About Brian Elliott
Helping leaders build a better future of work
Brian Elliott is the CEO of Work Forward, a leadership advisor, and a noted expert on the future of work. After 25 years in tech, including executive roles at Google and Slack, Brian co-founded Future Forum, a think tank focused on the future of work. He is also the bestselling author of How the Future Works, a senior advisor with Boston Consulting Group, and one of Forbes’ Future of Work 50.
Brian helps leaders build a future that benefits both people and organizations by combining the latest research with actionable insights gained from his work with a wide range of companies.
Follow Brian on LinkedIn for the latest future-of-work news, research, and insights.
Brian's clients span industries and sizes, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies, including Airbnb, Atlassian, MillerKnoll, Teradyne, and Upwork.
The sharpest thinker and communicator I know on the future of work. He’s not a “strategist” opining from an ivory tower, but someone who knows firsthand how real organizations work.
Brian is that rare, alchemical blend of strategy guru and operating wizard—and I highly recommend him as a speaker and consultant.
Bio
Brian Elliott leads Work Forward, a think tank and advisory group that supports leaders in embracing future-of-work trends and best practices to build better outcomes for people and organizations.
Brian is a seasoned executive whose experience spans startups and Fortune 500 companies. He’s also the co-founder of Future Forum, the author of the bestseller How the Future Works, and one of Forbes’ Future of Work 50.
Brian has spent 25 years leading teams and building companies. He led high-growth startups to profitability and productive exits, guided Google’s first forays into full-stack commerce, and drove substantial growth and expansion of Slack’s Platform, playing key roles in the company’s IPO and external communication efforts. He has extensive experience in product leadership and P&L management for marketplaces and platforms across consumer and business verticals.
In 2020, Brian co-founded and led Future Forum, a research consortium backed by Slack. In partnership with Boston Consulting Group, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, and MillerKnoll, Future Forum brought together data-driven insights with best practices gathered from organizations around the world. The consortium’s quarterly Pulse report, based on a survey of more than 10,000 office workers, provided valuable data to help senior decision-makers navigate changes in the workplace. Its collection of best practices and playbooks — gathered and developed by working with companies across industries — offered real-world examples of how embracing flexibility can build more productive, connected, and inclusive teams.
Brian started his career at Boston Consulting Group, where he’s now a senior advisor. He also advises various organizations, including Airbnb, Allstate, Atlassian, Dynatrace, Teradyne, and Webflow.
Brian earned his MBA from Harvard Business School where he was a Baker Scholar. His work has been published in a wide range of publications, including The Economist, Fortune, Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the proud father of two young men.
His book, How the Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams to Do the Best Work of Their Lives, is a Wall Street Journal bestseller. Coauthored with Sheela Subramanian and Helen Kupp, the book is a blueprint for empowering teams with the flexibility and choice they need to do their best work.
You can follow Brian on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/belliott
In the Media
Brian Elliott is the bestselling author of How the Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams To Do the Best Work of Their Lives, a LinkedIn Top Voice, a senior advisor with BCG, and one of Forbes’ Future of Work 50.
He has been published in Harvard Business Review, Charter, Fast Company, Fortune, MIT Sloan Management Review, and Time, and cited extensively across media outlets, including Axios, Bloomberg, CNBC, The Economist, Forbes, The Financial Times, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
He has also been invited to share his expertise on broadcast media (CNBC’s Squawk Box), at virtual and in-person events (MIT Sloan Management Review, WSJ Future of Everything Festival, Running Remote), and on podcasts (Brave New Work, Work 20XX, WSJ As We Work) exploring the future of work.
Brian has been an invaluable member of our team as we've worked to evolve our approach. I highly recommend working with him.
Working with Brian has fundamentally shaped how I think, lead, and drive meaningful outcomes in this dynamic environment
Advising, speaking, leading, and more
Executive advisor
One-on-one advisory work with senior executives on core issues like business and talent strategy, leadership development, leveraging technology, and team building. Shares best practices and fosters the development of professional networks. Supports a range of roles, primarily CEOs, business unit leaders, and C-level executive leaders of People, Product, Technology, and Workplace functions.
Speaker
Keynote speaker at executive and industry events focused on the future of work. Panelist and moderator with groups of executive practitioners. Featured speaker at company events, from all-hands to kickoffs to executive suite conversations. Examples include CNBC, MIT, and WSJ appearances.
Workshops facilitator
Conducts sessions with C-level executives, senior leaders, and management teams that leverage future-of-work research and case studies to spur conversation. Introduces new ways of working — including developing team norms, adopting digital tools and asynchronous communication, and embracing outcomes-based management — through engaging hands-on activities.
Task force advisor
Acts as an external member of cross-functional task forces whose goal is to improve organizational performance through alignment across People, Technology, and Workplace organizations. Builds learning-based organizations and drives the adoption of new ways of working by introducing the latest technologies and proven leadership techniques.
Consultant
Works as a member of broader consulting engagements, primarily through BCG, that help C-level executives drive modernization efforts in leadership, skills, technology adoption, and new ways of working. Focuses on product development organizations across industries.
Author and expert voice
Bestselling author of How the Future Works. Columnist for MIT Sloan Management Review, and TIME/Charter. Frequent contributor to a range of publications, including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Fortune. Cited extensively across media outlets such as Axios, Bloomberg, CNBC, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, The Financial Times, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
Explore Brian's insights
Five steps for solving calendar overload and unnecessary meetings for your team
How to Get Real About Measuring to Outcomes
Overcoming the genAI "trough of disillusionment"
How to avoid burnout and maximize impact from AI
How the Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams To Do The Best Work of Their Lives
Five Hybrid Work Trends to Watch in 2025
Work forward with us
Whether you’re looking to inspire your team, move an audience, get some support for an internal change program, or just gain new perspective, we’re here to help.
