Martin Gutmann is a Professor of Leadership and Business History and an Amazon #1 bestselling author, known for connecting the lessons of the past with today’s most pressing challenges. As a keynote speaker, he is frequently hired by organisations seeking to navigate complexity and change through thoughtful leadership. His talks offer audiences practical insights into crisis management, innovation and decision-making drawn from both historical examples and modern psychology. His unique perspective makes him a sought-after voice on leadership in the age of artificial intelligence.
Originally from Sweden, Martin has lived and worked across Japan, the United States, Canada, Mauritius, Germany and Switzerland. His career began in 2002 at Colorado College as a Campus Activities Officer. Between 2005 and 2009, he worked as a Teaching and Research Associate at Syracuse University, where he completed a Certificate in International Relations and National Security Studies and earned his PhD. During this time, he was awarded a CLIR Mellon Fellowship by the Council on Library and Information Resources. These early academic experiences laid the foundation for his interdisciplinary approach to leadership and global affairs.
Today, Martin is a Professor at the Lucerne School of Business and a Senior Lecturer at ETH Zurich. He previously served as the Managing Director of the ETH Zurich Swiss School of Public Governance. In addition to his academic roles, he contributes regularly to Forbes, where his articles on leadership history and technology have reached over 60 million readers. He is also an accomplished speaker and educator who integrates research, storytelling and strategy into every talk he delivers.
Martin is the bestselling author of 'The Unseen Leader', a book that challenges conventional ideas of leadership by drawing on insights from history and behavioural science. He earned his MBA from IE Business School and has held senior roles, including EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow Research Project Head and Consultant for the ALU MBA Program. He also worked as a Professional in International Relations at the American University in Switzerland (AUS). His TEDx talk, 'Are We Celebrating the Wrong Leaders,' has received over 1.5 million views and helped shape the global conversation about effective leadership.
Organisations hire Martin as a keynote speaker to inspire and educate audiences on how leadership can be reimagined in today’s uncertain world. His speaking topics include leadership during crisis, leadership in the digital age and how the past can guide future strategy. He has delivered talks at TEDx, leading universities, corporate conferences and leadership forums. Known for his clarity, depth and global perspective, Martin empowers audiences to think differently, act decisively and lead with purpose.
Books
The Unseen Leader
Martin Gutmann's official speaking topics are listed below:
The AI Leadership Paradox: How We Need To Rethink Leadership For The Age Of AI
This isn’t a talk about AI strategy. It’s a talk about what it will take to lead through one of the most profound revolutions in modern business. Combining sharp historical insight, witty anecdotes, state-of-the-field research, and actionable foresight, Martin Gutmann delivers a powerful new lens for understanding AI, not as a technical challenge, but as a leadership imperative. Attendees will gain insights into the five concrete tensions they need to master to lead well in the age of AI: trust, productivity, meaning, clarity, and power.
Decoding The Age Of Disruption
In this sweeping and thought-provoking talk, Martin Gutmann unpacks the forces reshaping our world—from artificial intelligence to geopolitical upheaval and economic uncertainty. Drawing on historical parallels, he reveals three unexpected but essential predictions for how these disruptions will impact business and society. With clarity and insight, he highlights the key actions leaders must take to navigate volatility, build resilience, and seize new opportunities. Attendees will leave with a clear framework for understanding today’s most pressing global developments—and a roadmap for leading through uncertainty.
The Secret To Leading High-Performance Teams
What really drives high-performance teams? In this eye-opening talk, Martin Gutmann breaks with conventional wisdom to reveal the secret behind truly resilient, high-performing teams (hint: the key is balancing relationships and performance), the critical role leaders play in making this happen, and why this matters now more than ever. Drawing on exceptional teams from sports—such as the Chicago Bulls—and business, as well as cutting-edge research on psychological safety, team dynamics, and humble leadership, this talk delivers surprising insights and actionable takeaways that will change the way you think about leadership and team performance.
The Leadership Playbook For An Uncertain World
In his keynote, Martin Gutmann examines the early pioneers of aviation and the 1927 race to fly across the Atlantic, drawing parallels to contemporary leadership amid uncertainty and rapid change. He highlights three enduring yet counterintuitive principles for effective leadership: subtract rather than add, use a compass instead of a map, and practice humility. Attendees will gain valuable insights into navigating today's complex challenges with confidence and clarity.
Why Do We Celebrate The Wrong Leaders
Based on the TED talk that became a global sensation, Martin challenges your team in this keynote to reconsider their definition of effective leadership, highlighting that true greatness lies in preventing crises rather than responding dramatically to them. Drawing lessons from the disaster-prone explorer Ernest Shackleton and other similarly famous (but consistently unsuccessful leaders), he challenges conventional views and offers a fresh perspective on what makes a leader truly exceptional. Attendees will learn to appreciate the often-overlooked skill of crisis prevention and learn to cultivate the three universal traits of effective leaders: fluency in context, a balance of humility and confidence, and a pragmatic mindset.
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
“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.” - Google
"Martin captivated our 500+ person audience of risk, resilience, and response practitioners with his engaging and poignant talk on crisis leadership and what it means to lead in a crisis-dense world. We followed Charles Lindbergh’s journey across the Atlantic to glean lessons that crisis leaders can use today. Martin has a great appeal when he speaks to an international audience; he is humble and authoritative at the same time. His credentials speak as clearly as he does - Martin is a great candidate for a corporate talk, capturing the attention of the most senior audience. Bravo!" - Dow
"Martin is a masterful and engaging speaker who blends captivating stories with clear, actionable takeaways. Our audience loved every minute of his talk!” - Zurich
“Martin was a very open and engaging speaker. He generously shared a lot of valuable research from his work, but also openly shared his own experiences in life and leadership in a very relatable way.” - UBS
- 2024 – Contributor at Forbes
- 2023 – Published The Unseen Leader
- 2022 – Professor at Lucerne School of Business
- 2020-2022 – University Lecturer at Lucerne School of Business
- 2016 – Graduated from IE Business School with Master of Business Administration
- 2016 – Senior Lecturer at ETH Zurich
- 2016-2020 – Managing Director at ETH Zurich Swiss School of Public Governance
- 2015-2017 – Professional of International Relations at AUS (The American University in Switzerland)
- 2015-2016 – Consultant: ALU MBA Program Design & Curriculum Development at ALU Education
- 2014-2016 – Research Project Head – EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow
- 2014 – Visiting Professor at Quest University Canada
- 2012 – University Lecturer at University of Lucerne
- 2010 – Graduated from Syracuse University – Maxwell School with a Doctor of Philosophy
- 2009-2010 – CLIR Mellon Fellow at Council on Library and Information Resources
- 2005-2009 – Graduated with a Certificate of Advanced Studies, International Relations & National Security Studies from Syracuse University – Maxwell School
- 2005-2009 – Teaching & Research Associate at Syracuse University
- 2002-2003 – Campus Activities Officer at Colorado College
How to hire Martin Gutmann
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Martin Gutmann for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
