Mo Gawdat

Former CBO Google [X], Serial Entrepreneur and Author of “Solve for Happy

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Mo Gawdat's Biography

Mo Gawdat is the former Chief Business Officer for Google [X], a serial entrepreneur, author of Solve for Happy, and founder of One Billion Happy. Mo has an impressive combined career of 27 years, starting at IBM Egypt as a Systems Engineer before moving to a sales role in the government sector. Venturing in to the UAE, Mo joined NCR Abu Dhabi to cover the non-finance sector. He then became acquainted with the consumer goods industry as Regional Manager of BAT. At Microsoft he assumed various roles over a span of seven and a half years, in his last role at Microsoft he headed the Communications Sector across Emerging Markets worldwide. Mo joined Google in 2007 to kick-start its business in Emerging Markets. He is fascinated by the role that technology plays in empowering people in emerging communities and has dedicated years of his career towards that passion. Over a period of 6 years, Mo started close to half of Google’s operations worldwide. In 2013 he moved to Google’s infamous innovation arm, Google [X] where he led the business strategy, planning, sales, business development and partnerships. [X] does not attempt to achieve incremental improvements in the way the world works, but instead, it tries to develop new technologies that will reinvent the way things are and deliver a radical, ten-fold—10X—improvement. This leads to seemingly SciFi ideas such as: Project Loon, which aims to use high-altitude balloons to provide affordable internet access to the 5 billion people on every square inch of our planet, Project Makani, aiming to revolutionize wind energy generation using autonomous carbon fiber kites as well as Self driving cars, Google Life Sciences, and many more. The business team under Mo’s leadership has designed innovative business models analogous to the disruptive technologies [X] creates, and has created deep partnerships and global deals that enabled [X] to thrive and build products fit for the real world. Alongside his career, Mo remained a serial entrepreneur who has cofounded more than 20 businesses in fields such as health and fitness, food and beverage and real estate. He served as a board member in several technology, health and fitness and consumer goods companies as well as several government technology and innovation boards in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. He mentors tens of start-ups at any point in time. In 2019, Mo co-founded T0day, an ambitious project that aims to reinvent consumerism for the benefit of consumers, retailers and our planet. In 2020, Mo launched his successful podcast, Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat, in which he conducts interviews that explore the extraordinary lives of everyday people. Mo Gawdat is the author of “Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy” (2017). Through his 12 year research on the topic of happiness, he created an algorithm and a repeatable well engineered model to reach a state of uninterrupted happiness regardless of the circumstances of life. Mo’s happiness model proved highly effective. And, in 2014, was put to the ultimate test when Mo lost his son Ali to preventable medical error during a simple surgical procedure. Solve for Happy is the pillar for a mission Mo has committed to as his personal moonshot, a mission to deliver his happiness message to one billion people around the world (#onebillionhappy).

SPEAKING VIDEOS
PHOTOS

Mo Gawdat's call for a better world at UNLEASH America 2018

Mo Gawdat | INBOUND 2018 Spotlight

Hope & Happiness - with Mo Gawdat

Mo Gawdat - Solve for Happy

Mo Gawdat | The Illusion of Control | Talks at Google

SPEAKER TOPICS

Artificial Intelligence Speakers

Inspiring Speakers

Start-Ups & Entrepreneurship Speakers

Resilience Speakers

Virtual Keynotes

Leadership Speakers

Motivational Speakers

Mindfulness Speakers

Culture Speakers

Conference Speakers

Business Speakers

Workplace Culture Speakers

Mo Gawdat Keynote Topics

Finding Silver Linings in the Face of Crisis

Our speaker Mo Gawdat highlights how even the most difficult circumstances can be turned into opportunities for growth, resilience, and renewed perspective. Drawing from deeply personal experiences and his extensive career leading innovation at Google [X], he explains how crises can catalyze transformation when approached with a mindset focused on solutions and inner strength.

This talk empowers audiences to embrace uncertainty, find clarity amidst chaos, and cultivate optimism even in the toughest moments. By offering actionable strategies rooted in both logic and empathy, Mo helps individuals and organizations reframe setbacks as stepping stones toward stronger futures.

Solve for Happy at Work

In this session, Mo shares his renowned happiness model, adapted specifically for the workplace. He demonstrates how leaders and employees alike can engineer environments that foster creativity, productivity, and wellbeing by applying simple yet effective principles of happiness.

With real-life examples from his career, including Google [X], he shows how organizations can align success with purpose, transforming culture from the inside out. This talk is designed to inspire businesses to integrate happiness as a measurable driver of performance and sustainability.

