Book Stefaan van Hooydonk for your event
Stefaan van Hooydonk is one of the most recognised voices globally on workplace curiosity and the impact it has on leadership, innovation, learning, and organisational performance. As a speaker, consultant, and founder of the Global Curiosity Institute, he helps organisations understand why curiosity is becoming one of the most important skills for the future of work.
His keynotes combine global business insight, behavioural research, leadership experience, and practical strategies that organisations can immediately apply. Stefaan’s presentations are engaging, thought-provoking, and highly relevant for companies navigating change, disruption, and rapid transformation.
With experience working across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond, he brings a truly international perspective to every stage.
Workplace curiosity as a competitive advantage
Stefaan’s work centres around a powerful belief: curious individuals need curious environments to truly thrive. In a business landscape defined by uncertainty and constant change, organisations that actively encourage curiosity become more innovative, adaptable, collaborative, and resilient.
Through years of research and consulting, Stefaan has developed diagnostics and frameworks that help organisations identify what drives curiosity and what prevents people from showing up curiously at work. His work helps leaders better understand how culture, leadership behaviour, systems, and mindset influence organisational learning and performance.
His keynote topics often include:
- Workplace curiosity and organisational culture
- Leadership in times of uncertainty
- Building learning organisations
- Innovation and adaptability
- Psychological safety and growth mindset
- The future of work and learning
- Employee engagement and collaboration
- Intentional curiosity in leadership teams
Stefaan’s sessions inspire audiences while also providing practical tools leaders and teams can implement immediately.
Global executive experience
Before focusing fully on consulting, speaking, and research, Stefaan built an extensive international career in executive leadership roles. He started his professional journey in investment consulting before helping establish executive education at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in China.
He later held senior leadership positions as Chief Learning Officer and executive learning leader for several global organisations, including Nokia, Royal Philips, Cognizant, Saudi Aramco, Agfa, and Flipkart.
His last corporate role was Chief Learning Officer at Cognizant, where he oversaw learning and development for more than 300,000 employees globally. This hands-on leadership experience gives Stefaan a deep understanding of the challenges organisations face when trying to transform culture, strengthen leadership, and future-proof their workforce.
Having lived and worked in Belgium, France, Hong Kong, China, Finland, the Netherlands, India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom, Stefaan brings cultural intelligence and global perspective into every keynote and advisory engagement.
Founder of the Global Curiosity Institute
Stefaan is the founder of the Global Curiosity Institute, an organisation dedicated to advancing research and awareness around curiosity in professional environments. Through the institute, he collaborates with leaders, organisations, researchers, and learning professionals across industries and regions.
The institute explores how curiosity influences innovation, adaptability, leadership effectiveness, team dynamics, and business performance. Stefaan’s work has helped position curiosity as a measurable and trainable capability rather than simply a personality trait.
His insights are especially valuable for organisations looking to build future-ready cultures where employees feel empowered to learn, challenge assumptions, and explore new possibilities.
Author of The Workplace Curiosity Manifesto
Stefaan van Hooydonk is also the author of the bestselling book The Workplace Curiosity Manifesto. In the book, he explores why curiosity matters more than ever in modern organisations and how leaders can actively cultivate it within teams and company culture.
The book combines research, practical frameworks, leadership insights, and real-world business examples to demonstrate how curiosity fuels innovation, agility, and stronger decision-making. It has become an important resource for leaders and organisations looking to strengthen learning culture and navigate complexity more effectively.
As a keynote speaker, Stefaan expands on many of these ideas through engaging stories, audience interaction, and actionable takeaways tailored to each event and audience.
A keynote that inspires action
Stefaan is known for delivering presentations that are insightful, energetic, and highly relevant to today’s business challenges. He speaks regularly at global conferences, leadership summits, corporate events, and executive gatherings where he inspires audiences to rethink how curiosity shapes performance, leadership, and organisational success.
His sessions resonate with leaders, HR professionals, learning teams, innovation departments, and organisations seeking new ways to unlock human potential in the workplace.
Whether speaking to senior executives, global teams, or fast-growing organisations, Stefaan van Hooydonk delivers keynotes that spark reflection, encourage action, and help organisations build stronger, more curious cultures for the future.
