Andrew O’Keeffe's early career background included senior roles with IBM and Optus. Andrew has a close relationship with legendary chimpanzee researcher Dr Jane Goodall and over the last decade when Dr Goodall has visited Australia, she and Andrew have spoken together to business audiences.
Andrew O’Keeffe is a keynote speaker with a difference. He speaks about harmonious workplaces, leadership and change management based on human nature. He incorporates stories shared with him in extensive interviews with ancestral people including the Bushmen of the Kalahari, the Himba of north-west Namibia and the Maasai and Samburu of Kenya.
Given that both our happiest, and also our most challenging, moments at work have to do with “people”, it’s helpful for an audience to have an explanation of human nature. Our nature originated in our ancestral setting before we suddenly – with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution only 250 years ago – shifted into offices and factories. What did our ancestors work out that served them well and led to thriving communities?
Andrew O’Keeffe really knows how to connect with his audience. He’s a truly terrific, thoughtful and very informative speaker. He has spoken on a number of occasions to our different groups of CEOs and HR directors and each time has quickly connected them with his subject, causing them to share, ask questions and have fun, imparting lots of relevant information about hardwired human instincts providing lasting messages and useful tools for people to apply both in their everyday life and as leaders in the workplace.
CEO Forum Group
Andrew O'Keeffe's presentation at Happiness & Its Causes 2012 was riveting and had the audience of 1,500 people engaged and inspired. Andrew provided a fascinating insight into human instincts and how they can help us make sense of our behaviour and create happier workplaces. The session was both informative and entertaining and generated a lot of discussion.
Happiness & Its Causes