Chad Hurley

Chad Hurley is the co-founder and former CEO of YouTube, recognised globally for transforming how the world shares and consumes video content. As the first designer at PayPal before launching YouTube, he led the platform through its meteoric rise and $1.65 billion sale to Google, later founding MixBit and investing in ventures shaping the future of digital media. His sessions equip audiences with powerful insights into identifying market opportunities, scaling disruptive ideas, and navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and artificial intelligence, empowering organisations to innovate boldly and stay ahead of transformative change.

When Chad Hurley and his co-founders sold YouTube to Google for $1.65 billion in 2006, they had transformed a simple idea born from difficulty sharing party videos into the world's largest video platform. Before YouTube reshaped global media consumption, Hurley served as PayPal's first designer, where his visual thinking and user-focused approach laid the groundwork for his next venture. Recognising that people needed an effortless way to share video content online, he co-founded YouTube in 2005, steering the platform as CEO through explosive growth until 2010. His ability to identify market gaps and build solutions that millions instinctively understand has defined his career trajectory across multiple ventures.

Hurley's expertise extends beyond his YouTube legacy into continued innovation in digital media and technology. After stepping down as YouTube CEO, he co-founded AVOS Systems and launched MixBit, a collaborative video editing platform that challenged conventional approaches to mobile content creation. His ventures have secured backing from leading investors including Google Ventures and New Enterprise Associates, validating his continued influence in shaping how technology serves everyday users. As a venture investor and strategic advisor, Hurley applies lessons learned from scaling one of the internet's most visited websites to guide emerging companies navigating rapid technological change. His perspective on artificial intelligence and its implications for work and creativity has sparked significant industry dialogue, positioning him at the forefront of conversations about technology's evolving role in society.

Audiences gain practical frameworks for identifying transformative opportunities and understanding how disruptive ideas move from concept to global scale. Hurley demystifies the process of building platforms that achieve mass adoption, sharing candid insights about managing meteoric growth, making strategic decisions under pressure, and knowing when to pivot or persevere. His sessions equip leaders with forward-looking perspectives on emerging technology trends, helping organisations anticipate shifts in media production, distribution, and consumption. By connecting his experiences across PayPal, YouTube, and subsequent ventures, he demonstrates how curiosity, user-centred design, and willingness to challenge existing standards create lasting competitive advantage. Attendees leave with renewed confidence to pursue bold innovation and clearer understanding of how to position their organisations for success amid accelerating technological transformation.