Rahaf Harfoush

Rahaf Harfoush is a Strategist, Digital Anthropologist, and New York Times Best-Selling Author who focuses on the intersections between emerging technology, innovation, and digital culture.  She is the Executive Director of the Red Thread Institute of Digital Culture. Rahaf is a member of France’s National Digital Council.  Rahaf was recently named to the United Nations High Level Advisory on Artificial Intelligence and served on President Macron’s commission on AI’s impact on democracy. In 2021 she joined The Oxford Internet Institute as a Visiting Policy Fellow.  Her third book, entitled “Hustle & Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work,” was released in 2019.  She has been featured by Bloomberg, The CBC, CTV, and Forbes for her work on workplace culture.  It has been translated into Chinese and French.  Formerly, Rahaf was the Associate Director of the Technology Pioneer Program at the World Economic Forum in Geneva where she helped identify disruptive-startups that were improving the state of the world.  Rahaf is the co-author of “The Decoded Company: Know Your Talent Better Than You Know your Customers”  It was published in early 2014 and was listed on both the New York Times and USA Today best seller lists. It won a 2015 Gold Axiom Award for Best Business Technology Book. The Decoded Company explores how big data is providing an unprecedented opportunity for organizations to dramatically improve their decision making, increase their performance and, most importantly, intentionally create happy and vibrant work cultures.  Her first book, “Yes We Did: An Insider’s Look at How Social Media Built the Obama Brand,”chronicled her experiences as a member of Barack Obama’s digital media team during the 2008 Presidential elections and explored how social networking revolutionized political campaign strategy. In 2019, the prestigious “Les Napoleons” named Rahaf as one of the most innovative women in France. She was listed as one of the top future thinkers to shape the world by the Hay Literary Festival in 2017.  Rahaf was named as a  Young Global Changer by the G20 Global Think Tank Summit.  Rahaf has also been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Shaper, and by the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society as a Rising Talent for her thought leadership in the fields of digital culture and technology. In 2014, Rahaf was also named as a “Canadian Arab to Watch,” by the Canadian Arab Institute. She is a member of the German Marshall Network of Transatlantic Leaders. Rahaf’s writing has been featured in HBR, Wired, The Globe and Mail, Fast Company, Monocle, The Financial Times, Techonomy,  The Next Web and many more. She is a frequent commentator on France24 and the CBC. She has been speaking about Digital Culture and Technology since 2006.  In her spare time, Rahaf enjoys instagramming too many pictures of her dog Pixel, learning how to play the ukulele and working on her second novel. 2026 Focus In Building an Adaptive Knowledge Practice, I explore the need for intentional learning in an era of infinite information. As AI tools become more embedded in our workflows, the ability to critically process, integrate, and apply knowledge is becoming a competitive advantage. My research examines strategies for future-proofing expertise, strengthening creative thinking, and avoiding the passive consumption trap that generative AI can reinforce. In The Ecosystemic Leader, I investigate how leadership is evolving in response to multi-vector disruption, rapid technological change, and shifting workforce dynamics. The debate between generalists and specialists is over—today’s leaders must be both. My research focuses on the emergence of a hybrid leadership model that blends broad contextual awareness with deep domain expertise, offering insights into how leaders can navigate uncertainty, maintain confidence, and continuously evolve their skill sets in the face of unprecedented complexity. In Somatic Body in a Digital World, I explore the profound, often invisible ways that digital experiences shape our physiology, nervous system, and overall well-being. The boundary between the physical and digital worlds is an illusion—our bodies are constantly responding to digital stimuli, from infinite scrolling and dopamine-driven engagement loops to the subtle physiological effects of remote work, Zoom calls, and algorithmic influence. This research examines how we can design healthier digital habits, prevent burnout, and foster psychological safety in an age of always-on connectivity. Impact of Digital Culture on Work: Exploring how pervasive digital culture, including the normalization of hybrid and remote work, is reshaping organizational culture.Leadership in Digitally Decentralized Teams: Identifying the new skillsets required for managers to lead effectively in a digital environment. Generative AI and Knowledge Work: Investigating the impact of Generative AI on creative human labor, the future of jobs, and the importance of deep knowledge expertise. Digital Well-Being: Assessing the effects of dopamine, distractions, doom-scrolling, and non-stop connectivity on innovation, focus, and performance. Spatial Computing: Delving into the cultural, physiological, and strategic implications of VR technology on work and personal life. Financial Models of Tech Platforms: Analyzing the financial structures that support tech platforms, focusing on how these models influence innovation, competition, and the overall dynamics within digital markets. Digital Culture Phenomena: Analyzing meme culture, disinformation, misinformation, fandoms, online communities, and para-social relationships. AI Policy and Global Governance: Examining the need for global governance, digital treaties, and diplomacy in managing the implications of AI and digital technologies on society and international relations.