Award-winning author and former Condé Nast executive inspiring leaders to unlock creativity in the age of AI.
5 of 5
‘Albert’s keynote address on entrepreneurship and the imagination was the perfect antidote to ‘inert ideas’...an enthralling analysis of why the future of entrepreneurship depends on exercising our imagination muscles.’
Anup Nair, Director
The Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship, Liverpool
Albert Read is an acclaimed author, business leader and keynote speaker exploring one of the defining questions of our time: how human imagination creates value in an age shaped by Artificial Intelligence. Drawing on decades of leadership at the highest levels of media, luxury and business, he delivers engaging and insightful keynotes that help organisations understand why creativity remains a powerful competitive advantage. His talks combine strategic thinking, real-world leadership experience and fresh perspectives that inspire audiences to think differently about the future.
Albert Read is a leading voice on leadership, creativity and the future of work in the age of Artificial Intelligence. As an author, business leader and keynote speaker, he helps organisations understand why imagination is becoming one of the most valuable capabilities for leaders navigating rapid technological change.
His keynote presentations explore the relationship between human creativity and AI, demonstrating how technology is transforming the way we work while making imagination, curiosity and original thinking even more important. Rather than presenting AI as a replacement for human potential, Albert Read shows how leaders can use it as a catalyst for greater innovation, stronger decision-making and long-term competitive advantage.
His talks are thought-provoking, practical and highly relevant for executives, leadership teams and organisations looking to prepare for the future.
Albert Read is the author of The Imagination Muscle, an award-winning book focused on the power of human creativity in the age of technology. Published in both the UK and the US, the book has received widespread recognition and has been nominated as one of Bloomberg's Books of the Year (2024). It was also selected as one of The Economist's Five Essential Books on Creativity and included on JP Morgan's NextList 2025.
Through his writing and speaking, Albert argues that imagination is not simply a creative talent but a capability that can be developed, strengthened and applied across every industry. His work challenges organisations to rethink how leadership, innovation and creativity intersect in a world increasingly influenced by AI.
Audiences leave with a deeper understanding of how imagination drives better strategy, stronger cultures and more meaningful innovation.
Albert Read brings nearly three decades of senior leadership experience, operating at the intersection of creativity, culture, luxury and commerce.
As former Managing Director of Condé Nast UK, he oversaw some of the world's most influential media brands, including Vogue, GQ and Condé Nast Traveller, during one of the company's most successful periods, including the celebrated editorship of Edward Enninful at Vogue.
Earlier in his career, Albert launched Wired magazine in the UK, helping introduce one of the world's most influential technology publications to a new audience. Throughout his leadership at Condé Nast, he played a central role in expanding the business through digital products, conferences, education initiatives and awards programmes while also helping establish the company's operations in China, India and the UAE.
This unique combination of commercial leadership, global business experience and creative innovation gives Albert a distinctive perspective on how organisations can adapt and thrive during periods of disruption.
Albert Read has delivered keynote presentations to executives, leadership teams and decision-makers across a wide range of industries. His clients include major luxury goods brands, leading marketing agencies, the Royal College of Art, Founders Forum and the prestigious Milken Conference in Los Angeles.
Alongside his speaking, he serves as a Senior Advisor to the Milken Institute and as an External Advisor to Bain & Company, giving him continuous insight into the strategic challenges facing businesses around the world.
His academic background further strengthens his perspective. Albert studied Classics at New College, Oxford, before earning an MBA from INSEAD, combining a deep understanding of history, culture and human thinking with modern business strategy.
Albert Read's keynote presentations resonate with organisations looking to build future-ready leadership while embracing technological transformation.
Audiences gain valuable insights into:
Albert combines compelling storytelling, practical leadership lessons and strategic thinking with extensive boardroom experience. His engaging style makes complex topics accessible while encouraging audiences to rethink how creativity, leadership and technology work together.
Whether speaking to executive teams, business leaders, innovators or conference audiences, Albert Read delivers inspiring and actionable keynote presentations that equip organisations to embrace the opportunities of the AI era while unlocking the uniquely human power of imagination.
5 of 5
‘Albert’s keynote address on entrepreneurship and the imagination was the perfect antidote to ‘inert ideas’...an enthralling analysis of why the future of entrepreneurship depends on exercising our imagination muscles.’
Anup Nair, Director The Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship, Liverpool
Keynote by Albert Read:
‘Has anyone had any good ideas recently?’
If the audience are struggling to raise their hands, they have come to the right place.
This talk is an uplifting journey through the possibilities of the human mind and the tricks you can pick up from others, if you know where to look. What consistent but surprising trait can you find in Nobel Prize winners in science? What’s different about the way Bill Gates reads books? What thought process connects Uber with the hit musical Hamilton?
Albert shares his practical tips for combining technology and human creativity at work: where does AI go from being your strongest research assistant to diminishing your own potential by allowing you to ‘cognitively offload?’ What are the four stages of creativity and how do you incorporate them into the modern office? What are the modern tools and techniques that allow for deep work?
More widely, why is the imagination so fundamental to a flourishing career? How do you instil it in the culture around you? Which companies have done so successfully? How do you create an expectation of ideas from your teams? How do you give junior employees the confidence to share their ideas? How do you keep the drumbeat of innovation alive in your company?
Albert applies lessons from the arts, science and entrepreneurship to the business world. He addresses the very real and pressing questions that leaders face around growth and the need for innovation. He shows how, in the age of AI, human creativity is more important than ever; but it needs to reassert its vitality and, if it is to thrive, adapt to the new tools at its disposal.
Albert’s research into the imagination, from his book The Imagination Muscle, illuminates a talk which is both wise, inspirational and of the moment. It touches on his time running Condé Nast and presents concrete ideas from what he learned about building a confident, zeitgeist-setting, idea-generating culture within an organisation.
