Portrait of Sura Al-Naimi in a pinstripe suit

About Sura

Hi!
I'm Sura.

Former Disney Global Innovation Officer turned innovation catalyst, helping organizations and individuals use the creativity they already have.

Keynote speaker · Partner · ConsultantIn innovation since 2001
Sura sitting outside beside a flip chart that reads “Sura — your tour guide”
Your tour guide

Eleven moves by the age of eleven. Before Sura settled in the States from London in 2006, she'd already learned to walk into new rooms, read new rules and see a situation from every angle.

Since 2001 she has been at the forefront of innovation and creativity. As a Disney Global Innovation Officer in the company's internal think tank, she led innovation work and helped shift the culture toward happy, collaborative innovation.

She has also built ventures of her own — in B2B tech for automotive and in luxury jewelry — and worked as a challenger strategist at What If Innovation Group, Synectics and eatbigfish, bridging startups and Fortune 100 organizations.

Today she is CEO of HiHelloSura, an innovation network, an adjunct at Ray Kurzweil and Peter Diamandis' Singularity University, and a speaker at conferences, corporations and associations around the world.

Sura sketching a concept map at a table full of prototyping materials
Prototyping a concept
Sura leading a workshop in a room lined with idea boards
Leading a workshop
“There is much confusion and mystery around creativity and innovation, making it often feel expensive or out of reach. No reason it has to be this way!”

Startups to the Fortune 100

  • Disney
  • Hyperloop
  • Facebook
  • Chick-fil-A
  • Levi's
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • Barilla

Roles along the way

Global Innovation Officer
Disney internal think tank
Challenger Strategist
What If Innovation Group · Synectics · eatbigfish
Founder
B2B tech for automotive · luxury jewelry
Adjunct
Singularity University
CEO
HiHelloSura innovation network
Sura speaking into a microphone as a guest on the Think Clever podcast

In practice

On the mic, and out in the community.

Sura with a group of community workshop participants holding certificates
With the community

Working with Sura

Straightforward, and built around your challenge.

First, you hop on a call to see if you're the right fit for each other. Then you establish the specific challenge you're facing. From there, Sura develops the right-fit solution — whether that's workshops, trainings, or what she calls the 'magic box marked X' — and gets to work.

Frequently asked

Good questions.

What makes Sura's approach different from traditional consulting?

Sura combines Disney innovation experience with her own ventures, from 3D-printed luxury jewelry in 2006 to B2B car dealer technology. She has worked in bootstrapped startups and multi-billion dollar corporations, and focuses on methods that work in your real situation, not just in theory.

How quickly can we expect to see results?

It depends on your challenge and your commitment to solving it. Sura has helped clients turn 8-month projects into 3-month deliverables, and even a two-hour session can get a team collaborating better.

How do you measure success?

Against goals you agree on at the start, based on your challenge and your business objectives.

What industries do you work with?

Technology, entertainment, manufacturing, retail, financial services and healthcare.

Let's thinkdifferently, together.

Tell me about your event, your team, or the challenge you're facing.

— Sura

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