What Clients Say About Chris

‘‘A Phenomenal Innovation Session’’

Chris's session on building a culture of innovation was phenomenal. His wealth of experience and actionable insights deeply resonated with our Google team, leaving them energized and equipped to drive innovation in their daily work. Thank you Chris!

''Chris provoked much thought and discussion and sparked several follow on conversations amongst the attendees''

I wanted to say a huge thank you for taking the time to engage with our Chief Marketing Officer audience. You provoked much thought and discussion amongst the community and sparked several follow on conversations with us. Thank you again and hope to connect again soon.

‘’His ability to engage senior leaders in meaningful discussions about AI adoption challenges made a lasting impact on our cohort’’

I had the pleasure of working with Chris during an innovative executive program at AWS, where he delivered a keynote on "Strategies for Transforming Enterprises in the Age of AI" and facilitated an extended Q&A session on innovation frameworks.

Chris demonstrated great expertise in translating complex innovation concepts into actionable frameworks, particularly through his Innovation Scorecard methodology. His ability to engage senior leaders in meaningful discussions about AI adoption challenges and his generous follow-up support made a lasting impact on our cohort.

‘’Intellectually Rich, but also highly Practical’’

Chris delivered an outstanding keynote at the YSS International Youth Innovation Conference, blending deep industry expertise with actionable insights. His presentation, “Building an Innovation Engine,” was not only intellectually rich but also highly practical - offering frameworks like the Innovation Scorecard™ that resonated deeply with our audience of entrepreneurs, innovators, and young leaders.  

What stood out was Chris’s ability to translate complex concepts - from agile innovation cultures to measurable innovation KPIs - into clear, engaging takeaways. His experience at Google and now with The Innovation Alliance gives him a unique perspective that bridges corporate innovation and entrepreneurial execution.  

Chris is more than a speaker; he is a catalyst for thoughtful change. We highly recommend him for any organization looking to inspire and equip their teams with the mindset and tools to innovate consistently.

‘’sparking collaboration across teams, pushing ideas forward’’

During our time at Google, Chris was a key partner & contributor to the evolution and impact of Sales Acceleration & Innovation Labs (SAIL) team - an innovation lab later profiled in a Harvard Business School case study. As a key stakeholder and strategic advisor, Chris initiated and led our partnership with Harvard and helped us shape a bet-sourcing framework that identified and accelerated new innovation pipeline opportunities across the organization.

Chris has a unique ability to turn ideas into action and inspiration into real progress. His curiosity is contagious and powerful, sparking collaboration across teams, pushing ideas forward, and creating the conditions for others to thrive. Chris brings both vision and rigor to everything he does, leaving the people and teams around him energized and equipped to write their best next chapter.

‘‘A Thought-Provoking Keynote’’

Thank you very much Chris, for joining us and delivering this thought-provoking keynote speech. It was a perfect way to start raising interest in the management team on the challenges (...and opportunities!!) ahead of us! I heard a lot of positive feedback.Let's keep in touch indeed, as we will progress our plans.

‘‘What An Inspiring and Insightful Masterclass’’

What an inspiring and insightful masterclass! We have received great feedback from our audience. People want to learn more about the applications of the Innovation Scorecard to sustainable development, so we hope to have you back at The United Nations in Rome very soon!

‘‘Your keynote was well received by all - especially by our president’’

Your keynote was well received by all (especially our president Holly). Your participation elevated our event and perfectly fit in the innovation focused program.

We truly appreciate you being part of this important R&D gathering. We will share some images shortly with you on the stage and coordinate if you would like to share your participation at this event on LinkedIn.

‘‘Top Quality Speaker - Lots of Practical Takeaways’’

Thanks Chris for your insightful talk on Innovation at Grundfos.Lots of practical takeaways and food for thought on how can we harness our collective capacity to innovate for outcomes that matter.

‘‘A Great Speaker and Amazing Professional’’

Chris is a great speaker on the topic of innovation. He’s able to both motivate diverse senior leaders and effectively convey a powerful, contextual message. I find him an amazing professional.

