Robert Greene
#1 NY Times Bestselling Author of 'The 48 Laws of Power,' 'Mastery' & 'The Daily Laws' | Strategic Advisor on Power, Influence & Human Behavior
Howard Yu
LEGO® Professor of Management & Innovation at IMD | Director, Center for Future Readiness | Thinkers50 Strategy Award Winner | Bestselling Author of LEAP
Howard Yu is the LEGO® Professor of Management and Innovation at IMD and director of its Center for Future Readiness, where he helps global companies outpace disruption and build lasting competitive advantage. Winner of the Thinkers50 Strategy Award and author of the bestselling LEAP, he turns deep research into clear, practical strategy for boards and executive teams at firms like Maersk, Heineken, and Bosch.
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Howard Yu biography
Speaker Howard Yu is an award-winning authority on innovation and strategy, recognized worldwide for helping organizations stay ahead in an unpredictable economy. He holds the title of LEGO® Professor of Management and Innovation at IMD Business School, where he also directs the Center for Future Readiness, a research initiative launched in partnership with the LEGO Brand Group. His work centers on a deceptively simple question: how do companies sustain success when every advantage is eventually copied?
With a focus on long-term competitiveness, Howard Yu has become a trusted advisor to global enterprises including ABB, Bosch, Novo Nordisk, Heineken, Electrolux, and Maersk. Through IMD’s Strategy for Future Readiness program, which he co-directs, he delivers research-backed guidance that helps leadership teams drive transformation, build resilience, and protect their competitive edge. He recently joined MIT Sloan Executive Education and IMD in launching the Future Ready Enterprise Academy, an executive program delivered across Cambridge and Singapore.
A Thinkers50 voice on future readiness
Howard’s standing among the world’s leading innovation thinkers is well established. He earned the Thinkers50 Strategy Award and a place on the Thinkers50 ranking of the most influential management thinkers, while his collaboration with the LEGO Group has won both the EFMD Gold Award and the Brandon Hall Group Gold Award for excellence in strategic learning. His ideas appear regularly in Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review, and he is a familiar voice on Bloomberg, CNBC, and the BBC.
He is the author of the bestselling LEAP: How to Thrive in a World Where Everything Can Be Copied, a practical guide for companies determined to sustain innovation in fiercely competitive markets, which earned the Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal. Before joining IMD in 2011, Howard completed his doctorate at Harvard Business School and began his career as a banker in Hong Kong. As a speaker, Howard Yu equips leaders with the mindset and tools to anticipate disruption and shape the future of their industries with confidence.
Howard Yu Speaking Videos
Howard Yu
Howard Yu - Becoming Future-Ready
Howard Yu Keynote Topics
Adapting is no longer enough; the strongest companies anticipate change and act with strategic clarity. Drawing on years of original research, Howard Yu identifies what separates future-ready organizations from the rest and the behaviors that let them lead with confidence under uncertainty. He distills the findings into practical moves: engaging early with emerging technologies, building a culture of continuous learning, and scaling new ideas quickly in fast-moving markets. Tailored to each industry, this keynote gives leaders concrete strategies to build resilience and capture growth before competitors do.
Innovation rarely happens in isolation; it thrives where diverse minds meet and ideas are tested, challenged, and refined. In this energizing session, Howard Yu unpacks the three capabilities behind breakthrough innovation: creative abrasion, creative agility, and creative resolution. He shows how organizations can foster bold thinking and experimentation, and how cross-disciplinary collaboration becomes a strategic advantage. By building psychological safety, welcoming constructive conflict, and embracing iterative learning, teams can unlock their full creative potential and turn ideas into results.
When products and services are easily copied, sustainable growth depends on a company's ability to leap ahead of disruption. Based on his award-winning book LEAP, Howard Yu reveals how businesses escape the copycat trap by redefining their competitive edge. The keynote explores how to embrace digital transformation, harness emerging technologies, and reshape strategy for long-term advantage. Combining real-world examples with cutting-edge research, Howard offers a clear framework for leaders ready to innovate, evolve, and lead their industries forward.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Howard Yu
Why Howard Yu?
Howard Yu pairs the rigor of a LEGO® Professor at IMD and a Harvard-trained scholar with the clarity of a Thinkers50 Strategy Award winner, giving audiences research-grade insight delivered in plain, actionable terms. He has advised global leaders at Maersk, Bosch, Heineken, and Novo Nordisk, and his bestselling book LEAP has become a reference for companies fighting to stay ahead of disruption. Book Howard Yu through Aurum Speakers Bureau to help your leaders become future-ready.
What is Howard Yu's book LEAP about?
LEAP: How to Thrive in a World Where Everything Can Be Copied examines why some companies sustain success while rivals quickly imitate their products. Howard Yu argues that lasting advantage comes from continually moving to higher ground, combining deep knowledge with emerging technologies, rather than defending a position competitors can easily copy. The book won the Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal.
What does Howard Yu speak about?
Howard Yu's keynotes focus on future readiness, innovation, competitive strategy, and leading through disruption, blending original IMD research with examples from companies he advises. He tailors each talk for boards, executive teams, and senior leaders who need to anticipate change rather than react to it. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Howard Yu to your stage.
What is the Center for Future Readiness?
The Center for Future Readiness is a research initiative Howard Yu founded and directs at IMD Business School in partnership with the LEGO Brand Group. It studies how companies sustain long-term competitiveness and publishes the Future Readiness Indicator, an annual ranking that assesses how prepared major firms are for technological and market change.
How to book Howard Yu as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Howard Yu as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Howard Yu'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 Howard Yu or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Howard Yu speaking fee?
Howard Yu 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 Howard Yu 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 Howard Yu.
How can I contact Howard Yu?
We only work with Howard Yu on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Howard Yu and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Howard Yu 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 Howard Yu for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Howard Yu for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Howard Yu is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Howard Yu for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
