NEIL PERKIN
AUTHOR, KEYNOTE SPEAKER, DIGITAL CONSULTANT, FACILITATOR
‘Change is the process by which the future invades our lives’
Alvin Toffler
Hi. I'm Neil Perkin and I'm the founder of Only Dead Fish, a digital consultancy that specialises in applying strategic understanding of digital and emerging technologies to help businesses innovate, become more agile, and optimise their effectiveness within the new, networked communications environment.
I'm the author of three books that provide a definitive blueprint for organisations looking to capitalise on the intersection of digital transformation, organisational agility and leadership: ‘Building The Agile Business’, Agile Transformation and Agile Marketing (all through Kogan Page). I am a regular keynote speaker on digital transformation, organisational agility, emerging media, agile marketing and digital strategy. I'm a contributor to Econsultancy, Marketing Week amongst others, and have been named by BIMA (British Interactive Media Association) as one of the most influential people in the UK digital industry, and by SAGE as a TOP 100 Global business influencer.
I curate the Firestarters series of thought leadership events on behalf of Google UK, and I've worked with market-leading global businesses including the Financial Times, Astra Zeneca, Vodafone, Warner Bros, The Daily Telegraph, Samsung, YouTube, and Unilever. I am an associate of The Futures Agency, a collaboration of some of the world's leading media thinkers and futurists.
My Books
I believe that the impact of digital technologies and rapidly shifting contexts require us to reinvent the way in which our businesses operate. There is plenty of material that focuses on the 'why' of digital transformation but very few that set out the 'how'. That's what my books are about. A new organisational operating system for a new world.
First published in 2017, Building the Agile Business Through Digital Transformation is a comprehensive guide to transforming organisations to be fit-for-purpose for the digital-enabled world.
Now on its second edition, this book defines a roadmap for digital transformation setting out the key principles, strategies and tools that leaders can use to create lasting change. It describes how businesses can reach a new level of agility from combining three critical factors, expressed in this formula: AGILITY = FAST x FOCUSED x FLEXIBLE.
‘An outstandingly researched guide that anyone can use to lead their own transformation’
Bruce daisley, vp emea, twitter
‘A must-read for modern leadership’
Scott Brinker, Author, Hacking Marketing
Published in 2019, Agile Transformation: Structures, Processes and Mindsets for the Digital Age goes deeper into how new approaches to organisational design, operations and culture can catalyse far greater responsiveness and apply agile principles at scale.
Agile Transformation sets out a blueprint for a different type of organisation which itself is characterised by continuous change and adaptability. It provides a roadmap for reinventing organisational structures, strategies, operations, leadership and culture to succeed in the digital age. Packed full of practical advice, this book covers everything from why new operating models are needed, how to apply agile principles at scale, leverage digital-native processes and why change leaders need to think big but start small.
‘An inspiring and practical guide to the why, what and how of transforming businesses to meet the challenges and opportunities of digital disruption’
judy gibbons, chairman, which?
‘Packed full of amazing insights, case studies and practical examples for implementing agile transformation across any organisation’
Duncan hammond, Vp of transformation, warner music group
Published in 2022, Agile Marketing: Unlock Adaptive and Data-driven Marketing for Long-term Success is the definitive guide to redesigning marketing structures, processes and culture, to be fit for purpose in today's changeable environment. It contains a comprehensive recipe for transforming your marketing by applying agile principles at scale and overcoming mindset and culture challenges to enable greater efficiency and quicker response times. This book covers how to put data at the heart of agility and performance, how to empower fast-moving teams and decisions, and how to catalyse a culture of collaboration and learning in marketing strategy and execution.
'This book is packed full of amazing insights and pragmatic advice for marketers who are looking to transform the way that their team works. Essential reading.'
Fiona Spooner, Managing Director, Consumer Revenue, Financial Times
‘In the modern flux of culture, marketing can be confusing, for brands, agencies and customers. Neil has written the essential playbook for shaping your marketing organization to be as agile as culture requires.’
Faris Yakob, Author Paid Attention: Innovative Advertising for a Digital World
Agility is now the essential operating system for every marketing team and this book is full of actionable insights, and a must-read tool-kit for agile marketing transformation
Bart Quinton-Smith, Director of Digital Marketing and CRM, TUI
Neil Perkin - Speaking
I'm a regular keynote speaker across the globe on organisational agility, digital disruption and transformation, emerging technology and innovation, and digital strategy. My talks draw on themes contained in my three books and I’ve spoken at some of the best known conferences in the world alongside many in-company events and senior leadership gatherings. Examples include Google Executive Summit, RESET conference Sydney, Advertising Week Europe, Festival of Marketing, Brand Week Istanbul and Dot Digital Summit.
'Neil gave a fantastically engaging and thought-provoking talk on Agile Transformation and Organisational Culture at FEST_19. His insights were not only well articulated, but his delivery was inspiring and memorable'
Daniela Arevalo, Organiser, FEST_19
Some of my most in-demand speaking topics and keynotes include:
Agile Transformation - In today's era of rapid change, heightened unpredictability, and disruption everywhere it is not enough to be fast. True organisational agility is founded in manoeuvrability and responsiveness. As businesses of all kinds face rapidly changing consumer, competitive and company contexts, what are the secrets of successful transformation? How can executives apply true customer-centric and adaptive strategy to build momentum for change? And how can they create the culture to not only survive, but thrive in the modern world. Unmissable insights into the importance of not just doing Agile, but BEING agile
Agile Marketing - Digital technologies have generated new possibilities, rewired multiple industries, originated new models, and dramatically changed customer interaction, behaviour and routes to market. Whilst great marketing is still great marketing, the context for how we deliver these essential elements has changed. And changed significantly. This talk is about the huge opportunity that exists in redesigning marketing structures, strategy and execution to be fit-for-purpose for the new world.
Thriving in the Age of Disruption - digital has brought new competitive and scaling dynamics to just about every market so in this age of disruption, how can businesses not just survive but thrive? How can executives best understand and interpret the potential of emerging technologies, the critical opportunities in a changing environment and balance vision and direction with adaptiveness and rapid learning?
How Small Teams Drive Big Change - this talk focuses on agile structures and culture and the role of small, multi-disciplinary teams in creating an engine for organisational innovation, transformation, and high-velocity decision-making.
Technology and Marketing Trends - a keynote (customised to sector if necessary) that draws out essential insights into the practical application of emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning, Blockchain, mixed and augmented reality.
I carbon offset all of my international travel in order to minimise my impact on the environment.