Kate O'Neill, professional global keynote speaker

As a globally recognized keynote speaker and thought leader, I deliver transformative insights at the intersection of technology, business, and human experience. My talks inspire and equip leaders to navigate digital transformation while creating meaningful human experiences at scale.

Selected speaking engagements demonstrate impact across sectors:

- GLOBAL LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION
    - United Nations: Multiple keynotes on data-driven innovation and human experience
    - World Government Summit (Dubai): Future of work presentation to world leaders
    - Amsterdam's Future-Readiness Initiative: Strategic city transformation
- FORTUNE 500 & ENTERPRISE
    - Executive keynotes for Google, IBM, Adobe, Microsoft, Cisco
    - Digital transformation strategies for Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Charles Schwab
    - Innovation workshops for HCA Healthcare, Northwestern Mutual
- SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE
    - Tech Innovation: Talks at Google series, Etsy Engineering Day
    - Academic Leadership: Guest lectures at Cambridge, Harvard, Yale
    - Industry Events: INBOUND, O'Reilly Strata + Hadoop World London

Speaking topics include:

- • The Tech Humanist Approach to Digital Transformation
- • AI Ethics and Responsible Innovation
- • Future-Ready Leadership in a Tech-Driven World
- • Creating Meaningful Human Experiences at Scale

Available for keynotes, executive workshops, and strategic advisory sessions. Past audiences have included C-suite executives and senior leaders from Fortune 500 companies, tech innovators, and global organizations committed to responsible digital transformation.

Professional Keynote Speaker

The Tech Humanist Show

The Tech Humanist Show is a multi-format program exploring how data and technology shape the human experience. Available as both a podcast and video series, the show features in-depth conversations with influential thinkers and leaders in ethical AI, privacy, and emerging technology. Distinguished guests have included Dr. Rumman Chowdhury (former Twitter Director of ML Ethics), David Ryan Polgar (Founder of All Tech Is Human), Dr. Safiya Noble (author of "Algorithms of Oppression"), and Yanis Varoufakis (former finance minister of Greece and author of “Technofeudalism”), among other visionary voices shaping the future of technology and humanity.

Creator, Host, Executive Producer

KO Insights

KO Insights is a premier strategic advisory firm transforming how global organizations navigate the intersection of technology and humanity. We specialize in human-centric digital transformation, AI ethics, and meaningful innovation at scale.

Our expertise delivers measurable impact through executive advisory services, transformative keynotes, and strategic workshops. We help organizations harness emerging technologies while prioritizing meaningful human experiences and responsible innovation.

Select client engagements showcase our impact across sectors:

- Guided a FORTUNE 50 TECH GIANT in developing ethical AI frameworks and human-centric product strategies
- Partnered with a GLOBAL CONSUMER BRAND LEADER to revolutionize their digital customer experience across 100+ markets
- Led digital transformation strategy for a MAJOR HEALTHCARE NETWORK, focusing on patient experience optimization
- Advised a LEADING SMART CITY INITIATIVE on human-centric IoT implementation
- Facilitated strategic innovation workshops for MULTIPLE FORTUNE 100 EXECUTIVE TEAMS

Our client portfolio includes Fortune 100 corporations, global tech leaders, prestigious universities (including Harvard, Cambridge, Yale), major healthcare institutions, government agencies, and the United Nations. We've worked with recognized brands such as Google, IBM, Adobe, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, and McDonald's, delivering transformative insights that drive both business success and human benefit.

We share our insights globally through books, articles, and thought leadership collaborations with major organizations. My upcoming book "What Matters Next: A Leader's Guide to Making Human-Friendly Tech Decisions in a World That's Moving Too Fast" (2025, Wiley and Thinkers50) continues this tradition.

Founder & CEO / Chief Tech Humanist (Expert Consultant/Advisor, Author, Speaker)

Professional Global Keynote Speaker

Leading Authorities, Inc.

