Educational Alpha: S3 Conversation with Ryan Patel, Global Business Executive and Board Director, Drucker School of Management

Host: Bill Kelly | Guest: Ryan Patel
Release Date: October 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of Educational Alpha, host Bill Kelly sits down with Ryan Patel—a globally recognized business executive, commentator, and board director. The discussion spans Patel's multifaceted career, innovation, leadership, the impacts and ethics of AI, global governance challenges, quantum computing’s threat to the financial system, economic complexity, and the evolving demands on future leaders in a rapidly changing, tech-enabled world. This episode offers valuable insights for anyone interested in global business trends, technology’s impact, and long-term thinking in finance and leadership.

Guest Background & Philosophy

Career Trajectory & Style

• “People try to put you in a box and it’s really hard to explain just because my hands touch so many different industries. …Scaling in my career, took a startup, made it go global, had an exit...” [02:40] – Ryan Patel
• Patel’s experience covers finance, supply chain, marketing, branding, HR, and global strategy, reflecting a cross-functional, international impact.
• Emphasizes being “approachable” and “prepared,” advocating for life-long learning and curiosity.
• Content shared on his platforms is a reflection of subjects he’s currently pondering and engaging with in real-time [05:40].

On Impactful Advice and Preparation

• “It’s very hard…to be the smartest person in the room, but most of us should strive to be the most prepared person in the room.” [04:30] – Bill Kelly
• Patel encourages young professionals to look beyond the “next job” and instead consider “the next room they want to be in” [04:30].

Key Themes & Insights

1. Innovation, ‘Futurism’, and Trends

Embracing the 'Futurist' Label

• Patel is often described as a “futurist,” though he hesitates to use the term himself.
• His predictions stem from seeing early trends and company practices:
  • Example: Anticipating COVID-19’s impact pre-pandemic [09:05].
  • Predicts AI and edge computing will become pervasive, with most work being AI-augmented and performed locally (on your device, not the cloud) [10:51].
  • “I’m just telling you, Bill, this time next year you’re going to use this laptop because it’s going to be on your thing and you’re going to be like, wow, that was easy, that’s safe.” [10:51] – Ryan Patel

The Pace of Change

• AI and digital innovations are enveloping all sectors, with eventual leveling of access and impact [11:24].
• The definition of “the room” or sphere of influence is evolving beyond boardrooms to encompass wider stakeholder networks [05:40].

2. AI Governance, Ethics, and Global Cooperation

Balancing Innovation and Oversight

• The speed of AI innovation is outpacing regulatory and ethical frameworks, especially in the US [12:37].

• Businesses should develop and adhere to their own ethics and transparency principles rather than waiting for government directives.

  • Reference to Adobe's early work on ethical pillars for AI [12:37].

• “I truly believe that the government can’t do this by themselves. It’s going to take three groups … businesses, governments, and the consumers.” [13:37] – Ryan Patel

• EU is ahead of the US in establishing privacy and data standards, e.g., GDPR predates the AI boom [14:45].

Difficulty of International Standards

• Achieving an international definition of AI ethics is challenging amidst rising nationalism [15:26].

  • Solutions require a “win-win” scenario that doesn’t disadvantage any country.
  • The ultimate power lies with the global consumer, but collective action is difficult [16:38].

• “We’re much closer than we were 10 years ago… because the way we are interconnected now…” [17:06] – Ryan Patel

3. Quantum Computing: Security Risks and Readiness

The Q-Day Conundrum

• The eventual advent of quantum computing (“Q Day”) threatens to render traditional encryption—and therefore foundational aspects of the financial system—obsolete [18:41].
• Patel notes that while quantum is not a current, practical risk, companies (especially in highly regulated or sensitive sectors) must plan far ahead, even without clear ROI [20:28].
• “For the average person, kind of like, well, okay, great, call me when we’re there … But it will change the way we do things, that’s for sure.” [20:28] – Ryan Patel

4. Financial Markets, Policy, and Long-Term Thinking

Tariffs, Rates, Inflation—Market Psychology

• Tensions around tariffs, inflation policies, and rate movements are the “new normal.” Markets are less reactive than before as volatility becomes expected [24:21].
• A significant amount of sidelined capital won’t be deployed until more policy certainty returns.
• Consumers face high debt and changing purchasing behavior; markets are “pricing in” uncertainty unless there’s a surprise—like a surprising rate decision [24:21].