‘‘A Phenomenal Speaker’’

Chris Heemskerk was a phenomenal keynote speaker for EPRI’s Incubatenergy Network webinar. The audience consisted of an international consortium of cleantech incubator and accelerator programs. These startup hubs are constantly considering how to facilitate innovative mentorship to their portfolio companies.

We saw high alignment between Chris’ presentation and the objectives of the group.
 
Chris spoke on his development of the Innovation Alliance, and more specifically, the Innovation Scorecard. The technology he has developed prompted thought provoking conversation amongst the group. Following the event, a high amount of follow-up conversation and opportunity came to fruition. Chris’ expertise is invaluable, I highly recommend him as a speaker and innovation specialist.

‘‘Chris developed our vendor site into an operational excellence hub to drive innovation & growth within our org’’

I had the privilege of leading Chris in my role as Head of Americas for Google Inbound Sales for Google Ads.

Chris was responsible for our Vendor Inbound Sales sites in North America, and distinguished himself as a leader with outstanding integrity and work ethic. In addition to driving consistent revenue performance, impressively, he developed the Phoenix vendor site into an operational excellence hub to drive innovation & growth within our org.

As a seasoned Acquisitions Leader on the team, he was a key mentor for fellow sales leaders and worked closely with fellow regional heads in bringing our Inbound Acquisitions organization to the next level. I would work with Chris again in a heartbeat, and I hope our paths cross again in the near future.

‘‘I Cannot Overstate My Recommendation Of Chris For C-Level Audiences’’

Chris Heemskerk was a standout keynote speaker at the Arizona Technology Council’s annual CEO Leadership Retreat. His presentation on 'Innovation Management for CEOs' was a tour de force - both enlightening and thought-provoking. Chris presented an incisive breakdown of a CEO's role in the innovation process, effectively illustrating how leaders can catalyze meaningful change within their organizations. With his discussion on the 'Innovation Engine,’ he presented a compelling case for integrating traditional corporate strategies with dedicated innovation strategies. Moreover, he transformed the abstract concept of leading innovation into a practical and tangible endeavor.

By incorporating the elements of the Innovation Scorecard, he provided CEOs with a powerful tool to assess their innovation capabilities across culture, organizational design, external dimensions and effectiveness. 

Witnessing an engaged and energized public throughout the entire session, 
I cannot overstate my recommendation of Chris for C-level audiences. His outstanding delivery and profound insights distinguished him as one of the premier speakers at our event

‘‘We are getting so many messages from associates across the globe on how insightful your keynote was.’’

Thank you for accepting our invitation to speak and delivering a brilliant guest keynote at D3, on the secrets to scaling Innovation.

We are getting so many messages from associates across the globe on how insightful your keynote was. They are eager to leverage the framework and tools that you shared.

Please plan a few more days in India when you visit the next time to visit our campus and experience the beautiful state of Kerala.

Looking forward to our continued collaboration.

‘‘I’ve Never Met A Speaker As Genuinely Involved In An Event as Chris’’

Are you looking for an engaged speaker? Look no further.This might sound like the start of a really bad commercial. And no, I don’t have shares in Chris. This is, in all honesty, the best way I can describe him.I’ve never met a speaker as genuinely involved in an event as Chris. We invited him to speak at Trendship, a major entrepreneurship festival in Groningen. Even before the event started, he was already contributing ideas, and his involvement didn’t stop when the festival ended.

Chris spoke at the opening of our festival in the morning, yet he still made time to be there later in the afternoon—hours later—to take part in the final moments of the event. In everything he does, it’s clear that he wants to absorb the atmosphere, understand the audience better, and align with the expectations of his client. Because of his dedication and curiosity, I can only imagine that Chris continually refines his message to ensure it perfectly fits the character of each event.

And beyond all that, his open and relaxed attitude makes him an absolute pleasure to work with.

