Francisco Santolo

I advise CEOs and Boards in shaping and executing strategic transformation amid disruption · CEO at Scalabl® · Board member · Harvard alumni · 2x TEDx speaker · LinkedIn Top Voice

Panama City, Panamá, Panama

About

I work alongside CEOs and executive teams—at both multinational corporations and high-growth SMEs—to lead complex business transformation processes, including offensive and defensive disruption. I design strategic pathways to reshape organizations, respond to disruption, navigate crisis, build antifragility, and integrate technology as a true lever for sustainable growth and solid structural evolution. My role goes beyond external diagnosis: I engage from vision to execution, blending corporate experience, entrepreneurial thinking, and a proprietary methodology implemented and validated across 50+ countries. What sets me apart: - Executive education at Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Kellogg, Chicago Booth, INSEAD, and Singularity University - Proven experience leading transformation as consultant, entrepreneur, educator, and board member - Hands-on work with hundreds of organizations and over 3,000 professionals in real transformation contexts - Creator of strategic frameworks applied to consulting, executive education, and organizational redesign—shaped by deep learning and over 1,000 business books rigorously tested and challenged - Co-creator of academic programs like the Global MBA for Senior Executives (UNITEC, Honduras), the Postgraduate Diploma in Corporate Transformation, and the Data Science & AI program at UCEMA, as well as partner to leading Business Schools across Ibero-America At Scalabl®: - I lead a global network of business experts—in consulting, education, and mentoring—helping companies, universities, and leaders navigate structural transformation with a practical, strategic, and human-centered approach. - We promote a new paradigm in business education already reaching +3000 entrepreneurs and business owners in more than 50 countries. If your organization is facing disruption, aiming to lead it, at a turning point, or ready to redesign for what’s next—we should talk. #BusinessTransformation #Strategy #Disruption #OrganizationalRedesign #CrisisLeadership #BoardMember

Experience

  • Scalabl® (10 yrs 6 mos)
    • Founder & Chief Executive Officer
      Jan 2016 - Present · 10 yrs 6 mos

      As Founder & CEO of Scalabl®, I lead our global mission, empowering diverse leaders including C-Level executives, SME owners, intrapreneurs, and entrepreneurs. Since 2016, Scalabl® has influenced over 2500 individuals across 50 countries, comprising entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and business professionals, thereby fostering a global collaborative community committed to positive impact. At the heart of Scalabl® is our proprietary Innovation, Intrapreneurship & entrepreneurship Methodology. This approach combines bootstrapping, customer-funded innovation, and stakeholder-centric strategies, integrating intellectual, emotional, and relational aspects of business for both new ventures and existing companies. Scalabl®'s dynamic business divisions reflect our broad expertise: - Innovative Enterprise Solutions: Consulting services & and projects, spearheading corporate innovation, strategic growth, and organizational change management. - Professional Advancement Programs: Our platform offers customized or on-demand training solutions, enhancing strategic agility, leadership, and intrapreneurial thinking within corporate teams. - Academic Partnerships Division: Collaborating with universities, Scalabl® plays a pivotal role in reformulating postgraduate programs, supporting internationalization, fostering innovation, and integrating advanced business content. Scalabl® Business Academy: Providing hands-on skills for entrepreneurs, business owners, freelancers, and leaders to thrive in the competitive business landscape. Scalabl®'s methodology has globally impacted businesses. Collaborating with companies such as SAP, Oracle, Amazon, Accenture, Microsoft, Natura, Santander, HSBC, Aegon Asia, SWM, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bagó, Gerdau, Cencosud, De'Longhi, and Forbes our commitment is to develop agile, well-rounded professionals ready for modern business challenges. To revolutionize your business with innovative, sustainable strategies, connect with Scalabl®. scalabl.com

    • Chief Corporate Innovation Officer
      Aug 2017 - Present · 8 yrs 11 mos

      As Chief Corporate Innovation Officer, and leading our 'Innovative Enterprise Solutions' division, I combine strategic leadership with hands-on guidance. This division is dedicated to empowering multinational corporations to develop an innovative and entrepreneurial culture, essential in today’s VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world. My role extends to guiding these organizations through transformative processes, helping them adapt and thrive amidst disruption. We blend the best practices from the Startup Ecosystem with the finest academic insights from institutions like Stanford, MIT, Harvard, and Singularity University, further enriched by the vast experience of our team of senior consultants. Our expertise spans a diverse range of strategic domains tailored to revolutionize business practices: - Fostering Innovation and Intrapreneurship - Developing, Scaling, and Reformulating New Business Units - Implementing Customized Agile Frameworks - Advancing Customer Development and Lean Startup Practices - Leveraging Design Thinking, Prototyping, and MVPs - Avoiding Disruption and incorporating Exponential Technologies - Cultivating Strategic Leadership and Transformative Mindsets - Advancing Business Model Innovation and Fostering an Ambidextrous Culture: Balancing Exploration and Exploitation - Applying the 'Jobs to be Done' Framework and Stakeholder Centricity - Navigating Complexities and Facilitating Strategic Renewal through Change Management - Fostering Corporate Ventures, Incubation, and Strategic Startup Investment My role encompasses not only leading Scalabl®'s overall strategic direction but also actively engaging in this division, ensuring our strategies are customized, impactful, and aligned with each client's unique needs. The goal is to equip companies with the tools and insights needed to effectively leverage innovation for sustainable growth and a competitive edge, supported by our global team of seasoned consultants.

