Charlene Li Keynote Speaker and expert on disruptive transformation and AI strategy

Charlene Li

CEO, Quantum Networks Group | NYT Bestselling Author | Expert in Disruptive Transformation & AI | Advisor to 49 Fortune 100 Companies

Charlene Li has spent three decades helping leaders see the future before their competitors do. Founder of Altimeter Group, author of seven books including New York Times bestsellers, and CEO of Quantum Networks Group, she is the world's leading expert on disruptive transformation strategy and AI leadership. Her keynotes give executives a concrete framework to transform their organizations before disruption forces their hand.

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    Charlene Li biography

    Charlene Li has spent more than three decades on the front lines of technological disruption — not as a commentator, but as a founder, analyst, and executive who has built organizations through it. Educated at Harvard College, where she graduated magna cum laude, and Harvard Business School, she began her career covering interactive advertising and the early web at Forrester Research before the internet had reshaped a single major industry. She watched the first wave of digital transformation from the inside, developed her analytical framework for understanding how power shifts when technologies change, and has been refining it through every major disruption since.

    Digital transformation speaker Charlene Li founded Altimeter Group in 2008 — a disruptive analyst firm that took on incumbent research giants Gartner, Forrester, and IDC, and was ultimately acquired by Prophet in 2015. She went on to serve as Chief Research Officer at PA Consulting, leading the firm’s global thought leadership program, before founding Quantum Networks Group, the advisory firm she now leads as CEO. Across that career, she has worked with hundreds of organizations — including Adobe, Southwest Airlines, and 49 of the Fortune 100 — on strategies for disruptive growth, AI integration, and leadership transformation. Fast Company named her one of the most creative people in business. LinkedIn recognized her as a Top Voice on company culture.

    Seven Books, One Consistent Argument: Transform Before You Have To

    Li is the author of seven books, several of them bestsellers. Her body of work includes Groundswell (co-authored with Josh Bernoff), an early and still-cited analysis of how social technologies redistribute power between organizations and their customers; the New York Times bestseller Open Leadership, which made the case for transparency and digital engagement as leadership imperatives; and The Disruption Mindset, which argues that the companies best positioned to survive technological change are those that build disruption into their strategy rather than treating it as an external threat. Her most recent book, Winning with AI: The 90-Day Blueprint for Success, co-written with Katia Walsh and based on interviews with more than 50 executives, gives leadership teams a practical roadmap for moving past AI experimentation and generating measurable results within 90 days. She has spoken at the World Economic Forum, TED, SXSW, and the HR Technology Conference, among dozens of other major global stages.

    As a speaker, Charlene Li brings something senior audiences find rare: the analytical credibility of a researcher who has studied transformation rigorously for three decades, combined with the operational experience of someone who has built and led organizations through it. Her keynotes are known for translating complex strategic dynamics into clear, actionable frameworks — not abstract forecasts. Whether addressing a 10,000-person conference or a closed executive workshop, she calibrates her content to the specific decisions her audience needs to make, and consistently leaves them with concrete steps they can implement before they leave the room.

    Charlene Li Speaking Videos

    Charlene Li - Efficient leadership in the digital era
    Charlene Li - The Disruption Mindset

    Charlene Li Keynote Topics

    Most organizations are not failing on AI awareness — they are failing on AI execution. In this keynote, drawn from her book of the same name and interviews with more than 50 executives generating real results, Li walks leadership teams through the decisions that separate AI leaders from AI laggards: where to focus first, how to avoid the pilot purgatory trap, how to manage workforce evolution without losing momentum, and how to build governance that enables rather than blocks progress. Audiences leave with a specific 90-day roadmap they can begin implementing immediately, grounded in what organizations that are actually winning with AI are doing differently.

    Disruption is not something that happens to companies — it is something that winning companies choose to create. Li's central argument, developed across two decades of research and advisory work, is that growth drives disruption rather than the other way around, and that organizations which build disruptive ambition into their strategy consistently outperform those that treat change as a threat to be managed. This keynote identifies the three elements that define organizations with a genuine disruption mindset: a strategy oriented toward future customers, leadership that models change from the inside, and a culture that converts discomfort into competitive advantage.

