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About Joao Adao

Joao Adao is a luminary in the field of digital transformation, renowned for his inspiring keynotes that drive organizations towards the digital future. With 30 years of experience at the helm of multinational companies, Joao’s expertise spans a vast array of sectors, including technology, consulting, and online services.

At the forefront of digital change, Joao’s most notable role was as the Managing Director for Meta in South America, where he spearheaded revenue growth by fostering a culture of success and assembling a high-performing, diverse team. His work at hibu, as President for Latin America, showcased his ability to turn around the company’s fortunes, transforming the Yellow Pages into a competitive digital entity and reversing declining revenue trends.

Currently, Joao is imparting his vast knowledge as a Senior Associate Partner at Axialent, based in the culturally rich and innovative city of Barcelona, Spain. His academic journey, which includes a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA, coupled with specialized studies in Organisational Development and innovation, has given him an unparalleled understanding of the intricate relationship between business operations and technological advancement.

His professional journey is a testament to his versatile leadership and deep understanding of digital ecosystems. Joao’s positions have taken him across the globe, from Europe to Latin America, instilling a broad perspective on international management and digital strategy execution.

Driven by his passion for digital and cultural transformation, Joao Adao has become a renowned keynote speaker. His dynamic and multilingual presentations captivate audiences globally, providing them with valuable insights, practical strategies, and inspiration to embrace and lead digital transformation initiatives.

With fluency in five languages – English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Italian – Joao’s ability to connect with diverse audiences is unparalleled. His keynote speeches encompass a wide range of topics, including digital strategy, organizational change, innovation culture, and high-performance team development. He combines his practical experiences, industry knowledge, and charismatic speaking style to deliver engaging and impactful presentations that empower organizations to thrive in the digital age.

Talks

Joao Adao’s talks are a blend of inspiration and actionable insights, tailored to guide corporate audiences through the nuances of digital transformation. 

  1. Digital Transformation and Culture Talks: Driven by his passion for digital and cultural transformation, Joao Adao has become a renowned keynote speaker. His dynamic and multilingual presentations captivate audiences globally, providing them with valuable insights, practical strategies, and inspiration to embrace and lead digital transformation initiatives. With fluency in five languages – English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Italian – Joao’s ability to connect with diverse audiences is unparalleled. His keynote speeches encompass a wide range of topics, including digital strategy, organizational change, innovation culture, and high-performance team development. He combines his practical experiences, industry knowledge, and charismatic speaking style to deliver engaging and impactful presentations that empower organizations to thrive in the digital age.
  2. Leadership Mindsets for the Digital Age: Joao explores what it means to lead in the digital era, emphasizing that successful digital transformation is not just about the actions we take but about who we need to become. This talk provides insights into the necessary mindsets for leaders to effectively guide their organizations through the complexities of digital transformation.
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What brings you here?

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What brings you here?

Transformación Digital que Empieza con la Transformación Humana

La mayoría de las transformaciones digitales fracasan. Las empresas invierten millones en nuevas herramientas y procesos, pero la adopción se estanca. La razón: se enfocan en la tecnología y la estrategia mientras ignoran cómo las personas piensan, sienten y colaboran.
Empezamos por el lado humano. Los líderes y los equipos enfrentan los miedos, los hábitos y las dinámicas culturales que impiden la adopción. Construyen nuevas mentalidades, comportamientos y prácticas que hacen que el cambio perdure.

El resultado: las personas adoptan nuevas herramientas. Nuevos procesos. Nuevos sistemas. Y el impacto en el negocio llega naturalmente.

Transformación Digital y Adopción de IA

No se trata solo de la adopción de tecnología; se trata de la adopción humana de la tecnología.

La mayoría de las transformaciones digitales fracasan. Las empresas invierten millones en nuevas herramientas y procesos, pero la adopción se estanca. La razón: se centran en la tecnología y la estrategia mientras ignoran cómo las personas piensan, sienten y colaboran.

Empezamos por el lado humano. Los líderes y los equipos se enfrentan a los miedos, hábitos y dinámicas culturales que impiden la adopción. Construyen nuevas mentalidades, comportamientos y prácticas que hacen que el cambio se consolide.

El resultado: la gente adopta nuevas herramientas. Nuevos procesos. Nuevos sistemas. Y el impacto empresarial sigue de forma natural.

Una clase magistral para líderes que guían la transformación digital y de IA.

Se centra en el cambio de mentalidad necesario para liderar el cambio.

Al combinar el potencial humano con la innovación, ayuda a los líderes a construir culturas adaptativas y preparadas para el futuro.

Los gerentes y líderes de equipo necesitan repensar su rol en la era de la IA. Ya no se trata de controlar tareas; se trata de habilitar resultados, moldear mentalidades y crear las condiciones donde los equipos y la tecnología puedan prosperar juntos.

