Niklas Modig

Niklas Modig is a globally recognised expert in Flow Thinking and Operational Excellence.

He has helped hundreds of executive teams rethink how value moves through their organisations – delivering over 1,000 keynotes in more than 40 countries.

Niklas’s journey began at the Stockholm School of Economics, where he was a researcher in Operations Management from 2003 to 2018.

Fluent in Japanese, he conducted deep field research at Toyota in Japan between 2006 and 2008.

As the only foreigner ever granted this level of access to Toyota’s inner workings, Niklas Modig spent thousands of hours studying how their systems prioritise and value uninterrupted flow over traditional resource optimisation.

His best-selling book This Is Lean introduced the paradigm-shifting concept of “flow efficiency,” distinguishing it from conventional “resource efficiency.”

The book demystifies how delays, handovers, and bottlenecks erode performance – insights that have resonated with over 350,000 readers across 20 languages.

Now, as founder and CEO of Hups, Niklas Modig works with leading organisations to help them become flow-focused and ultimately self-improving.

Clients include major global corporations aiming to create faster, more responsive operations that reduce waste by aligning customer journeys with internal capabilities.

Niklas Modig remains a sought-after advisor and keynote speaker, inspiring audiences to move beyond tools and terminology – toward designing organisations that flow with purpose.

Nikals Modig Operational Excellence Speaking Topics:

Operational Excellence: Driving World-Class Productivity and Profitability

• The Flow-Oriented Organisation – How to eliminate inefficiencies and create seamless, end-to-end flows.
• Defining Operational Excellence – The secrets behind the most productive and high-performing organisations.
• From Silos to Flow – How to move from reactive problem-solving to structured, proactive excellence.
• Visual Management for High-Performance Companies – How to create transparency, alignment, and continuous learning across functions and teams.
• Building a Self-Improving Organisation – How to develop a culture where everyone drives continuous improvement daily.
• The Profitability Equation – How efficiency drives both customer satisfaction and financial results.
• Measuring What Matters – Defining, tracking, and acting on the right metrics that drive true value creation.

Service Excellence: Creating an Outstanding Customer Experience

• The Art of Service Excellence – How the world’s top service organisations create unforgettable customer experiences.
• Making the Customer Flow – How to optimise service processes to create seamless and stress-free experiences.
• Beyond Satisfaction: Creating WOW Moments in Service – How to exceed expectations and build strong emotional connections.
• From Task-Oriented to Experience-Oriented Service – How to shift focus from “getting things done” to creating meaningful customer interactions.
• How to Build a World-Class Service Philosophy – The key principles for creating a structured, scalable, and highly effective service model.

Team Excellence & Culture: Empowering and Engaging Your People.

• Developing ONE Culture – The building blocks of world-class teams.
• DRIVE: The Cornerstones of a Motivated and Powerful Team – The key elements behind engaged and high-performing teams.
• The Power of Personal Efficiency – How to develop highly effective individuals in a fast-paced service environment.
• How to Facilitate and Lead High-Impact Meetings – Techniques for making discussions productive, engaging, and outcome-driven.
• Building a High-Engagement Culture – How to create an environment where employees actively contribute and improve.
• Leading Through Change – How to drive transformation and innovation in service organisations successfully.

Learning from the Best Improvement Concepts: The Foundation for World-Class Performance.

• Lean Thinking– How Lean can revolutionise delivery and productivity.
• Toyota Production System (TPS) – How to apply world-class production philosophy to service excellence.
• Agile Organisations: Fast, Flexible, and Adaptive – How Agile principles can drive efficiency and responsiveness.
• OKRs for High-Performance Teams – How Objectives and Key Results can align people and drive exceptional outcomes.