Garry Ridge
Former Chairman & CEO, WD-40 Company | Founder, The Learning Moment | Bestselling Author | Expert in Corporate Culture & Servant Leadership
Andreas Weigend
Former Chief Scientist, Amazon | Global Expert on Big Data, AI & the Social Data Revolution | Stanford & UC Berkeley Faculty | Author, Data for the People
Andreas Weigend helped build Amazon's data brain — now he helps organizations worldwide understand what their data is really worth. As Amazon's former Chief Scientist, Stanford faculty member, and author of Data for the People, he is one of the most credible voices on AI strategy, the ethics of the data economy, and what it takes to compete in a world where behavioral data is the defining asset.
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Andreas Weigend biography
Andreas Weigend is one of the world’s foremost authorities on data science, artificial intelligence, and the relationship between human behavior and the information we generate. As former Chief Scientist at Amazon — one of the most data-driven organizations ever built — he helped architect the company’s customer-centric data strategy and pioneered the predictive models that shaped how Amazon understands and anticipates consumer behavior at scale.
Big data speaker Andreas Weigend trained as a physicist, studying at the University of Bonn before earning his PhD in neural networks from Stanford University. That scientific foundation — rigorous, model-driven, deeply skeptical of assumptions — underpins everything he has done since. After leading Amazon’s data science function, he went on to consult for some of the world’s most sophisticated organizations, including Alibaba, Goldman Sachs, Lufthansa, SAP, and Reuters, helping each rethink their relationship with data not as a byproduct of business, but as its defining strategic asset.
Weigend coined the term “Social Data Revolution” to describe a fundamental shift in how individuals, companies, and governments interact with data — one in which consumers are no longer passive subjects of surveillance but active participants who can demand transparency, agency, and value in return for what they share. He teaches this framework at Stanford, UC Berkeley, Fudan University, and CEIBS in Shanghai, reaching future leaders across the United States, China, and Southeast Asia.
Data for the People and the Ethics of the Data Economy
His book Data for the People lays out a rigorous case for why the current data economy — dominated by a handful of platforms with asymmetric access to behavioral information — is both economically inefficient and ethically untenable. In it, Weigend proposes a set of data rights that would shift power back toward individuals, drawing on his insider knowledge of how companies like Amazon and Alibaba actually use consumer data. The book has become a key reference in debates around data governance, digital rights, and the political economy of AI.
In 2018, Chancellor Angela Merkel appointed Weigend to Germany’s Digital Council — the Digitalrat — a body of international technology experts tasked with advising the federal government on digital transformation, data policy, and AI strategy.
As a speaker, Andreas Weigend brings to the stage a perspective that few can match: the insider credibility of someone who built data infrastructure at Amazon’s scale, combined with the academic rigor of a Stanford-trained physicist and the policy authority of a government advisor. His sessions challenge audiences to move beyond data as a compliance issue or a technical function and see it as the defining source of competitive advantage — and social responsibility — of our era. Organizations leave his talks with sharper questions, clearer frameworks, and a more sophisticated understanding of what the data they collect, share, and ignore is actually worth.
Andreas Weigend Speaking Videos
Andreas Weigend - Social Data Revolution
Andreas Weigend - Data for the People
Andreas Weigend Keynote Topics
Most organizations treat data as something they take from customers. Weigend argues this model is both strategically inferior and increasingly untenable. Drawing on his time at Amazon and his work with Alibaba, Goldman Sachs, and Lufthansa, he maps the shift from extractive to relational data practices — and shows why companies that treat consumers as data partners rather than data sources will outperform those that don't. Audiences gain a practical framework for rethinking their data relationships from the ground up.
Built for C-suite and board-level audiences, this session cuts through the hype to address what AI actually changes in strategy, operations, and competitive positioning. Weigend draws on decades of applied AI work — from Amazon's recommendation engine to advisory engagements across finance, logistics, and retail — to deliver a clear-eyed view of where the value lies, what the real risks are, and how leaders can make high-quality decisions about AI without becoming technical experts themselves.
Based on his landmark book, this keynote examines the political economy of data — who captures value, who bears risk, and how that balance is shifting under regulatory pressure, public scrutiny, and the rise of AI. Weigend draws on his service on Germany's Digital Council and his experience advising governments and corporations to propose a new framework for data rights: one that is practical, grounded in economic logic, and actionable for both companies and policymakers.
Organizations collect more data than ever — and understand their customers less than they think. In this session, Weigend applies the behavioral science and predictive modeling frameworks he developed at Amazon to help leaders ask better questions of their data: what signals matter, what patterns are noise, and how to build data culture that turns raw information into genuine insight. Practical, concrete, and grounded in real case studies from global organizations.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Andreas Weigend
Why Andreas Weigend?
Booking Andreas Weigend means bringing to your event someone who has operated at the highest levels of the data economy — not as a commentator, but as an architect. As Amazon's Chief Scientist, he didn't study how data-driven companies work; he helped build one of the most sophisticated data operations in corporate history. Combined with his academic career at Stanford and Berkeley, his advisory work for governments and global corporations, and his role on Germany's Digital Council, Weigend offers a depth of perspective that is genuinely rare in the speaker market. For events focused on AI strategy, data governance, digital transformation, or the future of consumer behavior, he delivers content that is substantive, evidence-based, and immediately applicable. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to check his availability for your event.
What did Andreas Weigend do at Amazon?
As Chief Scientist at Amazon, Weigend led the company's data science function and was instrumental in shaping its customer-centric data strategy. He worked on the predictive models that allowed Amazon to anticipate consumer behavior, personalize the shopping experience, and build the recommendation engine architecture that became a benchmark for the industry. His work helped establish data not just as an operational tool but as the core of Amazon's competitive advantage — a philosophy he has since applied across dozens of organizations as a consultant and advisor.
What is the Social Data Revolution?
The Social Data Revolution is a concept Andreas Weigend developed to describe the shift from a world where data flows one way — from user to corporation — to one where individuals have agency over the information they generate and share. In this framework, data is not simply a resource to be extracted; it is a relational asset whose value compounds when shared transparently and used to genuinely empower the people who create it. Weigend argues that companies willing to embrace this shift — treating customers as data partners rather than data sources — will outperform those clinging to asymmetric, extractive models.
What topics does big data speaker Andreas Weigend cover?
Andreas Weigend speaks on big data strategy, AI and machine learning, the Social Data Revolution, consumer behavior and personalization, data governance and ethics, digital transformation, and the future of the data economy. His keynotes are tailored for senior audiences — C-suite leaders, technology executives, and policymakers — who need to make consequential decisions about data and AI with incomplete information and high stakes. Aurum Speakers Bureau can advise on the format and focus best suited to your event's objectives.
How to book Andreas Weigend as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Andreas Weigend as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Andreas Weigend's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Andreas Weigend or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Andreas Weigend speaking fee?
Andreas Weigend speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Andreas Weigend to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Andreas Weigend.
How can I contact Andreas Weigend?
We only work with Andreas Weigend on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Andreas Weigend and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Andreas Weigend speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Andreas Weigend for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Andreas Weigend for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Andreas Weigend is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Andreas Weigend for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
