Digital disruption affects hundreds of people and industries across the globe, and is a crucial factor in the world of business. With 70% of companies already having a digital transformation strategy in place, make sure you increase that percentage and adopt your own strategies for digital disruption!

What Is Digital Disruption?

Digital disruption is defined as the impact that changing digital capabilities have on fundamental expectations and behaviours in culture and markets. Shaping the future, digital disruption is used to describe the rapid change that often renders old technology obsolete. Similar to digital transformation, digital disruption involves continuous change that improves life as we know it through technology.

What Is An Example of Digital Disruption?

A notable example of digital disruption is the explosion of the online video streaming platform, Netflix. When introduced to the entertainment industry, Netflix caused major digital disruption, making video rental shops obsolete. With chains such as Blockbuster going bankrupt, Netflix continues to disrupt the video streaming industry today.

Top Trending Digital Disruption Speakers Ranked by Popularity in 2026:

Based on official feedback from over 325 successful technology-themed events held between 2021 and 2024, Chris Tompkins has identified the top digital disruption speakers who are making waves in the digital world. Explore our list and get in touch to secure a speaker who will leave a lasting impression on your next event!

• Lindsay Herbert – 9.9/10
• Mike Krieger – 9.9/10
• Tom Gruber – 9.9/10
• Bruce Daisley – 9.9/10
• Dave Coplin – 9.9/10
• Aric Dromi – 9.7/10
• Sarah Armstrong Smith – 9.6/10
• Brian Wagner – 9.5/10
• Jonathan Shaw – 9.4/10
• Alex Hunter – 9.3/10
• Kathryn Parsons – 9.2/10
• K D Adamson – 9.1/10
• Yuval Dvir – 9/10
• Chloe Colliver – 8.9/10
• Dan Cobley – 8.9/10
• Steve Sasson – 8.9/10
• Lisa Short – 8.8/10
• Brian McBride – 8.8/10
• Vladimer Botsvadze – 8/10

Lindsay Herbert

"The truth about digital transformation is actually not about adapting to new technology at all - it’s about directing an organisation to be more adaptive to change itself." - Lindsay Herbert

Lindsay Herbert, author of Digital Transformation, is an expert on all things digital disruption. Spreading core messages of being more adaptive to change, Lindsay has enjoyed a career as an IBM Inventor and the Chief Innovation Officer for IBM Garage. Also Chair of the BIMA Technology Council, Lindsay works to create breakthrough technologies and help businesses to discover the practical steps needed to evolve digitally.

Mike Krieger

"Innovation happens best when people of different backgrounds come together to solve the world’s toughest challenges…" - Mike Krieger

Software Engineer and entrepreneur, Mike Krieger has majorly impacted digital disruption in his career. Co-Founder of Instagram, Mike helped to design and develop the social media platform that has radically changed the digital world. Integrating the latest trends in technology into the platform, Mike is working to continually advance the technological landscape, and advises audiences on how they can benefit from digital disruption and transformation.

Tom Gruber

"I believe that products should use technology to empower people of all abilities, to augment our minds and bodies, to make us better human beings." - Tom Gruber

A huge part of digital disruption is contributed to artificial intelligence, something that Tom Gruber knows all about. An expert on all things AI, Tom is best known as the Co-Founder of Siri, Apple’s artificial assistant. Sharing with audiences how they can revolutionise their potential within the digital landscape, Tom shares how Siri came to fruition and how the human-like intelligence was developed to make Siri the international success that it is today.

Bruce Daisley

"It was a tiny little endeavour in fact, you know people routinely used to ask how will this ever make money? It felt more like a college project than a business… obviously over the course of time it started wrestling with issues that none of us had ever imagined. I worked for eight years at Twitter… it was a constant sense of reinvention and renewal" - Bruce Daisley

Bruce Daisley is another social media mogul who spent several years working as the European Vice President of Twitter. Having also worked as the Managing Director of YouTube, Bruce has sat at the helm of two companies that have caused major digital disruption. YouTube has shaped the world of video entertainment forever, disrupting the traditional entertainment industry, and Twitter has disrupted the way that news travels across the globe. When booked as a digital disruption speaker, Bruce shares the importance of digital disruption in business growth and the future.

Dave Coplin

"Ask yourself why, what will you measure, and what you can learn from it!" - Dave Coplin

With history as the Chief Envisioning Officer of Microsoft, Dave Coplin is no stranger to digital disruption. Having developed and witnessed Microsoft technologies that disrupted the industry, Dave knows the true importance of digital transformation and the importance of adopting technology. Now the Founder of The Envisioners, Dave, invites audiences to change their views on technology and emphasises how digital disruption allows people to work in smarter ways.

