Is All Innovation Leadership the Same?

Tom Waller

Senior Vice President Advanced Innovation, Chief Science Officer at Lululemon

as recording during on 27 May 2021 as part of Innov8rs Connect Unconference.


Have you ever considered the possibility that with so many references to innovation that either everyone already knows how to do it or actually no-one really knows? Why do we continually attempt to bottle innovation like it’s some kind of lighting and offer each other ‘how to' guides based on hindsight genius?

Let’s explore one insight where perhaps innovation culture alone might be the truly winning formula and not any collection of tools, technologies or infrastructure models. Could it be that innovation leadership is THE most important feature and where the best cultures are embodied from the top?

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About the speaker

Dr. Tom Waller is the Senior Vice President, Advanced Innovation and Chief Science Officer at lululemon athletica inc., an athletic apparel company. Dr. Waller founded Whitespace, lululemon’s R&D and ideation group in 2012 where he built a team of multi-disciplinary scientists and technical creatives to develop what lululemon defines as the “Science of Feel”.

Dr. Waller previously served as Head of Aqualab at Speedo International Ltd where he led new product and fabric development for all Olympic elite swimming projects. Before that, he was the Head of R&D for Progressive Sports Technologies. Dr. Waller completed his BEng (Hons) in Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering and PHD in Sports Technology at Loughborough University. Originally from the UK, Dr. Waller now lives in Vancouver where his love for family, fitness and the great outdoors has him spend his free time competing in Ironman triathlons and constantly experimenting with the cutting edge of health, wellbeing and whole human performance.