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2020 came with new dimensions of disruption. And most business leaders are now humbled with the real truth about their digital capabilities.
Despite this, most businesses have survived these times by applying heaven-sent advice from some leading voices with decades of experience in helping companies survive even more chronic disruptions.
“Which 3 advisors/influencers will you most likely recommend for digital transformation in your region?” – is the question we asked 352 business leaders in four regions of our continent.
And their responses converged to a short-list of top seventeen go-to advisors that business leaders believe have helped them directly or indirectly to lead and manage digital transformation. More than half the respondents said they benefited indirectly from the tips and ideas some of the advisors generously shared on social media.
North and South America
1. Brian Solis
Brian Solis is a world-renowned independent digital analyst, anthropologist, and futurist who has been called “one of the greatest digital analysts of our time.”
He consults, speaks, and writes books in which he humanizes disruptive trends to help leaders understand how technology, markets, and people are evolving and how to drive innovation and growth.
Brian’s latest books: (1) Lifescale: How to Live a More Creative, Productive and Happy Life, (2) X: The Experience When Business Meets Design, (3) What’s the Future of Business?
Website: BrianSolis.com | Twitter: @briansolis | LinkedIn: Brian Solis
2. Charlene Li
As a recognized expert in digital transformation and leadership, Charlene helps leaders and organizations thrive with disruption.
And she does this through consulting, speaking, serving on boards, and writing books like: “The Disruption Mindset: Why Some Organizations Transform While Others Fail.”
Whether you want to create a robust digital or social strategy or develop an employee engagement plan, Charlene actually partners with 400+ globally-based colleagues at Prophet.com to help you get as deep as your situation needs.
Website: charleneli.com | Twitter: @charleneli | LinkedIn: Charlene Li
3. Dr. Craig Brown
Dr. Craig Brown is a top Techpreneur and Technology expert covering 30+ years of various technological and innovative projects for top fortune 1000 companies.
He is a technology and business consultant for Big Data, Data Science, and Data Analytics.
Dr. Craig Brown offers unique advice to his followers on social media. Advice that is void of technical jargon, thereby helping ease challenges that most companies and professionals face daily.
Website: craigbrownphd.com | Twitter: @craigbrownphd | LinkedIn: Craig Brown, PhD
4. Melissa Swift
Melissa is a senior client partner at Korn Ferry, well-known for her humanist view of the workforce.
She stands out as a Global Workforce Transformation Leader – helping organizations move to New Ways of Working.
And she’s been cited elsewhere among the 20 digital transformation leaders to follow on Twitter in 2020.
Melissa can help specifically when it comes to leveraging data analytics to create extraordinary outcomes for your organization. Talk to Melissa especially now that the world is shifting to new ways of working.
Twitter: @meswift | LinkedIn: Melissa Swift
5. Tim Crawford
Tim Crawford is ranked as one of the top most influential CIOs regularly quoted in the Wall Street Journal, CIO.com, Forbes, SiliconAngle, and TechTarget.
Tim’s work differentiates and catapults organizations in transformative ways through the use of technology as a strategic lever.
And he takes a provocative, but pragmatic approach to the intersection of business and technology.
Tim shares insights from many industry conferences to his followers on social media, and also hosts the CIO In The Know podcast, featuring CIOs and top executives to discuss the top issues facing them today.
Twitter: @tcrawford | LinkedIn: Tim Crawford
6. George Firican
George Firican is an award-winning data governance and business intelligence leader, and founder of LightsOnData.com.
He offers free and valuable resources, as well as valuable training on data governance, artificial intelligence, business intelligence, data science, and data management.
And he has spoken about these topics in more than 30 different conferences worldwide.
Website: lightsondata.com | Twitter: @georgefirican | LinkedIn: George Firican
7. Marcus Borba
Marcus is a Global Thought Leader, recognized for his influence in Data Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Analytics, Deep Learning, Business Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Digital Transformation.
And he has developed data-driven solutions for companies for more than 20 years.
Apart from consulting, he offers a strong variety of news and analysis related to data and AI to his followers on social media.
Twitter: @marcusborba | LinkedIn: Marcus Borba
Europe
1. Rob Llewellyn
Rob helps business owners and other leaders capitalize on proven digital business frameworks to acquire more customers and generate new digital revenue channels.
And he is recognized for helping influential executives of Fortune 50 companies through private coaching too.
His recent book: The Transformation Files: 17 Insights to Inspire Managers and Leaders in the Transformation of a Digital Economy Business.
Rob also helps business leaders to learn and certify their digital transformation leadership and management skills, so they can stand out from the crowd.
Websites: cxotransform.com, robllewellyn.com | Twitter: @robertllewellyn | LinkedIn: Rob Llewellyn
2. Joanna Young
As an experienced CXO with wide-ranging experience, Joanna provides digital leadership and guidance to executives, teams, and individuals.
