Speaking & Workshops
I help individuals and teams think differently, explore creatively, and build boldly.
Where storytelling meets strategy, and learning feels like discovery - not homework.
I mix pop culture, facilitation, and learning design to create immersive experiences where insights stick - and no one checks their email.
(Just ask the folks at Columbia Business School, Publicis Groupe, or Deloitte Global.)
What makes me different?
- DJ-turned-learning designer bringing fresh perspectives to professional development
- Sessions that feel creative and alive, not corporate and tired
- Pop culture meets learning science for experiences that actually stick
- Trusted by global leaders (Spotify to Soho House, Columbia University to CES)
- Practical frameworks you can use immediately, not just theory
Quick hits from happy clients
"Extraordinary – one of the best teachers I've had in any environment"
"Dynamic, hands-on, funny, great energy, and full of information"
"Not only an expert in teaching storytelling, but an engaging storyteller himself"
Talks & Keynotes
Engaging storytelling and actionable insights designed to inspire teams and leaders.
Humans & AI – The Nokia Moment
Help your team embrace AI without losing their creative edge. Learn practical frameworks for human-AI collaboration and proven strategies to overcome the emotional barriers that derail tech adoption.
Perfect for: C-Suite, Innovation Teams, Talent Leaders
The Creator-Educator Revolution
Unlock your team's hidden potential in the creator economy. Transform employees into confident creators and educators while building internal knowledge-sharing that drives real brand value.
Perfect for: People & Talent Leaders, Marketing Teams, Communications Leaders
Edutainment 3.0: The New Era of Liquid Learning
Transform your learning programs from forgettable to unforgettable. Build dynamic educational experiences using storytelling and interactive formats that people actually remember and apply.
Perfect for: Marketers, Media Executives, L&D Leaders
Full Stackers: Multi-Disciplinary Skills
Break your team free from single-role constraints to unlock innovation. Build frameworks for developing versatile, adaptable teams where diverse skills drive creative problem-solving.
Perfect for: Talent & Culture Leaders, Executives, Entrepreneurs
Workshops & Masterclasses
Highly interactive, build-while-you-learn sessions where you leave with tools you can use immediately. Sessions are available in a range of durations: from 90mins through to a full day or multi-session program.
CX: Loyalty Architects
Turn your customer experience into a competitive advantage through hands-on framework building. You'll design and test loyalty strategies live, craft compelling customer narratives, and walk away with a personalized roadmap for driving measurable growth.
Perfect for: CX Teams, Marketing Leaders, Brand Strategists
Storytelling: Pause & Effect
Master storytelling for high-stakes moments through real-time practice and feedback. Build compelling narratives on the spot, practice delivery techniques with immediate coaching, and leave with presentation frameworks you can apply to any pitch or proposal.
Perfect for: Sales Teams, Marketing Teams, Leadership Groups
Humans & AI: Electric Dreamers
Design human-AI workflows through collaborative prototyping sessions. You'll build actual AI-powered processes, test tools in real scenarios, and create practical frameworks for seamless human-AI collaboration in your specific context.
Perfect for: Creative Teams, Innovation Leaders, Product Teams
Hosting & Facilitation
Need someone to moderate your panel or guide strategic discussions? I've hosted conversations with leaders from Apple to Spotify to The New York Times, guided senior execs through CES, and evaluated hundreds of panels for SXSW. I bring the facilitation skills to keep discussions focused, engaging, and productive.
University Teaching & Session Design
I partner with universities and business schools to design immersive programs that prepare students for real-world challenges through hands-on learning.
Sample Topics:
- Finding Your Zone of Genius: Help students align their careers with their strengths and passions
- Personal Narrative & Brand Design: Guide students in crafting authentic personal brand stories
- Involver Scenarios: Build strategic thinking and collaboration through immersive role-playing
Past Clients
| Global Corporations | Education & Cultural Institutions | Creative Leaders |
|---|---|---|
| Deloitte Global | Columbia Business School | Soho House |
| NBC Comcast | The British Council | Betaworks |
| IBM | The New School | CMX Summit |
| Mastercard | NYC Climate Week | Creative Mornings |
| Moet-Hennessy | University of Westminster | Entrepreneurs’ Organization |
| Spotify | Victoria & Albert Museum | Jam London |
| Ubisoft | CES | 300 Entertainment |
| Pernod Ricard | ISDI Business School | NAB Show |
In Action
The Reviews Are In...
