Dr. Chris Rowell

Principal

“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 Principal 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)

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 Accountability Agreement

A question we often hear from our clients is: how do I keep my team accountable? At first glance, it seems simple – their role involves a task or a goal, and they should take responsibility for completing it. But...
Dr. Chris Rowell & Marcus de Courtenay
Insights Leadership

Levers of Influence

“Leadership is influence.” – John C. Maxwell What Influences You? As Dan Pink reminds us, 40% of a leader’s job today is influencing. Given that in contemporary complex, interconnected organisations, we can’t get anything done by ourselves, one could argue...
Marcus de Courtenay & Dr. Chris Rowell
Insights Leadership

Leaning In: The Difference between Being Accountable and Taking Accountability

Organisations run on accountability. As a consequence, few things preoccupy leaders more than ensuring that their teams take responsibility for their actions, decisions, and performance for the benefit of the whole. However, what it means to “be accountable” and “take...
Dr. Chris Rowell & Marcus de Courtenay
Insights Leadership Teams