Dr. Chris Rowell

Managing Director

“The best part of my work is finding ways to connect and resonate with people — to help them see things from a different perspective, flip their thinking completely, so they can generate and embrace new ideas.”

Chris thrives on co-creating knowledge with a diverse range of people, across industries, expertise, and cultures. He has a knack for translating complex concepts and ideas into easy-to-understand stories and initiatives that enable future-ready organisations.

In his role as Managing Director at PF, Chris works with leaders and teams to attune to emerging trends, understand disruptive innovations in technology and business, leverage data and apply insights to enhance all areas of strategy, culture, and operations. He is passionate about supporting leaders to embrace complexity and make sense of ambiguous and fast-moving environments, to create and convey clear and simple messages for their teams. Underpinning his work is a fascination with what makes people and organisations tick, the ways we create meaning, structure, and social norms, and how we can think and work more intentionally to create better futures.

No matter where you are in your future strategy or digital transformation journey, Chris is always up for a conversation. He has his finger on the pulse of emerging trends and technological innovations, a keen interest in the future of work, and more than a few exciting insights to share.

Chris has a doctorate in Science in Technology, Strategy & Venturing and has designed and delivered university courses in leadership, organisational behaviour, strategy, technology and innovation for multiple levels and contexts – from undergraduates to MBAs and executives across Europe and North America.

Expertise

  • Strategising in Changing Environments & New Markets
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Disruptive Technologies & Digital Transformation
  • Creativity & Innovation
  • Futures Thinking and Futures Design
  • The Future of Work
  • Systems Thinking
  • Navigating Complexity
  • Design Thinking
  • Storytelling
  • Influencing
  • Executive Coaching and Mentoring
  • Team Dynamics
  • High Performing Leadership Teams

Qualifications

Aalto University

Doctor of Science (DSc) in Technology, Strategy and Venturing

Aalto University

Master of Science (MSc) in International Business

The University of Queesnland

Bachelor of Business Management, Bachelor of Economics

Human Synergistics

Life Styles Inventory™/Group Styles Inventory™ Accredited Practitioner

Amara

Global Leadership Profile (GLP) Accredited Practitioner

Harvard Business School

Leading in the Digital Age: Better Decisions by Design

Cynefin

Trained in Cynefin:101 (Cognitive Edge)

Leadership Circle Profile 360°

Accredited Coach

Back to Our Team

““Chris’s approach is consultative and collaborative. He takes a vague brief from me and turns it into workshop magic. He’s not afraid of the crunchy topics that can emerge in workshops either – particularly when there are significant emotions involved in large-scale change programs. I would recommend Chris and the wider Performance Frontiers team for any of your team and leadership facilitation requirements.””

Andy Sutton

Endeavour Group

““Chris’s approach is consultative and collaborative. He takes a vague brief from me and turns it into workshop magic. ””

Andy Sutton

Endeavour Group

““He’s not afraid of the crunchy topics that can emerge in workshops either – particularly when there are significant emotions involved in large-scale change programs. I would recommend Chris and the wider Performance Frontiers team for any of your team and leadership facilitation requirements.””

Andy Sutton

Endeavour Group

““Chris’s approach is consultative and collaborative. He takes a vague brief from me and turns it into workshop magic. He’s not afraid of the crunchy topics that can emerge in workshops either – particularly when there are significant emotions involved in large-scale change programs.””

Andy Sutton

Endeavour Group

Articles by Dr. Chris Rowell

The Leadership Shift in Disguise: What AI Transformation is Really Asking of Us

Human capacity is the real constraint in the race to realise value from AI. Technology is evolving rapidly and in parallel, organisations are reimagining workflows, redesigning roles, and reshaping operating models. Yet for any of this to translate into meaningful...
Dr. Chris Rowell
Insights

Making the Leap: We Can’t Just Assume People Can Do the “Human Stuff”

In 2016, Wells Fargo was fined $185 million after it emerged that employees had opened more than 3.5 million fraudulent accounts without customer consent.1 The story made headlines as a scandal of corporate greed and individual misconduct, but beneath the headlines was a deeper...
Dr. Chris Rowell
Insights

Don’t Kill the Golden Goose: What’s Really at Stake in the Race to Realise Value from AI 

There’s an old Aesop fable about a farmer with a goose that laid a single golden egg each day. Impatient for more, he killed the goose to get all the gold at once. He found nothing. In trying to extract maximum value, he...
Dr. Chris Rowell
Insights