Francis Goh has spent decades helping organizations navigate change — but if there’s one constant he’s learned to rely on, it’s this: adaptability starts with curiosity.
“I’ve been in tech for over 30 years,” he told attendees at the Digital Leadership Summit 2025, “and what’s kept me going isn’t just knowledge — it’s the willingness to unlearn, relearn, and question everything.”
Today, as Vice President for Consulting, Data & AI at NTT DATA Asia-Pacific, Francis leads AI strategy development for some of the region’s largest enterprises. But his talk wasn’t a pitch deck. It was a series of stories — drawn from boardrooms, customer workshops, and a lifetime of personal reinvention.
Highlights
From Change Fatigue to Change Fluency
Francis opened with a sobering truth: the pace of transformation is no longer just fast — it’s exponential. Organizations that thrived on stability are now struggling under the weight of complexity, and those without a plan risk being left behind.
But the real challenge, he argued, isn’t just speed. It’s a mindset.
Humans are creatures of habit. We love routine because it reduces stress. But that very instinct is what transforms so hard.”
To lead in a world defined by AI, Francis said, we must first change the way we think about change.
Playtime is Over — AI is Now a Business Imperative
Referencing NTT DATA’s Global GenAI Report, Francis shared that 99% of organizations are investing in generative AI — but only half have aligned these strategies with their actual business goals.
“Too many leaders jump into AI because it’s cool. But technology is never the first question. Strategy is.”
Francis spends much of his time leading AI strategy workshops that deliberately avoid technology talk at the start. Instead, he begins by asking: What problem are you trying to solve? What’s keeping your CEO up at night?
Only when that’s clear, he said, does it make sense to talk about which AI tools to use.
How a Learning Culture Saved Microsoft
Francis’s core message? That transformation is about learning — at every level.
He shared a personal story from his time at Microsoft, during the leadership transition from Steve Ballmer to Satya Nadella. The company, once seen as a sleeping giant, was revived not by a new product but by a cultural shift.
“Satya changed everything by shifting the culture from ‘know-it-all’ to ‘learn-it-all.’ That mindset saved Microsoft.”
It’s a lesson that stuck with him. In his own book, Innovate to Elevate, Francis dedicates an entire section to organizational learning — something he believes is the real differentiator between companies that adapt and those that stagnate.
What It Means to Work Backwards
Drawing from his time at Amazon, Francis introduced the concept of working backwards: starting not with technology, but with the end-user problem. From there, you build a solution — step by step, without skipping.
“People often ask, ‘How do we future-proof our business?’ I say, stop building faster horses. Start with what your customers really need. Then work backwards.”
This method, rooted in empathy and design thinking, underpins the innovation frameworks he now teaches in executive workshops.
Lessons from the Frontlines of GenAI Adoption
Francis concluded with reflections from NTT DATA’s global GenAI report, which surveyed over 2,300 leaders across 34 countries. The findings were clear:
- 99% of organizations using real-world use cases saw ROI
- 94% agreed GenAI needs better infrastructure
- 89% of the C-suite are concerned about AI-related security risks
- But only 1 in 4 feel fully prepared to manage those risks
In short, the excitement is real — but so is the risk of getting it wrong.
His Final Thought: Stay Curious, Stay Human
When asked what humans should do in a world increasingly dominated by AI, Francis smiled.
“We are still the designers, the strategists, the dreamers. GenAI is powerful — but we’re still in the driver’s seat. The most important thing we can do is stay curious.”
Whether building a roadmap, writing a book, or running a workshop, Francis Goh’s mission is clear: to make learning strategic, innovation human, and transformation purposeful.
Highlights
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