Christian Stadler

There are many misconceptions about conducting business in Africa, including the ability of its 54 countries to innovate and prosper. But the reality is that Africans are innovating at a rapid rate and future-focused organizations are taking an interest. Utilizing his extensive knowledge of how western organizations think and strategize along with his experience consulting for African businesses, Warwick Business School professor and authority on leadership and strategy Christian Stadler illuminates how lessons from thriving African entrepreneurs can guide Western investors’ entry into the marketplace. Africa has one of the highest startup rates in the world, and Stadler explains how investors should modify typical venture-capital principles, showing how the vital importance of understanding the dynamics of African business and culture helps to build bridges that can lead to successful partnerships.

In a time when disruptions – from geopolitical wars and social unrest to global pandemics and digital transformation – are coming from all angles, how can leaders develop the right strategy so they can face challenges head-on? “Leverage the knowledge and experience of your workforce with an open strategy,” says Christian Stadler, Warwick Business School professor and authority on leadership and strategy. In this presentation, using his 2021 bestseller Open Strategy: Mastering Disruption from Outside the C-Suite as a guide, Stadler shows leaders that greater success comes from the process of maximizing the power of the group and bringing in voices and expertise from the edges of the organization. Explaining a number of benefits, including increased financial performance and employee commitment, he’ll show how internal strategy done right includes the front lines, ultimately resulting in a more useful strategy related to the operational realities of the business. Emphasizing that making strategy behind closed doors is a prescription for failure, Stadler’s engaging and energetic presentation shows how open strategy can invigorate an organization to win in a new era of unknowns that are emerging daily.

Organizations that endure for 100 years or more are relatively rare, so what makes the ones that do different from the others? In this talk, Warwick Business School professor Christian Stadler will share the strategies and secrets that he uncovered during the six-year study that led to his book, Enduring Success: What We Can Learn from Outstanding Corporations. Using companies like Royal Dutch Shell and Daimler among the examples, Stadler will share insights on strategies, corporate cultures and leadership principles that have allowed these legacy companies to adapt to a constantly changing environment, leading to century-long success. 100-year organizations can still be born today; this interactive session with Professor Stadler will shed light on how.