Innovation as an Operating System: Lessons from Amazon

Innovation gets talked about constantly, but very few organisations do it consistently at scale.

That’s what makes Amazon such a useful case study for strategy leaders. Not because its approach is easy to replicate, but because it forces a clearer question: what does “innovation” actually look like when it’s built into the operating system of the business?

In this keynote, Rob Findlay (Head of Innovation, Amazon) unpacks how Amazon thinks about innovation as a repeatable discipline rather than a one-off initiative. He explores the principles that sit behind the company’s ability to move quickly, stay close to the customer, and turn emerging technology into real execution advantage.

From AI and automation through to experimentation and customer obsession, Rob’s session is a practical look at what it takes to design strategy in a world where digital capability is no longer a support function, it’s a competitive edge.

For senior strategy leaders, the value here is not the theory. It’s the operating logic: how to align technology with ambition, build momentum through iterative delivery, and lead with confidence when the pace of change keeps accelerating.

Watch the talk below.