Meet
Chris Griffiths

The #1 keynote speaker on innovation, creativity and mind mapping

Discover how to become more productive by:

  • Stopping ‘Busy Fool’ syndrome
  • Unlocking the power of focused daydreaming
  • Making innovation repeatable
  • Thinking without the box
 

Quote Begin Chris Griffiths advises the largest companies in the world to be better. Quote End

Companies banner

Inspire your team, grow your business

Find out why the senior leadership teams of the European Commission, Pfizer, State Bank of India, Stanford University and many other organisations across the globe, have invited Chris Griffiths to kickstart their creativity, systemise their innovation, restore their resilience, and reverse quiet quitting. Chris has helped Nobel laureates, Governments, Royal Families, CEOs and 1000’s more. Get him and his team involved in your next event. 

Chris discussing creativity on BBC World News

 

The Creative Thinking Handbook
GRASP The Solution

Transform your thinking

Chris is the founder of OpenGenius, a company focused on helping transform thinking, creativity and learning. His technology solutions have been used by millions of individuals to clarify thinking, generate game-changing ideas, and turn ideas into action. He is a bestselling author on creativity, mind mapping and innovative thinking skills, with his latest book published by Kogan Page, ‘The Creative Thinking Handbook’ now available in 10 languages. Previous titles include ‘GRASP The Solution’ that ranked as the #1 book on Amazon under ‘Decision Making’, and ‘Mind Maps for Business’ co-authored with Tony Buzan.

 

CEO Today magazine ranked Chris’ book as the #1 business book to help inspire creativity and innovation in business

CEO Today

Forbes also chose The Creative Thinking Handbook as one of the best books to get your creative juices flowing.

Forbes best books

 

 

Software

Chris has always been passionate about using technology to drive creativity and productivity. His apps iMindMap, Droptask, and now Ayoa have empowered millions worldwide to unlock their creative potential. Chris has liberated learners and professionals from linear thought, facilitating without-the-box thinking. Ayoa takes a human centric and brain friendly approach. Get started at Ayoa.com.

Ayoa Software

 

Chris at London Stock Exchange

Chris speaking at the London Stock Exchange

Promote a growth mindset

As a serial entrepreneur, Chris doesn’t just talk the talk, and has founded several businesses. He set-up his first company aged 18, which he sold when he was 26. His companies have ranked in the ‘European Deloitte Fast 50’ and the ‘Sunday Times / London Stock Exchange Fasttrack 100.’ Chris has launched four apps that have each grown to over 1m users. His current product Ayoa is a personal knowledge management tool that uses mind mapping to help people think more creatively and get the right things done. Chris often talks about how teams can build grit and resilience. He has had many difficult times as well as good, and shares this in an open and honest way during his talks. He helps audiences understand that failure and success are not opposites, but are part of the same process, empowering teams to take a chance on change.

 

 

Thought leadership

Chris regularly contributes articles to a number of major publications. These articles span topics as varied and important as the future of work, rebooting a creative mindset, being positive in work and many, many more. Recent articles and comments have appeared in GQ, The Telegraph, Director Magazine, Minute Hack and Chris regularly contributes to Forbes.com. As a world leader in the innovation field, Chris regularly takes part in interviews on TV, the radio and podcasts. This includes several appearances on BBC News.

A selection of outlets Chris has been featured in:

Smart Manager Mag
CEO Today
GQ magazine
Indian Managment Mag
Director mag
Harvard Business Review Mag
HR Mag

 

Experience Chris in Action

Watch video TEDx Cardiff

See Chris on the
TEDx Cardiff stage

Watch video TEDx Cardiff

Chris discussing well-being in the workplace on BBC News

Watch video Heart Breakfast

Chris speaks about daydreaming on Heart Radio

Watch Chris Griffiths on BBC World News

Can Creativity be taught? – Chris on BBC World News

 

Helping others change the world

Chris also donates his time to ‘not for profit’ initiatives, helping even the brightest of minds to drive innovation to change the world for the better. This includes facilitating brainstorming sessions at The Petra Nobel Conference, held in Jordan, where over 40 Nobel Laureates gathered to discuss strategies to end child hunger and poverty.

