Ilja Grzeskowitz

Ilja Grzeskowitz, born in Berlin in 1975, is an economist, entrepreneur, and one of Europe’s most sought-after keynote speakers on the topic of change. In his late twenties, he became Germany’s youngest managing director at Karstadt and IKEA, taking responsibility for 10 locations across the country, before founding his own company in 2009.

Nicknamed “Mr. Change” by his clients and the media, he has been exploring a single question for over twenty years: Why is change so hard, and how can we succeed despite that?

As an author, Ilja has published 14 books to date, which have been translated into 7 languages and sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide. In addition, he was a lecturer at the Berlin School of Law and Economics and is considered, according to the OÖ Nachrichten, “Germany’s most successful expert on change processes.”

As a speaker, Ilja has taken the stage in 28 countries across 5 continents and also regularly coaches entrepreneurs, board members, and founders one-on-one. His clients include international brands, more than half of all DAX-listed companies, and long-established medium-sized businesses.

A native of Lübeck, he has lived in Berlin for many years. When he’s not on stage, he’s an avid golfer, roots for HSV, or enjoys his favourite drink: Coffee. Lots of it, and always black.