Aric Dromi

"Navigating the future is about controlling the waves, then the wind, and the sea rather than building better ships." - Aric Dromi

Aric Dromi is a radical-thinking futurologist who has enjoyed a successful career as the Founding CEO of Tempus Motu. Having delivered the TEDx talk Love Your iPhone and the iPhone Will Love You Back, Aric is an expert on all things technology and digital disruption. Forecasting the future, Aric gives audiences a fresh perspective on future trends, helping companies with change management. Supplying audiences with actionable strategies to handle the evolving economy, technological landscape and society we live in, Aric helps companies to navigate digital disruption and come out on top.

Sarah Armstrong-Smith

"Digital transformation.. enables companies and even individuals to experiment a lot more… we’re seeing a lot more start-ups and entrepreneurs." - Sarah Armstrong-Smith

Sarah Armstrong-Smith is the Chief Security Advisor for Microsoft, who has dedicated her career to serving at the forefront of the cybersecurity industry. Working for a company that has caused digital disruption over the years with their revolutionary technology, Sarah engages with audiences on emerging technologies, backed by her expertise in digital transformation. Named as one of the Most Influential Women in UK Tech and the Most Influential Women in Cybersecurity, Sarah helps businesses navigate digital disruption and futureproof their business.

Brian Wagner

"The financial services industry is regulated all over the world, right? Every single financial institution in the world is regulated by multiple bodies. The point of that role was to create pathways for those financial services to use" - Brian Wagner

Brian Wagner has enjoyed a successful career at the forefront of the technology industry, having formerly worked as the Head of Compliance in Financial Services for Amazon Web Services. Having also worked as a Software Engineer for Cisco Systems, Brian has spearheaded digital disruption with revolutionary technology such as cloud computing. Engaging with audiences on security and technological transformations, Brian helps audiences navigate the ever-developing world of technology, backed by his current work as the Chief Technology Officer of Bulletproof and Defense.com.

Jonathan Shaw

"One needs to engage in internal defence and be quite aggressive about it. And if you are going to manoeuvre in cyberspace, that is something that obviously involves action across the spectrum." - Major General Jonathan Shaw

Major-General Jonathan Shaw is renowned for his role as the British Army’s first Head of Cyber Security. Having spent his career at the forefront of the cyber security industry, Jonathan experienced first-hand continual digital disruption that caused major cyber threats. When booked as a speaker, Jonathan covers strategic planning, which allows audiences to plan in preparation for digital disruption and how they will navigate problems that arise due to technology. Supplying audiences with strategies that they can use to ensure success, book Jonathan Shaw today to help navigate the ever-changing digital landscape and the threat that digital disruption causes.

Alex Hunter

"Digital is a platform and an engine for change" - Alex Hunter

Alex Hunter has enjoyed a career working for the business mogul Richard Branson, formerly working as the Head of Digital for the Virgin Group. An expert on branding, Alex dedicates his focus to customer retention and marketing to different audiences. In order to do just that, Alex has had to navigate the complexities of digital disruption and the ever-changing technological landscape to ensure that the messages of Virgin were heard, no matter what technological advancements were taking place. Currently the host of Attaché, Alex, continues his work in marketing, ensuring that audiences are able to engage customers and keep up to date with digital transformation.

Kathryn Parsons

"This is not just a revolution that is just replacing the roles you thought it was going to replace, it’s a cognitive revolution" - Kathryn Parsons

Kathryn Parsons is a renowned entrepreneur, famed as the Founder and CEO of Decoded. On a mission to increase understanding of the digital world, Kathryn is an expert on artificial intelligence, data privacy, cyber security, coding and digital disruption. Advising companies on how they can keep up to date with technological advancements, Kathryn has worked with the likes of Nike, MasterCard, Burberry and Unilever, delivering technical education that allows them to navigate the ever-changing digital landscape. Named on the 35 Women Under 35 and the 30 Most Important Women in Tech Under 35, Kathryn’s technological expertise will ensure your business is future-proofed against digital disruption.

K D Adamson

"When we talk about stakeholder expectations changing, it’s important to remember that those changes aren’t happening uniformly around the world. There are very different views within national and regional stakeholders about how companies should and should not behave, and that’s already filtering through into new legislation, which is really fragmenting the operating environment." - K D Adamson

An expert futurist, K D Adamson has a visionary perspective on global megatrends and the impact that they will have on society. Speaking on breakthrough technologies and how they will radically transform lives in the future, K D works to help companies transition to a more technologically savvy mindset and futureproof their organisation with digital transformation strategies. Shaping the organisations of the future, K D Adamson is a leading speaker to book when looking to stay ahead of the curve and understand how to cope with technology that will change the world for the better.

