Top Legendary Creativity Influencer to Watch
Every great innovation begins with a spark, an idea that dares to challenge what we believe is possible. For Duncan Wardle, that spark wasn’t ignited in a laboratory or a high-powered boardroom, but in the most human place of all: curiosity. As the former Head of Innovation & Creativity at The Walt Disney Company, his work has touched millions, shaping experiences that defined imagination for generations. Yet, his most profound legacy lies beyond the stories Disney brought to life. It lives in the people he inspires every day to rediscover their innate creative potential.
Today, Duncan stands as a global keynote speaker, creativity catalyst, and founder of iD8 Studios, transforming how individuals and organisations unlock innovation. His message is simple yet transformative: Creativity is not a gift reserved for a select few; it is a skill every human already possesses.
Leadership & Vision
After a decade leading Disney’s Innovation & Creativity team, Duncan recognised a growing gap in the corporate world. A recent Forbes study revealed that 77% of CEOs identify creativity as the most vital skill of the next decade, yet few organisations teach their teams how to think creatively. This realisation drove him to launch iD8 Studios, a platform through which he applies everything he learned at Disney to a far broader canvas.
Duncan now collaborates across industries, from pharmaceuticals and automotive to tech, entertainment, finance, and sports, while teaching at the University of Edinburgh, Notre Dame, Stanford, and Yale. Across all these environments, he noticed the same pattern: companies train employees how to do their jobs, yet almost none teach them how to think creatively. This inspired him to build a toolkit that demystifies innovation and gives everyone practical tools to think differently.
During his Disney tenure, Duncan experimented with multiple innovation models, from external consultants to dedicated innovation teams and acceleration programs. While each offered value, none succeeded in embedding a true culture of creativity across the organisation. So he designed a toolkit that removes the intimidation from innovation, makes creativity tangible, even for those uncomfortable with ambiguity, and injects fun into the process. The result was a common creative language that united teams across Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and Disney, ultimately creating a three-year waitlist for Disney’s voluntary two-day creativity training program. That, Duncan says, is when you know you’re changing culture.
Innovation & Company Impact
Duncan recently captured his full framework in his interactive book and toolkit, The Imagination Emporium. Unlike traditional business books that gather dust, this toolkit is designed for real-time use, featuring “creative recipes” for specific challenges. Whether someone dreads unproductive brainstorms or struggles with innovation in a regulated industry, they can flip to the exact section they need.
The book includes energisers, creative behaviours, and hands-on innovation tools, each paired with a QR code offering animated videos, Spotify audio guides, and AI-powered interactive support. Duncan is now preparing to take this even further by launching a fully gamified digital version in early 2026, aiming to revolutionise how we learn creativity.
Across Fortune 500 companies and top universities, Duncan sees the same creativity barriers repeated: no time to think, lack of resources, risk-averse cultures, quarterly pressures, and strict regulations. But beneath all these lies a deeper barrier, what he calls the “River of Thinking”: the mindset shaped by our past experiences that traps us in the belief that “this is how we’ve always done it.” His toolkit is built around three principles: take the intimidation out of innovation, make creativity tangible, and make the process fun. When people enjoy a tool, it never becomes the “shiny penny”, it becomes a habit they keep for years.
Creativity, Curiosity & The Human Edge
As AI continues to reshape industries, Duncan believes humanity’s most employable skills will be the ones machines struggle to replicate: creativity, curiosity, intuition, empathy, and imagination. We are all born with these traits. As children, we colour outside the lines, ask endless “whys,” and play without fear. But traditional education gradually suppresses these instincts.
To demonstrate this, Duncan once asked a room of 2,000 university students and 30 first-graders whether they considered themselves creative. All 30 children shouted “Me!” as their hands shot up, while almost none of the adults raised theirs. This contrast reveals how much creativity gets lost as we grow up.
He explains that adults often operate in the mental state he calls “Busy Beta”, where stress, speed, and constant focus close the door between the conscious and subconscious mind. In this state, we only access about 13% of our brain’s capacity. But during moments of relaxation, like showering or commuting, we shift into what he calls “Amazing Alpha,” where the subconscious opens up and creativity flows. Through energisers and playful exercises, Duncan helps people unlock this state intentionally and consistently.
Lessons from Disney & Beyond
One of Disney’s most iconic innovations, the MagicBand, was inspired not by the entertainment industry but by a small pharmacy in Tokyo that used RFID to eliminate waiting lines. This spark led to the creation of a band that became a room key, park ticket, and reservation system all in one. It saved park guests an average of two hours per day, boosting both guest satisfaction and revenue. This breakthrough reinforced Duncan’s belief that the best ideas often come from looking outside your own industry.
Personal Journey & Inspiration
Duncan draws inspiration not from corporate icons but from children, whom he believes are the world’s greatest examples of curiosity, creativity, and fearlessness. He remains inspired by exposing himself to new experiences and fresh stimuli daily. New ideas rarely emerge when we follow the same habits, routes, and routines. By observing creativity in the everyday world and encouraging teams to do the same, he keeps his own imagination continually replenished.
Looking Forward
As AI takes over repetitive tasks, Duncan sees it granting humanity the greatest gift of all: time to think. With his new book gaining global attention, he is now focused on his next mission, gamifying education and reigniting the creative abilities that traditional schooling often suppresses.Ultimately, his legacy is simple yet profound:
To prove that every person is creative, and to give the world the tools to unlock that creativity.
