Ilja Grzeskowitz
Helping global leaders to master change before change masters them
Trusted by
Areas of expertise
- Leadership and management
- The future and change
- Business and entrepreneurship
- Personal development
- Sales and customers
- Inspiration and storytelling
- Motivational
- Technology and innovation
- Communication and influence
- Health and wellness
- Creativity and the arts
- Education and training
- The workplace
- Society and culture
- Finance and economics
- Leadership
- Motivation
- Change Management
- Digital Transformation
- Mindset
Talks
Keynote Speech Change Management
Change is not what happens around you, but how you deal with it. In this Change Management presentation by keynote speaker Ilja Grzeskowitz, you will learn how to recognize and exploit the opportunities of change even in uncertain times. Inspiring. Inspiring. Transforming. The former retail manager not only talks about change management, but also exemplifies change in a captivating way. From his time at Karstadt and IKEA, the author knows what it takes to make people want to explore new paths and actively shape the future. Keynote speech Change Management: Actively creating the Future Using practical examples, inspiring stories and messages tailored to the audience, you will receive ideas, tools and methods that you can implement directly and use in your everyday life. This will enable you to not just passively endure change management processes, but to actively shape them, prepare your company for the challenges of the future and create a culture of openness and willingness to change. Leading yourself and others through transformation processes The result of this individual and entertaining presentation: a high level of motivation, strong implementation skills and an attitude that will enable you to seize the opportunities of change even under difficult conditions. In short: you will learn. You will laugh. And after the presentation, you will roll up your sleeves and feel like doing something.
Keynote Leadership
When Ilja Grzeskowitz talks about leadership and change management, it quickly becomes clear what a wealth of experience the former top manager has. No wonder, since during his time as managing director for Karstadt, Wertheim, Hertie and IKEA, which was characterized by crises, restructuring and permanent change, he managed a total of 11 locations throughout Germany, was responsible for a sales volume of over 500 million euros and led hundreds of department heads and thousands of employees. His most important insight: good leadership and sustainable results go hand in hand. Leadership is not a title, but an attitude The leadership keynote speech is packed with practical examples, inspiring stories and modern leadership tools that can be used immediately in everyday life. And modern leadership is more important today than ever, as every entrepreneur, manager and executive knows. But in times of digitalization, radically new customer requirements and permanent change in the VUKA World the topic Leadership to a completely new skill set and mindset. From traditional boss to modern leader On the one hand, as a leader, you have to get used to the changed framework conditions yourself and permanently realign your own thought and behavior patterns. But that's not all, because your own employees, team members and customers also want to be guided through this transformation process. They need and expect orientation, transparent communication and empathy. How to manage change successfully In his lecture Leadership, Ilja Grzeskowitz explains how it is possible to manage the balancing act between personal responsibility and shared team spirit on a daily basis without the famous raised index finger, but in a way that invites you to question your own ways of thinking and try out new approaches. The mixture of well-founded, scientific background and experience from daily management work provides many aha insights, invites a change of perspective and ultimately leads to a leadership culture that focuses on people without losing sight of the opportunities of digitalization.
Keynote Speech Digital Transformation
The digital transformation, artificial intelligence and the ever faster pace of technological change are radically changing markets, companies, consumer behavior and the way we will work in the future. Digitalization means: change or die This leads to several challenges. How can we get people on board, overcome their fears of new technologies and focus on the huge opportunities of the future? What decisions do you need to make today in order to jump on the departing train of digitalization and not get stuck on the platform? And last but not least: how does your management and communication culture need to change in order to meet the requirements of New Work, generational change and the increasing shortage of skilled workers? Digital transformation lecture In his eye opening keynote speech on how to best deal with the digital transformation, change expert Ilja Grzeskowitz answers these and other questions. You will experience fascinating practical examples, understand the psychological processes behind why we find digitalization so difficult, and receive concrete tools that you can use to make your company fit for the future. All this with a lot of content, scientifically sound, but always with a big pinch of Ilja's North German humor. Understanding, experiencing and implementing digitalization In short: you will learn. You will laugh a lot, feel caught out a time or two and ask yourself courageous questions. Above all, however, after the digitalization lecture you will have a great desire to actively shape your digital future.
What people say
Your inspiring and encouraging words were a highlight at our management conference.
We were all delighted with Ilja – his keynote address/speech was ‘on point’ and exactly what we were looking for. His ‘change message’ was easy to understand for our multi-cultural audience, delivered with good humour and self-deprecation – the attendees loved it!
Thanks, Ilja, for sharing your passion for change as a chance to go beyond our self-created limitations. You touched and encouraged our SWISS audience with your witty life and business anecdotes. Audience reviews stated it was the best event of this kind ever!
On stage
Services and fees
- Keynote Presentation46-90 min> $10.000
- Half-Day Workshop3-4 hours$7.500
- Full-Day Workshop6-8 hours$7.500
Terms
- Travel and accommodation costs are not included in the fee.
- A 50% deposit is required to confirm the booking.
- Cancellations made less than 30 days before the event are non-refundable.
About
Ilja Grzeskowitz is an economist, bestselling author, and globally sought-after keynote speaker for change. His mission: to show organizations that change isn't a threat, but the greatest opportunity of our time. Starting out as Germany's youngest managing director, Ilja led ten locations throughout the country for Karstadt, Hertie, Wertheim, and IKEA. He managed thousands of employees and was responsible for a sales volume of over 500 million euros. In times marked by permanent restructuring, threatened store closures, and massive staff cuts, he succeeded in developing motivated and committed teams across vastly different circumstances. At the height of the department store crisis, he realized what really mattered: putting people at the center. Only with the right mindset can you take away the fear of change and create appetite for the future. With the learnings from that time, he now inspires and moves people all over the world. Ilja is a former guest lecturer at the Berlin School of Law and Economics and SRH University, and the founder of the Change Leaders Academy. To date, he has published 14 books in 7 languages, including the 2025 SPIEGEL bestseller “Freedom Starts in Your Mind", as well as earlier hits such as “Think it. Do it. Change it." and "The Changemaker Mindset". His credo: Change doesn't need perfect plans, but people who start. That's why his name stands for one thing above all: lived change that creates the desire to take action. His clients and the media love to call him "Mr. Change", because Ilja Grzeskowitz stands for one thing above all: a living proof of what the power of change is all about. Among his clients are global brands like Accor, Allianz, Audi, Bayer, BASF, Biogen, BMW, Cancom, Capri Sun, Continental, DPD, Kao, Lufthansa, Nespresso, Marriott, Mercedes, Orange, O2, SWISS, T-Mobile, Zalando, and Zara, alongside three-quarters of Germany's DAX companies and the who's who of European mid-sized enterprises. As a globally sought-after speaker, Ilja has delivered 1,200+ keynotes across 27 countries and five continents, and is considered "Germany's most successful change expert" (OÖ Nachrichten). His tagline says the rest: Making. Change. Happen. Helping change leaders master change before change masters them. His keynotes are marked by northern German humor, bold ideas, and contagious passion for what happens when we stop hesitating and start shaping. He makes complex connections tangible and sends his audiences home with practical, actionable insights. When Ilja isn't standing on a stage around the globe, he's passionate about playing golf (with varying success), rooting for HSV (despite everything), and enjoying his favorite drink, coffee (lots of it and always black). Some things simply never change.
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