Shama Hyder is CEO of Hyder Ground, which builds and backs businesses that turn emerging technology into growth, operating in the window after something becomes possible and before it becomes obvious.
Its work begins with one question: What will people do differently now that this technology exists? Her forthcoming book, Six Signals, turns that operating thesis into a discipline any leader can practice: Strategic Urgency, the ability to see market shifts early, interpret what they mean for your organization, and act while the window is still open.
Shama has spent her career spotting market opportunities before they became obvious. She was among the first 2,000 users on Twitter and launched an agency after 18 firms told her social media was a “fad.” Starting with $1,500, she scaled Zen Media into a multimillion-dollar B2B consultancy serving Fortune 500 brands before exiting.
Named to the 2026 TIME100 Creators list in the Leaders category, Shama brings an operator's perspective to the stage. She has delivered more than 500 keynotes across 26 countries for organizations including NASA, Yale, Microsoft, Chase, Disney, Marriott, Toyota, Amazon, Mastercard, and Bloomberg. She is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute and an applied AI ambassador for Wispr Flow. Six Signals arrives from Simon & Schuster in 2027.