From the Executive Suite
"Not only is Howard a seasoned expert in teaching the subject of storytelling, but he is an engaging storyteller himself! He uses well practiced tactics in an interactive way that truly unites a story to the community it's being shared with."
"Howard's facilitation exemplified an impressive blend of creativity, analytics, and empathy... He has the unique ability to remain agile, sharp, and calm within ambiguous circumstances."
From the Workshop Floor
(Fortune 100 participants across finance, tech, and media)
- "Always excellent at explaining and making things easily understandable"
- "Awesome! Dynamic and engaging"
- "Fun, dynamic, hands-on, funny, great energy, and full of information"
- "Howard is really cool; easy and fun exercises. Very thought provoking"
- "GREAT! super helpful, friendly and responsive"
- "Engaging, humorous, conducive to learning, helpful, personal, understanding"
From Business Builders
"Extraordinary – one of the best teachers I've had in any environment"
"THANK YOU HOWARD! I have the deepest respect for you and really am honored that I got to take your class. You are an amazing educator and an awesome cheerleader."
"Howard has really helped me gain the confidence I need to grow my business and be great."
"Howard is a great facilitator. He has a friendly and relatable teaching style as well as nicely designed decks that retain my focus and help me to absorb what I am meant to be learning."
In Short...
- "Dynamic, hands-on, funny, great energy"
- "An engaging storyteller"
- "Incredibly supportive and knowledgeable"
- "Amazing! Humorous and helpful"
- "Great presentation skills and interpersonal skills"
FAQs
Why you, and what's the vibe?
As a speaker, my goal is to share interesting ideas in the most engaging ways possible. Here’s some background on my approach:
- Point of view: I’ve had an eclectic career (including being an illegal rave promoter, advertising producer, talent agent, entrepreneur, teacher, and soccer referee) and am hugely curious about the creativity, entrepreneurship, and the future of work. Along the way I’ve done a lot of writing, curating, speaking, and listening. I’ve done it in dozens of countries, in many industries, and with many many people. All this has helped me develop a unique point of view to share with your audience.
- Experience and Experienced: Creating a great experience matters: for clients, production partners, and of course the audience. I value this greatly. I’m vastly experienced at creating meaningful live experiences both online and in-person, and have delivered talks and workshops around the world. And while no one wants there to be problems, I’m adept at dealing with challenges - from scheduling issues to technical hurdles.
- Storytelling at the center: I love storytelling. It’s probably my number one skill. Scroll down for examples of my work.
- No rehashing: Whatever I’m doing, I'm not into pitching services or pummeling an audience with rehashed, repetitive content. Speaking is no different. I focus on delivering something that creates a shift in people to feel inspired, energized, and eager to start conversations and take action (I’m someone who didn’t like lectures at school and university, after all). Every talk or workshop I create is customized for the audience, and there will probably be some alternative pop culture references in there too.
- Tried and tested: I teach ideas that I have tried myself. I am continually working on my craft as a storyteller, entrepreneur, builder and creative human. I’m also not afraid to share the stories of the things that didn’t work (besides, that’s usually where the best learning is).
Can I watch some of your talks?
The majority of speaking and workshops are done for private clients, but I do have videos from a select number of sessions.
If you're interested in viewing more than what’s available on this page, just send me an email.
Do you ever speak for free?
Creating engaging and well-designed presentations takes a lot of time, energy, and effort so I don’t tend to speak for free, with two exceptions:
- charities and nonprofits with a mission close to my heart;
- opportunities to visit places I haven’t yet been to and really want to check out.
Are you in one of those locations, or run a charity or nonprofit? Drop me a note and let’s chat…
Let's cook up something special
Got an event that needs a spark? A team ready to think differently? Or maybe you just want to explore what's possible over coffee?
Let's cook up something special together.
Speaker Bio & Photos
Howard Gray is the Founder of Wavetable, a creative studio building the next generation of professional development ventures. With a background spanning media, entertainment, education, and technology, Howard is also a SXSW advisory board member and certified coach. He's delivered sessions at over 250 events globally - and when not on stage, he's on a never-ending quest for the perfect breakfast. 🍳
Headshots
