Dipl.-Ing. Lars Behrendt

Granny&Smith

We're not just participating in the innovation landscape—we're reshaping it. When market leaders need to ensure their next breakthrough succeeds, they know where to turn.

Our INNOWEEK® methodology has become the benchmark that global industry leaders trust when failure isn't an option.

Where traditional innovation remains unpredictable, we've engineered certainty. Our integrated teams of strategists, designers, and technologists consistently deliver what others consider impossible: guaranteed innovation outcomes in weeks. This is why DAX and Fortune 500 companies choose us as their innovation partner.

Mission Innovation: Inspiring people to be innovative in order to shape the world of tomorrow – that’s my mission.

Keynote Speaker

"Get Real Innovation" is about how to build a truly innovative company and why it's so incredibly hard.

Innovation is the main driver of business success today. What do the most innovative companies like Google, Amazon, Tesla and many startups have in common? What methods do they use? How can you be successful, too? And what, in practice, has proven to be a mistake?

Using real, short, concise & practical examples based on more than 15 years of practical experience in innovation development, Lars helps his readers discuss these questions and find answers.

Bestselling Author

Greenrock

Venture Partner

Family Office

OAB AG

Member of The Supervisory Board

INSTARIDE

INSTARIDE - Synchronizing mobility demands with the help of AI.
The revolutionary social driving startup - still in stealth mode.

Investor

HOW IT STARTED

https://open.spotify.com/show/3A3eHbXPN8A8t8Ga9dK3pE?si=kMT5StTGTrqAQOUO3qQH6g

Podcaster

Stiftungshaus Oldenburg

Board Member

Innovation Authority

Advisory Board Member

//CEO@GRANNY&SMITH, DE-RISKING INNOLAB FOR THE MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

//THE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED

It happened during a corporate innovation workshop years ago. As I watched yet another brilliant idea suffocate under the weight of process, I saw the spark fade from the team's eyes. In that moment, I made a promise to myself that would reshape my entire career.

THE PATTERN I COULDN'T UNSEE

Across boardrooms and brainstorming sessions, I witnessed the same story unfold. Brilliant minds with transformative visions hitting the same invisible wall. Their ideas deserved better.

THE UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY

What began as frustration evolved into curiosity. Could innovation success actually be engineered rather than hoped for? I devoted myself to finding out.

Years of experimentation led to an approach so counterintuitive yet effective that it changed everything. By building innovations like a portfolio of startups, we turned the notorious 90% failure rate completely upside down.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

A prominent German corporation took a chance on this method when traditional approaches had failed them repeatedly. Within weeks, we accomplished what they hadn't achieved in years. Word spread quickly.

Today, seven of Germany's nine most innovative companies have become our partners. From global enterprises to nimble startups, leaders come when they need certainty, not just possibility.

BEYOND THE METHOD

After over 15 years and countless successful market launches, I still feel that same rush when I see an innovation finally connect with its audience. There's simply nothing like watching something powerful emerge from what was once just an idea on a whiteboard.

My engineering background gave me the tools, but it was immersing myself in the human elements of innovation that revealed the true path forward. When leaders invite me to guide their most important initiatives, they're not just getting a process – they're gaining a partner who's navigated this terrain countless times before.

I only commit to journeys I truly believe in, because I've learned that extraordinary innovation requires both methodology and genuine connection to purpose.

MORE INFORMATION:
◾ For enterprises, entrepreneurs and investors -> https://www.grannyandsmith.com/ 
◾ For event organizers & bookings -> https://www.grannyandsmith.com/larsbehrendt

We are here to help you develop, test, and grow new business ideas in a few weeks instead of months. We specialize in innovation development, constantly keeping up with the latest trends, methods, and ways of working.

We have been developing innovation for our customers for more than 15 years now. Our teams, consisting of designers, engineers, software developers, and business model experts, have tried a lot and gained much experience. Today we know what works and what does not - so you don't have to make all those experiences again.

Our INNOWEEK® method is the result of more than 15 years of continuous development and project experience with well-known DAX groups and Fortune 500 companies and helps you to develop, test, and grow new business ideas in a few weeks instead of months.

AttituX

World's first and only Attitude-based Leadership hiring, Talent Development, Team Building, Succession Planning and Coaching HRMS platform - cool HRTech endorsed by @Gartner.

Attitude is an X factor or a ❌ wrong factor. We measure a person’s attitude with 10 Doodle Drawings for values and culture fit with employers in <3 mins using proprietary AI.

Why?

Any CHRO will understand that the Talent Acquisition staff, HR Interviewers and Learning & Development Managers, Hiring Managers etc are all humans. As with any human, we have our internal bias.  Conscious or Unconscious Bias, but Bias nonetheless.

