Jean David
Speaker, Keynote Speaker, Senior Marketing Consultant; Opportunity Revealer!
One of the pioneers and builders of Cirque du Soleil, where he led the marketing department as vice-president for 15 years from 1984 to 1999. He is one of the main architects of Cirque du Soleil, as described in the book Blue Ocean Strategy. During this time, he distinguished himself through innovative methods by commercializing the Big Top and introducing its magic to other cultures on four continents. Jean is a consultant in creativity and event marketing. Among his achievements, he completed a transitional mandate at the WYNN Hotel in Las Vegas as Acting Vice President, Entertainment, Sales & Marketing in 2006. More recently in Mumbai, India for the ESSEL group, he led an 18-month pre-feasibility study for the creation of a radically future-oriented project: the Mumbai International Creative Center. An international 'resort' project, including a convention center and a theme park, all themed around creativity (creative thinking process). An eminent speaker, he is a man of vision and passion and a determined entrepreneur who is not afraid to express his perceptions and concepts regarding the organization of society and the application of creativity to promote change and innovation. Jean David particularly excels with senior managers by fostering a climate and attitude that facilitates the emergence of the future. Fully self-taught, in March 2005 he published A Different World: What a Circus! My General Theory of Reality, a book about his experience at Cirque du Soleil, where he presents his vision of society.
Prices
- Conference : 6500 €
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His conferences
Collective Intelligence Environment
In an era of creativity and innovation, discover the specific characteristics of a collective intelligence environment. Become aware of the incredible impact on the individuals who are part of it. Appreciate the benefits for a company or a community of extending the reach of its resources and thus gaining access to new privileged data. An unprecedented conference focusing on the creation of a true collective intelligence environment, the next step in the chapter of innovation. An intelligent environment that aims to be a counterbalance to artificial intelligence. Presentation of the transformation process for a group within a company or for the citizens of a municipality. This collective intelligence environment is nothing less than a new frame of reference that is fully in harmony with each individual who is part of it and allows the group to maximize its objectives. Discover the future of innovation!
GO BEYOND YOURSELF!
«A reflection on the early years of Cirque du Soleil, where I was Vice President of Marketing; we were at the heart of a culture of innovation.» As our incredible adventure got under way, the spectators were delighted and we were very proud of our show. The excellence and commitment of the artists motivated all of us: technicians and management alike. The performers were going all out on stage and we felt that, in the office and backstage, we had to step up to the plate and match their effort. We had to be as good as they were for the project to excel. We had little management experience, but the example set by our troupe of clowns, tumblers, jugglers, contortionists and musicians was truly inspirational. The feeling of confidence and teamwork was organic to the group, which was infused with incredible energy. We were in the middle of a fireball of interaction and discussion, a constant sharing of ideas. Everyone was welcome to give an opinion about any aspect of the project: the artistic and technical sides, logistics, communications, marketing, as well as public and administrative services. It was give and take. Everyone was free to make suggestions; none of us had a lock on the truth. There was a real effort to reach consensus; no one had the right to impose his or her views. Common sense prevailed. Excellence came from within. Shaped by camaraderie, confidence and solidarity, the approach fostered a group dynamic that gave the team tremendous drive and attracted wide appeal with the public and suppliers. The youthful members of Cirque du Soleil’s original team had several traits in common. We were completely open and had nothing to lose. Our obligations and personal responsibilities were minimal. “Good for nothing but ready to take on anything,” as the song goes. We had the sense that together we were doing something that had never been done. We were driven by a keen sense of belonging coupled with a passion and determination to accomplish the tasks at hand. The feeling of openness we shared translated into a willingness to invest ourselves fully. We poured our time and energy, gave both body and soul to our enterprise and to the public. Our group was united, strong, colourful, even the stuff of cartoons. At the time, arts and culture had long been considered a weak, disorganized sector too often governed by emotion. Words like financial performance, surplus, return on investment were almost totally absent from the basic vocabulary of people in the milieu. We were making a naïve attempt to ally the performance arts and business as if no one had ever tried to do so before. We were convinced that the two spheres