Talks about the practical realities of implementing AI, leading through technological change, and designing technology that people actually trust. Not abstract theories or distant futures - what’s working right now, and what’s harder than the headlines suggest.
My presentations are built from hands-on experience leading AI transformations, building products used by millions, and advising executive teams across industries and continents. I combine energy and evidence - real-world examples, original research, and ideas audiences take home and use.
My co-authored book The AI Revolution reached #1 on Amazon AI charts globally, and my thinking - including the Four Modes and the cultural intelligence research - has been adopted by thousands of practitioners worldwide.
For speaking enquiries: john@chartwellspeakers.com
What audiences say
"Tey cuts through the usual tech hyperbole with refreshing clarity and unexpected humour. He speaks about complex technical concepts with the rare combination of depth and accessibility that comes from having both built the systems and led the teams."
- Attendee, WebSummit
"Real signal through the LinkedIn noise."
- Darren Homer, Partner, PwC
Signature talks
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The Four Modes: how leaders actually work with AI
Most AI training teaches people which buttons to press. This talk teaches leaders how to think - introducing a practical cognitive approach that transforms how teams work with AI. Built from 100+ real scenarios and battle-tested with leadership teams across industries. -
Cultural intelligence: why your AI works in Berlin and fails in São Paulo
Original research showing how major AI models embed Western cultural assumptions - and what that means for any organisation deploying AI globally. Featuring the Klarna case study and practical questions for testing cultural intelligence alongside technical performance. -
The trust gap: designing AI that people actually use
The most sophisticated AI system means nothing if people don't trust it. Drawing from twenty years of building products, this talk explores the behavioural dimension of AI adoption - how people actually form trust, make decisions, and adapt to change. -
Leadership when the tools change everything
AI isn't just changing what teams produce - it's changing how leaders need to think. This talk examines how successful leaders are adapting their decision-making, team structures, and management approaches, based on research across diverse organisations and real transformation experience. -
Responsible AI: from principles to practice
Ethics isn't a theoretical concern in AI - it's an engineering problem. Concrete approaches to building trust calibration systems, testing for bias, and creating governance that enables innovation rather than creating bureaucratic theatre.
Recent & upcoming stages
- World AI Cannes Festival, Cannes (2025, 2024, 2023)
- Design Matters, Copenhagen (2025, 2024, 2022, 2018)
- iF Design Trend Conference, Berlin (2025)
- 3daysofdesign, Copenhagen (2025, 2024)
- Founders Forum Global, Oxford (2024)
- AI Festival, Milan (2025)
- Packaging Innovations, Birmingham (2025)
- Bucharest Tech Week, Bucharest (2024)
- Leading Design, London (2024)
- AI Hot 100 Conference, New York (2024)
- Miro Canvas Leadership Summit, London (2024)
- Nedbank Create, Johannesburg (2023)
- Google Industry Webinar Series (2023)