Charles applies a theoretical understanding of science and philosophy to a practical knowledge of what makes people tick—all to solve the increasingly complex problems that organizations face in producing and sustaining meaningful innovations. He is jargon-averse, never dogmatic, and relishes provoking people to develop a less-fragmentary worldview—which he believes kickstarts creativity, collaboration, and, most importantly, optimism.Charles has over 15 years of experience in the field of innovation. He began as a planner in the advanced concepts team at Steelcase before moving to Motorola as its Latin America Consumer Experience Manager. He also served as director of innovation at What If consultancy, working on global projects for a variety of multinational companies across a range of sectors.He holds a Ph.D. from the Illinois Institute of Technology where he studied artificial intelligence in design, complexity theory, and genetic algorithms. He also holds a master’s degree in production engineering from UFSC/Brazil and a B.A in industrial design from UFPE/Brazil. He has lectured onthe design sciences at the University of Otago in New Zealand and has authored 3 books: The Humble Designer; The Innovation Machine and The Holographic Innovation. He was a member of the Design Management Institute’s Advisory Council. When not transforming large organizations, Charles plays the striker position in a weekly soccer match and enjoys making Brazilian barbecue and caipirinhas for friends. He lives in São Paulo with his wife and son.