For a new way of being human in the age of AI and uncertainty

The best lies ahead of us – if we shape the future ourselves.

From error in the system to thought leader for a new world of work and society

Ali Mahlodji sitting on a park bench at night above the city, the starry sky above him

The poet of the working world.

Radio Ö1
Ali Mahlodji prepares the next generations for jobs that don't exist yet.

Financial Times
From refugee and school dropout to international entrepreneur.

Harvard Business Manager
Ali, thank you for our time together and for encouraging so many people with me.

Dr. Jane Goodall
What an incredible speech, and thank you for your words of hope!

Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia University
Your firm belief that a future worth living is possible for us strengthens me.

Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal President of Austria
Ali Mahlodji was the highlight of the event.

Forbes

Ali Mahlodji's work and impact have been featured in

“The poet of the working world.”
Radio Ö1
“Ali Mahlodji prepares the next generations for jobs that don't exist yet.”
Financial Times
“From refugee and school dropout to international entrepreneur.”
Harvard Business Manager
“Ali, thank you for our time together and for encouraging so many people with me.”
Dr. Jane Goodall
“What an incredible speech, and thank you for your words of hope!”
Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia University
“Your firm belief that a future worth living is possible for us strengthens me.”
Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal President of Austria
“Ali Mahlodji was the highlight of the event.”
Forbes

Swipe

Ali Mahlodji's work and impact have been featured in

Who is Ali Mahlodji

Orientation for people.Impact for organisations.

Ali Mahlodji is a global thought leader for a new world of work and a new society: keynote speaker, bestselling author, founder of whatchado, CEO of futureOne and investor in sustainability and tech.

Ali Mahlodji on stage, selfie with a thousand young people in the hall

Experience Ali live

Impact in action.

In society, in the world of work, in education and on the great stages of this world.

Ali in numbers

2,000+ Keynotes
worldwide
50+ Countries
1 M+ People
reached
100,000+ Leaders from 1,000+
organisations moved
800,000+ Children & young people
given orientation

“Ali Mahlodji was the highlight of the event.”

Forbes

The keynote speaker for a new world of work and a new society.

To his keynotes

Organisations that trust Ali Mahlodji

Ali Mahlodji seen from behind on stage, his jacket reads “The future is human”, the audience in front of him

His mission

Every person – regardless of age, gender, origin, skin colour, disability or sexual orientation – must have the opportunity to discover and walk their own path.

Ali Mahlodji CEO futureOne · Founder of HEROES, whatchado & futureRocka · FORBES Business Council, EU Youth Ambassador & UNICEF Honorary Envoy

Just do it

Moments from alife full ofimpact.

ÖFB World Cup preparation with the national team

Ali Mahlodji prepares the Austrian national football team for the World Cup in the USA.
Laureate 2026 Future of Humanity Award

Ali Mahlodji is the laureate of the Future of Humanity Award 2026.
Dharamsala, India Audience with the Dalai Lama

Ali Mahlodji in an audience with the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India.
For every child.
UNICEF Austria Appointed UNICEF Honorary Envoy

Ali Mahlodji is appointed UNICEF Honorary Envoy.
German Federal Government Jury of the Skilled Workers Award

Ali Mahlodji is a jury member of the German Federal Government's Skilled Workers Award.
University of Cambridge Guest lecturer on leadership

Ali Mahlodji is a guest lecturer at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna 2,000 young people, one future

Ali Mahlodji prepares 2,000 children and young people of all faiths for the future.
Montforthaus Vorarlberg Courage for the future for 1,200 young people

Ali Mahlodji inspires 1,200 young people for their future in a packed Montforthaus in Vorarlberg.
Brigitte Bierlein Women's Award Jury member

Ali Mahlodji is a jury member of the Brigitte Bierlein Women's Award.
SAG'S MULTI Jury chair of Austria's largest speech contest

Ali Mahlodji chairs the jury of SAG'S MULTI, the country's largest speech contest.
Wirtschaftsjunioren Deutschland Jury chair 4×4 under 40

Ali Mahlodji chairs the jury of the “4×4 entrepreneurs under 40” award of Wirtschaftsjunioren Deutschland.
Hirtenberg correctional facility Bridge builder between inmates and prison officers

Ali Mahlodji works as a bridge builder between inmates and prison officers at Hirtenberg correctional facility.

What remains whenthe applause fades.

Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with Ali Mahlodji at the Hofburg — “Your firm belief that a future worth living is possible for us strengthens me.”

Dr. Alexander Van der BellenFederal President of Austria

Jane Goodall and Ali Mahlodji on stage — “Ali, thank you for our time together and for encouraging so many people with me.”

Dr. Jane GoodallEthologist & environmental activist

Ralf Rangnick and Ali Mahlodji holding the book “Bock auf Arbeit” (photo: Matthias Lechner) — “In just a few hours, Ali managed to work with our entire coaching staff and the players in a way that is often neglected in high-performance sport – on the emotional level.”

Ralf RangnickHead coach, Austrian national team

“Ali lives leadership. Ali is leadership.”

Alexandra EichbergerHead of Group People Development & Culture, Erste Group
“Ali Mahlodji knows how to get to the heart of the complexity of modern leadership in line with the needs of the new world of work.”

Christian RauManaging Director, Mastercard
“Ali Mahlodji inspired us so much that we rolled out his programme for the entire leadership team of the INTERSPAR stores in Austria.”

