April Rinne

April Rinne is a sought-out expert on sustainable development

Head of the World Economic Forum’s Sharing Economy Working Group APRIL RINNE is a go-to voice on the new economy and sustainable development. Sought-out to speak at numerous forward-thinking events—including Enova’s Energy & Climate Conference, the Global Sustainable Development Speaker Series at Occidental College, Sustainable Brands, OuiShare Fest where she delivered a keynote on “Sharing Cities: Rethinking Urban Planning & Sustainable Growth,” and more, Rinne consistently receives rave reviews thanks to her ability to balance actionable takeaways and eye-opening anecdotes. An example of her stellar reviews: "Thanks so much to April for helping us kick off what most attendees are saying was the most engaging Sustainable Brands Conference yet. We heard again this year a deep appreciation from attendees for bringing a higher level of thinking to the table. You played a significant role in helping to set the tone this year by challenging our group to think from a different lens about the work we do and the rules by which we all operate. I'm confident your presentation had a real impact in upping the level of dialogue that took place throughout the week..." (Sustainable Brands & Sustainable Life Media); and "April Rinne’s keynote was most inspiring and interesting. She linked the energy sector and the sharing economy in an interesting manner, and highlighted the investment opportunities for the audience. April Rinne is a very professional speaker and we were delighted to have her as our keynote and guest in Norway." (Enova). Advisor of choice for a range of private and public sector organizations, from Airbnb to the World Economic Forum and governments worldwide, Rinne helps audiences see the innovative shifts underway in communities and businesses worldwide, pointing to how good business and sustainable development can go hand-in-hand. Tailoring her remarks to each audience, Rinne is at the 50 yard line of the most cutting-edge workforce and industry innovations, decoding the positive social implications of new technologies and providing a refreshing-- and not often presented—perspective. Not just a thought leader, but a doer, Rinne’s work has taken her to 95 countries (to date), and she provides a truly global perspective on the new economy and how it fosters sustainable development.

April Rinne shares her predictions for the sharing economy in 2019 

The Head of the World Economic Forum’s Sharing Economy Working Group, APRIL RINNE shared "4 big trends for the sharing economy in 2019" in a fascinating World Economic Forum op-ed. The advisor of choice for a range of private and public sector organizations, from Airbnb to Nike and governments worldwide, Rinne is at the 50-yard line of innovative shifts at the intersection of the public, private and social sectors, helping people and organizations understand how to navigate change. Her insightful op-ed unpacks the four sharing economy trends to look for in the year to come-- uneven growth, demographic diversity, increased regulation, and expansion into the mainstream-- and what their impacts will mean for organizations and individuals alike. Rinne's talent, is translating her extensive experience and research into tangible, targeted and custom keynotes for every audience, regardless of industry. In the coming months she is set to deliver a keynote on innovation development and investment at the Asian Financial Forum; the nexus of the new economy, disruptive innovation and the future of work at the 8th Brazilian Industry Innovation Summit; and changes in the economy, entrepreneurship and global trends at the Nevada Economic Development Conference. At each event she receives rave reviews such as: "April Rinne was terrific" (Texas Economic Development Council); and "It went very well. Timely topic, and April was really wonderful to have" (TD Ameritrade). 

April Rinne is a Contributor for Quartz at Work  

Expert on the new economy, future of work and disruptive innovation April Rinne has been named a contributor for Quartz at Work, the digital news outlet’s guide to being a better manager and how to navigate the modern global workplace. An in-demand advisor for organizations and companies as diverse as the World Economic Forum, Airbnb, and China’s National Sharing Economy Commission, Rinne is a leading voice on the real opportunities and obstacles of the new economy. Her informative Quartz columns unpack myriad lessons from her forward-thinking and global career, touching on everything from trends in the future of work to growing pains in the gig economy. Her keynotes are equally illuminating, as Rinne has been sought-out by Coca-Cola, TD Ameritrade, Enova, The Aspen Institute, and more to shed light on how businesses can translate uncertain change into economic opportunity. Rave reviews from Rinne’s recent engagements include: “Timely topic, and April was really wonderful to have” (TD Ameritrade);  "April is a gifted speaker with in-depth knowledge of her field of expertise. Her talk at our conference was a highlight which has inspired an entire industry to understand that business can be done differently!...The insights and ideas she shared with us at our congress were an eyeopener for our entire industry... With her inspirational, profound, and – at the same time – entertaining talk at our congress, she put an entire industry under her spell!" (RIAD International Association of Legal Protection); “April Rinne is a brilliant thought leader operating at the nexus of technological change, new economy, and social impact. She is able to unpack the confusing signals and share perceptive insights that allow us to make practical strategy" (Social Innovation Generation).

