

    Working with AI in Harmony • As A.I. becomes more intelligent, we must become more creative, intuitive, empathetic, and imaginative. Instead of taking your entire job, proactively find ways to let AI take over the mundane, repetitive, and time-consuming tasks, so you can focus your energy on delivering a human touch to your role.

    While A.I. may one day replicate these core human traits, I don’t believe it’s coming anytime soon. The coming decade belongs to those of us who can leverage these uniquely human skills to disrupt and innovate the next wave of incredible discoveries.

    The good news is that you don’t have to learn anything new. These traits have been with you all along. You just need to find them.

  • Customer Experience Magic

    Transforming a product centric culture into a consumer centric one. How companies can create Customer Experience Magic by deeply understanding their consumer, transforming their culture with amazing results.

  • Embedding Innovation Into Everyone’s DNA

    How do you create a culture that embraces risk and entrepreneurialism, allowing everyone to innovate? Duncan shares how he infused a culture of innovation across the world’s most creative company, Disney.

  • Think Different

    Duncan’s shares insights from his time as Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney, providing a unique set of Innovation Tools and Techniques that everyone can use to Think Different

Duncan Wardle Videos

  • Keynote Reel
  • Innovation Masterclass With Duncan Wardle
    This is more than just an innovation masterclass. It’s verifiable a game changer for participants. Through an entertaining, interactive 8-hour day...
  • Duncan Wardle Innovation Keynote Speaker
    A world-renown keynote speaker, Duncan Wardle will do more than simply motivate and engage your audience, he will leave them empowered with an...

Speaker Lists Featuring Duncan Wardle

FAQs on booking Duncan Wardle

  • How to book Duncan Wardle?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Duncan Wardle for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Duncan Wardle, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Duncan Wardle or any other celebrity of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Duncan Wardle?

    Speaking fees for Duncan Wardle, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that Duncan Wardle charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Duncan Wardle, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
  • Who is the agent for Duncan Wardle?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Duncan Wardle for clients worldwide for more than 20 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Duncan Wardle for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service talent booking agency?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Duncan Wardle or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Duncan Wardle or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.

Duncan Wardle is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as AI is Not Your Enemy, Customer Experience Magic, Embedding Innovation Into Everyone’s DNA and Think Different. The estimated speaking fee range to book Duncan Wardle for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. Duncan Wardle generally travels from Orlando, FL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Erik Qualman, Matthew Luhn, Afdhel Aziz, Josh Linkner and Mitch Lowe. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Duncan Wardle for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Duncan Wardle Speaking Topics

  • AI is Not Your Enemy

    Well before ChatGPT became a household name, I shared the stage with Nicholas Thompson, then Editor in Chief of Wired. During his presentation, Thompson stated that he believes 20% of all occupations will be replaced by AI by 2030.

    At the time, this declaration seemed outlandish. How could a robot replace 1 in 5 workers? But today, this outcome is far from fiction. Just look at IBM, who recently announced that it expects 30% of its workforce to be displaced by artificial intelligence over the next 5 years.

    The future is here, and for the first time in history, it’s highly skilled labor at risk of losing their jobs to robots. But even with the uncertainty it brings, I do not believe that AI should be treated as our enemy. In fact, just the opposite. AI should be embraced by workers, because it’ll take over the tedious, repetitive parts of our jobs, freeing us up to leverage the skills that make us uniquely human: Creativity, Intuition, Empathy, and Imagination.

    Here's how you can leverage these human traits to work together in harmony with AI.

    • Creativity • Thanks to Amazon Prime, there is a constant stream of cardboard boxes clogging up my recycling bin. But what is a nuisance today once was an outlet for endless creativity.

    To a six-year-old, a box can be anything. A castle, a rocket ship, a fort, a kitchen. At this age, our creativity knows no bounds. But then we go to school and to work and most of us are told “you’re not creative” or “leave those ideas to the Creative Team”. And over time we end up believing we’re not creative.

    But creativity is more than the ability to paint or play music. It’s the ability to solve problems in unique ways. To connect seemingly unconnected ideas. A skill that AI will struggle to master with its linear thinking, no matter how advanced it gets.

    • Intuition • Have you ever had the feeling that someone was staring at you from across the coffee shop, only to look up and meet their gaze?

