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Leadership Development
Discover transformative capabilities with Miraval specialists in executive coaching, nutrition, physiology and wellness.
JOHN KAO
The Economist tagged John with the nicknames “Mr. Creativity” and “Serial Innovator.” He is a thought leader, practitioner and activist, who has played a leading role in the fields of innovation and business creativity for over 30 years. His knowledge is eclectic and blends the perspectives of former Harvard Business School professor, best-selling author, serial entrepreneur, musician, master facilitator, Harvard-trained psychiatrist, and Tony-nominated producer of film and stage. Recently, Yamaha Music Corporation named him their first “innovation artist.” He is a trusted advisor to leaders of companies, startups and nations that are on the hot seat to deliver meaningful innovation strategies and action agendas.
His specialties include:
- Delivering compelling learning experiences for innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders based on his 14 years as a Harvard Business School professor.
- Advisory work that reflects an ongoing engagement with advanced, disruptive technologies. His work as an entrepreneur has embraced fields as diverse as blockchain credentialing for education, AI and big data models for microbiome research and ocean surveillance, immersive gaming, collaboration technology and more.
- Conflict mediation and team building for boards of directors, venture capital funds and entrepreneurial partnerships. www.humankinetics.expert
- Public policy related to what John calls “large scale innovation” that looks at innovation capacity building at societal scale.
John is author of the best-selling Jamming: The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity, which describes what leaders can learn from jazz, as well as Innovation Nation, which documents America’s growing innovation challenge. He was a producer on sex, lies and videotape (Palme d’Or, Cannes) and Mr. Baseball (Universal Studios), and was nominated for a Tony Award for producing Golden Child on Broadway.
John’s education includes BA and MD degrees from Yale, a residency at the McLean division of Massachusetts General Hospital and an MBA from Harvard Business School. His work has received coverage in such media as The New York Times, The Economist, CNN, and The Colbert Report. He also served as contributing editor to The Daily Beast.
Currently, John serves on the board of trustees of SF Jazz and the Riverdale Country School in New York City. In the summer of 1969, he apprenticed to rock legend Frank Zappa. In his spare time, he plays jazz piano.
