Bob Thomas

Bob Thomas

Keynote Speaker: Executive Director of the Accenture Institute for High Performance Business

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Bob Thomas Biography

Robert J. Thomas is global managing director of the Accenture Institute for High Performance and professor of leadership at the Brandeis University International Business School where he also chairs the advisory panel for the Perlmutter Institute for Global Leadership.

He writes, teaches and consults about leadership and transformational change. His 2008 book, "Crucibles of Leadership: How to Learn from Experience to Be a Great Leader," was hailed by Harvard’s Rosabeth Kanter as “a guide for aspiring leaders in all walks of life” and by Wharton’s Mike Useem as “an organizational playbook for transforming managers into leaders.”

In 2002, he co-authored "Geeks and Geezers: How Era, Values, and Defining Moments Shape Leaders" with Warren Bennis, a book that explored the motivations and aspirations of leaders under the age of 35 and over the age of 70.

It became a BusinessWeek best seller and has since been translated into 11 languages. Harvard Business Review has recently honored Thomas and Bennis by creating a new feature dedicated to stories of how men and women have learned to lead through their crucible experiences.

Thomas has also published articles on leadership and change in the Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, Businessweek.com, the Economic Times of India, and Sloan Management Review. He is the co-author with Peter Cheese and Elizabeth Craig of The Talent Powered Organization, one of the first systematic efforts to chart a strategy for talent management in global enterprises. He is co-author with Rob Cross of "Driving Results Through Social Networks," (2009 with Jossey-Bass) and a companion volume of case studies entitled the "Organizational Networks Fieldbook" (2010).

His first major book, "What Machines Can’t Do: Politics and Technology in the Industrial Enterprise," won the 1994 C. Wright Mills Award of the Society for the Study of Social Problems. Thomas has been a featured speaker at dozens of corporate and NGO events, including those sponsored by BusinessWeek, Harvard Business Review, MIT-Sloan School, Conference Board, Society for Human Resource Management, PBS, McGraw-Hill corporate learning, the Young Presidents Organization, the Treasury Executive Institute and NASA.

Thomas leads the Accenture Institute for High Performance, Accenture’s global “think and act tank” with professional researchers based in Boston, Beijing, Chicago, London and Mumbai. The Institute provides Accenture with original research and actionable insights on the global political economy and on the latest developments in business practice. In addition to producing proprietary insights, Institute researchers regularly publish their ideas in Tier 1 media and also serve as subject matter experts in some of Accenture’s largest and most important consulting engagements.

In his role as a senior executive in Accenture, Thomas has worked with top executive groups in Fortune 100 and Global 100 companies to help them become more effective as leadership teams. He has designed and led leader development programs based on Crucibles of Leadership in organizations as diverse as a global software developer, a national electrical utility, a major research university, and a transnational media company.

In his role as a professor at Brandeis University’s International Business School, Thomas teaches courses on the personal and organizational dimensions of leadership to mid-career executives from all over the world and from business, government, the armed forces, and NGOs. He also maintains his affiliation to MIT through his participation in the Sloan Fellows, the Leaders for Manufacturing, and the Greater Boston Executive programs. In addition, he periodically teaches in executive sessions for the Harvard Business Review, the Center for Management Research, and the International Consortium for Executive Development Research.

An Eagle Scout whose upbringing in Central California left him with a lifelong passion for fast cars and fresh vegetables, he lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife Rosanna, chair of the Women’s Studies Department at Wellesley College, and their daughter, Alyssa.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Bob Thomas and other top speakers and celebrities.

How do I book Bob Thomas to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Bob Thomas for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Bob Thomas, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Bob Thomas or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Bob Thomas for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Bob Thomas, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Bob Thomas, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Bob Thomas speak about?

Bob Thomas is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business and Leadership.

Where does Bob Thomas travel from?

Bob Thomas generally travels from Brookline, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Bob Thomas?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Bob Thomas for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Bob Thomas for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Bob Thomas or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Bob Thomas is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Business and Leadership. The estimated speaking fee range to book Bob Thomas for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Bob Thomas generally travels from Brookline, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Rick Ridgeway, Bob Chapman and Leif Babin. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Bob Thomas for an upcoming event.

  • How do I book Bob Thomas to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Bob Thomas for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Bob Thomas, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Bob Thomas or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Bob Thomas for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Bob Thomas, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Bob Thomas, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Bob Thomas speak about?

    Bob Thomas is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business and Leadership.
  • Where does Bob Thomas travel from?

    Bob Thomas generally travels from Brookline, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Bob Thomas?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Bob Thomas for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Bob Thomas for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Bob Thomas or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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