Gihan Perera Book as a speaker/entertainer for your next event

Key Points for Gihan Perera

  • Gihan Perera helps leaders understand disruption clearly so they can make confident decisions in uncertain environments.
  • He equips organisations to respond to change driven by artificial intelligence, hybrid work and global instability without losing focus on people and performance.
  • His work supports leaders to move from reactive thinking to deliberate action that strengthens resilience and leadership capability.
  • Gihan brings three decades of global experience translating future trends into practical guidance leaders can apply immediately.

Topics for Gihan Perera

  • Leveraging AI: Humans and machines - Better together
    The AI revolution is here, and will continue to shape the way we live and work. If you’re not already engaging with AI, you’re falling behind. But it’s not as simple as just switching it on and hoping for the best! AI offers incredible opportunities, and we have moved past the point where people are fearful about AI. Now your role as a leader is to help them be skilful, resourceful, and appropriately careful. In this engaging and eye-opening presentation, you’ll discover how to leverage AI – to enhance your customer experience, empower your team to collaborate with AI, and boost productivity and performance to stay ahead of the game.
    Key Messages
    • Develop a well-rounded perspective on AI that balances its potential and limitations.
    • See real-world case studies showcasing AI in use.
    • Explore the potential benefits and opportunities of AI for your organisation.
    • Understand some of the ethical considerations and challenges.
    • Learn how to identify and engage ‘AI champions’ in your team. 
  • Leverage AI to put customers first
    The world is in flux, and so are your customers. In a world of shifting expectations, brand fatigue, and diverse wants and needs, you need to change – fast! Are you keeping up? Your customers won’t wait. They scroll, swipe, search – and will leave in a heartbeat. If you’re still serving yesterday’s customer, you’re already behind. Fortunately, AI unlocks new ways for you to engage, serve, and build long-term loyalty. At every touchpoint, AI can help you engage more deeply, tailor offerings to suit your customer’s needs, and provide high-quality support and service. AI doesn’t replace your people. Instead, it supports and empowers them, reducing their workload so they can do what they do best: deliver a superior customer experience with a real human connection. In this engaging and eye-opening presentation, you will see how to leverage AI to stay truly customer-centric. Discover how to blend empathy, innovation, and the power of AI to reach, win, and retain customers – and stay ahead of the game.
    Key Messages
    • Know the key shifts reshaping customer expectations in an AI-powered world
    • Understand how AI is changing the customer journey – and how to use it to your advantage
    • Build stronger emotional and digital connections using AI-powered personalisation
    • Learn how AI can co-create smarter, faster, more relevant solutions with your customers
    • Combine diverse human perspectives and machine insights to meet evolving customer needs
  • Seeing into the future: Practical foresight for a fast-changing world
    Welcome to a world where uncertainty, change, and disruption rule! External pressures beyond our control have a massive impact on lives, and we’ve all seen this in the last few years. We would love to have certainty about our future, but that’s impossible in a fast-changing world. Don’t step back and make your plans shorter and your goals smaller. Instead, learn to think like a futurist, so you can think ahead to see what’s around the corner and over the horizon. Discover how to anticipate trends, spot opportunities, and prepare today for an uncertain tomorrow. The best leaders don’t promise certainty, but they offer more clarity and confidence so we can all make better, more well-informed decisions now. In this compelling keynote for forward-thinking leaders at all levels, learn the essentials of futurist thinking so you can inspire, motivate, and lead your team through an uncertain – and exciting – future.
    Key Messages
    • Understand the key external factors that could affect your short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans.
    • Broaden your thinking to have an external perspective
    • Engage the diversity and different perspectives of the entire team.
    • Adopt the mindset of an active learner and possibility thinker.
    • Stay relevant, flexible, and resilient in your planning.
  • Customers on your side: Engaging the customer of the future
