Jay Samit

International bestselling author Jay Samit is a dynamic entrepreneur and intrepreneur who is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on disruption and innovation. Described by Wired magazine as “having the coolest job in the industry,” he raises hundreds of millions of dollars for startups, advises Fortune 500 firms, transforms entire industries, revamps government institutions, and for three decades continues to be at the forefront of global trends.

Everyone from the Pope to the President calls on Samit to orchestrate positive change in this era of endless innovation. Samit is a former NASDAQ company CEO who helped grow pre-IPO companies such as LinkedIn, held senior management roles at EMI, Sony and Universal Studios, pioneered breakthrough advancements in mobile video, internet advertising, ecommerce, social networks, digital music and augmented reality that are used by billions of consumers every day. Combining innovation with commercial success, Samit is the consummate dealmaker; his list of partners and associates reads like a who’s who list of innovators, including: Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, Steve Jobs, Reid Hoffman, David Geffen, Richard Branson, Paul Allen, and Pierre Omidyar. A proven trend spotter, Samit accurately predicts the future because he is constantly working with those who create it.

An adjunct professor at USC, Samit teaches innovation at America’s largest engineering school and is author of "Disrupt You! Master Personal Transformation, Seize Opportunity, and Thrive in the Era of Endless Innovation" which is available in fourteen languages. His column on exponential technologies (artificial intelligence, augmented reality, autonomous vehicles, Blockchain, etc.) is published bi-weekly in Fortune and he recently hosted the documentary series "Wall Street Journal Startup of the Year." Samit frequently appears on ABC, Bloomberg, CBS, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, NBC and tweets daily motivation to the over 100,000 business professionals who follow him on twitter @jaysamit. An expert on transformational corporate change, Samit has been quoted in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Economist, Businessweek, Forbes, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Variety, Fast Company and TechCrunch.

Samit is also a sought after keynote speaker, who combines his bold vision and humor to motivate audiences to become change agents within their organizations. Samit gets people passionate about innovation, overcoming obstacles, and teaches them how to think bigger.

An active philanthropist, Samit was appointed to the White House’s initiative for education and technology by President Bill Clinton where he helped gain Internet access for the nation’s schools. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of UCLA and Presidential Fellow. Samit is a member of the Writers Guild of America and a voting member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Samit worked his way through school as a magician and is still a performing member of the Magic Castle (Academy of Magical Arts) in Hollywood. He is the proud father of two sons who are magicians in their own right.