Ali Mahlodji

Ali Mahlodji is an inspiring entrepreneur, motivator, source of inspiration and guide who is committed to the future of work, education and social change worldwide. He provides guidance to young people, clarity to leaders, and helps people to follow their inner calling.

He came to Europe as a refugee child and began his career as a stuttering school leaver. Ali Mahlodji has held over 40 different jobs in his life – from construction worker to top manager – before founding WHATCHADO, based on an idea he had as a child: the ‘towel of life stories’, which shows people the career opportunities available to them. Under his leadership as CEO, the company became the market leader in video employer branding in German-speaking countries within its first three years.

His goal: to inspire young people to discover their own strengths and show them that every life path is unique. Ali Mahlodji has received numerous international awards for his work, including the UN World Summit Award and the State Prize for Education and Knowledge.

Ali Mahlodji: “If I manage to change the perspective of even a single person, I have saved that person’s world view and, with it, their future.”

Today, he works internationally as an expert in education and the world of work, advising businesses, policymakers and organisations on issues relating to change in an age of digitalisation and uncertainty, always with a focus on the human factor and its potential.

Ali Mahlodji’s speaking topics

• Future Mindset, New Work & Purpose
  The world of work is changing rapidly. This keynote demonstrates how companies and individuals can embrace change with a new mindset, a genuine sense of purpose and humanity, and thereby unlock growth potential. The future begins in the mind: how a changed mindset helps not only to overcome challenges, but also to see them as opportunities for personal and organisational growth.

• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Unplugged
  Diversity isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s the key to the future. Ali shows how inclusion, through targeted frameworks, inclusive leadership and a diversity of perspectives, leads to innovation, cohesion and sustainable success. Diversity of perspectives as a driver of innovation: How diverse teams make better decisions, find creative solutions and make companies more resilient.

• Staying Human in the Age of AI & Uncertainty
  Technology changes everything. Except what makes us human. Technological progress puts our humanity to the test. This keynote explores why empathy, values and ethical conduct are among the key competencies for sustainable leadership in the age of AI. AI is a tool – not a substitute: How we learn to work with technology without losing our humanity.

• Leadership Next Generation – Leadership needs a change of perspective
  New generations expect new leadership. Ali shows how leadership today functions as relationship-building on equal terms – with trust, self-reflection and purpose rather than control and hierarchy. And why the most important change begins with leaders themselves.

• The Art of Living Your Own Life Authentically
  Living authentically means: you are not here to be someone else. Ali combines his personal journey with global experiences and invites you to embrace your own story and courageously follow your own path. The Courage to Be Clear: How to recognise your own path and follow it despite uncertainties.

• Business & Entrepreneurship Realtalk – Honest Thoughts on Business
  No bullshit. No hype. Ali Mahlodji talks about the reality of entrepreneurship, purpose, structure, failure and growth – for people who want to build something, both economically AND on a human level. Reality beats romance: what entrepreneurs really need to know before they start – or scale up.

• Focus & Simplicity in Business – Less is the new more
  In a world full of sensory overload, tools and to-do lists, Ali Mahlodji shows how organisations and people can regain their full potential through clarity, simplification and focus. Using real-life examples and concrete methods, he helps companies channel their energy where it really counts. Do less, achieve more: How reducing to the essentials creates space for innovation and humanity.

• (Zero) Motivation for Work – How to become what matters tomorrow
  Based on his bestseller, Ali Mahlodji demonstrates in this provocative yet deeply human keynote why ‘(Zero) Motivation for Work’ is not a problem, but an invitation. Drawing on his experience as a sparring partner for executives and organisations, he combines social realities with concrete ideas for a new work culture. The central message: those who understand what truly drives people will shape a future that still matters tomorrow.

• FUTUREROCKA – For young people & apprentices
  The future isn’t scary – if you take it into your own hands. This high-energy keynote is aimed at young people and offers encouragement, guidance and real prospects on their own terms. An honest look at the world of work: what young people really need to know about careers, success and self-fulfilment – beyond the clichés.

As the founder of futureOne, Ali Mahlodji supports companies in developing future-proof structures and building bridges between generations. Through his platform futureRocka, he has already inspired over half a million young people worldwide.

Personalised. Tailored. Effective.
The final keynote is usually developed on an individual basis following a detailed briefing session. Various key themes are specifically combined to ensure that the talk is perfectly suited to the event in question, the audience and the organisation’s objectives. The result is a bespoke presentation that inspires, moves and leaves a lasting impact.

The future is a choice. Ali Mahlodji shows how organisations, with the courage to rethink, are breaking new ground in the way they work – through unlocking potential, fostering a ‘we’ culture and genuine self-leadership.

Ali Mahlodji: “The best is yet to come when we set to work.”

Ali is a UNICEF Honorary Ambassador, has received numerous international awards for his social commitment, and devotes 50% of his time to voluntary projects, including work in schools, prisons and social institutions. The European Union appointed him a lifetime EU Youth Ambassador. In 2022, he received the ANDREUS PEACE AWARD for his work.

In the same year, Ali Mahlodji was named Honorary Ambassador of the MIRNO MORE Peace Fleet, which also presented him with the ACHIEVERS Award – an honour that had previously been bestowed on only ten people worldwide.

Ali Mahlodji lives in Vienna with his wife and two daughters and says of himself: “Actually, I’m a glitch in the system.”

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