National Debt & The Bond Market

• The US’s huge deficits have prompted questions about when bond markets (“bond vigilantes”) might force a reckoning [28:06].
  • Patel notes the global system is too intertwined for a single country to trigger a crisis, but emphasizes the lack of true long-term policy thinking:
  • “I don’t think that any of these conversations have a real long term implication unless you can correct me if I’m wrong. …These are the conversations we’re having because we’re making decisions right now.” [28:06] – Ryan Patel

The Danger of Short-Termism

• Both political cycles and market agendas reinforce a preference for immediate results over solving deep, protracted issues [29:51].
• “If I could teach just one thing … it’s long termism…” [29:51] – Bill Kelly

5. Innovation & Breaking Norms in a Disordered World

• With tech and geopolitical norms in flux and multilateral institutions weakening, there are fewer anchors for predicting the future [31:15].

• Disruption is normal; leaders must look for familiar patterns but expect and adapt to rapid, discontinuous change.

  • “Everything’s disrupting something, and if it’s not, then it’s not normal.” [32:45] – Ryan Patel
  • Innovation is no longer iterative; it must be transformative.

• Skills like financial literacy, cybersecurity, and technological competency have to advance at the pace of disruption [35:41].

6. The Future of Leadership

Human Connection Amidst Tech

• The demands of leadership are increasing—leaders must be more authentic, transparent, and committed to real conversations, especially as AI tools and remote work change team dynamics [36:45].
  • “Be human, be yourself. I think that will always be so important. Be authentic, be genuine. …The true one word answer… was communication.” [36:45] – Ryan Patel
  • The importance of responding to outreach and staying accessible.
  • Future leaders will need to understand people deeply—not just manage, but connect and guide through uncertainty [38:26].

Small Actions, Big Impact

• Investing time in a colleague, student, or rising professional is critical—even as technology scales connections, individual human touchpoints matter greatly [38:47].
  • “I promise you I will try to get to everyone, and if I don’t, you send me another DM and I’ll respond in any way. I might not be able to help, but you’ll see a response from me.” [39:06] – Ryan Patel

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Adaptability:
  “The future’s unknowable. …But it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be preparing for it based on the very best inputs.” [39:15] – Bill Kelly
• On Investing in Yourself:
  “The biggest thing you can do is invest in yourself. Spend the time learning things that you always want to learn. You’ll be surprised how things kind of interconnect in your experiences.” [39:58] – Ryan Patel
• On Multi-Dimensional Careers:
  “People telling me [to] stay in your own lane. …I get so excited when I meet people who see all those connections. …That is so important—how we evolve as people, leaders, and as human beings and businesses together.” [39:58] – Ryan Patel

Key Timestamps

• 02:40 – Ryan Patel’s varied background and the power of cross-industry learning
• 04:30 – The importance of being prepared, not just “the smartest” in the room
• 09:05 – “Futurist” outlook; anticipating major events and technological disruption
• 12:37 – Urgent need for business-driven AI ethics and transparent governance
• 17:06 – Interconnectedness, collective consumer action, AI literacy
• 18:41 – Quantum computing: risk to security and the limits of current preparation
• 24:21 – Global economic experiments: tariffs, rates, and the effect on markets and consumers
• 28:06 – National debt, the bond market, and the absence of long-term fiscal thinking
• 29:51 – Society’s bias toward short-termism over long-term goals
• 32:45 – Disruption as the ‘new normal’ and tech-enabled changes in work and norms
• 36:45 – The future of leadership: authenticity, communication, and human connection

Conclusion

Ryan Patel urges listeners to break out of silos, embrace continual learning, and prepare for a future shaped by rapid technological disruption and changing economic realities. He underscores the ongoing relevance of authenticity, communication, and a willingness to help others—timeless leadership qualities in a world of accelerating change.

For more on Educational Alpha, visit caia.org. Connect with Ryan Patel on LinkedIn for actionable insights and further discussion.