Nelly Ben Hayoun

Nelly Ben Hayoun

Dr. Nelly Ben Hayoun: The Architect of Extreme Experiences and Radical Innovation

Core Intelligence Domain: Innovation
Location: London, United Kingdom | Languages: English, French
Representation: Represented globally by PSpeakers Global Intelligence

Dr. Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian is an award-winning director, experiential designer, and academic who operates at the bleeding edge of science, theatre, politics, and technology. Renowned globally as the “Willy Wonka of Design and Science,” she engineers proprietary frameworks for radical disruption, building immersive environments that challenge systemic norms and inspire planetary-scale foresight. Through her multifaceted career, Dr. Ben Hayoun empowers C-suite leaders, scientific institutions, and global brands to transcend traditional boundaries and embrace multidisciplinary innovation.

Global Leadership and Institutional Disruption

As the founder and director of Nelly Ben Hayoun Studios, she has orchestrated large-scale experiential programmes that bridge the gap between high-level institutional research and public engagement. She is the pioneering Founder of the University of the Underground, a tuition-free charity and university operating in the basements of urban spaces, aimed at democratising education and cultivating the next generation of creative leaders.

Her strategic influence extends into the cosmos and global policy. Dr. Ben Hayoun serves as the Designer of Experiences at the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute and is the Vice Chair of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Technical Committee on the Cultural Utilisation of Space (ITACCUS). Previously, she drove corporate innovation as the Chief of Experiences at WeTransfer, demonstrating her capacity to merge commercial tech objectives with avant-garde creative strategies.

Proprietary Methodology: The “Total Bombardment” Framework

Central to Dr. Ben Hayoun’s success is her proprietary “Total Bombardment” methodology. This framework relies on designing extreme, high-impact experiences that push participants out of their comfort zones, forcing rapid adaptation, critical thinking, and paradigm shifts. By applying this theatrical and scientific approach to corporate and institutional challenges, she facilitates environments where true, uninhibited innovation can flourish.

Major Achievements and Cinematic Endeavours

• Directorial Acclaim: Directed critically acclaimed feature-length documentaries, including Disaster Playground (investigating the mechanisms of planetary defence against near-Earth objects), I am (not) a Monster, and Red Moon.
• Advisory Excellence: Serves on the advisory boards for the United Nations (UN) and various international space agencies, steering policies on the cultural implications of scientific advancement.
• Global Recognition: Recognised as one of Time magazine’s top 50 creative leaders and awarded multiple accolades across the design, film, and scientific sectors, including the Sir Arthur Clarke Award.
• Academic Rigour: Holds a PhD in Geography and Political Philosophy, bringing deep academic validity to her disruptive experiential practices.

Primary Speaking Themes

• Experiential Design as a Catalyst: Utilising immersive design to drive systemic change and corporate innovation.
• The Future of Space Exploration: Unpacking the cultural, political, and philosophical impacts of humanity’s expansion into the cosmos.
• Radical Innovation and Disruption: Implementing the “Total Bombardment” methodology to break institutional stasis and inspire commercial agility.
• STEAM Education and Democratisation: Championing the integration of the arts into STEM to foster robust, multidisciplinary problem-solving.
• Designing the Impossible: Strategies for achieving moonshot goals through creative resilience and cross-sector collaboration.

Key Takeaways

• Dr. Nelly Ben Hayoun is a paradigm-shifting designer and director who seamlessly merges science, technology, and the arts to drive global innovation.
• Her proprietary frameworks offer actionable methodologies for C-suite leaders seeking to navigate disruption and foster radical creativity within their organisations.
• Through her leadership at the SETI Institute and the University of the Underground, she continues to shape the future of both terrestrial education and extraterrestrial cultural policy.
• She delivers high-impact, transformative insights that equip audiences to tackle the complex, systemic challenges of the 21st century and beyond.