She has an impressive track record of helping start-ups to Fortune 100 on how best to take advantage of accelerating technology change for competitive differentiation
And she also shares useful tips, and free tutorials about digital transformation to her Twitter followers, and through her website.
Website: jcycio.com | Twitter: @jcycio | LinkedIn: Joanna Young
3. M. Nadia Vincent
Nadia is a Digital Transformation, AI, and Innovation Executive Advisor that has worked with Fortune 500 companies in both American and European continents.
She is an advisory board member, professional speaker, and author of the book “Leveraging Digital Transformation”.
And she is also the founder and CEO of Digital Transformation Leaders, an executive consulting firm and digital learning platform in digital transformation leadership and innovation.
Website: digitaltransformationleaders.com | Twitter: @ITTransLeaders | LinkedIn: M. Nadia Vincent, MBA
4. Ronald Van Loon
Ronald is a globally recognized thought leader helping to advance education in big data, IoT, AI, machine learning, 5G, deep learning, and other digital technologies.
He has built the Intelligent World platform that connects businesses, experts, and influencers to new audiences, and empowers them to collaborate, create and share exciting new content.
And through this platform, he offers possibilities for tech, AI, data, and analytics enthusiasts to receive in-depth education from the brightest minds across the world, as well as access opportunities for free coaching courses.
Website: intelligentworld.org | Twitter: @Ronald_vanLoon | LinkedIn: Ronald Van Loon
5. Kamales Lardi
Kamales Lardi has for the past two decades advised companies across various industries in mobilizing successful business and digital transformation initiatives, from strategy to execution.
And she has consolidated this experience to develop a Digital Business Transformation Strategy framework – a step-by-step guide for companies to lead and manage transformation.
Kamales has also given keynote speeches at over 80 major events, published articles and books, as well as lectured at esteemed institutions in Switzerland and UK, in addition to serving as an advisory board member and mentor to startups.
Website: lardipartner.com | Twitter: @KamLardi | LinkedIn: Kamales Lardi
Middle East
1. Vladimer Botsvadze
Vladimer Botsvadze is a globally-renowned, multi-award-winning digital transformation and influencer in social media marketing.
He’s a Fortune 500 consultant, thought leader, professor, keynote speaker, startup advisor, and TV commentator.
And through consulting, speaking, teaching, startup advising, and mentoring services, he has helped turn companies from groundbreaking ideas into fast-growing businesses.
Website: vladimerbotsvadze.com | Twitter: @VladoBotsvadze | LinkedIn: Vladimer Botsvadze
2. Prof. Samir EL-MASRI
Prof. Samir is without question a leading voice on digital transformation in the Middle East region.
With close to three decades of experience in the ICT industry across Europe, Australia, and Asia, he currently advises companies on how to take advantage of digital technologies to transform their businesses.
And with his pedagogic touch, he provides certifying courses on digital transformation at Digitalization.cloud, to equip professionals with the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy.
Apart from consulting, speaking, and writing about Blockchain, Big Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Industrial Internet of Things, and Cloud Computing, Prof. Samir recently founded The Global Artificial Intelligence Institute aimed at helping governments and businesses to develop and execute AI strategies.
Website: online.digitalization.cloud | Twitter: @drsamirelmasri | LinkedIn: Prof. Samir EL-MASRI
3. Gert Botha
Gert is an experienced Thought Leader, Management Consultant, ICT Entrepreneur, and CEO with extensive international experience providing bespoke business & technology solutions to companies.
His experience cuts across the Mining, Petrochemical, Public Sector, Financial Services & Banking, Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, Technology, High Tech & Electronics, Insurance, Manufacturing, Metal & Steel, Utilities, Professional Services, Retail and Automotive sectors.
Gert leads Hiving Technology – a multinational company specialized in designing and developing a range of innovative identity and IoT products.
Website: hiving.technology | Twitter: @gcmbotha| LinkedIn: Gert Botha
Asia
1. Sandeep Raut
Sandeep is the founder and CEO of Going Digital. He accumulates more than three decades of experience in IT and Consulting, as well as two decades in the Business Intelligence space.
And he has helped organizations establish digital vision and strategy, assess digital maturity, map customer journeys, develop mobile-first strategies, and new digital business models.
Sandeep also delivers keynote speeches around digital transformation topics.
Website: goingdigital.in | Twitter: @rautsan | LinkedIn: Sandeep Raut
2. Abhinav Singhal
Abhinav is a proven thought leader in Asia on digitalization and has delivered 20+ keynotes and media interviews, published multiple articles, whitepapers, and courses on this topic.
He accumulates over 12 years of international experience across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe with core expertise in strategy, business development and driving large scale digital transformations.
Abhinav also helps to advance education on digital transformation, through his Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 Masterclass course published on Udemy.
Twitter: @singhal_abhinav | LinkedIn: Abhinav Singhal
Special congratulations to these experts, and more grease to their elbows as they continue to help businesses, institutions, and leaders through tough times!
