Dr. John Kao

Chairman, Institute for Large Scale Innovation, Bestselling Author of "Innovation Nation" and "Jamming: The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity"

Travels From Travels From:
San Jose, CA, USA
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Dr. John Kao Biography

Dubbed a "serial innovator" and "Mr. Creativity" by The Economist, he has made a career out of helping organizations go from "getting" the importance of innovation to "getting innovation done". John has worked with a wide range of Fortune 500 companies, startups and government agencies around practical issues of strategic innovation and organizational transformation.

In addition to his other accomplishments, John is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, sought-after keynote speaker, Tony-nominated producer and business pioneer. For 14 years, he taught at Harvard Business School, where he developed courses, lectures and executive seminars that addressed the topics of entrepreneurship, venture management, innovation, leadership and organizational change. He has also been a visiting professor at the MIT Media Lab and is at present the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Innovation at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.

John is well known as a thought leader in the innovation field. He is author of "Jamming: The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity", a Business Week best-seller that has been published in 12 languages. He was recently named one of the 200 most creative Americans and one of the 200 top management authorities worldwide.

John has previously founded companies in life sciences, innovation and e-services, and feature film production. He has advised governments and companies worldwide. He also serves as Vice President of Arts & Business in the UK and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. John has produced both film and theatre; his credits include: production executive on sex, lies, and videotape, executive producer of Mr. Baseball and producer of Golden Child.

John's experience in the design field is multifaceted. He chaired the Aspen Design Conference in 1995, which took up the question of reinventing the relationship between design and business, and edited a monograph based on the conference called "Designing Business". He has collaborated with a variety of world renowned designers, including David Rockwell, Nigel Holmes and David Carson. His approach to innovation is strongly informed by the disciplines of design.

John has broad experience in public speaking and executive education. He has given keynote addresses for such organizations as IBM, Intel, Accenture, The U.S. Navy, Nokia, Milia, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Government of Ireland, The U.S. Department of Commerce, The American Marketing Association, Fortune magazine, Forbes magazine, Business Week, Citibank, The World Economic Forum, Global Business Network, the TED Conferences, Columbia Pictures and the Government of Singapore.

John's keynote speeches on innovation are distinguished for their vivid call to arms as well as their practical and original frameworks for action. He has been known to illustrate the fundamentals of innovation (of "jamming", in his words) by playing jazz piano in a way that provides musical examples of the innovation process at work. He has "performed" such illustrations before audiences at Madison Square Garden and the Grand Ole Opry.

Born in Chicago, John Kao was trained in philosophy (B.A., Yale College), psychiatry (M.D., Yale Medical School; residency, Harvard Medical School) and business (M.B.A., Harvard Business School).

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 04/20/2024.

Dr. John Kao Videos

  • John Kao - The beginner's guide to innovating
  • John Kao - The importance of purpose for innovation
  • 2012 GSWS Keynote Speaker: John Kao

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  • What topics does Dr. John Kao speak about?

    Dr. John Kao is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Business, Business Leadership, Creativity, Innovation, Leadership, Marketing, Motivational, Sales.
  • Where does Dr. John Kao travel from?

    Dr. John Kao generally travels from San Jose, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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Dr. John Kao is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Dr. John Kao for your event is $50,000 - $100,000. Dr. John Kao generally travels from San Jose, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Robert Kriegel, Richard Florida, Chris Hughes, Peter Sheahan and Mark Zuckerberg. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Dr. John Kao for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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