Paolo Gallo
Paolo Gallo is a global leadership expert and executive coach, shaping leaders and organizations across cultures, sectors, and generations.
Why book Paolo Gallo for your next event
- Paolo combines rare global executive experience with deep academic insight, translating leadership theory into practical tools leaders can use immediately.
- With 100+ keynotes worldwide, Paolo delivers sharp, engaging talks that resonate across cultures, industries, and seniority levels.
- His work on leadership, energy management, and the future of work helps leaders grow while staying aligned with purpose and values.
Non-binding request for Paolo Gallo
Global Leadership Expert, Executive Coach & Bestselling Author
Paolo Gallo is one of the most respected global voices in leadership, human capital, and professional development. With a career spanning top international institutions, boardrooms, and classrooms, Paolo brings a unique ability to connect personal leadership growth with organizational performance. He has worked in more than 80 countries, coached over 150 senior executives including CEOs, and advised leaders navigating complexity, transformation, and change. As a former Chief Human Resources Officer at the World Economic Forum and Chief Learning Officer at the World Bank, Paolo understands leadership from the inside out. His keynotes are thoughtful, inspiring, and grounded in real-world experience, making him a trusted speaker for global organizations, governments, and institutions seeking clarity and direction in an evolving world of work.
Who is Paolo Gallo
Paolo Gallo is a recognized global expert in leadership, professional and personal development, human capital, energy management, and the future of work. He is an ICF-certified Executive Coach and Adjunct Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior at SDA Bocconi University in Milan. Paolo is the Founder of Gallo Compass Consulting and serves as a board member for selected companies.
His academic background includes graduating with top marks in Organizational Behavior from Bocconi University, becoming a Chartered Fellow of the FCIPD in the UK, and earning a Certified Leadership Coach qualification from Georgetown University in Washington DC. This strong academic foundation supports a career built on practical leadership at the highest international level.
Global Executive Experience
Paolo Gallo has held some of the most influential HR and learning roles in the world. He served as Chief Human Resources Officer at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Chief Learning Officer at the World Bank in Washington DC, and Director of Human Resources at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London.
Earlier in his career, Paolo worked at the International Finance Corporation and at Citigroup across London, New York, and Milan. This global trajectory has given him first-hand insight into leadership across cultures, sectors, and economic environments. Paolo has lived and worked internationally for decades and has professional experience in more than 80 countries.
Leadership, Coaching and Human Development
As an executive coach, Paolo Gallo has supported more than 150 senior leaders, including CEOs, helping them strengthen self-awareness, decision-making, and long-term impact. His work focuses on the inner journey of leadership, energy management, and aligning professional success with personal integrity.
Paolo’s approach blends strategy, psychology, and lived experience, offering leaders tools that are both reflective and practical. His sessions are known for clarity, depth, and relevance, appealing to executives, high potentials, and leadership teams alike.
Author and Thought Leader
Paolo Gallo is the award-winning author of The Compass & The Radar: the Art of Building a Rewarding Career while Remaining True to Yourself, published by Bloomsbury in 2018. The book has sold more than 60,000 copies worldwide and has been translated into seven languages.
His second book, The 7 Games of Leadership: Navigating the Inner Journey of Leaders, also published by Bloomsbury, was released in October 2023 and further explores the personal dimensions of leadership in complex environments.
Paolo has written more than 100 articles for respected platforms including Harvard Business Review (Italian and Arabic editions), Forbes, World Economic Forum Agenda, Sole 24 Ore, Irish Tech News, and Tribune de Genève.
Paolo Gallo as a Keynote Speaker
Paolo Gallo has delivered more than 100 keynotes, both live and virtual, for leading organizations and institutions worldwide. His speaking engagements include Google Talks, 10 Downing Street, Ferrari, Toyota, Microsoft, Salesforce, IBM, LVMH, BBC, Citigroup, BlackRock, UBS, ENI, the United Nations, the World Bank, WTO, WHO, WIPO, IMD, and many others.