Yuval Dvir

"Transformation may be triggered by technology… some people as a result would sort of prefer to stop any change from happening whatsoever… they are the problematic people that have the resistance… if they have the ability or the desire or the motivation to learn they usually eventually see the benefit" - Yuval Dvir

Yuval Dvir is famed as the Head of Scaled Partnerships at Google Cloud, having formerly worked with revolutionary tech giants such as Microsoft and Skype. In 2012, Yuval worked as the Global Director of Transformation at Microsoft, experiencing first-hand the disruption that digital technology can cause. When booked to speak on digital disruption, Yuval equips businesses with the tools they need to keep up to date with digital transformation and secure long-term success. With a history of working for Google and Microsoft, Yuval’s digital knowledge is unrivalled.

Chloe Colliver

"The technology industry has given us enormous benefits and wonderful gifts in terms of our ability to communicate around the globe. But like any other corporate industry, there has to be some kind of oversight of the effects that these kinds of products could or might be having." - Chloe Colliver

Head of Digital Policy and Strategy at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Chloe Colliver, is spearheading research into hate speech, extremist content and terrorism. Advising governments and corporate clients on high-level policy, Chloe utilises online data analysis to understand social interactions and conflict. As technology ever changes, Chloe is constantly met with new online platforms on which hate speech, extremist content and terrorism can happen, equipping her with knowledge on digital disruption and how to deal with the challenges that new technology can cause.

Dan Cobley

"A whole decade of digital adoption has happened in a matter of months!" - Dan Cobley

Dan Cobley is the former Managing Director and Vice President of EMEA Marketing for Google. Highly knowledgeable on technology and innovation, Dan delves into analytical data to provide intelligent insights into the digital world. Having sat at the helm of one of the greatest enablers of digital disruption, Dan knows first-hand what companies need to do to cope with digital disruption and ensure that their business is future-proofed. Recognised as the Maserati Innovator of the Year, Dan engages with audiences on the impact of technology and how they can use technology to become disruptors in their own industry.

Steve Sasson

"I turned to my wife and for the first time I said it’s happening. And she said what’s happening and I said, well the digital camera is coming!" - Steve Sasson

Steve Sasson is famed as the inventor of the digital camera, awarded the National Medal of Technology in recognition of his revolutionary invention. Also a recipient of the Royal Photographic Society’s Progress Medal and inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2001, Steve orchestrated a major digital disruption that changed the way photographs were taken forever. Assigned the challenge of building an electronic camera, Steve completed a task that had never been achieved before, marking his name in the history books. When looking to book a digital disruption speaker, book Steve today to learn how he invented the digital camera.

Lisa Short

"My role as a global influencer and collaborator at a time of rapid and epochal change in the future of work and learning allows me to fully utilise my lifetime of diverse international education and business experience to advance the profound potential of frontier and emergent technologies from the 'non tech' perspective of people and social impact." - Professor Lisa Short

Professor Lisa Short is renowned as a preeminent authority and thought-leader in frontier digital technology, educating businesses on technology systems, transformational change, blockchain and crypto. Named as one of the Top 50 Thought Leaders and Influencers in the World to Follow, Lisa is sought to solve the most pressing socio-economic challenges. Advancing possibilities of the digital sector, Lisa encourages digital disruption and positive change. When booked as a speaker, Lisa emphasises the positives of digital disruption and how businesses can futureproof their organisation with digital transformation strategies.

Brian McBride

"If you are selling directly to consumers and you’re not using digital today, I think you may not be around in the next couple of years… I think you’re likely to be toast!" - Brian McBride

Brian McBride has enjoyed a successful career as a businessman, formerly working as the Managing Director of Amazon and the Chair of ASOS. Sitting at the helm of one of the world’s biggest e-commerce platforms, Brian has experienced digital disruption first-hand, having worked for a company that changed the future of shopping forevermore. With an established knowledge of the digital sector, Brian has also worked for the likes of Xeron, Dell and IBM. When looking for an expert in digital disruption, look no further than Brian McBride, who shares an engaging insight into the digital disruption of the retail industry.

Vladimer Botsvadze

“I believe in forgetting everything and only focusing on what matters the most – 6 months of hardcore hard work.” - Vladimer Botsvadze

Vladimer Botsvadze stands out as a top digital disruption speaker, praised for his visionary insights and extensive social media influence. Ranked among the Top 25 Digital Transformation Influencers, Vladimer's expertise in AI, chatbots, and predictive analytics has garnered him a global audience. His practical advice and engaging storytelling make him a favourite at industry conferences. With over 130,000 followers, Vladimer's popularity continues to rise, positioning him as a must-have speaker for 2026.

Book a Leading Digital Disruption Speaker Today!

If you are interested in booking one of our trending digital disruption speakers, get in touch with one of our dedicated booking agents today! Either complete our online contact form, or call directly on 0207 1010 553 to secure your knowledgeable digital disruption speaker today.

This exclusive article on the top trending digital disruption speakers to hire was authored by Chris Tompkins, utilising exclusive event poll data from 325 technology-themed events between 2021 and 2024.

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