The problems we predicted will happen very soon (if not already happening) is the onslaught of AI Resume/CV. And these GenAI curated resumes are pretty close to tricking any ATS because of appropriate keywords, especially when extremely large volume of resumes are needed to be vetted by humans afterwards; compounding the human bias further; its an eventual headaches for any Heads of Department.

We are building an AI to counter these, helping companies screen 10s, to 1,000,000's actual applicants (not resumes) within minutes and hours, not days or weeks for the right attitudes and values fit first, before validating their resumes.  After all, hiring based on Attitude should be first and foremost importance of any hires.

Our background came from Sass Atlantic Group (see below and featured #3) as Emirates Group Recruitment Consultant from 2003 - 2014 for 10 countries in Asia Pacific, where we physically interview more than 2,500 applicants a day of more than 120 different nationalities.  We could not do it with traditional interviews of course. We used drawings and anyone can draw something. So there is no language, culture nor even gender bias.

Try it out and see for yourself.

Just 1 test is enough to prove our value proposition.

Visit us at https://AttituX.co

CEO & Board Member

Drawmetrics

We were on a mission to solve the most challenging problem in the history of mankind: Human Conflict @Work/Home.

We originally invented Remote Talent Acquisition & Hybrid Teams since 2002 to help workforce prevent conflict between different cultures with Emirates Airline as our first client and helped them grow by 10 times in 10 years to become the most profitable airline in the world by 2013.
(Check out IG @Drawmetrics for 20 years history)

My 21 years hiring experience tells me one thing:

One KEY MISSING component in every single 80,000++ resumes I have interviewed is: The Heart❤️

It takes a body, mind and heart to make a complete person.

YET, every single resume has information about their skills and experiences (hands, legs and body to do the work) and Education, Intellect and Aptitude (brains and mind).

BUT, none of them has any information about their HEART on resume.
What makes them angry, irritated and emotional? When are they frustrated? Who they dislike?

None.

Without knowing the heart, it is impossible to know a person completely.
So companies do not have 100% complete knowledge of their new hires and employees if they can never fully figure out the missing component: The Heart.

People are connected with people with their hearts. Not their body and minds alone.
When staff are disconnected with their bosses, teams and colleagues; it is easier for them to leave.

Nobody leaves companies.

They all leave people.

We don't leave our loved ones simply because we remain connected to them with our hearts.

Drawmetrics is the only tool in the world today that can assess a person's heart at an interview without bias:
Relationships, personal ambitions, values, financial motivations, professional satisfaction, future and personal conflict with their hearts.

It is the only drawing based psychometrics that do not contain a single question nor a grading scale.
So it simply cannot be manipulated.

Simple | Fast | Accurate

Inventor - HRTech with Unbiased Remote Assessment of Peoples’ Values using Drawings

Cegos Asia Pacific

Senior Consultant (Human Capital & Team Cohesion Management)

As a Consultant for Cegos Asia Pacific, I help companies with Leadership Development and Human Resources challenges across multiple industries. Cegos, headquartered in France, is a 100 years old global Learning & Development leader in leadership training and coaching.

Consultant (Learning & Development)

ARC Capital APAC

HOW on Earth did a bunch of very young cute Westerners who doesn’t speak a word of Mandarin start a consultancy for China companies, to help them list on Nasdaq and NYSE?!?!

Yes, 98% of them speak zero Mandarin, except one Chinese partner.

Abraham from Mexico and Sergio from Spain were unemployed after the 2009 financial crisis not because they lost their jobs, but they were fresh from school. Bummer.

So they flew to China, hurdle in and bunk together, slept on floors and lived on borrowed funds.

And crazy enough to start ARC Capital, a boutique investment bank. When they asked me to be their local Director for their Singapore office in 2018, I said: “YES!”

They are just like Alfred Lin (Sequoia Capital) and Tony Hsieh (Zappos)! - just slightly cuter 😜

Who can say no to them?!
If you want a fast track to IPO, they are one of the early  pioneers in SPAC back in 2017 in the world.

Non-Executive Board of Directors

B Robotics

B-Robotics is a spin-off from a hybrid electric technology company and has won numerous tender and awards from the Singapore government to turn any metropolitan city into a smart city.  With its modular and scalable autonomous AI mobility solutions, B-Robotics is now ready to scale during and post Covid in areas of autonomous drive and mobility solutions with AI/IOT/mobile apps control inputs.

I saw synergy and product market fit to build a robotics air sampler, something that could move around malls and restaurants or offices to sample and test the air for Covid virus within 1.5 hours. If the space is tested positive within that short time frame, then the risk is extremely high and people within that time & space needed to be immediately informed/quarantined and/or PCR tested. That’s why I joined the board of B-Robotics.

