Alf Rehn

Alf Rehn is Professor of Innovation, Design and Management at the University of Southern Denmark. Since his appointment as the youngest professor in Finland, Alf has also built a stellar career outside of academia. He has forged a worldwide reputation as a thought leader in innovation, creativity and leadership through his keynote lectures. With a frank and forthright style Alf inspires his audience, daring them to question what they take for granted if they are to discover the path to uniqueness and originality.

Moving Minds With Words

Rehn’s background is unique. He has held professorships in Finland, Denmark and Sweden and has written numerous best-selling books. His lectures are anchored in his broad knowledge and delivered with a charismatic twist – a potent combination that has seen Alf appearing on influential management expert lists such as Thinker50’s Guru Radar.

There is nothing ordinary about an Alf Rehn lecture. Ever the contrarian, he likes to surprise and challenge his audiences with original concepts wrapped in humour and fascinating anecdotes.

As a corporate advisor, Alf has witnessed first-hand the difficulties companies face with innovation, creativity, leadership, power and exclusion. Usually, these problems stem from ingrained ideas and patterns of working – but also from the paradox of leadership, where managers can be simultaneously thoughtful and action-oriented, sensitive but willing to make the tough calls. To break free from your old habits and think afresh you need to be both brave and astute.

An Alf Rehn lecture reboots your company’s thinking, creating an environment in which new ideas and actions can thrive. He will guide you through a thought-provoking and entertaining analysis of modern corporate life and the economy, peppered with pop culture references and philosophical theory. With his creative take on familiar problems, Alf gives his audience plenty of opportunity for laughter and reflection.

A Prolific Author

Alf is inquisitive and committed, whether he is lecturing, researching or offering comment and analysis. He has written 19 books including several bestsellers. More books are in the pipeline.

His latest book, Innovation for the Fatigued (published by Kogan Page), focuses on innovation and the multiple threats to innovative thinking. He explains how innovation fatigue affects organisations, why the innovation industry is partly to blame, what we can do to create innovation cultures and why respect and inclusivity are crucial if innovation is to flourish.

In The Leadership Paradox (available in Swedish and Finnish) he challenges the idea that there is only one kind of leadership. Other books, such as Dangerous Ideas: When Provocative Thinking Becomes Your Most Valuable Asset and Designing Innovation Architectures and Contrarians – the Art and Science of Unconventional Thinking, argue that provocative thinking is the true force behind creativity, originality and innovation.

Rehn has appeared in publications ranging from Italian fashion magazines to Brazilian art journals. He has presented over a thousand keynotes and continues to travel the world, exploring both corporate culture and pop culture wherever he goes.

The Polymath Professor
Alf Rehn is Professor of Innovation, Design and Management at the University of Southern Denmark. He is on many boards, from billion dollar companies to a prize-winning craft distillery. He is also a devoted food connoisseur.