Joe Davis is a leader, innovator, and author with a deep passion for bringing teams together to tackle big challenges with real purpose. He is the Co-founder and CEO of Nanogirl Labs, working alongside his wife and business partner, Dr. Michelle Dickinson. Joe’s current mission is to democratise access to world-class education by leveraging technology, education, and entertainment to inspire, educate, and empower learners.
Joe’s leadership career spans various sectors, including software development, design, performing arts, sea rescue, automotive, and education. The common thread in his career is his focus on great people, deep culture, and a clear sense of purpose. As the CEO of Nanogirl Labs, Joe leads a team of innovative educators, storytellers, and technologists who are pushing the boundaries of learning. Under his leadership, Nanogirl Labs has successfully created and delivered numerous best-selling edutainment properties, including books, live shows, and digital content around the globe.
In addition to his work at Nanogirl, Joe serves as a strategic advisor to some of New Zealand’s most trusted and recognised brands, including a longstanding relationship with Toyota New Zealand, the 2024 winner of the Kantar Corporate Reputation Index. Joe is a regular consultant and facilitator to boards and executive teams across corporate, government, and non-profit sectors, focusing on future strategy, innovation, culture, and leadership.
Joe is also an experienced facilitator and energetic speaker, inspiring audiences on leadership, innovation, and building resilient teams. He addresses topics such as navigating rapid change, the impact of AI and other exponential technologies, and envisioning the future through impactful talks and real-world examples. Joe designs and facilitates high-impact workshops for clients ranging from major multinationals to government departments, corporates, and SMEs. His specialty is building a sense of co-ownership, co-creation, and deep candor, creating formats and environments that foster deep exploration of issues and the development of solutions with strong buy-in. He facilitates dozens of workshops each year and has extensive experience tackling complex issues with teams, navigating strongly held views to find a way forward. Joe is dedicated to understanding clients’ business challenges and proposing effective approaches to move things forward.
In addition to his consulting and facilitation work, Joe is the author of "Silver Linings," published by Penguin Random House. The book explores the journeys of over 100 New Zealand businesses and community leaders who thrived during the country’s COVID-19 lockdowns. The insights from the book led Joe and co-author David Downs to develop a clear thesis on what enables companies to innovate and be resilient in times of crisis.
Outside his professional career, Joe has over 20 years of experience as a sea rescue skipper in the Royal New Zealand Coastguard and has been actively involved in political campaigning and advocacy. Joe’s diverse experiences and deep commitment to purpose-driven leadership make him a dynamic and influential figure in his field.
Talking Points
Leading Resilience
What is resilience', and why does it matter? How can we develop resilience personally to live happier lives, and what can we do as leaders to build resilient, innovative organisations?
Leading Resilience
Navigating Unchartered Waters - Leadership in the age of AI
Technological development is driving an exponential pace of change in our world. The pace of change today is faster than it has ever been - and slower than it will ever be again. How do you prepare yourself and your business for that pace of change? How do you navigate, and create value, in uncharted water?Navigating Unchartered Waters - Leadership in the age of AI
Suitable for: Business audiences generally, with an emphasis on those in leadership /
management roles.
Key takeaways:
An understanding of the forces driving exponential change, with an emphasis on
Artificial Intelligence.
Practical advice on the toolsets and skillsets needed within organisations looking to
thrive in an exponential future, including provocative views on organisational
structure and value creation models.
Deep reflection on the mindset - for leaders and team members alike - to empower
rich, fulfilling careers in a world of exponential change.
Performing Under Pressure - Building resilient teams that perform when it counts
Crises, transformational moments and moonshots all call on us to perform when it matters - to be at our peak, doing the work of our lives when the moment calls. Drawing on Joe’s experience across emergency services, military, high-pace start-up business and some of the world’s most respected brands, this talk explores what it takes to build teams that are ready to meet the moment, time and and time again.Performing Under Pressure - Building resilient teams that perform when it counts
Suitable for: Business audiences generally, with an emphasis on those in leadership /
management roles.
Key takeaways:
Mental models that help to recognise and respond under pressure, and the practices
and considerations that enable and empower that response.
Stories of real-world leaders and teams who faced the moment, and the lessons they
learned.
A focus on support and well-being structures that enable teams to do the work of
their lives - to dig deep when it matters - while practicing positive self- and team care.
These two needs are not opposed to one another, but instead live hand in hand.
