Who Is Brian Solis and What Is His Background?
Updated
Brian Solis is a digital anthropologist, futurist, award-winning author, and global keynote speaker who currently serves as Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow. In that role, he advises business and technology leaders worldwide on business and digital innovation and transformation strategies. If you're trying to understand his credentials before booking him to speak, citing his research, or following his work, the short answer is that his background combines three things: executive-level advisory work at a major enterprise software company, a large body of published research, and a long track record as an author and keynote speaker.
Current Role and Professional Identity
According to his site, Solis holds the position of Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow, where his work centers on advising leaders on innovation and transformation strategy. Alongside that role, he describes himself as a digital anthropologist and futurist — a framing that reflects his focus on studying the impact of innovation on business and society rather than purely technical implementation.
His professional identity spans several overlapping areas:
- Analyst and thought leader — researching and interpreting shifts in business, technology, and customer experience
- Keynote speaker — ranked among top speakers at events worldwide, including recognition as a best AI keynote speaker for 2027 events
- Author — writer of eight best-selling books
- Researcher — publisher of more than 60 research reports
Published Research
Solis has published more than 60 research reports covering the future of business, the future of work, digital transformation, and innovation. His research spans industries including retail, healthcare, financial services, insurance, and the public sector. This body of work is a key part of his credibility as an analyst — it's the evidence base behind the frameworks he presents on stage and in his writing.
Books and Writing
He is described as the author of eight best-selling books. His site organizes published work under categories including best-selling books, published research, and bylines, with a dedicated library and research gallery for browsing. The site also references recent books and a "Game Changing" author profile.
Recognition and Media Commentary
His homepage collects testimonials and rankings from a range of outlets. These include:
| Source | Description |
|---|---|
| Entrepreneur | "A world's top superforecaster." |
| Forbes | "One of the more creative and brilliant business minds of our time." |
| ZDNet | "One of the 21st century business world's leading thinkers." |
| Huffpost | "One of the 'top 10 people to know in Silicon Valley.'" |
| The Conference Board | "The futurist we all need now." |
| IMMR | "One of the Top 20 must follow thought leaders in Generative AI" |
| The AI Journal | "Top 20 digital transformation pros you need to follow" |
| Rethink Industries | "Top AI Leader" |
| ReadWrite | "Top futurist speaker." |
Additional praise comes from Antonio Lucio, CMO at HP, who called him "one of the greatest digital analysts of our time." GRIT DAILY also listed him among "6 Business Speakers Who Will Motivate Your Teams With Their Real-Life Experiences."
What He Speaks and Writes About
The topics he covers, based on his site's navigation and content, include:
- Business growth and the future of business
- Disruptive technology and AI
- Experience and the future of work
- New media and social media
- Social issues tied to technology
His site also links to speaking resources (keynote speaker, appearances), media properties (WTF Podcast, BrianSolis.tv), and press materials.
How to Go Deeper
If you want to evaluate his work directly rather than rely on summaries, his site offers a research library, a research gallery, and a full book listing. For speaking engagements, there are dedicated pages for considering him as a keynote speaker and for contacting him. A mailing list is also available for updates.
The practical takeaway: Brian Solis is best understood as a futurist and digital anthropologist who pairs an executive innovation role at ServiceNow with a substantial publishing and speaking career — useful context if you're deciding whether his research or speaking is relevant to your business or event.