Gerard Kunkel

Media Futurist and Conversational AI Innovation Strategist; Design-Led Product and Experience Innovator

New York, NY, USA
Live Event: $30,000 - $50,000 Virtual Event: $20,000 - $30,000 More Fee Info
Art & Design, Customer Experience, Disruptive Thinking, Futurism, Modern Media, News & Media, Thought Leadership
Read More +
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Gerard Kunkel Biography

Gerard Kunkel is a cross-disciplinary executive and visionary thinker whose career spans design, media, technology and entrepreneurship. He has led innovation from both sides of the table as a senior leader inside global enterprises and as a founder building new ventures from zero.

Kunkel began his career as a designer, bringing creative discipline and human-centered thinking into industries hungry for new ideas. That design foundation evolved into an executive superpower as he transitioned into large-scale product leadership and strategic innovation.

As a senior executive at Comcast Cable Communications, Kunkel led key initiatives behind the award-winning Xfinity X1 entertainment platform. At Microsoft, he worked on next-generation consumer entertainment and device experiences that helped shape the company’s platform strategy. He has served as CEO and board member for multiple startups, pioneering advances in streaming media, interactive platforms and AI-driven consumer experiences. Kunkel’s products and designs have reached hundreds of millions of users globally.

Kunkel is the founder and CEO of Next Media Partners, a boutique advisory and product innovation firm trusted by major media companies, private equity firms and Fortune 500 brands. He and his team created Brand Genius, an agentic conversational AI platform that transforms advertising from passive impressions to two-way interactive experiences, enabling brands to have real conversations with real customers at scale.

Kunkel is also recognized as the first keynote speaker to integrate live conversational AI characters into major conference presentations, blending storytelling and real-time interactivity in a way audiences had not seen before and turning passive keynotes into participatory experiences.

He speaks frequently on the future of media consumption and the currency of consumer attention; how AI is reshaping marketing, advertising and customer engagement; leading innovation inside large organizations; and converting complex technology into human-centered experience.

Kunkel is known for blending design intuition, technical credibility and business execution into a compelling narrative of what’s coming next and how leaders can seize the opportunity.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Gerard Kunkel and other top speakers and celebrities.

Read more +

BOOK Gerard Kunkel

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 01/27/2026.

Gerard Kunkel Speaking Topics

  • At the Speed of Choice — Understanding How and Why Consumers Choose Media

    Media didn’t evolve because technology advanced — technology advanced because consumers demanded more control. In this keynote, Gerard Kunkel traces the history, present, and future of media consumption through one driving force: choice. From the early days of broadcast television to today’s streaming wars, gaming ecosystems, creator platforms, and AI-powered personalization, audiences will learn how emotional drivers, behavioral science, and decision friction have determined every major winner (and loser) in media.

    Gerard reveals the universal truth: the companies that thrive are the ones that make choice feel easy. Drawing from decades of executive leadership at Comcast (Xfinity X1), Microsoft, and multiple startup companies, he shares powerful frameworks for designing media experiences that reduce complexity, increase engagement, and build lasting loyalty in a world of infinite options.

    To bring the future to life, Gerard integrates live conversational AI characters into the keynote. The AI is trained on the presentation content and interacts with Gerard and the audience in real time—offering insights, answering questions, and demonstrating what choice looks like in the era of agentic conversational media.

    Key takeaway: When companies remove the friction of choice, they unlock attention, loyalty, and growth.

  • Designing Products for the Visual World

    We live in a world where every product competes to be seen — not just used. From mobile apps to streaming interfaces to AI-driven experiences, the winners are those who communicate visually and intuitively. In this keynote, Gerard Kunkel draws on his roots as a designer and decades of executive product leadership at Comcast and Microsoft to reveal how design is no longer just aesthetics — it’s strategy, differentiation, and the fastest path to adoption. Audiences will explore how visual product design changes user behavior, reduces cognitive load, and becomes the ultimate shortcut for consumer decision-making. Gerard reveals frameworks that empower teams to design for clarity, emotion, and delight — and to build products that are not only functional, but immediately understood.

    Every presentation includes a live conversational AI character trained on the topic and woven into the storytelling. This brings a surprising and immersive dimension to the keynote, allowing participants to ask the AI questions in real time and see how design and AI are converging to shape the next decade of innovation.

Read More +

Gerard Kunkel Videos

Gerard Kunkel Speaker Reel

Gerard Kunkel Speaker Reel

Every day consumers make thousands of choices about how they spend their time. In media, we still measure success in impressions and reach. But the...

See All Videos »

PC Magazine Guide to Persuasion
PC Magazine Guide to Persuasion
Graphic Design with PostScript
Graphic Design with PostScript

  • How do I book Gerard Kunkel to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Gerard Kunkel for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Gerard Kunkel, 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 speaking fee information and check availability for Gerard Kunkel or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for Gerard Kunkel

    Speaking fees for Gerard Kunkel, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Gerard Kunkel are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $20,000 - $30,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Gerard Kunkel, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does Gerard Kunkel speak about?

    Gerard Kunkel is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Art & Design, Customer Experience, Disruptive Thinking, Futurism, Modern Media, News & Media, Thought Leadership

  • Where does Gerard Kunkel travel from?

    Gerard Kunkel generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

  • Who is Gerard Kunkel’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Gerard Kunkel for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker 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. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Gerard Kunkel for your next private or corporate function.

  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Gerard Kunkel or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Gerard Kunkel is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as At the Speed of Choice — Understanding How and Why Consumers Choose Media, Designing Products for the Visual World and The Future of Media — What Happens When Attention Becomes the Economy?. The estimated speaking fee range to book Gerard Kunkel for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. Gerard Kunkel generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Eline van der Velden, Janett Haas, Ian Beacraft, Anjali Sud and Tom Gruber. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Gerard Kunkel for an upcoming live or virtual event.

BOOK Gerard Kunkel

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.
Please Select Event Budget
Please enter your message
Please Enter Your Name
Please Enter Your Email

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Need Quick Answers?

We are happy to help! Call us to speak with a booking agent about your event or specific speaker request.

1.800.698.2536

Our celebrity booking agents can:

  • Gauge interest and check availability for speaking engagements, appearances or corporate events

  • Provide you with the speaking fee to book Gerard Kunkel or other celebrity appearance fees

  • Give you personal recommendations for the best keynote speakers or celebrities

  • Assist you with any questions you have throughout the talent booking process

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.

1.800.698.2536
Contact Us

TOP