Scott Anthony

The forces of disruption have repeatedly rewritten the rules of business, society, and human possibility. When the dust of disruption settles, there’s a clear line between before the disruption and after it. According to Dartmouth Tuck School of Business clinical professor Scott D. Anthony, “the messy middle” presents significant challenges for leaders. In this fascinating presentation, he draws on his upcoming book “Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World” (September 2025) to look back at past challenges and outline the paths that helped us move forward. From a 16th century proclamation from the King of England against innovation to gunpowder, disposable diapers, Julia Child, Steve Jobs and more, Anthony illustrates how appreciating the history of disruption helps to make sense of modern developments such as generative AI, cryptocurrency, autonomous vehicles, and precision fermentation. Audiences leave with a practical understanding of how to navigate disruptive change by stripping away the mythology to decode how genuine disruption actually happens.