    Designed for senior leadership teams that have moved past the question of whether AI matters and are now wrestling with how to align around it, this session takes executives through the process of identifying high-impact AI initiatives, building organizational alignment, balancing speed with responsibility, and scaling impact across the enterprise. The output is a shared strategic vision and an actionable roadmap — not a set of principles, but a concrete plan with priorities, owners, and timelines. Available as both a keynote and an extended executive workshop format.

    The most effective leaders today are not the ones who master digital tools — they are the ones who understand how their leadership style can be extended and amplified through them. Li explores how senior leaders can listen at scale, communicate with purpose across distributed organizations, and build cultures of trust and belonging in a world where AI is reshaping the nature of work itself. Drawing on more than a decade of research into digital leadership behaviors and their organizational impact, this session is designed for executives who want to lead the human side of transformation as rigorously as the technological side.

    FAQs on Booking Charlene Li

    Why Charlene Li?

    Booking Charlene Li means bringing to your event the expert who has been defining the strategic vocabulary of disruption, digital transformation, and AI leadership for three decades — and who has applied that thinking as a founder, analyst, and advisor to nearly half of the Fortune 100. She does not speak about transformation theoretically: she built a disruptive company from scratch, advised Adobe and Southwest Airlines through major organizational shifts, and is now guiding executives through the most consequential technology transition of this era with Winning with AI. For organizations navigating decisions about AI strategy, digital transformation, the future of work, or cultural change, there is no more credible or practically useful voice in the speaker market. Her keynotes are consistently rated among the highest at major technology, HR, and leadership conferences globally. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to check availability.

    What is Charlene Li's book Winning with AI about?

    Winning with AI: The 90-Day Blueprint for Success, co-authored with Katia Walsh, is a practical strategy guide for executives who need to move beyond AI experimentation and generate real business results. Based on interviews with more than 50 leaders who have successfully integrated AI into their organizations, the book provides a structured 90-day roadmap covering how to identify high-impact AI initiatives, align leadership and culture around AI adoption, manage workforce evolution, govern AI responsibly without stalling momentum, and translate AI ambition into measurable competitive advantage. It addresses the most common failure mode Li has observed in her advisory work: organizations that understand AI's potential but get stuck in endless pilots, unable to scale impact because they have not addressed the leadership and cultural dimensions of transformation.

    What is Altimeter Group and what happened to it?

    Altimeter Group was the disruptive analyst and research firm Charlene Li founded in 2008. Rather than operating as a traditional subscription-based research house in the mold of Gartner or Forrester, Altimeter published much of its research openly — a model that built significant influence and a large following among digital and innovation leaders. The firm focused on the business and leadership implications of emerging technologies, including social media, digital transformation, and the customer experience. Altimeter was acquired by Prophet, a growth and transformation consultancy, in 2015. The acquisition allowed its research to be integrated into broader transformation advisory work. Li went on to serve as Chief Research Officer at PA Consulting before founding Quantum Networks Group, her current firm.

    What topics does digital transformation speaker Charlene Li cover?

    Li speaks on AI strategy and how to build competitive advantage with generative AI, disruptive transformation and why incremental innovation is no longer sufficient, digital leadership and how to extend personal leadership impact at scale, the future of work and the evolving relationship between employees and organizations, and creating a unified AI roadmap for executive leadership teams. Her keynotes are available in both large conference and intimate executive workshop formats, and are particularly well-suited for technology, HR, strategy, and innovation-focused events. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau for program options and availability.

    How to book Charlene Li as a keynote speaker?

    Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Charlene Li as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Charlene Li'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 Charlene Li or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.

    How much is Charlene Li speaking fee?

    Charlene Li 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 Charlene Li 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 Charlene Li.

    How can I contact Charlene Li?

    We only work with Charlene Li on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Charlene Li and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Charlene Li 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 Charlene Li for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.

    Can I book Charlene Li for a virtual keynote?

    Yes, Charlene Li is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Charlene Li for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.