THE HUMAN SIDE OF INNOVATION

Abstract

AbstractThe author discusses his journey from growing up in the north of Italy to his current role as the first‐ever Chief Design Officer of PepsiCo, the food and beverage multinational corporation. He describes what he calls his mission of human‐centered innovation. What is required, he notes, is people whom he dubs “the unicorns.” He writes that “at PepsiCo, we have an organization of more than 300 design and innovation experts spread across fifteen locations in every region of the world with a full diversity of technical skills and personal backgrounds. Our innovation team has gained more than 1,800 awards and recognitions in less than ten years.” He stresses the importance of kindness in these unicorns, and that they “possess humanity, generosity, and sensitivity. They are transparent, sincere, and inspire trust.” Within himself, he cultivates an “insatiable curiosity for everything around me. Curiosity is a portal to access knowledge and an instigator for inspiration.” He says that society, especially through education systems, should help people develop the qualities of unicorns early in life. “I believe that,” he writes, “aside from teaching math, literature, geography, philosophy, and finance, schools everywhere should educate people on the qualities of the unicorns.”