Esta masterclass ayuda a los líderes a:

  • Cambiar su mentalidad de “dueño de tareas” a “facilitador de resultados”.
  • Liderar a los equipos a través de la adopción de IA moldeando nuevas normas y hábitos.
  • Equilibrar el uso ético de la IA con la delegación inteligente del trabajo.

El potencial de la IA no puede cumplirse sin un liderazgo que sepa cómo hacerlo realidad. Este programa está diseñado para líderes ejecutivos que necesitan:

  • Desarrollar una mentalidad digital que conecte la estrategia de IA con los resultados del negocio.
  • Comprender cómo la cultura de trabajo y el liderazgo, no solo las herramientas, hacen que la transformación se consolide.
  • Liderar con claridad, equilibrando la velocidad de adopción con la ética y el valor a largo plazo.

¿Qué incluye?

– Autoevaluación: Ofrece una línea base sobre su estilo de liderazgo y potencial de crecimiento.

– Día 1: Convertirse en un Líder Digital Consciente

– Día 2: Transformar la Cultura y la Estrategia a Través de la IA

La mayoría de a los empleados de primera línea se les exige trabajar con IA antes de sentirse realmente seguros. Este programa cierra esa brecha al dotar a los equipos de conocimientos fundamentales y habilidades prácticas para usar la IA en sus roles diarios, mientras se mantienen anclados en los valores y la toma de decisiones conscientes.

¿Qué incluye?

Módulo 1: Comprender la IA en su lugar de trabajo

Módulo 2: Adoptar el Liderazgo Digital Consciente

Módulo 3: Introducción a las Herramientas de IA

Módulo 4: Integrar la IA en la Práctica Diaria

Formato: Módulos autodirigidos + 2 sesiones virtuales facilitadas (1.5 h cada una)

Cuando las organizaciones adoptan la IA, la Cultura Laboral es el factor decisivo. Este programa ofrece a los líderes un cambio de perspectiva crucial: prepare su Cultura Laboral para la IA, y la adopción vendrá después.

¿Qué incluye?

– Autoevaluación: Proporciona una línea base sobre su estilo de liderazgo y potencial de crecimiento.

– Sesiones en vivo: 7 sesiones (aproximadamente 3 horas cada una)

– Autodirigido: 3 módulos (2 horas cada uno, opcional)

– Extras: networking, intercambio entre pares y ejercicios prácticos

Diseñado en colaboración con Duke Corporate Education para fusionar el rigor académico con el conocimiento práctico.

Saber más.

Organizational Agility & Adaptability

Most companies chase agility through new processes and frameworks. But speed alone doesn’t solve silos, resistance, or burnout. Too often, the focus is on mechanics while the human foundations are ignored.

We build agility from the inside out. Leaders and teams shift from control to trust, from perfection to experimentation, from passivity to ownership. Collaboration and psychological safety turn agility from a toolset into a way of working.

The result: Individuals move from doing agile to being agile. Teams align. The organization moves at the speed of change.

Most leadership programs stop at skills and tools. But in today’s world, agility is less about running faster and more about shifting how leaders think, act, and show up. Without mindset and behavior change, agile frameworks remain surface-level and fail to transform organizations. We help leaders move from awareness to action.

What’s included:

  • Assessment to reveal leadership style and identify enablers and blockers to agility
  • M1: Leading from Mindset – Uncover their mental models, clarify which habits to shift, and commit to personal experiments that build adaptability.
  • M2: Leading Through Behavior – Translate insights into daily practices—collaborating, discovering, and seizing opportunities—while aligning with peers on a shared leadership approach.
  • Practice & Coaching – Between sessions, leaders apply new habits, get feedback, and refine through 1:1 coaching and team commitments.

The result: leaders who don’t just do agile, but lead with agility—equipping their teams to adapt, align, and thrive at the speed of change.

This program helps Leaders to better understand the power of their mindsets as a critical lever for succeeding with the Agile transformation. Participants will enhance essential skills needed in the Agile world –  and know how to use them to foster adaptability, innovation and speed in their teams. They will Increase the efficiency of their teams by encouraging self-responsibility, self-organization and feedback and by engaging them for new ways of working together

Silos slow organizations down, weaken collaboration, and limit innovation. This program helps leaders break them down by building the mindset and skills to foster stronger cross-functional partnerships.

Participants learn to manage polarities, map and engage stakeholders, and use collaborative communication techniques that drive alignment and shared goals. Through interactive exercises and real-world applications, leaders practice shifting from isolated thinking to enterprise-wide collaboration.

The outcome: a leadership culture that values partnership, strengthens organizational effectiveness, and unlocks the power of collective impact.

Formats: 1-day in person | 2 × 4h virtual sessions