    • International Speaker and Facilitator
      Aug 2016 - Present · 9 yrs 11 mos

      As an International Speaker and Facilitator, I regularly engage with top-notch multinational companies and international organizations, delivering insights on a range of transformative business topics. Key Topics I Address: - The Impact of Exponential Technologies: Exploring how rapid technological advancements are reshaping industries. - Fostering Intrapreneurship, Innovation, and Disruption: Encouraging innovative thinking within organizations to drive change. - Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Mindset: Emphasizing the importance of agility, creativity, and resilience in business. - Envisioning the Future of Work: Preparing for evolving workforce trends and organizational structures. - Pioneering Business Model Innovation: Developing unique and sustainable business models for competitive advantage. - Insights into Entrepreneurial Finance: Minimizing Investment and Risk in Ventures - Strategies to thrive in environments characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity, brittleness, anxiety, non-linearity, and incomprehensibility. - Human Leadership: Emotional Intelligence, Networking, and Resilience for Change Notable speaking engagements include the G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance (YEA), Panama's Ministry of Culture, PMI International Business Conference, Global Sports Innovation Center (GSIC), WHUB Hong Kong Summit, Barcelona Tech City, the Government of Andorra, Forbes Promesas Summit, Young Indians, Confederation of Indian Industry, and the Australian Sports Technology Network. My experiences also include sharing the stage with Tony Robbins as an EXMA Speaker, being a two-time TEDx speaker, and receiving the LAQI 2022 Speaker of the Year Award. These experiences underscore my commitment to delivering impactful and engaging presentations that resonate with global audiences, driving meaningful discussions and actionable insights.

  • Academic Director at Scalabl Academy
    Sep 2016 - Present · 9 yrs 10 mos

    Scalabl® offers high-level postgraduate training at unparalleled prices, democratizing education. Our offerings include programs and courses focused on business, strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, management, and managerial skills: - Short Business Courses: Covering areas like Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Content & Social Media, Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, Strategy & Processes, Leadership and Management, Human Resources, and more. - Focused Programs: Greater depth with flexibility and competitive pricing, focusing on fundamental themes. - MicroMasters with Scalabl Certification: An alternative to official postgraduate programs, offering high quality, a recorded and modular approach, and incredible pricing. - Official Postgraduate Programs: In collaboration with universities, we offer advanced training in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Business Transformation, Data Science, and Health Management. Some of our most recognized programs include: - Online Entrepreneurship and Innovation Course: Our signature program. A step-by-step course to transform business ideas into successful companies or scale existing ventures. - Focused Program in Innovation: Our complete advanced methodology, comprises three courses:: Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Strategy & Processes, and Advanced Business Models. - MicroMaster in Entrepreneurship: A comprehensive program that includes advanced methodology-based courses in Networking, Emotional Intelligence, Resilience, and Self-Motivation. - MicroMaster in Innovation and Strategy: Aimed at implementing our methodology to innovate or restructure units in SMEs or multinational organizations. - Postgraduate in Business Innovation: A complete official postgraduate program with UCEMA, offering practical tools and a transformative experience. To enroll in our programs and join our global collaborative community, visit www.scalabl.com.

  • Member of the Business Board at World Innovation and Change Management Institute
    Apr 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 3 mos

    As a member of the Business Committee Board at the World Innovation and Change Management Institute (WICMI), I focus on turning innovative ideas into tangible business outcomes. Our goal is to strategize and promote knowledge about sustainable value creation, enhance organizational culture for employee retention, and ensure competitive advantage through innovation and business transformation in dynamic markets. We address complex challenges in innovation management, change leadership, and strategic development, fostering collaborative solutions at https://wicmi.ch/

  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation Expert at 40+ League
    Mar 2020 - Present · 6 yrs 4 mos

    The 40+ League is an exclusive assembly of seasoned Experts, Leaders, CEOs, C-Level executives, and Professionals aged 40 and above, committed to a transformative journey of self-reinvention. As members, we leverage our extensive experience, enhance our talents, acquire novel skills, expand our networks, step beyond our comfort zones, and shift our mindsets to seize new opportunities. Our mission is to converge in a unified platform to expedite our collective reinvention. We've established the most comprehensive and specialized Professional Reinvention Platform and Practice Community. In the 40+ League, we believe in the power of sharing for mutual growth. Our guiding principle is 'Never Stop Learning,' a mantra we embody daily. This continuous pursuit of knowledge and skill development enhances our relevance, boosts our competitiveness, and positions us steps ahead in our professional arenas. 40+ League: A community where we reinvent, strengthen, and emerge more formidable than ever! 💪

  • Ambassador at GSIC powered by Microsoft
    May 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 2 mos

    As an Ambassador for the GSIC Institute, an initiative propelled by the Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft, we play a crucial role in fostering digital transformation within the sports industry. The GSIC Institute is dedicated to developing educational programs aimed at increasing the number of professionals skilled in digital transformation, a current demand in the sports sector. In this era of rapid digitalization, my role involves providing both existing and aspiring sports industry professionals with the necessary tools and knowledge to accelerate their integration into the industry. This includes facilitating contacts, promoting digital literacy, and driving the digital transformation processes within their organizations. As an Ambassador, I am committed to bridging the gap between technological advancement and practical application in sports, ensuring that the industry remains at the forefront of innovation and efficiency.