April's HWA Chat offers golden nuggets of insight about the sharing economy

Whether you are intrigued by the success of sharing companies like Uber, airbnb, Lyft, Task rabbit and the like, or you are a die hard believer that the sharing economy is in fact the new normal and wave of the future, April has an innovative and well-rounded perspective about the future of the sharing economy.

April Rinne is a smash hit at back-to-back engagements

Sought-out to deliver two keynotes at back-to-back events, first at Dentons’ Courageous Counsel Leadership Institute and then TD Ameritrade’s National LINC Conference, APRIL RINNE delivered sharp insights into the sharing economy and future of work. Delivering a keynote entitled, “The New Economy: What’s It all About?” at Dentons LLP’s professional leadership development conference, the theme of which was “cultivating innovation,” Rinne exposed audience members to emerging trends and new platforms, unpacking their legal implications. Engaging in an in-depth and informative Q&A, Rinne kept the audience riveted from start to finish, and received stellar feedback: “Amazing!! April is such a profound speaker! The entire audience was so captivated with her.” Just one week later, speaking to a packed room at TD Ameritrade’s LINC Conference, Rinne gave a showcase presentation on the new economy. Tailoring her remarks to the audience of financial advisors, Rinne dove into how shifts in labor, business models, and technology will impact the business and finance industries, and delivered substantive analysis on how the sharing and gig economies will affect financial planning. Keeping the conversation going with a handful of particularly curious participants for over an hour after the keynote’s close, Rinne received the following rave review: "It went very well. Timely topic, and April was really wonderful to have."

April Rinne sought-out to advise forward-thinking, visionary companies across industries 

Working at the intersection of the public, private and social sector for almost 20 years, APRIL RINNE has been sought-out for her extensive expertise on the new economy, future of work and inclusive growth by top organizations across industries. Advising a range of leading companies and organizations such as Airbnb, Nike, Intuit, The World Economic Forum, World Bank, The Inter-American Development Bank, and Jobbatical, plus numerous public sector organizations including Amsterdam Sharing City, Sharing City Seoul, Apolitical, Welcoming International, Estonia's e-Residency initiative and China's National Sharing Economy Commission, April has brought invaluable strategies and insights to help organizations prepare for the future and stay ahead of the curve. Whether shedding light on emerging markets and opportunities for international expansion, crafting innovative public policies, or decoding the implications of new technologies and helping organizations prepare for the future of work, April anticipates major global trends before they’ve disrupted entire industries. Her track record speaks for itself: "Drop the April bomb… and good things happen" (Patrick Robinson, Director of Public Policy, Airbnb); “Who’s your April?” (Will Fitzpatrick, General Counsel, Omidyar Network).

Read the latest post from new economy expert April Rinne

APRIL RINNE is a global authority on the new economy: sharing economy, collaborative economy, on-demand economy, freelance economy and new tech-enabled business models. Advising companies, local and national governments, entrepreneurs, think tanks, investors and development banks, using for-profit and non-profit models, her areas of expertise include policy reform; the future of work; the future of travel and tourism; sustainable development; cities; and emerging markets. 

April Rinne shares substantive insights on the new economy at the Microsoft Summit

Addressing a sold-out crowd of top executives at the Microsoft Summit in Bucharest, APRIL RINNE shared key insights on the future of work, automation, innovation and more in her keynote: “The Digital Sharing Economy.” Drawing on her extensive experience at the head of the World Economic Forum’s Sharing Economy Working Group, Rinne illuminated the impacts of new technologies in transforming business, government and society at large. Sprinkling in loads of fascinating anecdotes (there are platforms just for sharing Maseratis, for example!), and tailoring her remarks to the Romanian and European market, Rinne inspired lots of interaction with the audience. Sought-out for six interviews while at the conference, many of Rinne’s insights were highlighted in a Business Review article and she shared her own perspective in an informative LinkedIn post.  