    How did you know they were looking? Intuition. A survival engine hard-wired into our inner “reptilian” brain that drives our subconscious. Think about the decisions you make every day. The dress you wear, the restaurant you visit, the music you listen to. These are not rational decisions made by your outer, conscious brain; they are decisions you make with your inner, subconscious brain.

    While our outer brain allows us to synthesize all the big quantitative data in front of us to find core insights, our inner, intuitive brain allows us to take all that data, match it up with our qualitative findings, and take the leap towards action. And it’s this symbiotic relationship between our inner and outer brains that make humans uniquely capable of uncovering massive innovation.

    While AI will certainly be able to help us parse through data, it will struggle to have those “gut feelings” that connect data and insights in unique ways that unlock hidden potential.

    • Empathy • One of the most important emotions to create buy-in for your ideas is empathy.

    The writers at Pixar are excellent at using empathy to connect with their audience. In WALL-E, audiences around the world empathized with a voiceless robot. Why? Because at the beginning of the film there’s a scene where WALL-E watches a clip from Hello, Dolly! And in his eyes the audience sees that more than anything, WALL-E wants to be loved. And that’s a feeling we all can empathize with, even if it’s coming from an animated robot.

    Empathy empowers you to look past the data and immerse yourself in the lives of others, enabling you to speak to what truly matters to them. It’s driven by the shared human experience – an experience which AI will struggle to understand.

    • Imagination • When President Kennedy said, “We choose to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade,'' he didn’t have the slightest idea as to how it would be achieved. Had he possessed a robust knowledge of space travel, he might not have given this iconic speech, choosing instead to believe that a moon landing was impossible. But he led with his imagination, and believed that the U.S. had the people, resources, and willpower to achieve this audacious goal. And he was right. In fact, his declaration was so profound that it gave birth to the phrase Moonshot Thinking.

    Humans are engineers to dream. AI, on the other hand, educates itself on reality. Things that have already happened in the past. It lacks the human imagination, which is precisely what’s needed to push humanity forward.

    Working with AI in Harmony • As A.I. becomes more intelligent, we must become more creative, intuitive, empathetic, and imaginative. Instead of taking your entire job, proactively find ways to let AI take over the mundane, repetitive, and time-consuming tasks, so you can focus your energy on delivering a human touch to your role.

    While A.I. may one day replicate these core human traits, I don’t believe it’s coming anytime soon. The coming decade belongs to those of us who can leverage these uniquely human skills to disrupt and innovate the next wave of incredible discoveries.

    The good news is that you don’t have to learn anything new. These traits have been with you all along. You just need to find them.

  • Customer Experience Magic

    Transforming a product centric culture into a consumer centric one. How companies can create Customer Experience Magic by deeply understanding their consumer, transforming their culture with amazing results.

  • Embedding Innovation Into Everyone’s DNA

    How do you create a culture that embraces risk and entrepreneurialism, allowing everyone to innovate? Duncan shares how he infused a culture of innovation across the world’s most creative company, Disney.

  • Think Different

    Duncan’s shares insights from his time as Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney, providing a unique set of Innovation Tools and Techniques that everyone can use to Think Different

Duncan Wardle Speaker Videos

  • Keynote Reel
    Innovation Masterclass With Duncan Wardle
    This is more than just an innovation masterclass. It’s verifiable a game changer for participants. Through an entertaining, interactive 8-hour day at you will learn a unique Design Thinking...
  • Duncan Wardle Innovation Keynote Speaker
    A world-renown keynote speaker, Duncan Wardle will do more than simply motivate and engage your audience, he will leave them empowered with an immediately actionable set of steps to improve their...
    Disrupt Innovation Masterclass With Duncan Wardle
    Theory of Creativity™ Masterclass A Unique Master Class on Creativity, Innovation & Disruption Regardless of your industry or background, Duncan’s groundbreaking approach and tools, and the...
  • The Theory of Creativity | Duncan Wardle | TEDxAUK
    Duncan Wardle believes everyone is creative but that it's getting harder to convince people of that. On the TEDxAUK stage, he talks about the importance of creativity and why it will be the one core...
    Ideation session with Duncan Wardle
    A new take on how to brainstorm called: Ideation. Join Axia PR and Duncan Wardle, a former Disney Executive, as we role play to ease into an ideation session.

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Speakers Similar to Duncan Wardle

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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