Jim McKelvey
Co-Founder of Square (now Block) | Founder of Invisibly | Author of The Innovation Stack | LaunchCode Co-Founder
Costas Markides
Robert P. Bauman Chair of Strategic Leadership, London Business School | Faculty Director of Executive Education | Author on Strategy & Innovation
Costas Markides is a globally recognized authority on strategy, innovation, and business model disruption. Holding the Robert P. Bauman Chair at London Business School, he helps leaders understand how established firms reinvent themselves as disruption and AI reshape their markets. His keynotes blend rigorous research with real-world examples, giving senior audiences actionable frameworks for building genuinely innovative organizations.
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Costas Markides biography
Business speaker Costas Markides is one of the world’s foremost authorities on strategy, innovation, and business model disruption. He holds the Robert P. Bauman Chair of Strategic Leadership at London Business School, where he has taught and conducted research for more than three decades and now also serves as Faculty Director of Executive Education. His work examines how established organizations pursue radical innovation, compete with dual business models, and build cultures of continuous reinvention.
Originally from Cyprus, Markides earned his BA and MA in Economics from Boston University before completing both an MBA and a DBA at Harvard Business School. He joined London Business School and quickly established himself as a leading voice in strategic management. His books have earned global recognition, with All the Right Moves shortlisted for the Igor Ansoff Strategic Management Award and Fast Second shortlisted for the Financial Times/Goldman Sachs Management Book of the Year.
From Boardrooms to Social Impact
Markides has expanded his research beyond corporate strategy to address pressing social challenges. His book Architects of Change examines how innovative solutions to problems such as poverty, malnutrition, and drug-related crime can be designed for scalability, applying the same strategic rigor used in business to humanity’s most urgent problems. He also studies how decentralized change processes let social innovations spread globally without top-down control.
His recent work continues to shape the field. Business Model Innovation, published by Cambridge University Press, offers a definitive framework for how established firms navigate disruptive entrants, while Diversification in the World of Data and AI addresses how companies should think about growth as artificial intelligence redraws industry boundaries. Earlier titles including Game-Changing Strategies and Organizing for the New Normal tackle strategic and organizational transformation in an era of accelerating change.
As a speaker, Costas Markides delivers high-impact presentations that blend rigorous academic research with practical business examples. His ability to translate complex strategic concepts into actionable insights makes him a sought-after keynote for senior executives navigating competitive uncertainty and organizational change.
Costas Markides Speaking Videos
Costas Markides - Here's How To Retain the Best Talent
Professor Costas Markides - Preparing organisations for a journey of continuous transformation
Costas Markides Keynote Topics
In a hypercompetitive environment, sustainable innovation is the ultimate source of competitive advantage. Yet it cannot remain the preserve of senior leadership or an isolated R&D department. It has to be woven into the fabric of the whole organization. This keynote explores how companies can institutionalize innovation so that it happens anywhere, at any time, across every level and function. Drawing on decades of research and real corporate cases, Professor Markides reveals the leadership behaviors, structures, and cultural elements that enable continuous innovation, and sends attendees away with a practical framework for turning their organizations into engines of relentless creativity and strategic renewal.
When disruptive innovators invade an established firm's market, conventional wisdom often fails. This presentation draws on extensive academic research to identify the responses that genuinely work, and to dispel the myths that cloud executive decision-making around disruption. Using real examples from industries ranging from retail to airlines, Professor Markides shows how incumbents can respond effectively to business model disruption without abandoning their core strengths, equipping leaders with evidence-based insight for protecting market position while embracing strategic change.
Some of the most transformative companies in modern business, from Amazon to easyJet to Enterprise, achieved breakthrough growth not by following the rules but by fundamentally rewriting them. This keynote explores strategic innovation: the art of redefining how an industry competes. Professor Markides examines how companies can pursue this path even when they already have a thriving business to protect. Through compelling real-world examples and evidence from strategic management research, attendees gain a clear understanding of how to identify, design, and implement game-changing strategies that create lasting competitive advantage.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Costas Markides
Why Costas Markides?
Costas Markides is one of the world's most respected authorities on strategy and innovation, bringing more than three decades of London Business School research to every keynote. His talent for translating complex academic frameworks into actionable business insight makes him an exceptional choice for senior executive audiences. On stage, he combines intellectual rigor with engaging storytelling, using real company case studies to show leaders how to institutionalize innovation, respond to disruption, and reimagine competitive strategy. His books, including the award-shortlisted All the Right Moves and Fast Second, are required reading in MBA programs worldwide. Book Costas Markides through Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring world-class strategic thinking to your next leadership event.
What is business model innovation according to Costas Markides?
According to Costas Markides, business model innovation is the process of fundamentally rethinking how an industry competes, not by improving existing products but by redefining the rules of engagement. In his research and books, particularly Business Model Innovation and Game-Changing Strategies, he distinguishes this from product or process innovation. It involves changing who you target, what you offer, and how you deliver value in ways that disrupt established competitors. Markides argues that established firms face a unique challenge: they must pursue radical innovation while protecting their existing business, and his framework helps them manage that dual mandate.
How does Costas Markides apply management thinking to social challenges?
In his book Architects of Change, Costas Markides explores how the strategic thinking used in business can be applied to pressing social problems such as poverty, malnutrition, and drug-related crime. His research examines how individuals and organizations can design solutions that are inherently scalable, moving beyond pilot programs to global impact, and how decentralized change processes let social innovations spread without top-down control. The work is a natural extension of his career-long focus on how organizations break established patterns and create new value through strategic creativity.
What can audiences expect from a Costas Markides keynote?
A Costas Markides keynote is a masterclass in strategic thinking, delivered with the rigor of a Harvard-trained academic and the accessibility of a gifted storyteller. Audiences can expect a deep look at how organizations foster continuous innovation, respond to disruptive competitors, and implement game-changing strategies, illustrated with real company examples and grounded in decades of published research, including his latest work on diversification in a world shaped by data and AI. Markides tailors each talk to executive audiences and focuses on insights leaders can apply immediately. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Costas Markides to your next corporate event, leadership summit, or industry conference.
How to book Costas Markides as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Costas Markides as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Costas Markides'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 Costas Markides or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Costas Markides speaking fee?
Costas Markides 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 Costas Markides 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 Costas Markides.
How can I contact Costas Markides?
We only work with Costas Markides on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Costas Markides and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Costas Markides 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 Costas Markides for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Costas Markides for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Costas Markides is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Costas Markides for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