Chris with the Dalai Lama

Chris with the Dalai Lama at the Petra Nobel Conference

 

Past events

Chris’ past events as a guest speaker and consultant have included:

  • The European Commission, The Hague
  • AXA Wealth, UK
  • Institute of Financial Planners, UK
  • State Bank of India, UK
  • Healthcare People Management Association, UK
  • European Academy for Direct and Interactive Marketing
  • The National Health Service (NHS), UK
  • Academy Wales, Welsh Government, UK
  • European Academy of Direct Marketing, UK
  • Biggerplate Conference Unplugged, UK
  • The Sunday Times Business Roadshow events, UK
  • LikeMinds Innovation Conference, UK
  • Lambert Smith Hampton (ES-group), UK
  • Global Pets Forum, Nice, France
  • Dimensional Fund Advisors, London
  • Pfizer Inc., Kent
  • European Business Awards, Warsaw
  • Petra Nobel – Conference of Nobel Laureates, Jordan
  • Digital-Tuesday.com, UK
  • Diamond Sphere Trading LLP, Monaco
  • ICON 2014, Prague
  • Singapore Institute of Management, Singapore
  • Optimiza Academy, Khartoum, Sudan
  • Ideas First Conference, Ukraine
  • Turnitin, Newcastle, UK
  • The Scottish Parliament, Scotland
  • Unlimited Power – Affiliate Marketing, Dubai
  • Sharjah Business Women Council, Tec Marina, Wales
  • TEDx Cardiff, Wales
  • TEDx ODED, University of South Wales
  • London Stock Exchange, UK
  • Shenzhen Stock Exchange, China
  • Stanford University CME Live, US
  • Medline Inc, USA

 

Testimonials

Standford University Logo

Chris was asked to do a keynote at Stanford University. Feedback from attendees provided the following results:

99%

Speaker

97%

Content

98%

Engagement

Top comment:

"Great info for being successful in current times."

 

AXA Wealth logo

Chris delivered a series of events on innovation for over 200 staff members of all levels, for AXA Wealth, in a bid to get staff thinking differently and boost innovation within the organisation. Feedback from the attendees was summarised by AXA Wealth into the wordle shown here . . .

Feedback word cloud

 

Jan Mühlfeit, Executive coach/mentor, former chairman of Microsoft Europe, author of The Positive Leader

Quote Begin ... a powerful, hands-on approach to tap into our creative flow and become masters in our chosen field. An essential resource for anyone looking to ‘be different’ and create at their highest capacity! Quote End

Jan Mühlfeit, Executive coach/mentor, former chairman of Microsoft Europe, author of The Positive Leader

Tim Hurson

Quote Begin Chris shows with clarity and persuasiveness that creative thinking is not magic, but a process that can be learned, developed, and most importantly applied to the challenges, whether business or personal, that confront us all. Quote End

Tim Hurson Author of 'Think Better: An Innovator's Guide to Productive Thinking'

Bob Urichuck

Quote Begin Organisations are proclaiming the need to work smarter – Chris Griffiths provides a map of how to do that. Quote End

Bob Urichuck Author

Mike Palmer

Quote Begin The course was the cherry on the cake for me. It offered many new insights. I was inspired by the course, instructors and other delegates alike. Quote End

Mike Palmer Logistics SME, Boeing

Dominic McKenny

Quote Begin Truly life changing… opened my eyes to thinking differently and being more creative. Many colleagues noticed the change and the business is ultimately seeing the benefit. Quote End

Dominic McKenny Director of IT, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

Peter Estlin

Quote Begin A really inspiring and pragmatic guide to innovation and creativity, key drivers of great businesses. Quote End

Peter Estlin Former Lord Mayor of the City of London

 

 

Neurodiversity and Inclusion

Chris is a strong supporter of neurodiversity, and through the charity The Inspire Genius Foundation, he is on a mission to help promote inclusion and raise awareness of how neurodivergent thinkers can add massive value to any organisation. Chris also donates the profits from his latest book to the charity. 

Neurodiversity

 

Book Chris Griffiths for your next event

FAQs

Chris is considered one of the world’s leading experts on systemising innovation and he talks about creativity, decision making, strategic thinking, resilience and how to obtain an ‘everything is possible’ mindset. Minds, like parachutes, work best when open, and Chris strives to kick-start events by motivating audiences to think ‘without the box!’

A mix of sharing his knowledge and personal experiences, combined with active participation. Chris believes the best way to help people understand is to get them actively participating in fun challenges that have an underlying serious meaning. These consist of thought experiments done either individually or with people working next to each other. All that is needed is pen and paper.

Chris and his team often facilitate these types of events. This will normally consist of a keynote from Chris, and then the group facilitation led by his team of Innovation Experts.

Yes. Whilst he is based in the UK, Chris has delivered many keynote sessions and provided consulting services worldwide.

Absolutely. Chris has delivered many keynotes via video conferencing.

Chris strongly conveys that innovation and creativity require system and process to be effective and will share links to free resources for use after his session. These include a selection of canvas templates and checklists to download and use, either for working alone or in teams. Each template has all the components you need to help capture your ideas and thoughts as you progress through the stages of the Chris’ Solution Finder. Chris can also get his team to personalise the Ayoa.com app specifically for your audience – please speak to us for more details.

Please feel free to use the contact form on this page, or alternatively you can email Danyel @ opengenius (dot) com.

 

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