Meet the OEB25 Speakers: Keynote Avinash Chandarana

Having joined mci group in 1998 as Director of Talent and Development for MCI Brussels, Avinash has played a central role in shaping the organisation’s talent strategy over the years. His journey from a local leadership role to Global Learning and Development Director reflects both deep organisational knowledge and a broader strategic vision for learning as a driver of business value.

With a career spanning three decades and three continents, including leadership roles in Europe, North America, and Asia, he brings a unique blend of global business expertise, cultural fluency, and insight into the evolving needs of today’s and tomorrow’s workforce.

At the core, Avinash leads the design and deployment of a high-impact learning ecosystem that serves as the engine for talent development across mci group. By creating the right conditions; programmes, tools, platforms, and cultural levers, he ensures learning is not just accessible, but embedded, purposeful, and performance-driven. His approach integrates the latest in AI-enabled technology, neuroscience-informed design, and deep business alignment to drive capability building that delivers measurable results.

Beyond his formal role and drawing on a broad set of strengths across business, he actively contributes to client projects, speaking engagements, and workshops, bringing thought leadership and translating his diverse experience into practical, high-value contributions across client challenges and opportunities.

We are honoured to welcome him as a keynote speaker for OEB25.

What was your first thought about this year’s conference theme “Humanity in the Intelligent Age: Empathy, Responsibility, and the Duty of Care”?

It struck a chord. We talk a lot about intelligence; human or artificial – but not enough about the emotional and ethical scaffolding that holds it up. This theme invites us to rebalance.

If you could look into the year 2045, what do you envision learning will be driven by?

That’s a trick question. We’re barely grasping what the next five years will look like, let alone 2045. But if we follow the curve, maybe it’ll be like The Matrix: plug in, download a skill, and boom… you’re flying a helicopter. The real question is: will we still know why we’re learning, not just how?

Which learning technology has recently impressed you?

AI-powered simulation tools that blend behavioural insight, decision-making complexity, and coaching.  Finally a step beyond content creation and consumption.

Which book should everyone read?

Think Again – Adam Grant

What was your most significant learning experience?

During COVID, I leaned heavily on neuroscience insights and expertise in online learning to rewire how we engaged audiences online. Translating cognitive science into practical design helped transform our industry of global events from passive screens into immersive, emotionally resonant experiences and showed me that urgency accelerates innovation when grounded in human understanding.

Which question is asked too rarely when we talk about learning?

We don’t ask “why” enough. We jump to content, tools, outcomes but skip the deeper purpose. Why does this matter? Why now? Why this way? That’s where real learning design begins – with the outcome in mind.

What would be the title of your autobiography?

Unboxed: A Global Life of Reinvention, Purpose, and Possibility

What are you looking forward to the most at this year’s OEB?

The unexpected conversations. Ones that don’t happen on stage but in the margins, where real insight often lives. And looking forward to exploring how others are translating theory into action, especially around AI-human collaboration that’s ethical, scalable, and human-centred.

Thank you, Avinash! Avinash Chandarana will be speaking at one of the OEB25 Friday Plenaries.