BigSpeak Speakers Bureau

Keppler Speakers

London Speaker Bureau

Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve

Have consulted on strategy projects for Fortune 500 clients, including go-to-market consumer strategy for a new pharmaceutical device, as well as providing expert input on trends for client projects from time to time.

Consulting Strategist / Member of "TalentBank" Panel of Experts

Deep Focus

Stepped in temporarily to lead strategy definition for a client roster including household-name consumer brands and global organizations.

Strategy Consultant

Known globally as the "Tech Humanist," Kate O'Neill is a leading voice on AI ethics, responsible tech, and human-centric digital transformation. As a sought-after expert, she advises Fortune 500 leaders and speaks at high-profile events worldwide on navigating our tech-driven future while prioritizing human experiences.

Kate's unique blend of "Strategic Optimism" and tech expertise has made her an in-demand consultant for organizations facing complex challenges in emerging technologies, climate change, and rapid digital transformation. Her insights help businesses innovate responsibly, balancing technological advancement with human values.

Career highlights:

- Author of six books, including the forthcoming "What Matters Next: A Leader's Guide to Making Human-Friendly Tech Decisions in a World That's Moving Too Fast"
- Shortlisted for the prestigious Thinkers50 Digital Thinking Award
- Featured expert on BBC, WIRED, NPR, and other major media outlets
- Pioneering roles: First content management position at Netflix, built Toshiba's first intranet

With over 25 years of cross-functional expertise in technology, strategy, and innovation, Kate has consistently been at the forefront of digital industry practices. Her work spans from data analytics and IoT to AI and machine learning, always with a focus on creating meaningful, scalable human experiences.

Recognized as "Technology Entrepreneur of the Year" and "Strategist of the Year," Kate continues to shape the global conversation on how businesses can thrive in the digital age while making a positive impact on humanity.

For more information, visit: http://www.koinsights.com/about/about-kate-oneill/

Latest book available for pre-order at: 
https://www.amazon.com/What-Matters-Next-Human-Friendly-Decisions/dp/1394296428/

Kate O'Neill

Sheltered Harbor

Business Development Consultant

TEXGHS Innovation Consortium

Founding Team Member

Austin Technology Incubator

ATI is a deep tech incubator affiliated with The University of Texas at Austin that serves student and faculty entrepreneurs and community founding teams to explore deep technology solutions that address the world's challenges.

TEXVMS Mentor

EPIcenterUS

EPIcenter, a nonprofit energy innovation and thought leadership hub which propels energy innovation.  The nonprofit, established in 2015, focuses on ways to make the production and consumption of energy faster, smarter, cleaner, and more efficient.   EPIcenter Energy Incubator and Accelerator (EEIA). Incubator Clients are matched with a team of Mentors and Subject Matter Experts based on their specific business needs. The teams are coordinated by an EPIcenter Coach. 

A Startup’s Guide to Adapting to COVID-19, Part I. Great panel in which I recently participated.

EEIA Mentor

Cleantech Open

My Roles: Business Mentor & Lead| Fund Raising| Member of South Central (SC) Leadership Team
Cleantech Open runs the world’s largest clean technology accelerator program. Since 2006, Cleantech Open has worked with over 1,500 early stage cleantech innovators, helping them develop their business models, engage investors and secure first customers. Each year, over 150 companies participate in one of the Cleantech Open US, Global Climate Innovation or Global Ideas programs. Once a year, the best innovators from across these programs come together in celebration of their progress and impact in creating an inclusive green global economy.

Business Mentor

SYNQY Corporation

The Next Generation Retail Ad| SaaS-based retail media platform 

SYNQY's (pronounced sync-ee) Enhanced Product Listings are a new type of advertising designed to replace or complement your existing retail media.  