I was then asked by the Board to invest skin in the game to be the new CEO after just 3 months on the Board.  I said I am not ready, because I don't have enough money to fund a robotics company Pre-Seed to Series B as the main driver behind the company (it would be irresponsible to do so) and offered to take over the CEO position at $1 per month with stock options only on successful raise of Series A of $20M, and B at $200M.

The board said “Yes!”

BUT the CEO and Founder I am replacing said Yes, to replace him as CEO but no to stock options!”

Because he is still the largest shareholder and override the rest of the board, which included family office and listco owners.

The rest is history.

Board Member | Independent Director

High Flyers Group

Wouldn't you want to be surrounded by beautiful celebrities and internet influencers?

In my previous business I was always surrounded by beautiful people in the Cabin Crew business (www.sassatlantic.com destop version).  I have personally interviewed >80,000 girls (the boys is probably another 10,000), so when I was asked by 
multi-millionaire Lucio Tan Jr (Bong), the eldest son of Filipino Billionaire tycoon Lucio Tan, LT Group on Forbes, if I knew how to recruit the right talent, screen them at high precision (as hiring costs is very high) and built a team where everyone has similar culture, I said ask my clients.

Hence, High Flyers Group was started to focus on the streaming and entertainment/digital media business partnering Nasdaq MoMo. The business broke even within 3 months of operations and had a lot of fun together.

With Bong's untimely passing on 11th November 2019, it was meaningless to continue without him.  I have lost a great friend and business partner. :'(

CHRO & Co-Founder | Board of Directors

Sass Atlantic Group

I started my very first 2 start-up with just SGD 1,500 x 6 months. Acquired in 8 months by top 100 richest Singaporean woman Entrepreneur, the Late Dr. Diana Young from Milcom Aerospace and MBO when Diana passed away in Sep 2004.

Sass Atlantic pioneered the world’s first Human Resources outsourcing manpower solutions (Employer of Record, EOR) for the Aviation (Leasing of Commercial Flight Attendants) and Hospitality (Leasing of Front line Customer Service Personnel - Premiere Visione) industries in Asia, saving numerous sovereign carriers, regional and international players millions in avoided retrenchments and employment dispute in more than 10 countries in Asia Pacific. During this 15 years period I have personally interviewed more than 80,000 individuals, averaging about 5,300 a year.
We held consulting contracts in perpetuity with Emirates Airlines, & Emirates Group for Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam and China (2008).
Pride ourselves to be the underdog Consultant that helped Emirates Airline become the world largest airline in less than 11 years, beating Singapore Airlines in profitability and 2x fleet size. EK crew headcount grew 10x in 10 years to 25,000 in 2014.

Other clients include China Airlines, AirAsia, Jetstar, Tiger Airways, Qatar Airways and past numerous conglomerates/hospitality clients in Asia including AIA, Shangri-la, Grand Hyatt, Intercontinental Group, Meritus Mandarin, Pan Pacific, Hilton, Marriot, Conrad, and Ritz Carlton.

Founder & CHRO

Honeywell

Featured on Asia Wall Street Journal in January 2002 for Executive Coaching sponsored by Honeywell for high talent and senior management development.

Honeywell is the best corporate to work in during my time.  Planes fly and land because of them. Gasoline, Food, Electricity, Air-conditioning, Space Travel, Missiles, Manufacturing, Beverage, Fighter Jets, Apache Helicopters, the list is just too long...
They have many clients but the biggest is US Military, Air Force and Navy.  Honeywell and GE are the Google, Apple and Amazon of my time.

My favourite story in Honeywell was my last few days of work around Jun 2002.  Because of how much they spent on Executive Coaching to groom me to the future senior management leadership within Honeywell, the President of Honeywell Asia Pacific (whom I don't know personally) met me personally for the exit interview.  He asked why I wanted to quit.  I said because for 5 years at my annual performance review, I said I wanted to join Honeywell Aerospace, the SBU he was leading.  He said he didn't know and immediately asked for P file to check.  After 10 mins, he said: "Alright, I will create a new Director/VP position for you.  Don't resign.  Your corporate grade will be promoted from 12 to 14/15.  Just one or two grade below the President"  I must have heard wrongly.

I replied I loved aviation and aerospace industry very much, especially with Honeywell for sure, but I have already given my word to my new business partner Diana that I will work with her.

Honeywell told me if my venture didn't work, they will welcome me back anytime.  This, I didn't hear wrongly.