    The world is in flux, and so are your customers. Are you keeping up? If you don’t know what matters to them now, they will choose somebody else who does. Many businesses start with a laser-focused view of their ideal customer, but over time, they drift apart. Far too often, the customer – your business’s true north – is forgotten. And in a fast-changing world, it’s easier than ever for competitors to swoop in. The businesses that succeed adapt to the changing customer, with leaders who can lead in uncertainty, team members who put the customer first, and a culture that embraces change. In this engaging and eye-opening presentation, we examine the customer of the future: what captures their imagination, what drives their loyalty, and what you need to do to stay ahead of the game.
    Key messages
    • Understanding the five key trends shaping the post-pandemic customer.
    • Knowing how your customer’s journey has changed.
    • Creating stronger ties with your customers.
    • Engaging customers in creating better products and services.
    • Tapping into the diversity of team members when solving customer problems.
  • Bright sparks: Build a culture of change agents
    Disruption and innovation are both about change, but it’s disruption when change happens to you and innovation when you create the change yourself. We have all faced massive disruption, and it’s now time to start being proactive. The teams and organisations that will succeed are those who create a culture that welcomes and embraces change and innovation. Innovation is everybody’s business now, but innovation doesn’t mean you have to invent the next iPhone, solve climate change, or plan a mission to Mars. The secret is to engage in everyday innovation – with an environment that encourages change, respect and trust for the diverse experience and expertise of everybody in the team, and systems that make change and innovation part of everyday work. In this engaging and entertaining keynote, discover how to make innovation an integral part of your team’s DNA and create a culture for sustained success.
    Key messages
    • Understand the five key mindsets for future success.
    • Learn what leaders say that block change and innovation (you’ve probably said them yourself!).
    • Boost trust, judgement, and independence in hybrid teams.
    • Encourage a learning and growth mindset.
    • Make innovation and change an everyday habit, not an optional extra.
    • Take more control of your own future.
  • Future-ready leaders: From chaos and confusion to clarity and confidence
    We have already faced years of change and uncertainty, and there’s more to come. More than ever, we need leaders to step up and lead the way – providing clarity and confidence in the face of chaos and confusion.
    We have already faced years of change and uncertainty, and the real disruption is still to come. The future of work will be even more fluid – influenced by climate change, working from home, diversity and inclusion, generational shifts, AI and automation, changes in global economic power, and more. If your people are burnt out, fed up, falling behind, and pushing back, you’re not alone! More than ever, we need leaders to step up and lead the way – providing clarity and confidence when they face chaos and confusion.
    The best people can – and will – choose where, when, how, and for whom they work. Will you create the sort of workplace that will attract and keep them? And are you the sort of leader they want to follow?
    In this keynote presentation for leaders and managers, you will understand the essential components of the future of work, gain insights into the must-have skills for tomorrow, and learn what it takes to create the best workplace on earth.
    Key Messages
    • Discover how smart, savvy leaders thrive through crisis, recovery, and growth.
    • Learn how to leverage individual skills and talents to create a more agile, resilient, and ‘antifragile’ organisation.
    • Understand the four key elements of the future of work - and how they apply to your teams.
    • Adopt a mindset of an active learner and possibility thinker.
  • Unlocking AI - Safely and responsibly
    AI has been around since the 1950s(!), and has been used in some industries for decades. But when ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022, it took AI use to a new level. We have seen an explosion of interest – but also some confusion and uncertainty – about what AI means for leaders. It’s no longer a question of if AI will affect your organisation, but how you will lead your organisation, team, and yourself through it. As a leader, you don’t need to be an AI expert, but you must learn how to set the direction, choose the right tools, and establish guidelines for people to use it in a safe, ethical, and responsible way. Some in your team want to floor the accelerator as quickly as possible. As a leader, you also have a responsibility to be sure the car is safe! The good news is you can get both speed and safety – if you do it right. Unfortunately, too many organisations try to control AI with strict restrictions and rigid processes, which stifle progress and frustrate people trying to use it. There is a better way. With clear principles, practical guidance, and the right conversations, you can empower your people and protect your organisation. This practical masterclass helps you understand more about AI at a leadership level so you can act with more clarity and confidence when making decisions about using it effectively, responsibly, and safely in your team and organisation. You will get a working knowledge of AI, practical tools to shape its use, and the confidence to lead your AI initiatives and strategy. Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock the power of AI and shape your future.
