James Taylor MBA · FRSA helps organisations in Chicago unlock creativity, harness artificial intelligence, and lead through change — keynotes built for the business and convention capital of the American Midwest, home to McCormick Place, North America's largest convention centre, and an economy anchored in finance, manufacturing and professional services. Over 20 years he has delivered 3,000+ events in 50+ countries for Fortune 500 audiences.
James Taylor MBA · FRSA is an internationally recognised keynote speaker on creativity, innovation, and artificial intelligence — not to be confused with the American singer-songwriter. Over 20+ years he has delivered 3,000+ keynotes across 50+ countries for Fortune 500 brands including Apple, Cisco, Deloitte, Accenture, Visa and McDonald's, and has been the subject of a 30-minute BBC documentary.
James began his career managing high-profile rock stars and now advises CEOs, entrepreneurs and leaders across Chicago's finance, manufacturing and professional-services sectors — from LaSalle Street trading floors to the boardrooms of the city's Fortune 500 headquarters — on how to design innovative organisations, unlock creative potential, and adapt to change. As host of multiple global summits he has personally interviewed over 750 of the world's leading creative minds, including tech CEOs, New York Times bestselling authors, and AI pioneers.
He is the author of the bestselling book SuperCreativity: Augmenting Human Creativity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, and tailors every keynote speaking engagement to the specific challenges facing your audience — making him a natural fit for the conferences, leadership summits, and innovation forums that fill the calendar in Chicago, the business and convention capital of the American Midwest.
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Chicago is the business and convention capital of the American Midwest — home to McCormick Place, North America's largest convention centre, a skyline of world-class hotel ballrooms along Michigan Avenue, and a deep-rooted finance, manufacturing and professional-services economy that draws major conferences and incentive programmes year-round. James designs keynotes that fit naturally into that calendar: inspiring enough to feel like a reward for top performers, substantial enough to send delegates home with ideas they can act on.
Whether you are gathering top performers at a landmark lakefront hotel or hosting an executive retreat tied to a leadership summit at McCormick Place, James works with your programme — keeping the energy high, the content relevant, and the experience memorable for an audience that expects the very best from a city built for business.
"James Taylor was a fantastic keynote speaker. If you are looking for a speaker to inspire your employees to reclaim their creativity, look no further than James Taylor."Kristi Kawana — Events & Marketing Director, B2B Marketing Exchange
Tell us your event date, audience size, and theme. James's team responds to most enquiries within 24 hours.
With a discovery call and two pre-event calls, James researches your industry and Chicago audience, then crafts a keynote around your goals — not an off-the-shelf talk.
Final slides arrive seven days ahead. The team coordinates travel and AV logistics so your Chicago event runs seamlessly from rehearsal to standing ovation.
The human edge in an AI world — how leaders and teams stay relevant, creative, and competitive as automation accelerates across every sector. AI keynotes.
How organisations build a culture where creative thinking drives commercial results — central to Chicago's finance, manufacturing and professional-services economy.
Practical frameworks for leading hybrid teams, managing change, and building organisations fit for a radically different future.
Why most transformations fail — and the creative leadership behaviours that make them succeed in complex, high-stakes environments.
Building leaders who inspire creative performance and drive innovation in fast-moving markets — from finance and energy to technology and government.
Building "centaur" teams where human ingenuity and AI combine to deliver breakthrough results greater than the sum of their parts.
Looking for an interactive format? Explore James's creative workshops for Chicago teams.
James Taylor's SuperCreativity™ keynote shows organisations how to build creative capacity alongside artificial intelligence — giving teams the tools to outpace disruption and turn AI into a driver of breakthrough innovation rather than a threat. Each programme is research-backed, fully customisable, and aligned to the innovation and transformation agenda driving Chicago's finance, manufacturing and professional-services leaders forward.
Accelerating innovation in the age of AI. With McKinsey predicting 45% of jobs will be automated, creativity is the distinctly human advantage.
Explore SuperCreativity™ →
Cyborgs, centaurs and the rise of human-AI collaboration — fostering creative partnership between your people and machines.
Explore SuperCollaboration™ →
How the world's best leaders inspire, influence and drive action. Companies led by effective communicators deliver 47% higher shareholder returns.
Explore SuperCommunication →
Inspired by Savile Row craftsmanship — a keynote designed from scratch for one client, one audience, one occasion.
Explore bespoke keynotes →
James Taylor speaks at corporate conferences, leadership summits, and incentive events in Chicago, Illinois — the business and convention capital of the American Midwest. His keynotes on AI, creativity, and the future of work are built for high-performing audiences at the city's leading venues, from McCormick Place, North America's largest convention centre, to landmark five-star properties across downtown.
North America's largest convention centre, built for the biggest conferences, expos and keynotes.
An iconic lakefront venue for large events, launches and gala dinners.
A historic Magnificent Mile landmark favoured for executive summits and galas.
A grand conference hotel on Michigan Avenue with extensive ballroom space.
A large riverside convention hotel ideal for major annual conferences.
A refined downtown property for premium corporate and C-suite events.
The SuperCreativity book (January 2026) shows how creativity, collaboration and communication combine to give organisations the human edge in an age of AI — the same themes James brings to stages across Chicago's finance, manufacturing and professional-services sectors. If the keynote is the experience, the book is the deeper dive: a practical guide your team can put to work the day after the event.
What You'll LearnJames Taylor M.B.A. F.R.S.A. is an international keynote speaker on artificial intelligence, creativity and innovation — not to be confused with the American singer-songwriter James Taylor. He has delivered 3,000+ keynotes across 50+ countries for Fortune 500 companies including Apple, Cisco, Deloitte and Accenture. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and the author of SuperCreativity.
For events in the United States, James Taylor's speaking fees typically start from $15,000 USD, net of any bureau commissions, and vary based on your event format, location and customisation requirements. As James is based in the UK, the client is responsible for arranging his business-class travel to Chicago. Please contact us directly to enquire about fees and receive a tailored proposal for your event.
Yes. James builds every keynote around the client's sector and audience. His themes of creativity, AI and innovation resonate strongly with Chicago's finance, manufacturing and professional-services base, and he has spoken widely for North American associations and corporate events across the Midwest.
Submit an enquiry with your event date, audience size, and theme through the contact form or booking popup. The team typically responds within 24 hours, then tailors the keynote and coordinates all travel and AV logistics for your Chicago event.
As early as possible — popular dates fill quickly. For major conferences and peak periods we recommend confirming 6–12 months ahead. Smaller corporate events can often be accommodated at shorter notice, so it is always worth checking availability.
Yes. James is available for keynotes in Chicago and across the Midwest, and delivers both in-person and fully interactive virtual sessions with the same level of customisation in either format.
Booking James Taylor for a Chicago event starts with a short brief — your event date, audience size, and theme. His team coordinates all travel and AV logistics and typically responds to enquiries within 24 hours.
Tell us about your event and we'll come back to you within 24 hours with availability and a tailored proposal.
⏱ Average response time: under 4 hours
