Dr Ernesto Sirolli is a global authority on community development and entrepreneurship. With over 40 years of experience, he equips leaders and organisations to unlock local talent, drive sustainable economic impact, and build resilient, person-centred systems of growth and innovation.
Dr Ernesto Sirolli is an internationally respected leader in the fields of community development, sustainability and entrepreneurship. Known for pioneering the Enterprise Facilitation® model, he transforms how organisations, communities and governments foster economic resilience by responding to – rather than directing – local passion and talent.
Dr Sirolli’s career began in 1971 in international aid across multiple African countries. The limitations of traditional development approaches led him to create a radically new model – Enterprise Facilitation® – designed to help communities harness their own energy, creativity and self-determination.
In 1995, he founded the Sirolli Institute, a global social enterprise that has since supported over 400 communities and facilitated the creation of more than 55,000 jobs. His work is guided by the principle: Never initiate, never motivate – always respond. The Institute trains civic leaders, NGOs, and corporations to empower grassroots entrepreneurship through human-centred support systems.
A political science graduate of Rome University, Dr Sirolli also holds a PhD in Philosophy and Sustainable Development from Murdoch University in Australia. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University’s Sustainability Policy Institute (CUSP), Chief Innovation Officer at Cross-ING Engineering (Switzerland), and a trusted advisor to the World Indigenous Business Forum.
Ernesto’s presentations are passionate, thought-provoking and deeply human. Drawing from decades of global experience, he challenges conventional wisdom with humour, humility and storytelling. His TEDx talk “Shut Up and Listen” has reached over 4 million views and continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
He is an ideal keynote speaker for leadership teams, civic institutions, NGOs, and forward-thinking organisations aiming to foster inclusive innovation, intrapreneurship, or sustainable growth. Audiences leave inspired to trust in local intelligence and act as facilitators—not gatekeepers—of change.
…
With over 30 years of commercial HR leadership, most recently on the Executive Board of a Fortune 500 company, Shanthi Flynn is a passionate advocate for inclusion, values-based leadership and maximising potential.
Founder of Ethiopia’s first commodities exchange, a serial entrepreneur impacting the lives of over 15 million small farmers.
Asma Shabab is an innovation strategist and foresight expert who helps organisations harness emerging technologies to future-proof their strategies. With over 15 years of global experience, she equips leaders to decode signals of change and transform uncertainty into opportunity.
Discover the profound impact of Gen Z on the global workforce and market trends through the insights of Jahkini Bisselink and Hajar Yagkoubi, former United Nations Youth Representatives. Jahkini & Hajar delve into Gen Z’s values and their expectations from businesses.
Gerd Leonhard is a globally recognised futurist, humanist and keynote speaker who helps organisations navigate rapid technological change. Advising leaders across business and government, he challenges audiences to balance innovation with ethics, sustainability and what it means to remain human in a machine-driven world.
Gianni Giacomelli helps organisations scale human innovation with AI. An expert in AI, innovation and organisational design, he’s led transformation across Genpact, SAP, BCG and Danone, and heads design innovation work at MIT’s Collective Intelligence Design Lab – where people and machines are designed to think better together.
Former US Presidential Advisor, Award-Winning Author and Robotics Entrepreneur.
Consultant, mentor, expert in the future of work and leadership and the impact of technology and how this affects behaviours in the world of work and business.
Kirk Vallis is Google’s Head of Creativity Development and a leading authority on creative thinking in business. He equips leaders and teams with practical tools and behavioural strategies to drive innovation, problem-solving, and lasting cultural change.
Christiane Vejlø is a digital trends & ethics expert and one of Europe’s leading profiles and keynote speakers on the relationship between humanity and tech.