Lessons in Diversity - one white male’s journey in embracing and learning to lead for diversity
As a 30 year old CEO of a major charity, if you’d asked me about diversity I’d haveLessons in Diversity - one white male’s journey in embracing and learning to lead for diversity
‘mansplained’ it to you in a heartbeat…a young, dynamic leader I thought I had it dialled. I had absolutely no idea. In the years since I have created an organisation dedicated to increasing diversity in STEM participation (science, technology, engineering and maths) - making sure our future workforce in technological fields reflects the society it serves. I’ve had no end of tough but wonderful lessons, understanding how to transform organisations to drive diversity, how to
create products and services that are genuinely inclusive, and how to unlock diversity to deliver genuine business results. This talk shares real lessons from the road - my journey to understand and embrace the power of more diverse teams, and in learning to lead in a way that serves them.
Suitable for: Business audiences generally - powerful in industries struggling with diversity challenges.
Key takeaways:
A diversity story from a 6’9” white man - this talk lands the power and importance of
diversity in a way that the usual majority can’t help but hear.
A clear, data-driven case for increased diversity in our organisations, right up to
Board and investor level.
A mental model for diversity that includes everyone, and recognises the unique
talents and perspectives they bring to the team. This is not just a gender or ethnicity
story.
The Undiscovered Country - 40 Years From Now…
A huge part of my work is helping some of the country’s most trusted and successful brands think about the future, and prepare their teams for what might come. Thinking deeply about the technological, social and economic forces that shape our world, and helping them to shape their bets as they build, invest, recruit and develop.The Undiscovered Country - 40 Years From Now…
These talks are prepared as one-off presentations for sector conferences, and offer a possible view of a future that seems distant - an attempt to imagine 40 years from now, when today’s graduate interns start to draw on their Kiwisaver funds.
Suitable for: Sector-specific business audiences.
Key takeaways:
A provocative look at a possible sector future to provoke thought and discussion.
Often used as a jumping off point for strategic presentations / workshop, or to end a
conference day with conversation starters on everyone’s lips.
Workshop - Hands on with Generative AI
Generative AI is challenging and changing the way we do business. This hands-onWorkshop - Hands on with Generative AI
workshop gives participants the opportunity to put a range of the latest GenAI tools to use in solving a problem. Participants explore the available toolsets, share existing knowledge, and ultimately share the solutions they find with the group.
Suitable for: Any business audience interested in exploring GenAI concepts and tools.
Key takeaways:
● An enjoyable, highly interactive opportunity to experiment and explore with a purpose
drives great learning.
● Discussion and thought on the mindset needed to thrive in an AI-powered future.
● With an emphasis on solving wicked problems, this workshop drives innovation
thinking and creativity, supercharged by the GenAI tools used in the exercise.
Masterchef Lunch - Custom Workshop Example
Developed for a major corporate client looking to engage executives from across their business - and the partners of those executives - in a deep conversation, but in a social, enjoyable way.Masterchef Lunch - Custom Workshop Example
Created in partnership with Tim Read (link Tim’s profile).
Through the course of this workshop, guests are guided in the science of flavour by our
partner chef Tim Read - the ingredients that make our foods taste vivid. From there, guests are
challenged to compete in teams: who can prepare and present the best lunch dish, as
determined by our judges. At the conclusion of the competition, the food is served as lunch for all to enjoy. It’s fast, competitive, full of laughter and connection.
While our partner chef coaches the cooking, Joe facilitates the programme and stimulates
conversation, inviting and provoking tables to explore strategic issues using the workshop activity as a frame for opening discussion.
Key takeaways:
● A high value, great fun lunch experience that engages everyone in your event.
● A platform for deep, courageous conversation against a backdrop of hands-on fun.
Given this work relied on advice from and engagement with international stakeholders, Joe was able to adapt and align content based on the feedback provided. Also Joe was very flexible when ... keep reading Auckland Unlimited
Energising, thought-provoking and interactive - a breath of fresh air. You really shifted the conversations for us around resilience, diversity and innovation.
Thank you for joining us at the conference, and for the fantastic contribution you made as our dinner speaker. Your perspectives and insights hit exactly the right mark for the dinner!
A wonderful session and your contribution was the highlight as reported back by the team! Really really inspirational and the poignancy of finishing on that final question was brilliant - shows that shared values and beliefs can truly make a difference.
Thank you SO much for the last couple of days. You have mad skills. And needed to deploy a fair range of them of the course of the two days which you did with sublime grace judgement and focus. I'm in awe! You set that group up so well which gives us the best possible chance to have an impact.
Very engaging and personable. A lot of notes were taken during his talk and his points were referenced back on throughout the rest of the days topics.
Joe was an engaging and super polite speaker, with awesome humorous elements that fit really well with our 'informal', casual style of event. We really liked his ability to include personal topics and experiences, as well as his eagerness to answer questions and hear from the event-goers too.
Excellent! I have never seen an MC bring a rowdy audience into line so well!