He has also delivered three TEDx talks and several commencement speeches. Paolo’s keynote style is engaging, reflective, and intellectually sharp, combining storytelling with actionable insights. His presence on LinkedIn has generated over 23 million views since 2020, reflecting his strong connection with a global audience.
Book Paolo Gallo for Your Event
Booking Paolo Gallo means bringing global perspective, credibility, and depth to your event. His keynotes inspire leaders to think differently about success, purpose, and impact, while offering practical frameworks they can apply immediately. Paolo speaks with authority, humility, and authenticity, making him a powerful choice for leadership conferences, executive offsites, and global events.
Paolo Gallo lives in Geneva with his wife and daughter and continues to shape leaders and organizations worldwide through speaking, coaching, teaching, and writing.
Keynotes
Keynote by Paolo Gallo:
Leadership
Leadership today goes far beyond title, authority, or technical expertise. In this keynote, Paolo Gallo explores leadership as a continuous inner journey, where self-awareness, values, and conscious choices shape long-term impact. Drawing on decades of experience working with global institutions, CEOs, and senior leaders, Paolo reframes leadership as the ability to navigate complexity with clarity, humility, and purpose. Participants are invited to reflect on how they show up as leaders, how they make decisions under pressure, and how they influence others in uncertain environments.
Audience takeaways:
A clearer understanding of leadership as a personal and relational practice
Practical tools to strengthen self-awareness and decision-making
Insight into leading with purpose in complex and fast-changing contexts
Keynote by Paolo Gallo:
Future of Jobs and Jobs of the Future
The world of work is being reshaped by technology, geopolitics, and shifting expectations. In this keynote, Paolo Gallo offers a human-centered view of the future of jobs, focusing not only on skills and roles, but on mindset, adaptability, and leadership. Based on his work across global organizations and public institutions, Paolo helps audiences understand what is changing, what remains constant, and how individuals and organizations can prepare for an uncertain future without losing direction or meaning.
Audience takeaways:
A realistic perspective on how work and careers are evolving
Key capabilities needed to remain relevant and resilient
Guidance on navigating uncertainty with confidence and clarity
Keynote by Paolo Gallo:
Personal & Professional Development
Career success is not a straight line. In this keynote, Paolo Gallo draws from his award-winning book The Compass & The Radar to explore how individuals can build fulfilling careers while staying aligned with their values. Through stories, reflection, and practical frameworks, Paolo addresses career choices, transitions, setbacks, and growth. The keynote speaks to professionals at all stages who want to increase their impact without losing authenticity.
Audience takeaways:
A practical framework to navigate career decisions and transitions
Greater clarity on personal values, strengths, and direction
Tools to build long-term professional value with integrity
Keynote by Paolo Gallo:
Energy & Time Management
In high-pressure environments, time is limited but energy is decisive. This keynote challenges traditional productivity thinking and focuses on how leaders can manage their physical, emotional, and mental energy to sustain performance. Paolo Gallo shares insights from executive coaching and leadership practice, helping participants understand why burnout happens and how to remain effective without sacrificing wellbeing. The focus is on sustainable performance rather than short-term efficiency.
Audience takeaways:
A shift from time management to energy management
Practical strategies to sustain focus and resilience
Greater awareness of personal limits and recovery needs
Keynote by Paolo Gallo:
Managing and Understanding Self, Others and Systems
Leadership happens within systems, organizational, social, and personal. In this keynote, Paolo Gallo connects self-leadership with an understanding of others and the broader systems in which decisions are made. He explores how leaders influence culture, dynamics, and outcomes, often without realizing it. This session provides a powerful lens for navigating complexity, improving relationships, and driving meaningful change across organizations.
Audience takeaways:
Deeper understanding of how personal behavior impacts systems
Tools to navigate complex organizational dynamics
Greater ability to influence outcomes through awareness and alignment
The 4 things to do before your lose your job | Paolo Gallo | TEDxPlaceMuseux
Watch Paolo Gallo in action!
Paolo Gallo | The Seven Games of Leadership | Talks at Google
Watch Paolo Gallo in action!