  • Practical AI for productivity and performance
    AI has been around since the 1950s(!), but the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 brought it to the world’s attention. Now everybody’s talking about AI, and it’s an important part of every workplace agenda. That’s not surprising because we all now have access to world-class AI literally at our fingertips. Despite this growth, many people are still struggling to get value from AI. If you’re not using AI effectively yet, you’re spending more time than you need to on repetitive tasks, missing out on new opportunities, and finding it harder to keep pace with change. Meanwhile, others are quietly using AI to get ahead. Imagine being able to streamline your operations, increase productivity, and gain valuable insights that gives you a competitive advantage. AI becomes a powerful assistant that helps you drive growth, enhance customer experiences, and make faster, better-informed decisions. This hands-on, practical masterclass helps you cut through the noise. You’ll learn how to use AI to save time, sharpen your thinking, improve performance, and support better decision-making. Here are some examples of how this masterclass has helped people solve real problems in their work:
    • Tailoring a product pitch to a customer with specific needs.
    • Presenting a Gold Coast property with some unique features for sale (real estate agent).
    • Learning how to use Facebook ads for marketing their business.
    • Preparing for a difficult conversation with a staff member who will be disappointed with the pay rise she will be getting.
    • Sending a start-of-term newsletter to parents and the school community (school principal).
    • Finding hidden value in a business that seems to be struggling (business broker).
    • Applying for a government grant for some new equipment (tour operator).
    • Writing a combination of Excel macros and formulas to extract business data from 3 spreadsheets,
    • Keeping a long-term customer who’s thinking of switching to a cheaper supplier.
    • Understanding the biggest disruptions and changes coming to our industry in the next 5 years.
    • Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock the power of AI and shape your future.
  • Future-ready masterclass
    Clarity and confidence in a changing world
    In a fast-changing, unpredictable world, many people feel anxious, overwhelmed, or unsure how to plan and act. Change is faster than ever, expectations keep rising, and we’re expected to do more with less. Being future-ready means operating well, even in an unclear and uncertain future.
    Workplaces and lives are shaped by constant change, competing priorities, and ongoing pressure. Many people feel busy but not in control, informed but not confident. Being future-ready doesn’t mean you have certainty; nobody does! Instead, you recognise that uncertainty creates stress, know what you can and can’t control, and develop practical ways to respond with confidence rather than anxiety. This helps you stay grounded, make better decisions, and take purposeful action without needing perfect information.
    This program helps you develop adaptability, strengthen wellbeing, and create simple habits that increase confidence and clarity, so you can think, plan, and act in a fast-changing world.
  • Make it make sense masterclass
    Clarity And confidence in a noisy world
    In our complex, confusing, and connected world, we need to understand what’s happening before we can operate in it. Sense-making is the skill that takes incomplete, contradictory, or overwhelming information; filters it to identify what matters most; absorbs it and learns from it; and then shares it in engaging and meaningful ways.
    In uncertain environments, with imperfect information, sense-making helps you work from incomplete data to form plausible ideas, test them iteratively, and update your understanding as new information emerges. It helps you avoid analysis paralysis while also avoiding reckless action.
    Workplaces are saturated with dashboards, alerts, reports, and real-time updates, but clarity is harder than ever. This program helps you and your team cut through the overload and uncertainty, so you can distinguish between the urgent and the important, and make better decisions with more confidence and clarity.