Marion GlantschnigHead of People Development, INTERSPAR
“An inspiration, when Ali gets us to rethink what's ingrained, to meet ideas more openly and to put more into practice.”

Oliver SchmeroldTop manager & former CEO ÖAMTC

Awards.Juries. Appointments.

UN World Summit Award
UNICEF Honorary Envoy
EU Youth Ambassador
Member of the Forbes Business Council
Jury of the German Federal Government’s Skilled Workers Award
Coolest Dad in the World :)

All awards and positions Show less +16

Further awards

EY Entrepreneur of the Year (top 3)

2× HR Excellence Award

2× NEW WORK Award

2× LinkedIn Top Voices Award

Social Impact Award

TRIGOS Sustainability Award

Sustainable Changemaker Award

International Coach of the Year

ANDREUS Peace Award

MIRNOMORE Achievers Award

Digital Communications Award

Further jury and advisory positions

Jury member Brigitte Bierlein Women's Award

Jury Diversity Award, WEconomy & SHEconomy

Jury National Patent Award

Jury chair “4x4 under 40” Award, Wirtschaftsjunioren Deutschland

Jury chair SAG'S MULTI, Austria's largest speech contest

A lifebetween worlds.

Ali Mahlodji as a child with his parents — ChildhoodBorn in Tehran, raised in the Traiskirchen refugee camp.

Ali Mahlodji in protective clothing, one of more than 40 jobs — Over 40 jobsSchool dropout with more than 40 jobs.

Ali Mahlodji at the computer after dropping out of school — After dropping outFrom school dropout to computer science graduate in record time.

Ali Mahlodji in a suit, his years at Sun Microsystems — Corporate yearsInternational corporate career – from consultant to top manager to burnout.

Ali Mahlodji as a teacher with students — TeacherThe beginning of a meaningful career as a teacher.

The whatchado team celebrating — whatchadoFounding the global job orientation and employer branding platform whatchado and scaling it to five countries.

ChildhoodBorn in Tehran, raised in the Traiskirchen refugee camp.
Over 40 jobsSchool dropout with more than 40 jobs.
After dropping outFrom school dropout to computer science graduate in record time.
Corporate yearsInternational corporate career – from consultant to top manager to burnout.
TeacherThe beginning of a meaningful career as a teacher.
whatchadoFounding the global job orientation and employer branding platform whatchado and scaling it to five countries.

A life between worlds

Ali Mahlodji is a bridge builder between perspectives, a shaper of the future of work and a source of impulses for a conscious life.

Born in Persia and raised in a refugee shelter, his path began as a stuttering school dropout – and after more than 40 jobs led him to the top management level of international tech corporations, before a burnout during the financial crisis fundamentally changed his life.

That experience made him question the meaning of life. He became a teacher, founded whatchado, Europe's largest video platform for career orientation, and today, as CEO of futureOne, guides companies, educational institutions and individuals through times of change.

The computer science graduate is married to the woman of his dreams, father of two daughters, lives in Vienna and works globally.

His vision More about Ali

From error in the system to thought leader for a new world of work & society

“I believe that every person carries everything they need within themselves and that no one is an error in the system.”

Ali Mahlodji

Work withAli.

From keynotes to mentoring: Ali works with people and organisations in focused formats – leaders, teams, people in transition and young people. Selected, serious, personal.

Newsletter Ideas from Ali on work, leadership and the future, a few times a year. Subscribe

Five books.One mission.

From stuttering school dropout to bestselling author: Ali's books are about work with purpose, leadership with attitude, the question of what we actually get up for – and how we take our future back into our own hands.

Amazon ~~Null~~ Bock auf Arbeit GABAL
Amazon Und was machst du so? Econ / Ullstein
Amazon Entdecke dein Wofür Gräfe und Unzer
Next Level Work Zukunftsinstitut · out of print
Work Report Three scenarios for the future of work Zukunftsinstitut · out of print

Two podcasts.The same, only different.

Two podcasts in audio and video – for the ears and for the eyes.

Leading humAIn The future is human
Conversations about leadership, the future and what makes us human.
Mahlodjigang The podcast with Anna & Ali
Open, unvarnished and honest: Anna and Ali Mahlodji on children, relationships, work-life balance, entrepreneurship and mental health.
More about the podcast

Good to have you here, you wonderful human!

We're glad you're here and happy to help with your request whenever it makes your life and the lives of other people better.

Requests for keynotes, mentoring, panel discussions, media interviews, collaborations and school talks are welcome by email or by phone Mon to Fri, 9 am to 6 pm, at

management@ali.do +43 660 3164464

All other requests to hi@ali.do

Please understand that we cannot accommodate requests for theses, project screenings or private meetings with Ali Mahlodji.

Ali Mahlodji – keynote speaker, bestselling author and CEO of futureOne

Ali Mahlodji's work and impact have been featured in

Orientation for people.Impact for organisations.

Impact in action.

Ali in numbers

“Ali Mahlodji was the highlight of the event.”

His mission

What remains whenthe applause fades.

Awards.Juries. Appointments.

Further awards

Further jury and advisory positions

A lifebetween worlds.

A life between worlds

Work withAli.

Five books.One mission.

Two podcasts.The same, only different.

Good to have you here, you wonderful human!