Giulio Quaggiotto
Should systemic transformation aim to take a long-term view, particularly under increasing pressure to deliver quick fixes and Instagramable moments? Does progress on long-term challenges such as affordable housing, air pollution, and quality education hinge on innovation being irreversible? If so, why are so few innovation or transformation initiatives explicitly aiming for “irreversibility”? And if irreversibility is indeed a good thing: what are proven tactics to ensure that an initiative survives a change in leadership or ruling coalition? What skills do system innovators need for irreversibility?
Giulio explores these questions based on real-world examples of initiatives grappling with the tension between short-term results and long-term transformation, making the distinction between “irreversibility” and “immutability” and reflecting on the mechanisms needed to generate the renewal of social systems.
PROFILE
Giulio Quaggiotto is an Innovation Advisor at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, which promotes innovation in government practices and supports the development of creative solutions to address national and global challenges (Prime Minister’s Office in the UAE). He was a Research Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and is also an Honorary Research Fellow at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Giulio’s work focuses on developing renewal capabilities and addressing complex development challenges through innovation. Previously, he led the Regional Innovation Center of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the Asia Pacific, where he collaborated with governments to accelerate impactful development initiatives. His diverse career spans leadership roles at Climate KIC, Nesta, WWF, and the World Bank. Additionally, he managed the Jakarta Lab of the UN Global Pulse, an innovation initiative on big data for public policy. Giulio’s research interests include portfolio innovation approaches and the integration of grassroots innovations into national systems, and he frequently presents on social innovation, technology, and development.