Laurens Waling on stage with open arms in front of the screen reading ‘the future starts here’
Keynotes on AI, work and organisational change

More talent than you see.

Organisations are searching harder than ever for people, while a lot of talent stays out of sight. I show how AI and skills make that potential visible, how to organise work more intelligently and what it takes to bring people along in the change.

300+ talks delivered 150+ innovation and change assignments Dutch and English
Spoken for
Netflix Accenture ABN AMRO a.s.r. Rijkswaterstaat Ministerie van EZ Defensie UWV Amsterdam UMC UMCG Radboudumc Center Parcs
Still from the clip on future-proofing your career with AI
See how it goes

Thirty seconds on future-proofing your career

Not a montage full of applause, but a fragment from a real session. This is how I sound, how I work a room, and the kind of question it usually comes down to.

Prefer the full keynote first? It is on the video page.

“We don’t really have a staff shortage. What we mostly have is an organisational problem.”

My core belief

Changing technology is relatively easy. Changing human systems is the real work.

Most organisations already know, in broad terms, what needs to change. The difficulty starts when roles, routines and interests are affected. AI makes those tensions harder to ignore. Hiring harder is rarely the whole answer. Organisations also need to make better decisions about tasks, skills and how work is organised.

Laurens Waling on stage with live audience research on AI
🍞→⚡

The baker who moved into EV charging.

On paper, the two roles look unrelated. Break them down into tasks and skills, and the overlap is striking. That is what becomes possible when we look beyond qualifications and job titles.

Laurens Waling engaging with the room during a keynote
In the room

From main stage to board table.

Engaging 800 people takes something different from challenging a boardroom. I enjoy both, and I bring the same energy, the same story and examples from the daily practice of 8vance, healthcare, government and large organisations.

300+

talks, from boardrooms to major conferences

15+

international events

150+

innovation and organisational change projects

See what happens in the room →

What clients say

What others say about my work

Laurens offers an inspiring perspective on some of the major challenges facing society. He speaks about them with energy and knows how to engage a large audience.

Kim PuttersPresident, Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands

He brings strong energy, a clear vision and a deep understanding of organisational challenges. His flexibility and collaborative approach made the cooperation both effective and enjoyable.

Bianca BuaNetflix

Laurens makes topics like AI and skills-based working both accessible and inspiring, with great energy and directly applicable insights.

Jolanda SappelliCHRO, a.s.r.
Laurens Waling walking onto the stage, still from the short documentary
Why I do this work

What I am really building.

AI, talent and organising differently all come down to one thing for me: giving people more choice. This short documentary is where that mission comes from. Spoken in Dutch, with English subtitles.

Book cover of The Art of Matching, by Laurens Waling
My book in progress

The Art of Matching

What if the quality of our society is mostly determined by the quality of the matches we make? I’m writing this book in the open; you can already read along at theartofmatching.com.

From the room
Laurens Waling on a round stage, in conversation with a full room
Laurens Waling in an olive jacket, presenting at the screen in a bright room
Laurens Waling in a black shirt on a purple-lit stage, beside a screen mockup

Shall we meet?

Planning a conference, keynote or executive session? Tell me what you are working on, and I will suggest a format that fits your audience and objectives.

Tell me about your event