Solve for Happy

Based on his bestselling book, Mo takes audiences through the algorithm he developed for achieving lasting happiness, regardless of external circumstances. With clarity and accessibility, he shows how happiness can be engineered using repeatable and practical methods.

This keynote resonates on both personal and professional levels, inspiring people to unlock joy and resilience in everyday life. Our speaker encourages audiences to take charge of their own happiness, offering tools to overcome challenges and rediscover inner peace.

One Billion Happy: The Future of Technology, AI & Robotics

Mo Gawdat brings together two core passions—technology and happiness—in a powerful vision for the future. He discusses how advancements in AI and robotics are reshaping society, and how embedding human values into innovation can lead to a happier and more equitable world.

This keynote explores the intersection of humanity and technology, encouraging leaders to adopt a responsible, human-centered approach to innovation. Audiences leave with an expanded understanding of both the risks and the immense potential of emerging technologies.

The Illusion of Control (Solve for Happy)

In this insightful talk, Mo challenges one of the greatest misconceptions of modern life: the belief that we can control everything around us. He reveals how this illusion fuels stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction.

Through stories and practical examples, he shows audiences how letting go of control can actually enhance happiness, productivity, and resilience. This session equips participants with the mindset to navigate uncertainty with confidence and calm.

Innovation at Scale: The Principles of Moonshot Thinking

Drawing on his experience at Google, Mo uncovers the principles of moonshot thinking—how to drive innovation that doesn’t just improve incrementally but redefines entire industries. He explains how organizations can embrace bold ideas and cultivate the right conditions for breakthrough success.

Packed with case studies from some of the most ambitious projects in tech, this talk inspires leaders to think big, act with courage, and design strategies that scale. It’s a roadmap for those who want to turn radical visions into real-world impact.

Mo Gawdat's Biography

Mo Gawdat is the former Chief Business Officer for Google [X], a serial entrepreneur, author of Solve for Happy, and founder of One Billion Happy.

Mo has an impressive combined career of 27 years, starting at IBM Egypt as a Systems Engineer before moving to a sales role in the government sector. Venturing in to the UAE, Mo joined NCR Abu Dhabi to cover the non-finance sector. He then became acquainted with the consumer goods industry as Regional Manager of BAT. At Microsoft he assumed various roles over a span of seven and a half years, in his last role at Microsoft he headed the Communications Sector across Emerging Markets worldwide.

Mo joined Google in 2007 to kick-start its business in Emerging Markets. He is fascinated by the role that technology plays in empowering people in emerging communities and has dedicated years of his career towards that passion. Over a period of 6 years, Mo started close to half of Google’s operations worldwide.

In 2013 he moved to Google’s infamous innovation arm, Google [X] where he led the business strategy, planning, sales, business development and partnerships. [X] does not attempt to achieve incremental improvements in the way the world works, but instead, it tries to develop new technologies that will reinvent the way things are and deliver a radical, ten-fold—10X—improvement. This leads to seemingly SciFi ideas such as: Project Loon, which aims to use high-altitude balloons to provide affordable internet access to the 5 billion people on every square inch of our planet, Project Makani, aiming to revolutionize wind energy generation using autonomous carbon fiber kites as well as Self driving cars, Google Life Sciences, and many more. The business team under Mo’s leadership has designed innovative business models analogous to the disruptive technologies [X] creates, and has created deep partnerships and global deals that enabled [X] to thrive and build products fit for the real world.

Alongside his career, Mo remained a serial entrepreneur who has cofounded more than 20 businesses in fields such as health and fitness, food and beverage and real estate. He served as a board member in several technology, health and fitness and consumer goods companies as well as several government technology and innovation boards in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. He mentors tens of start-ups at any point in time. In 2019, Mo co-founded T0day, an ambitious project that aims to reinvent consumerism for the benefit of consumers, retailers and our planet. In 2020, Mo launched his successful podcast, Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat, in which he conducts interviews that explore the extraordinary lives of everyday people.

Mo Gawdat is the author of “Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy” (2017). Through his 12 year research on the topic of happiness, he created an algorithm and a repeatable well engineered model to reach a state of uninterrupted happiness regardless of the circumstances of life. Mo’s happiness model proved highly effective. And, in 2014, was put to the ultimate test when Mo lost his son Ali to preventable medical error during a simple surgical procedure. Solve for Happy is the pillar for a mission Mo has committed to as his personal moonshot, a mission to deliver his happiness message to one billion people around the world (#onebillionhappy).