April Rinne decodes the human side of AI and automation, and the implications worldwide

Co-Founder of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Sharing Economy Working Group and serving on a wide range of tech-focused advisory boards, APRIL RINNE is a trusted expert on the new economy and digital disruption, able to shed light on how AI and automation will impact individuals and companies across industries and geographies.  Having recently written an informative op-ed on the uneven distribution of AI and automation development around the world, and interviewed by ReInvent on how AI and automation interest and fear is playing out in different countries, April is an authority on how new technologies are being implemented worldwide and how they are (and will) affect business models, the future of work, and more.  Heralded by audiences for presenting “new, complex and even sometimes controversial topics substantively and with ease, persuasively informing everyone from students to CEOs..." (Emory University), April brings a human dimension to the conversation around AI and automation, breaking down how society as a whole can best prepare for inevitable disruptions and shifts. Drawing on her experience advising a range of organizations directly involved in the "humans vs. machines" debate, from companies including Airbnb and Intuit, and governments from Estonia to Singapore and China, April provides a playbook to help prepare for an uncertain future and become predictive and proactive rather than reactive in the face of change.

April Rinne keeps audiences raving at every kind of event

Whether speaking at industry associations or universities, The World Economic Forum or government roundtables, APRIL RINNE consistently receives rave reviews for her transformative insights and shrewd analysis on the new economy, the future of work, global citizenship and more. Having already addressed audiences in seven countries at events such as the Future Trends Forum and the Conference on World Affairs in 2017 thus far, Rinne is praised by attendees and event-planners alike for her on-the-point, customized remarks, tremendous passion, and vast knowledge.  Recent reviews include: “April's presentation was fantastic. She delivered a keynote as it should be: showing the big picture, addressing key issues, and doing so in a way that's enlightening and fun.” (ITB Berlin Convention); “April's keynote was excellent. She was engaged in the whole process from start to finish. Her inspirational and valuable insight proved to be of enormous value for the Summit.” (World Travel & Tourism Council); "April is an engaging communicator who has a special knack with audiences. She can present new, complex and even sometimes controversial topics substantively and with ease, persuasively informing everyone from students to CEOs..." (Emory University); "April is a gifted speaker with in-depth knowledge of her field of expertise. Her talk at our conference was a highlight which has inspired an entire industry to understand that business can be done differently!” (RIAD International Association of Legal Protection).

April Rinne sheds light on the future of work and gig economy 

The Head of the World Economic Forum’s Sharing Economy Working Group, APRIL RINNE is not only a renowned expert on the gig economy, but a living embodiment of it. A freelancer who’s worked at the intersection of the private, public and social sectors for over 20 years, currently April is also an advisor at Airbnb and a Sharing Economy Advisory Board Member for China’s National Sharing Economy Commission. As Airbnb’s Director of Public Policy Patrick Robinson said: “Drop the April bomb… and good things happen.” Recently sought-out as a keynote to shed light on the future of work and the impact of the gig economy at the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit, The Enova Conference, and The World Economic Forum Regional Summit, April is known to tailor her speeches to every audience and consistently receives rave reviews: “April's presentation was fantastic. She delivered a keynote as it should be: showing the big picture, addressing key issues, and doing so in a way that's enlightening and fun.” (ITB Berlin Convention); "April is an engaging communicator who has a special knack with audiences. She can present new, complex and even sometimes controversial topics substantively and with ease, persuasively informing everyone from students to CEOs..." (Emory University); "April is a gifted speaker with in-depth knowledge of her field of expertise. Her talk at our conference was a highlight which has inspired an entire industry to understand that business can be done differently!” (RIAD International Association of Legal Protection). Check out April’s recent interview on the rise of independent workers worldwide, and her podcast on the gig economy trend with Wharton Business’ podcast.  

April Rinne's website is the hot spot for timely insights on the new economy and global citizenship

APRIL RINNE's work is focused on 'building better markets that work better for more people.'  She is focused on Global Access, Global Perspective and Global Citizenship. She posts thought-pieces on how people, companies and communities can navigate the future of the new economy and global citizenship.  She explains how global citizenship is not the same as globalization or being well-traveled, and why she predicts changes to our values, sense of citizenship, and our economic opportunities.

Artificial Intelligence & Digital Disruption

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