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.
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.
Videos and Materials
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This Speaker's Keynotes
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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.
Anyone can learn to be more GenFlux but the adjustments required are not simple. The vast bulk of our institutions — educational, corporate, political — are not built for flux. While many leaders talk about emphasizing agility, there is still an incomplete understanding on how to make that work. Robert Safian, who coined the phrase Generation Flux, has delved deep inside cultures from Nike to Starbucks to Taco Bell, interviewing scores of GenFluxers, from established CEOs and leaders like General Stanley McChrystal to upstarts with diverse backgrounds and perspectives at places like Buzzfeed, FX Networks, Airbnb, Soulcycle and more. Safian offers a framework for understanding this rapidly changing playing field and compelling insights on how to recruit and empower GenFluxers to drive your future success.
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 business people 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.
Lessons of the World’s Most Innovative Companies
In this informative and enlightening presentation, Fast Company magazine’s award-winning editor Robert Safian shares his firsthand experience with the likes of Apple, Starbucks, and Under Armour, offering insights on today’s most innovative companies. He shows how companies can thrive, even in tough times, by embracing the power of innovative ideas and creative execution.
Testimonials
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“Robert Safian was the perfect speaker for our Leadership and High Performance Conference. The audience loved him.”
– Conference Director, HSM
“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, VMware
“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.”
– CEO, Intl. Assn. 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.
“Great Job Again! And he was so wonderful to work with. It no secret why we keep coming back to him.”
– Senior Event Producer, August Jackson
“Thank you Bob for making our Sales Kickoff Meeting a huge success.”
– Event Marketing Director, Abbott
“Thank you so much for speaking at our event this past week. We appreciated
the great start to a great thought-provoking day that all of our guests truly enjoyed. We hope to work with you again on future events.”
– Client Engagement Director, MetTel