Testimonials for Gihan Perera

Gihan was such a wonderful presenter and addition to our recent HP Connect event. His energy and ability to break down concepts and make it real left the audience wanting more! Attendees loved him!
Hewlett-Packard

A great balance of personal story, humour and interesting content, and his interaction with the crowd was fantastic. I can't think of how we could have better started the day.
Australian Medical Association

Gihan delivered a thoughtful and thought-provoking discussion which included interesting data and trends, impacts and relevance to our workplace, and long-term future of work ideas.
Chevron

I have worked with Gihan over two countries and several industries, bringing him in as keynote speaker, trainer and workshop facilitator. He listens, understands where your organization and team is at, and tailors his content and format accordingly.
Siemens Healthineers

Gihan forces us to break out of our existing paradigms to think of how we can lead our organisation into the future.
BASF

Gihan Perera was excellent with the crowd. He adapted his presentation to work with the demographic of our attendees and was relatable, funny and very educational. He was excellent to work with in the briefing phase of the event preparation and he asked intelligent and targeted questions to really get to know his audience. Gihan was professional on arrival with confirming his AV requirements, slick in his delivery and a dream guest speaker to work with. Thanks Gihan!  
Department of Fire and Emergency Services

Gihan perera’s professional, thorough and collaborative approach were evident in all our dealings with him. Framed by Gihan’s entertaining presentation style, his relevant knowledge of key issues in local and global context, practical tips and tools for the workplace, and his understanding of emerging trends resonated with the group and contributed to our leadership conference’s success. Overwhelmingly positive feedback and light-bulb moments from delegates.
Energy & Fertilisers Corporate Communications Manager
Wesfarmers Chemicals

Gihan Perera’s candid style and humour won over the packed house from the moment he began speaking. It came as no surprise when he received the highest rating of all the guest speakers we had on the day. If you get a chance to bring him into your organisation or conference, I strongly recommend you do so before someone else books him.
Marketing Manager – Corporate Solutions
JLL Australia

Gihan Perera's presentation was a great opening session at our recent senior leaders forum. He cleverly integrated his knowledge and facts about technology evolution and other global disruptions into a compelling story about the change occurring in our working lives, and how we can best respond to it as leaders and individuals.
National Events Manager
Engineers Australia

Gihan Perera was an excellent choice of speaker who was motivational, humorous and thought-provoking. With a Congress objective to inspire and challenge delegates, Gihan fulfilled the brief perfectly.
General Manager WA
Energy Queensland

Our delegates at the Engineers Australia WA leaders conference this year were enthralled by Gihan Perera’s keynote address. His energy and enthusiasm (with a good dose of humour) engaged the audience and set the scene for the rest of the day.
General Manager WA National Events Manager
Leading Age Services Australia Ltd

We were extremely happy with Gihan Perera as were our delegates for the Australian Association of Practice Management conference held in Perth 2017. Not only was I personally impressed with his professionalism and thoroughness but Gihan received an extremely high rating from the attendees (in fact one of the highest for our 4 day conference) and I would recommend him to anyone wanting to be informed, entertained and impressed! We need more Gihan’s in the world!
Australian Association of Practice Management

Gihan Perera set a new standard for our members. Great value, his content was fresh and new, plus inspirational and aspirational all at the same time. From an organiser's perspective he was extremely efficient and effective, delivered exceptional value and made my job of delivering excellence so much easier.
CEO
Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals (SOCAP)

Fantastic! Feedback was all positive and I heard that people were leaving to go and get their colleagues to come. This was the best attended non-mandatory company-wide briefing we have had in the 7 years I've been here
Customer Insights Manager
Metlife

Gihan Perera really hit the mark at our International Conference. His unique message and humour engaged my diverse member audience and left them feeling inspired and empowered. I have worked with Gihan over many years and I am always impressed with how he evolves his presentations with the most current and future trends.
CEO
Professionals Real Estate Group

I was very happy with what you did to personalise the session and make it so practical. Genuine take home value that brokers can implement to make a positive impact on their businesses
Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA)

We loved it and had great feedback on your keynote. Bravo!
CEO
Group Training Australia

Gihan Perera is an engaging speaker with a wonderful way of making sense of the many wild and wonderful visions of the future, and transposing them into what it might really mean for normal mortals!
AMP Financial Planners Association Ltd