were compatible and we fully intended to prove it. It was possible to achieve profitability and financial performance in the cultural arena. We just had to work a little harder than everyone else to prove it. We were hungry to conquer new markets, to reinvent ourselves. We had the capacity to take on new challenges and we weren’t afraid to try. That’s what I call the art of going beyond yourself. It became a game we played on the stage, in the office, on the site and even in management meetings. We had the deep conviction that we were taking part in something bigger than us, something extraordinary, hard to define, hard to explain. We combined an entrepreneurial spirit with a warrior’s soul. We were brimming with ambition. We constantly strived to do better. Combining rigour with determination, we doubled our sales figures year after year. Our performances were exhilarating. We were sailing on a sea of passion, riding the winds of success. Hard as we tried to make medium- and long-term forecasts, none of our three- or five-year plans stood up. Every six months, we had to reassess the way we did things, reevaluate our teams and our budgets. Rapid and constant growth became one of the biggest problems confronting the company every day. It was hell! With everything moving so fast, the organization was under constant pressure. Far from discouraging us, the rapid developments stimulated and excited us. We were forced to change because the environment was shifting and the parameters we had set no longer existed. We struggled to keep up with events; we were obliged to adjust. I must admit that we soon developed a taste for the hectic pace; growth was like a drug for us. Our greatest satisfaction came from getting optimal results: drawing bigger audiences at each show, every day and in every town, penetrating new markets and conquering new territories. Of course, rapid growth took a toll on the employees. It spoiled them. At the same time, it was a painful learning experience, forcing us to constantly reevaluate ourselves. The need to constantly improve our performance also meant having less and less room for error: mistakes had their consequences. At the same time, rapid growth encouraged humility. Success didn’t depend on one person; everyone was involved: audiences, employees, artists, technicians, management and associates. Humility encouraged us to be tolerant toward others and open to the unknown. I well remember how I felt driven to become more professional, less of a generalist, more specialized and responsible: a daunting challenge! For the early tours, I performed a number of functions. Then, from one year to the next, I had fewer tasks, but my responsibilities grew and with them came added stress. For my co-workers and me, constant growth provided the most intense, difficult but also creative of learning experiences. Do you have the guts?
The Power of Change
Change serves businesses and organizations; it is up to managers and leaders to learn to master it and put it to the service of the group. The power of change helps us rethink our business models, create a tremendous impact on sales, excel in customer service, update corporate culture, and above all, mobilize all staff in a common project. I present this power of change in a dynamic and original conference that propels us straight into the 21st century. I propose new tools to harness this power and put it to the service of our organizations, giving birth to a new style of leadership.
The Innovation Protocol
For businesses and organizations of the 21st century! The ability for companies to surpass themselves, to invent, and to impose their leadership in the market now relies on their ability and determination to harness the creative potential of their staff. I propose to establish a protocol for accessing innovation, an original creative exercise that is within everyone's reach. This project aims to dramatically raise awareness among all staff about a holistic approach to the role of creativity, their creativity, within their organization. The innovation protocol aims to guide them through a creative process that will change their perception of themselves, their colleagues, and their company, while also sparking an interest in thinking and acting differently in their daily lives. The innovation protocol creates new foundations in corporate culture that will enable the deployment of a true culture of innovation.
What a Circus (the game changer)
Original and tinged with humor, the conference is directly inspired by my experience at Cirque du Soleil where I worked for 15 years as Vice President of Marketing. I have been both a witness and a player in the great globalization, this remarkable transformation of our value systems that marked the end of the 20th century and metamorphosed the global village and the condition of all its inhabitants. From a consumer society, we are now propelled into a communication society. I extensively address leadership and reveal the innovative characteristics that contributed to the success of Cirque du Soleil in the fields of marketing, management, creation, and export. I invite the application of the practices that contributed to the success of the Circus in our daily lives and draw particular attention to the role of creativity in our society and in our organizations.