Aslak de Silva is a globally recognized leadership keynote speaker, martial artist and C-suite executive with over 15 years at the helm of fast-scaling international businesses.

As the creator of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak brings a compelling blend of Eastern discipline and Western business strategy to the stage—where every insight is earned, not theorized.

Before becoming a sought-after speaker on resilient leadership, mental toughness and transformational team culture, Aslak earned a world championship title in full-contact martial arts—after nearly 100 competitive fights. His battlefield isn’t metaphorical. Whether in the dojo or the boardroom, he understands pressure, performance, and what it takes to lead through both.

As CEO of Selfly Store, he scaled operations into 20+ countries, driving distributed team success across Europe and earning an eNPS of 78—a rare metric of cultural excellence. Under his leadership, the company was named one of the “50 Most Innovative Companies to Watch” by CEO Views. He also served as CEO of the Nordic Business Forum, where he worked alongside global icons in business, economics, and leadership.

Aslak’s signature keynotes—anchored in his Black Belt in Leadership framework—guide audiences from novice to mastery in self-leadership, decision-making under pressure, and adaptive strategy. His delivery is grounded, relatable, and electrified by personal experience. He’s not offering borrowed theories—he’s sharing tested tools.

KEYNOTE TOPICS

When AI Meets a 2,000-Year-Old Industry: Leading Transformation in the Age of Machines 

What happens when artificial intelligence enters an industry where innovation used to mean adjusting the speed of a spiral or the size of a product slot? The vending industry remained largely unchanged for over 2,000 years, until AI redefined its entire value chain. As the former CEO of Selfly Store, Aslak is a pioneer in intelligent vending with operations in 20+ countries, Aslak led the transformation of this traditional sector into a smart, data-driven business powered by RFID, machine learning, and cloud-based retail intelligence.

In this keynote, Aslak will share real-world insights on:

• How AI turned static vending machines into dynamic micro-stores
• What it takes to lead legacy industries through technological disruption
• Why transformation is not about the technology alone, but about leadership, adaptability, and vision.

This is not a theoretical keynote. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at AI-driven innovation, told through the lens of leadership in action.

Aslak de Silva is the most quoted AI expert in the vending industry and a published Forbes.com contributor through the Forbes Business Council. As the former CEO of Selfly Store and Nordic Business Forum, he has led international growth companies and built high-performing teams across seven countries.  

The Black Belt in Leadership: Tested Lessons from the Dojo to the Boardroom

What martial arts and executive leadership taught me about navigating uncertainty, building trust, and earning results.
This keynote merges martial arts principles with modern leadership challenges. Through belt-level lessons, Aslak teaches how leaders can develop focus, adaptability, and decision-making under pressure, whether in business, startups, or global teams.

Discipline Over Motivation

Why long-term business success is built on structure, not hype. Motivation comes and goes, but discipline stays. Aslak shares his journey from early setbacks to championship titles and CEO roles. Learn how to apply consistent discipline in leadership, culture-building, and long-term strategic execution.

The Power of Presence

Leading with clarity in a distracted world. In a time of constant noise and digital overwhelm, presence is a leader’s superpower. This talk helps business leaders reclaim their attention, sharpen their awareness, and build trust by being grounded, even in high-stakes environments.

Tetris Your Life: Redefining Work-Life Balance in a High-Performance World

How to fit health, work, family, and self-leadership into a life that keeps speeding up.  Modern life is less about balance and more about playing Tetris. The blocks keep falling: deadlines, family obligations, workouts, social commitments, and leaders are expected to stack it all with grace. In this keynote, Aslak introduces a fresh perspective on work-life alignment drawn from his own leadership journey, martial arts discipline, and real-world experience. With clarity, energy, and honesty, he explores how today’s leaders can shape their lives with intention, protect what matters most, and still perform at the highest level in business and beyond, and to have energy when it’s needed the most.

Empowered Teams Win

The 5 principles to create high-performing, autonomous teamsReal empowerment is more than delegation. In this keynote, Aslak shares how he led distributed teams across 20+ countries to drive innovation, deliver measurable results, and sustain a world-class eNPS of 78 with customer recommendation rates over 99%. Through practical insights and real-life examples, he reveals how leaders can build cultures of ownership, alignment, and speed, where people are trusted to act and inspired to perform.

THEMES 

• Leadership transformation  rooted in discipline and emotional intelligence

• High-stakes strategy and resilience keynotes for executives and entrepreneurial teams

• Authentic team-building sessions based on humility, trust and long-term performance

Previous Appearances

• Keynotes in 10+ countries across Europe, Asia and the U.S.
• Host/moderator for global speakers such as Jim Collins and Alex Osterwalder
• Featured in Forbes, CEO Views, TV, and leading podcasts
• Recognized as Influencer of the Year (2023, Automation & Self-Service Summit, Miami)