Exploring the intersection of innovation, culture and digital transformation, Rahaf has written bestselling books, lectured at Paris’ Sciences Po university, and worked for the World Economic Forum. She has explored how data has changed the relationship between organisations and employees, discovered new disruptive businesses, and considered the implications of digitisation in all aspects of society.
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Rahaf Harfoush is a digital anthropologist, author, academic and consultant on a wide range of issues around technology and leadership. She has combined roles with the World Economic Forum and the Sciences Po research university with writing extensively on emerging technologies, innovation, business, and digital transformation and culture.
Amongst Rahaf’s books are Hustle and Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work, which considers the effects of a twenty-four seven knowledge economy and the damage it can be doing physically, mentally and creatively. She is also one of the co-authors of The Decoded Company: Know Your Talent Better Than You Know Your Customers, which examines how AI and big data are changing fundamental aspects of the relationship between organisations and employees. Rahaf’s first book, Yes We Did: An Insider’s Look at How Social Media Built the Obama Brand, was based on her time as a part of the pioneering digital media team for the 2008 Obama Presidential campaign.
As well as teaching Innovation & Emerging Business Models at Sciences Politique’s school of Management and Innovation, Rahaf is the founder and Executive Director of the Red Thread Institute of Digital Culture. The institute is a think tank and network of creative and business leaders working on the intersection of technology, culture, and leadership. Previously she was the Associate Director of the Technology Pioneer Program at the World Economic Forum, a role that saw her identify new, disruptive businesses focused on improving the world.
Rahaf’s work, books and idea have received plaudits and awards from around the world, including being recognised as a force for global change by the G20 Global Think Tank Summit, the World Economic Forum, and by the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society. She has also written for Wired, Fast Company, and The Next Web, and is a regular contributor to media in both her native Canada and her current home, France.
As a speaker Rahaf shares her insights on technology and innovation and excels at making trends and research easy to understand. She uncovers the hidden forces influencing our beliefs about work, and suggests practical tips to make impactful and long lasting changes to organisational culture.