We’re thrilled to announce that ICON, the award-winning thought leadership insight film series from OpenSesame, has officially gone global, featuring interviews with thought leaders from around the world.
What’s the story behind ICON?
ICON provides short but impactful insight films through an engaging mix of intimate storytelling and thorough interviewing. Learners will spend time with experts to explore groundbreaking ideas in leadership, business strategy, personal development, organizational design, and more. After engaging with ICON’s practical, applicable insights, learners will gain ideas they can personalize to enhance their performance, strengthen their capabilities, and inspire positive change in their roles and organizations.
ICON’s new, impactful chapter
We’re excited to have launched from London! Our first cross-border productions capture extraordinary conversations and powerful perspectives from some of the world’s most iconic and insightful leaders. This new chapter in ICON’s story offers the opportunity to introduce cross-cultural perspectives and build bridges across a global workforce, transforming workspaces into more open, insightful, and impactful environments.
Where is ICON traveling to?
Gary Hamel (United Kingdom)
Recognized as “the world’s leading expert on business strategy” by Fortune and “the reigning strategy guru” by The Economist, Gary Hamel has reshaped how companies understand strategy, innovation, and organizational design. With more than 30 years on the faculty at London Business School, he is the director of the Management Lab and author of bestsellers, including Humanocracy. Gary is also the most reprinted author in Harvard Business Review history. Besides his extensive educational and written background, he is a keynote speaker showcasing his insights on business strategy with leading businesses. Gary’s ideas continue to shape 21st-century business thinking.
Want more information on Hamel? Check out more of his work here.
Maha Abouelenein (Egypt / USA / UAE)
Former Google Head of Communications for the Middle East and North Africa, Maha has led global launches like Netflix Middle East and now serves as Chief Value Officer and EVP for Gary Vaynerchuk’s VaynerX. As CEO of her own global communications firm, Digital & Savvy, the Egyptian-American thought leader, author, and keynote speaker bridges continents—driving storytelling, influence, and digital transformation across the U.S., Dubai, and Egypt. She’s also the author of the USA Today and National Bestseller 7 Rules of Self-Resilience: How to Stay Low, Keep Moving, Invest in Yourself, Own Your Future.
Want more information on Maha? Check out more of her work here.
Coming soon: Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj (United Kingdom / Qatar)
A 2024 INC Media’s Trailblazing Women for Change honoree, Shaheena, is a keynote speaker and consultant striving for innovation, equity, and women’s leadership. Helping transform globally recognized Fortune 500 companies, as well as domestic and foreign affairs through policy authoring with the European Union and Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. She’s not only shared her insights through corporations and political affairs globally, but has also worked as an associate professor with HEC Paris, the Henley Business School, and Brunel University. Her written works include Futureproof Your Career: How to Lead and Succeed in a Changing World and, recently, Take the Lead: How Women Leaders are Driving Success through Innovation.
Janjuha-Jivraj’s courses launch next month, so keep an eye out for their release in the catalog!
Want more information on Janjuha-Jivraj? Check out more of her work here.
Stay tuned for even more powerful stories and thought-provoking global perspectives, as ICON continues its journey around the world.