We’re hearing the word ‘ecosystems’ more and more often. While some wonder whether it’s just hype, others question whether an ecosystem economy is the inevitable next step given the impact of big data and technological progress on the economy.

In the wake of waves of economic uncertainty, people are looking for stability and companies are pooling their expertise. That’s how we can (co-)create trailblazing solutions for the future. In short, ecosystems are businesses that are part of a network to deliver value to customers. It’s more than just hype; it’s a movement.

There are many different types of ecosystem. Yet Rik reveals how they all share the same building blocks and dynamics, as well as how those blocks generate a sensitive, responsive and learning organism that delivers value in the current environment.

The result is an anti-fragile system that, when it’s up and running, is sustainable – meaning that it’s built to last. Every company has the building blocks to become an ecosystem. You just need to develop the momentum that will drive the engine. Every company can craft the secret power to fuel an ecosystem: ‘the double flywheel’.

In this keynote Rik answers questions surrounding ecosystems and describes the building blocks, momentum and double flywheel. He delves into the basic rules of running an ecosystem and shows how you can translate the theory into actions and results. He combines big data, AI, genetic algorithms and customer centricity to produce an inspiring and motivational burst of energy.

Which explores how businesses can create short and long term value for their customers while also achieving their own sustainable business objectives. The keynote provides practical advice for businesses looking to create sustainable competitive advantage in the economy of the future.

Rik therefore never zooms in on just one single aspect, such as technology, HR, customer centricity or a specific part of the value chain. None of these aspects make sense without taking their connection to the others into account, as industry boundaries blur or disappear and value chains change dramatically. Companies have to adapt and want to reposition themselves. Rik wants to include them in the story ‘how to still be relevant to people and society in 2035’ to show them how to do so.

The keynote is always tailored to the event, industry, audience or context. In addition, it is a lively, energetic and practical session to give you the tools you need to add value to your customers or organisation in the future.

Shaping the future: navigating digital disruption, polarisation and climate collapse with the power of storytelling.

In this keynote, Rik takes the audience on a journey of 30 years of digital disruption. In doing so, he sheds light – on the one hand – on the massive challenges humankind is facing while – on the other – showing that we have an enormous problem of our own making. There is no Houston to save us; we are Houston.

The dawn of two-way communication provoked an unexpected turning point in human history; we’re too close to it to fully appreciate the staggering consequences. In this keynote, Rik talks about the good, the bad and the ugly that we have all caused with technology. He will discuss the ambiguities of disruption, artificial intelligence, privacy, the Capitol riot, grandchildren and Mark Zuckerberg in his own daring way, provoking you while putting things into perspective. Rik dissects unguided digital disruptors and sleep-walking incumbents, the tech generation, old captains of industry and many modern-day hypes. He calls everything into question in a critical analysis of the current (digital) context.

Rik manages to associate well-known icons from popular culture with the turning points in technological developments. That’s how he comes to talk about ‘the Upside Down’ from
Stranger Things
, business books like 
Hooked
, literature like 
Lord of the Flies
, art by Magritte, lyrics by The Beatles and anecdotes of personal encounters with Alexander Nix and Sir Tim Berners-Lee. He combines all of this in an unusual but captivating story that seems to have an unhappy ending, but that suddenly becomes deeply hopeful for the next 30 years.

Rik doesn’t just focus on the biggest problems, he also emphasises and plays on the power of storytelling to stimulate the human brain. Neuroscience has shown us that stories can help us understand complex problems, connect with others, and change the way in which we interact with each other and the planet.

‘Houston, we have a problem’
is like a painting by Breugel: lively, rich and full of discoveries. It’s a strong yet incredibly positive call to action. The clock is ticking…

In this keynote, Rik f
ocuses on the importance of agility in business and provides a framework for organisations to adapt and thrive in the face of disruption and change.

It’s hard to know where to begin when rewriting the rule book in the Twilight Twenties. Based on his wealth of experience as a C-level manager at global companies in Red Ocean markets, Rik showcases a number of basic principles in innovation that stand the test of time. He also illustrates how the context in which companies have to innovate has drastically changed. Rik shares his insights into the impact this has had on innovation within companies and how they can continue to blaze a trail.

To do this, Rik provides a few compelling examples including tech pioneers like Jack Ma and companies like Tesla. He scrutinises the good sense and nonsense of old models like Porter’s 5 and explains underlying trends using the Red Queen Theory (
Alice in Wonderland
) in biology. To conclude, Rik suggests various models that can be used to stay on the cutting edge as well as recommendations that every company can embrace.

“Time corrodes both content and structure. Today, faster than ever before.”

What is the best strategy for the digital world? How can you deal with unpredictability? How is it possible, both as an entrepreneur and as an enterprise, to keep in sync with the outside world, the world of technology and the world of the consumer?  Where do you focus your attention? Which of the countless possibilities do you explore? How can you redesign your company to make it sustainably relevant? Which technological wave do you need to surf? What do you have to build up and what do you have to tear down?

The questions that Rik wanted to answer in his book are more relevant than ever before as the changes in the outside world and those of the consumer are more devastating than we could ever have imagined in 2018. The waves of change are not only driven by technology, but are being amplified by the disruptive force of a virus that has killed the world as we have known it for many decades in just a couple of weeks. And that has created room for a completely new world of unknown ecosystems, business models and customer behaviour.

In this keynote Rik re-visits his book and re-defines what management should be like for Managers in this New Day After Tomorrow.

We must quickly realize the significance of human intervention and the tremendous opportunity of the future: how humans and AI can collaborate. The key challenge of tomorrow lies in mastering the art of cooperation between humans and AI.

Rik dives into the concept of dual usage in AI. It is vital to acknowledge that AI can be both a tremendous force for good and a potential source of harm – and we must not forget the “ugly” in-between. AI can have profoundly positive effects on society. It can aid in medical diagnoses, enhance traffic management, spur innovation, and increase efficiency across various sectors. However, on the flip side, we must remain aware of its potential for misuse. AI can be exploited for malicious purposes, such as spreading misinformation, orchestrating cyberattacks, influencing elections, or even developing autonomous weapons systems.

And let’s not neglect the “ugly,” as Rik likes to call it – the unintended consequences or side effects of AI usage. Bias in algorithms is a prime example, leading to unintended discriminatory decisions by AI. Job displacement due to automation is another aspect we need to consider.

Given these complexities, it becomes evident that addressing the major challenges facing humanity, society, and businesses requires optimizing numerous interconnected variables in a complicated and dynamic balance. Humans are not naturally adept at this task, which is where AI comes in as an incredible ally in the form of augmented intelligence.

In this keynote Rik will delve into the impact of AI on businesses and demonstrate how companies can embrace AI and prepare for the not-so-distant future. Being ready for augmented intelligence and outpacing the competition is crucial. Rik will reveal actionable steps that businesses can take today to be at the forefront. So, if you wish to be well-prepared for the era of augmented intelligence and gain a substantial competitive advantage, don’t miss this keynote.