Speaking

During show and tell in first grade, my teacher had to beg me to stop talking—what can I say, I like telling stories.

I suppose, little has changed now that I'm an adult: I've given talks around the world, to companies large and small—no two talks have ever been the same, but I've loved delivering every one of them.

In my talks, I bridge insights and evidence from the social sciences, management studies, and history to explore questions of leadership, management, and technology.

My talks are fast-paced, story-rich, and crafted to surprise—delivering the kind of counterintuitive, “I never thought about it that way” insights that stick with audiences long after the session ends.

Compilation from European HR Week 2025

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  • “Martin brings a unique historian’s perspective that keeps us grounded in human-centred values, learnings and future endeavours. In times of AI and fast technological advancement, Martin invites us to think creatively and exercise critical reasoning. It is a pleasure to have Martin as a guest speaker; he is a very fearless one!”

    —Elisabete Ramalho, Google

  • "Martin captivated our 500+ person audience with his engaging and poignant talk on crisis leadership and what it means to lead in a crisis-dense world. Martin has a great appeal when he speaks to an international audience, he is humble and authoritative at the same time."

    —Patricia Sánchez, Global Crisis Preparedness Director, Dow

  • Martin is a masterful and engaging speaker, who blends captivating stories with clear, actionable takeaways. Our audience loved every minute of his talk!

    —Leo Staub, Zurich Corporate Law Event

Recent Audiences

Keynote topics

My keynotes are always evolving to meet the needs of companies and the realities of our ever-changing, complex world.

Here are the four core areas I tend to speak on:

Based on the TED talk that became a global sensation, this talk reconsiders our definition of effective leadership, highlighting that true greatness lies in preventing crises rather than responding dramatically to them.

Attendees learn to appreciate the often-overlooked skill of crisis prevention and learn to cultivate the three universal traits of effective leaders in times of uncertainty: fluency in context, a balance of humility and confidence, and a pragmatic mindset.

Effective Leadership

Creative and strategic in equal measure, our marketing director brings fresh ideas to every campaign. They turn insights into action and help our message resonate with the right audience.

Uncertainty and Crisis

What really drives high-performance teams in today’s complex, high-pressure environments? In this provocative and energizing talk, Martin dismantles conventional leadership myths to reveal a more grounded truth: the best teams aren’t built on star talent alone.

Leading High-Performance Teams

Combining sharp historical insight, witty anecdotes, state-of-the-field research, and actionable foresight, this talk delivers a powerful new lens for understanding AI, not as a technical challenge, but as a leadership imperative.

Drawing parallels to past technological disruptions, the talk shows why this moment demands not just digital adaptation, but a fundamental shift in how we relate to each other at work (and in society in general) and therefore a shift in how leaders must lead.

Leadership and Work in the Age of AI

To book me or to find out about my availability and rates, Please contact my speaking agency:

PepTalk - New York & London

US: +1 737 888 5112

UK: +44 203 835 2929