‘‘Chris, we can’t thank you enough for the expertise, enthusiasm, and energy you brought to our summit’’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgvrZ4tmyvo

I had the incredible pleasure of working with Chris at our recent virtual summit, and I can't say enough about the outstanding experience. From start to finish, Chris was responsive, adaptable, and a true professional, making collaboration effortless - even in our unique and niche industry.What set Chris apart was his ability to take big corporate ideas and translate them into actionable insights that resonated with every business owner, regardless of their background or industry focus. His ability to customize content to our audience was remarkable - he clearly did his homework, ensuring that his presentation was not only engaging and relevant but also deeply impactful.Chris’s attention to detail and dynamic delivery style made his session one of the highlights of our event. He addressed the real, pressing needs of our attendees, bringing invaluable insights that felt both timely and practical.Chris, we can’t thank you enough for the expertise, enthusiasm, and energy you brought to our summit. Your contributions truly made a difference, and we are already looking forward to future collaborations. Here’s to more innovative ideas and meaningful connections ahead!

‘‘Your contribution made our event truly memorable’’

I wanted to extend my heartfelt thanks for your captivating presentation at the Innovator of the Year Award Ceremony. Your insights into building an Innovation Engine were truly enlightening and left a lasting impression on all of us.

Your ability to mention key features such as leadership involvement in driving innovation within the organization was remarkable and greatly appreciated by everyone in attendance. It's clear that your passion for innovation is not only inspiring but also instrumental in driving progress in our field.

I especially enjoyed how you mentioned the “Courageous Penguin” category. This is a category we would like to add to future award’s category. Your dedication to pushing boundaries and fostering creativity serves as a guiding light for all aspiring innovators. Your support plays a vital role in fostering a culture of creativity and forward-thinking within our organization. We truly appreciate you sharing your insights and helping to make the event a memorable celebration of our innovators’ achievements.

Once again, thank you for sharing your time and expertise with us. Your contribution made our event truly memorable. I look forward to the possibility of crossing paths again and continuing to learn from your leadership in innovation.

‘’His delivery during our event was exceptional’’

We recently organised a networking event for the Malta Public Service ICT community and we were looking for top, inspirational speakers to enlighten the event. We came across Chris via an agency. After scrutinizing some of his online content we were impressed with his deliveries and decided to select him as one of our 4 speakers. His delivery during our event was exceptional. Very insightful, easy to follow, and he managed to translate the world of innovation in very practical and understanding terms.

It was the first time I met Chris and I can guarantee that his approach, his professionalism and his experience packaged together give you an excellent and very knowledgeable speaker for any conference where your aim is to motivate and inspire the audience.

‘’Your session sparked great conversations and fresh thinking across our teams’’

Thank you Chris for your insightful keynote on innovation and building AI-first organizations at our 15th annual Innovation Day at Mitel.
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Such a highlight - packed with actionable strategies, inspiring case studies, and a clear vision for embedding innovation into culture and process.
Your session sparked great conversations and fresh thinking across our teams.
Looking forward to putting these ideas into motion!

‘’We’ve had great feedback from our guests on “the innovation guy”

I just wanted to drop you a note to say a huge thank you for your time and great presentation yesterday (and the lovely gifts!). It was a pleasure having you with us.

We’ve already had great feedback from our guests on “the innovation guy” - people really enjoyed your insights and energy, and it sparked a lot of conversation.

‘’We made a phenomenal decision in hiring Chris as a keynote speaker’’

We made a phenomenal decision in hiring Chris as a keynote speaker for the Open-i stage. He is a natural on stage - confident, highly knowledgeable, and able to communicate complex content in a clear and accessible way. We received exclusively positive feedback from our attendees.

On a personal level, Chris was also very approachable and connected with our entire team effortlessly from the very beginning. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to engage a professional and inspiring speaker. Thank you Chris!

‘’Thank you Chris, for opening my mind’’

Chris has a keen ability to translate proven innovation strategies to any organization.

He is an agile thinker and incredibly easy to work with. His passion and years of experience shine through all of his interactions.

The Innovation Experience was invigorating, insightful, fun and useful. Thank you, Chris, for opening my mind.