Neil Perkin - Speaking

I'm a regular keynote speaker on AI transformation, organisational agility, critical thinking and leadership in the age of AI. My talks draw on themes from my three books and over a decade of working with leadership teams navigating technological change.

I've spoken at conferences including the Google Partner Summit, CIPD Change Management Conference, BAM Marketing Congress Brussels, AdWeek Europe, Best of Breed Conference, and Brand Week Istanbul, alongside in-company keynotes and leadership events for organisations including Diageo, BBC, IBM, Publicis, DeLonghi, Unilever, and VCCP.

'Neil gave a fantastically engaging and thought-provoking talk on Agile Transformation and Organisational Culture at FEST. His insights were not only well articulated, but his delivery was inspiring and memorable'

Daniela Arevalo, Organiser, FEST Conference

Some of my most in-demand speaking topics include:

AI Transformation: What Everyone Gets Wrong About Change — Most organisations approach AI the same way they approached earlier waves of technology: they bolt it onto existing ways of working and hope for the best. This talk draws on lessons from historical innovation to show why that instinct fails, what genuine AI transformation looks like, and how leaders can build momentum for lasting change without falling into the trap of optimising the old with the new.

Critical Thinking in the Age of AI — As AI takes on more of the analytical and generative work that professionals used to do, the skills that matter most are shifting. This talk explores the growing importance of judgement, questioning, and intellectual rigour in a world where it's increasingly easy to outsource your thinking. It covers the risks of cognitive outsourcing, how to preserve the expertise that machines can't replicate, and why the organisations that think most critically about AI will be the ones that benefit most from it.

Organisational Agility: Building Businesses That Can Adapt — It's not enough to be fast. True agility is founded in responsiveness, learning, and the ability to shift direction without losing momentum. This talk covers the structures, processes and culture that enable organisations to thrive in an environment of continuous change, drawing on research and case studies from my books on agile transformation.

AI Marketing Transformation — AI is reshaping how marketing teams work, make decisions, and deliver results. But the biggest opportunity isn't in automating what you already do. It's in rethinking how marketing is structured and executed to take full advantage of what AI makes possible. This talk covers the practical steps for redesigning marketing capability, from team structures and workflows to strategy and measurement, for the AI era.

How Small Teams Drive Big Change — Innovation and transformation rarely come from the centre. This talk focuses on the role of small, empowered, multi-disciplinary teams in driving organisational change, making faster decisions, and creating a culture where experimentation and learning are the norm rather than the exception.

All talks can be customised to sector, audience, or specific organisational context. I also design and facilitate half-day and full-day workshops on these themes for leadership teams and wider organisations. I carbon offset all of my international travel in order to minimise my impact on the environment.