Leadership 2065: Your leadership; your legacy

A talk by TB Bardlavens, GM & Director, Product Equity at Adobe

Imagine the year 2065: technologies think faster than we can process, design is invisible but omnipresent, and leadership isn’t defined by titles but by trust. In this deeply reflective talk, Timothy Bardlavens invites audiences to consider not only what the future demands of leaders but also what it demands of us today.

The future doesn’t need more leaders, it needs different ones. As AI continues to shape our systems, behaviours, and decision-making at scale, leadership must shift from charisma to consequence, from dominance to design. Bardlavens unpacks how the shifting face of design demands a new kind of leader: one who is deeply aware of legacy, builds for collective power, and understands that speed without velocity is a threat, not a triumph.

He challenges conventional notions of authority and innovation, arguing that the leaders of 2065 won’t rise through hierarchy or chance, but through systems intentionally built for equity, accountability, and adaptability.

Legacy, in this world, isn’t about being remembered. It’s about building the structures that allows others to thrive long after you’re gone.

TB Bardlavens

GM & Director, Product Equity at Adobe

TB Bardlavens is chaotic good in its purest form. He is a Gay, Black man from the Carolinas, a highly regarded social intrapreneur, and an advocate for equity in technology and design. He is a Product Executive, Cultural Strategist, Diversity, Equity, and Justice expert, Co-Founder, Writer, and International Speaker and Facilitator.

For more than a decade, TB has dedicated his career to dismantling systemic barriers, building and scaling teams, and launching innovative digital products for companies like Microsoft, Meta (formerly Facebook), and Adobe. As an accomplished product leader and strategist, he has been at the forefront of delivering more useful, impactful, and equitable experiences for billions of people globally.

TB’s extensive experience and deep understanding of the intersection between technology, design, and social impact make him an exceptional guide in our collective journey toward creating a more equitable and inclusive future.