Date
Friday, October 18
4:30PM EST
Location
Olin College of Engineering
In person, invitation-only event
Friday, October 18, 2024 | 4:30-5:45 p.m. | Norden Auditorium
Olin College is pleased to welcome renowned author, entrepreneur and acclaimed international speaker, Frans Johansson to campus where he will deliver an inspirational talk on the importance of diversity in driving innovation. Johansson is the author of The Medici Effect: Breakthrough Insights at the Intersection of Ideas, Concepts, and Cultures.
At Olin, we thrive at the intersection of interdisciplinary collaboration and diverse perspectives, harnessing the unique insights and experiences of our community to fuel innovation and tackle complex challenges. We look forward to welcoming Johansson to this special Alumni and Family Weekend event.
About the speaker:
An author, entrepreneur, and advisor to executive leaders, Frans Johansson has inspired audiences worldwide – in virtually every industry and across disciplines, from creatives to engineers, financiers to scientists, and politicians to humanitarians – with his ideas on leadership and success, innovation, and diversity, while his practical insights have empowered thousands to take action.
Johansson’s debut book, The Medici Effect, was hailed by innovation legend Clay Christensen as “one of the most insightful books on managing innovation that I have ever read,” while his follow up, The Click Moment, was cited by Fast Company as the book that challenges traditional business-school thinking. Since its publication, The Medici Effect has become the definitive book on diversity driving innovation, influencing numerous industries and fields such as architecture, design, economic development, education, scientific research, and investing.
As an innovation thought leader, Johansson has advised executive leadership at Fortune 500 companies such as Walt Disney Company, IBM, Nike, Pfizer and Synchrony Financial. He has been featured on ABC, CNN, CNBC, the PBS Newshour, and National Public Radio. Currently, Johansson is the CEO of Medici Next, which he recently launched to disrupt traditional behavior change management in the workplace.
Raised in Sweden by his African American/Cherokee mother and Swedish father, Johansson has lived all his life at the intersection. He has written articles on healthcare, information technology, and the science of sport fishing. Throughout his career, Frans has founded a software company, an international healthcare firm, and a hedge fund. Johansson holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Brown University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.