"My word is everything.  Trust is everything.  I will never go back on my word.  You can't take it to the bank because I am a nobody but you know it will never change once it leaves my mouth."

Regional Director

Strategic Planning Manager

Business Analyst

Parkwayhealth

Many asked me why I worked in (now Pantai) Parkway Health for only 3 months?
Because if one poor family I was tasked to market to in Indonesia mortgaged their only home for $23K just to pay for a heart bypass surgery he (age 35+) actually DID NOT need then at his age, and he (the only breadwinner) died?? And I delivered the bad news and the FULL bill to his grieving young wife 😢 
I don’t think I need to work any longer for that culture.
My sincere apologies for my short stint.

Regional Marketing Manager

I will probably be fired for saying this or sued for revealing this.

Heck, I only live once. Why not get both before I see God.  Back in 1993/94, investment linked insurance policies were sold primarily by one insurance company B.  The rest of the insurance companies had very little product knowledge or portfolio to match but wanted to train their own agents as their company actuarial design new investment linked products to sell.  Who is better to write training curriculum than B, correct?  Why would they do it to help A, C - Z compete with them? So my boss from Education and Training department called me and said: " Physics is a damn difficult subject.  I know it because I am hopeless in it.  So if you can have a degree in Physics, you can study finance and investment to write this curriculum representing our contribution to MAS"

I was afraid she would find me hopeless since it was only my first year at the company.  So I decided to self study and wrote the investment linked curriculum as AIA’s contribution.  I was told it was 85% of the curriculum at that time.

Did I struggle, people would ask? I struggled like hell during NUS (Physics - see Education story) for 3 years, so?  Finance and investment was much harder, I thought.

I left AIG to further my MBA in International Business at Thunderbird and got a job with AIG New York, Pine Street at the heart of Wall Street for 2 years.  Just before I departed for New York, AIA Singapore's only other MBA graduate at that time left for another company.  I was then asked to cancel the New York posting, and took over as Acting Underwriter in Robinson Road, AIA Tower.
I got the chance to work with some of the best leaders within AIA Tower and developed strategic planning skills and exposure to launch Bankassurance for the first time in Singapore.

Manager Corporate Strategy

Education & Training Executive

Board Director | Gartner Cool Vendor | Leadership & Team Culture Tech | Succession Tech | Attitudes HRMS | AI Talent Insights | Servant Husband

🚀 Transforming Team Building, Talent Acquisition with AI & Global HR Expertise with World’s First and ONLY Doodles HR Tech.

With over 20 years of experience in Talent & AI Recruitment, Cross-Industry Leadership, and Global Human Resources, I have built and scaled businesses that revolutionize the way organizations attract, assess, manage and retain talent. As the Founder & CEO of AttituX, I developed the world's first AI-driven recruitment tech using Doodle Drawings (no questionnaire), team culture, leadership, succession planning psychometrics solution, achieving 95%+ accuracy in talent & leadership development without human biases. This cutting-edge approach is now helping businesses enhance hiring decisions, reduce attrition, and optimize workforce performance since 2003 while it was a manual laborious process.

With AI, it can now identify the following 10 things that no HRIS in the world can do:
1.  Ideal corporate & team culture with software.
2. Create measurable succession planning roadmaps
3. Derailers coaching for senior leaders
4. Predict talent attrition risk by employee name (not by % only)
5. Identify the “Axxhole” in teams
6. Predict performance risks
7. Identify moral and ethics risks in people
8. Predict cybersecurity and human credit risk
9. Recommend personalised wellness programs
10. Hire the culture gaps and right size the team based on culture (not $ alone)

How?!?!

Previously, as the Founder & CEO of Sass Atlantic Group, I successfully built a leading HR and talent management firm, serving global clients such as Emirates Airlines, All Nippon Airways, China Airlines, Shangri-La, Grand Hyatt, Intercontinental Group, and Ritz-Carlton. My leadership took the company from an initial SGD 10,000 investment to a market valuation of SGD 25M, delivering high-impact HR solutions across aviation, hospitality, and corporate sectors.

My executive experience spans major organizations, including Honeywell International, AIG, and Roche, where I led M&A strategies, business development, and organizational transformation across Asia-Pacific. My expertise includes mergers & acquisitions, workforce analytics, leadership development, and HR technology innovation. With bilingual fluency in English and Mandarin, I have successfully navigated global markets, aligning businesses with the future of AI-driven HR solutions.

💡 If you're looking to revolutionize your hiring process, improve workforce retention, or explore AI-powered leadership strategies—let’s connect!

📩 Reach me at andrew.chai@attitux.co or message me here on LinkedIn

taplio

The Battle

Dipl.-Ing. Lars Behrendt

Andrew. Chai

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?