Iskandar Gadirzade is an entrepreneur, business designer, and educator with a no-fluff, real-world approach to business, problem-solving, and leadership. He has built, scaled, and exited four transportation businesses, led business design projects for major telecom companies, and consulted startups in space, quantum, HR, transportation, youth sports, and healthcare—helping them craft... Read more
Iskandar Gadirzade is an entrepreneur, business designer, and educator with a no-fluff, real-world approach to business, problem-solving, and leadership. He has built, scaled, and exited four transportation businesses, led business design projects for major telecom companies, and consulted startups in space, quantum, HR, transportation, youth sports, and healthcare—helping them craft sustainable growth strategies, improve customer and employee experience, and successfully go public.
As a former Business Designer in Residence at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, he has taught and led workshops at the University of Toronto, University of Miami, and Florida International University for graduate, undergraduate, and executive learners. His practical, no-nonsense approach to business design and innovation has helped startups raise more than $50M and take three companies to IPO.
What makes him different? He’s an entrepreneur first, a designer and an educator second. His insights come from doing, not theory. He knows what it’s like to fail, adjust, and build something from scratch—and he brings that hands-on, human-centered approach to designing better teams, smarter organizations, and more resilient leaders.
He also happens to be a trained performer and improviser. A graduate of The Second City’s Conservatory program, he has performed on Toronto stages as a comedian, refining his ability to think on his feet, engage audiences, and make complex ideas stick. His high-energy, interactive speaking style makes him a sought-after speaker who doesn’t just inform—he challenges, provokes, and inspires action.
Iskandar speaks to startup founders, corporate executives, and university audiences, covering topics like entrepreneurship, business design, leadership, and creative problem-solving in the AI era. His keynotes and workshops emphasize practical frameworks, case studies from his experience, and actionable insights—ensuring participants don’t just leave with ideas, but with strategies they can implement immediately.
Today, Iskandar continues to consult, teach, and speak, helping individuals and organizations build better businesses, stronger teams, and more adaptable mindsets in an unpredictable world.
Key Themes: Corporate culture, employee experience, M&As, leadership in uncertainty Change doesn’t fail because of technology. It fails because of people, culture, and process.
-Managing vs. leading change
-Mergers & acquisitions: Before, during, and after
-Why Employee Experience (EX) drives success
Designed for leaders navigating complex corporate transformations.
Key Themes: Authentic leadership, team culture, decision-making.
Leadership isn’t about titles or motivational speeches. It’s about:
-Building trust in high-stakes environments
-Leading without corporate fluff
-Lessons from startup and corporate leadership
Key Themes: AI, critical thinking, human creativity
AI is great at generating answers. But humans are still the best at asking the right questions.
-How to leverage AI without losing critical thinking and creativity
-The balance between automation and human decision-making
-Practical frameworks for staying creative in an AI-driven world