Who I Serve? Retailers| CPG Brands

Client Success & Growth

Del Oro Consulting, Inc. @ Cisco Systems

Go-to-Market/Business Development Consultant

Data & Analytics Software Incubation & Strategy Team: Team had Global responsibility for pioneering data and analytics research, integrated solutions, machine learning & cognitive analytics incubation. Team responsibility included- R&D, Partnerships, Investment, P&L for new software solutions.  

Major areas of effort-
•Co-contributor to Acceleration of OEM partnership bringing two automated machine learning software products to market within six months
-Led Go-to-Market strategy and sales enablement across multiple Cisco direct and overlay sales teams.
-Supported business development & sales teams for client engagements for incubation products& solutions.
-Led GTM strategy, content creation and channel partner enablement for Cisco IoT Partners

•For joint Cisco & IBM IoT Watson & Edge Analytics Solution-
-Led joint Team work tracks for GTM on Sales and Services.
-Co-contributor to joint offering creation and GTM

Software Platform Group: Services incubation team focused on defining business and new offer requirements for SaaS solution to deliver business analytics for IT Telecom/Communication operations. Solution provided correlation of dissimilar data (network, device, software) with customer’s IT Telecom/Communications OPEX spend and performance.
Major areas of effort- 
•Co-creation of GTM (Go-to-Market) strategy and business plan. 
•Market assessment|market intelligence: TAM analysis, market trend insight & competitive analysis
•Execution of product development lifecycle process for new product introduction, including financial, engineering, security, legal, supply chain, operations, sales and marketing aspects.
•Led creation of sales enablement tools for Cisco Direct sales across multiple account teams and regions. Customer-facing content used for customer recruitment.

Other: During Cisco projects, gained experience with various product management Tools used by Cisco including Agile methodology, JIRA, Smartsheets.

Nashville Entrepreneur Center

Nashville based hub for entrepreneurs with the environment, tools and connections necessary to drive a scalable business. Create, Launch, Grow.

Mentors share a love for driving innovation and helping passionate entrepreneurs realize their dreams. Mentors apply a lifetime of business experience to help startups launch effectively.

Mentor

Jumpstart Foundry

Jumpstart Foundry (JSF)- Seed stage healthcare innovation Fund.

As a Mentor/Coach, my job was to share my experience, resources, knowledge, and connections to help tech-oriented business 'ideas' prepare for becoming real.

Mentor for the Jumpstart Foundry

MassMutual Financial Group

-Federal Licensing: Series 6 & 63-Completed in 90 days of hiring while achieving sales goals
-Technology Industry Focus: Worked with Individuals and Businesses on Wealth Management Solutions, Estate Planning, Retirement Planning, Key Employee Benefits. 

-Sandler Sales Training (https://www.sandler.com/)

Financial Services Professional

‘Swiss Army Knife’ technology commercialization professional. Proven End-to-End GTM (Go-to-Market) capabilities- Strategy, Planning, Execution & Operations.  Over 25 years of diverse experience in Silicon Valley technology community from start-up (pre & post-IPO) to Global 2000 companies. 

My Fuel: Commercializing new ideas & technology: Building the bridge to solve customer problems and make customers successful. Passion to master new technologies & business processes (Agile | Job-To-Be-Done | Digital Transformation).

Key Competencies & Skills: 
Consultative & Complex Solution Selling| Alliance, Channel & Business Development| Customer Acquisition, Retention & Expansion| New Product Launch| Market Research & Competitive Analysis| Contract Negotiations & IP Protection| Business & Financial Models| Consulting| Sales Enablement| Cross Functional Collaboration| Team Leadership| Mentoring

Technology Experience: 
IT- Software (On Premise, SaaS, PaaS, IaaS) | IoT| Analytics| Cloud| Security| Middleware| Enterprise Applications| Services
Other- Cleantech| Renewable| Circular Economy| Advanced Materials & Chemicals

Industries:
Hight Tech| Manufacturing| Financial Services| Public Sector | Retail | Energy  

Contact Me: dlyftogt@gmail.com

taplio

The Battle

Kate O'Neill

Dennis Lyftogt

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?