Try to explain what you do...

“What exactly is your job?” This simple question arose during a recent presentation, making me pause and think.

Last week, while discussing whether creating a startup inside a corporation with a group of students was possible, one of them asked me this very question. It’s a common query, but it got me reflecting deeply on what I do.

Over the past 25 years, I’ve worked with various roles and geographies. My journey has taken me through large global corporations and innovative startups, always at the intersection of transformation, innovation, technology, and human-centric design.

I tried to think about what I did over the last 1-2 years (easier to remember..) , which could help me navigate this question:

• For a large Australian insurer, I helped design and launch a digital marketplace for their agents, blending traditional expertise with digital innovation.
• I aligned its cyber product with a small tech company?to an insurance fraud detection platform, demonstrating the power of cross-industry collaboration.
• A health tech VC fund needed to map its value proposition for insurance. Merging health and finance was an eye-opener.
• The Italian government wanted to set up an innovation ecosystem. Helping bridge public policy with entrepreneurship was a fascinating challenge.
• I shared my corporate innovation experience with students at a university, hoping to inspire the next generation.
• I worked with a financial institution in Japan?to accelerate innovation, combining global insights with local expertise.
• For large payroll provider, we Launched the first digital wellness and insurance wallet in the market.

So, what do I do? I connect the dots. My focus is anticipating technological disruptions, exploring the feasibility of innovative ideas, reaching and communicating strategic clarity, building teams, and driving growth.

Throughout my career, I've gathered multiple perspectives by working as an employee, entrepreneur, investor, consultant, board member, and lecturer. These roles have provided me with a comprehensive view of corporate innovation and how to navigate complex landscapes.

So, what is my job? It’s about bringing together diverse perspectives to drive innovation. It’s about asking the right questions, fostering collaboration, and sometimes, just stepping back and letting the magic happen.

Our grandparents often stayed with one employer for 30 years. Their answer to "What do you do?" was easy. Nowadays, we juggle multiple roles, skills, and affiliations. Summing up what I do in one sentence? Not so simple.

AI created the visual for this blog to reflect the message, and it made me think about the future power of humans in connecting the dots in the future..

If this resonates with you or sparks any thoughts, I’d love to hear your experiences and thoughts.

#Innovation #Collaboration #ServiceDesign #DigitalTransformation #DiversePerspectives

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