PROFILE
After escaping the devastating effects of the Asian Tsunami in his home country of Sri Lanka, Fortune 500 executive Afdhel Aziz struggled with PTSD and Survivor Guilt: why had he survived and what was his Purpose in life?
It led Afdhel many years later (after a two-decade career leading brands at Procter and Gamble, Nokia, Heineken and Absolut Vodka) to quit corporate life and establish Conspiracy of Love.
Today it is one of the world’s leading strategic consultancies, offering its expertise to iconic companies such as Adidas, Coca Cola, The Gap and Sephora to unlock the power of business as a force for good. (It’s also a B Corp Best for the World Business.)
Since inception, Conspiracy of Love has helped leading brands invest more than $7 million in causes such as childhood hunger, racial justice in education and arts and culture, driving brand love and ‘inclusive growth’.
His best-selling ‘Good is the New Cool’ Purpose trilogy (John Wiley and Sons) covers the topics of brand purpose, corporate purpose and personal purpose in compelling and inspiring ways. He is also an acclaimed columnist for Forbes.
His creative company Good is the New Cool is now creating ‘stories that fill the Hope Gap’ and partnering with Time Magazine to create branded content like ‘The Solutionaries’ – inspiring entrepreneurs driving impact innovation in areas like food, fashion, and more.
As an international keynote speaker, Afdhel has lit up stages around the world, sharing his insights at leading corporations like Disney, Google and Accenture UK.
He has also inspired leaders at prestigious events such as the Cannes Lions Festival, the Fast Company Innovation Festival and the United Nations.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Leading with Purpose: How to Supercharge Your Career with Meaning and Impact
In this transformational talk, Afdhel Aziz shares why the key to career success isn’t just talent or hard work—it’s purpose. Based on insights from his best-selling book, The Good is the New Cool Guide to Personal Purpose, this keynote equips leaders and employees alike with tools to find deeper meaning in their work.
Drawing on powerful data (like Gallup’s finding that purpose-driven companies see 3x more employee engagement) and his work inside companies like Sephora, Microsoft and more, Afdhel shows how aligning personal values with professional goals can unlock energy, motivation, and long-term fulfillment.
Audience Takeaways:
- Discover the GPS to Purpose framework to identify your unique purpose and integrate it into your career.
- Understand why meaning is the new metric for success—and how it drives performance and retention.
- Learn how purpose unlocks motivation, resilience, and engagement across all levels of an organization.
- Walk away energized and inspired, ready to apply purpose as a daily tool for impact and growth.
Creativity : Values Driven Storytelling: How Purpose-Driven Narratives Power Performance
In this compelling keynote, Afdhel Aziz reveals why today’s most enduring businesses are not just built on strategy—but on stories rooted in values. Drawing from his work at the global consultancy Conspiracy of Love (trusted by brands like The Gap, Sephora, and Coca-Cola), Aziz introduces a proven framework that helps leaders transform strategic goals into meaningful narratives that inspire action at every level.
Audience Takeaways:
- Learn the ‘Strategy to Story’ methodology for turning business objectives into emotionally resonant, purpose-led narratives.
- Understand why values-based storytelling is a commercial imperative, not a communications afterthought.
- Discover how to align and motivate teams by connecting individual roles to a shared, inspiring mission.
- See real-world examples and data that show how storytelling drives culture, performance, and bottom-line impact.
Innovation :Is Your Brand a Solutionary Impact Innovation for Business Growth
In this eye-opening keynote, Afdhel Aziz challenges leaders to rethink innovation through the lens of impact. Drawing on insights from his 500+ Forbes interviews with disruptive founders and forward-thinking companies, and his forthcoming Time Magazine docuseries ‘The Solutionaries’. he reveals how companies that solve real-world problems are not only future-proofing themselves—but also driving powerful business growth.
From protein made from air to artificial intelligence as a force for good, Aziz introduces the concept of the Solutionary Brand—a business that makes solving societal and environmental challenges its growth strategy. This talk is a wake-up call for any leader looking to stay relevant, resilient, and purpose-driven in an era of accelerating change.
Audience Takeaways:
- Understand what it means to be a Solutionary Brand—and why it’s the future of business.
- Learn how to turn global challenges into innovation opportunities that fuel growth.
- Discover a proven roadmap for aligning purpose with product, pipeline, and performance.
- Walk away with the tools to energize teams, inspire customers, and lead market-defining change.
