NSB Logo Ben Wise & Darren Chiu Ben Wise & Darren Chiu

Ben Wise & Darren Chiu

Speaker

Canada

Behavioural Science for Real-World Influence & Persuasion - Strategy and Programmatic Media leads at Google

Ben Wise and Darren Chiu are the co-founders of Captivate and senior leaders at Google with over 27 years of combined experience working with Canada’s largest brands. Recognized as sought-after speakers on the psychology of persuasion, they’ve delivered keynotes at industry conferences, TEDx events, and corporate training programs across North America. Their Captivate content helps thousands of professionals seeking to master the art and science of influence.

Corporate Training | Marketing | Sales | Leadership | Business 

Canada Speakers Business & Workplace

In the News

Ben Wise & Darren Chiu in the media January 1, 2026

Keynote Speeches

Make Them Feel It: Why Facts Don't Change Minds (But Emotions Do)

Make Them Feel It: Why Facts Don’t Change Minds (But Emotions Do)

Description: Your data is perfect. Your logic is airtight. So why isn’t anyone buying what you’re selling? Because humans don’t make decisions with spreadsheets—they make them with their hearts.

In this engaging keynote, Ben Wise and Darren Chiu reveal the hidden psychology behind why some messages stick while others fall flat. Drawing on behavioral science and their combined 27 years at Google, they’ll show you how to choose the emotion you want to elicit before you speak, craft stories that bypass resistance, and build trust through authenticity (even imperfection).

Audiences can leave with the Pratfall Effect, the Maya Principle, and the Elephant & Rider framework—immediately actionable tools for sales teams, marketers, and leaders who need to move people to action.

The Ecology of Influence: How to Persuade Without Pitching

The Ecology of Influence: How to Persuade Without Pitching

Description: Persuasion isn’t a single tactic—it’s an ecosystem of psychological principles working together. In this dynamic presentation, you’ll discover how the best communicators create influence by understanding the interconnected nature of human decision-making.

Ben and Darren decode the science behind compelling narratives, teaching you how to harness the Reciprocity Effect, master the art of strategic imperfection, and balance familiarity with innovation to drive adoption.

Ideal for teams navigating transformation, launching products, or building buy-in across skeptical stakeholders. Walk away knowing which psychological levers to pull—and when.

Riding the Elephant: The Hidden Psychology of Leading Through Change

Riding the Elephant: The Hidden Psychology of Leading Through Change

Description: Your team knows change is necessary. They’re nodding in agreement. So why aren’t they actually changing? Because knowing isn’t the same as doing—and logic alone can’t override the powerful emotional forces driving human behavior.

In this keynote, Ben and Darren introduce the Elephant & Rider framework: your rational mind (the Rider) thinks it’s in control, but your emotional, intuitive side (the Elephant) drives 90% of decisions.

To create lasting change, you must speak to the Elephant, not just the Rider. You’ll learn practical strategies from behavioral economics to reduce resistance, empower your team to embrace uncertainty, and create a culture where innovation thrives.

Especially ideal for leaders navigating transformation, M&A integration, or rapid growth.

Platform Plus Presentations

Unique formats and ways to connect with audiences.
Presentations above also available as Interactive Workshops and Corporate Training

Audience reviews:

  • It was truly outstanding. Ben delivered a session for our Customer Success team focused on core fundamentals—those often-overlooked basics that form the backbone of great customer experiences—and reminded us of their power in a way that was fresh, engaging, and highly interactive.

    What made the session stand out was Ben’s ability to take familiar concepts and breathe new life into them. His delivery was thoughtful, dynamic, and incredibly relevant to the challenges we face every day. Rather than a one-way lecture, Ben fostered real interaction and participation, encouraging our team to reflect, discuss, and re-engage with principles we sometimes take for granted.

    The feedback from the team has been overwhelmingly positive. Many left the session feeling re-energized, refocused, and better equipped to deliver value in every customer interaction.

    If you’re looking to upskill your team, revisit the fundamentals, and do it in a way that sticks—I highly recommend connecting with Ben Wise. His ability to create meaningful impact through training is a rare find.

    - Home Equity Bank
  • International Coaching Week #ICW is the perfect time to celebrate Ben's work! Since he joined our Sales Coaching Program last year, Ben's partnership has been invaluable. Beyond his impressive work leading a team and growing the agency ecosystem, Ben pours energy into the program, developing sellers across the Americas and refining his own coaching mastery. His impact on seller confidence and client meeting clarity is undeniable. Thank you, Coach Ben! - Head of Sales Enablement, Google
  • Darren is a captivating speaker, who seamlessly blends expertise with dynamic storytelling. His insights not only ignite inspiration but also provide practical applications. Darren's knack for weaving relatable narratives throughout his presentation ensures that concepts of communication, persuasion, and negotiation land effortlessly for the audience. For an enriching learning experience intertwined with engaging entertainment, I highly recommend Darren! - Soft Skills Expert

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Speaker Biography

Ben Wise & Darren Chiu

Co-Founders of Captivate

Claim to Fame: Ben Wise and Darren Chiu are the co-founders of Captivate and senior leaders at Google with over 27 years of combined experience working with Canada’s largest brands. Recognized as sought-after speakers on sales, marketing and the psychology of persuasion, they’ve delivered keynotes at industry conferences, TEDx events, and corporate training programs across North America. Their Captivate content platform reaches thousands of professionals monthly, providing tactical tools on influence, negotiation, and storytelling backed by behavioral science research.

Short Bio

Speaker duo Ben Wise and Darren Chiu transform how professionals communicate, sell, and lead through their mastery of behavioral psychology. Ben brings 15+ years of advertising industry experience as Google’s Head of Programmatic Media, while Darren leverages 12+ years of strategic expertise including as a Strategy Lead at Google—plus his unique background as an award-winning comedian. Performing under the stage name Darren Leo, he earned the Golden Buzzer on Canada’s Got Talent in 2024, demonstrating the captivating stage presence he brings to corporate audiences.

Together, they’ve trained sales teams, marketing professionals, and corporate leaders on applying psychological principles to achieve measurable results. Organizations choose Ben Wise and Darren Chiu when they need engaging insights with practical, research-backed strategies that audiences can implement immediately.

“We’re not natural salespeople. We learned our craft through relentless study of behavioral science and psychology. That’s what makes us effective teachers—we understand exactly what it takes to master persuasion.”

Why Organizations Choose Ben Wise & Darren Chiu

Event planners choose Ben Wise and Darren Chiu when they need speakers who deliver actionable frameworks grounded in behavioral science that audiences can apply the next day. This duo combines deep psychological research with real-world corporate experience, having worked with many of Canada’s largest advertisers and agencies at Google.

Their dynamic duo format creates a unique energy—Ben’s strategic leadership perspective paired with Darren’s comedic storytelling creates presentations that are both intellectually rigorous and genuinely entertaining.

Audiences leave equipped with specific psychological principles like the Reciprocity Effect, the Pratfall Effect, and the Maya Principle—concepts they can immediately apply to sales conversations, marketing campaigns, and leadership communications. 

Organizations working through transformation, launching new products, or building sales and marketing capabilities benefit from their expertise. They’re ideal for conferences, sales kickoffs, leadership summits, and corporate training programs where audiences need practical skills they can use immediately.

Ben Wise and Darren Chiu bring:

• 27+ years of combined sales and leadership experience at Google working with major brands
• Co-founders of Captivate, a content platform delivering persuasion insights to thousands of subscribers monthly
• Dynamic duo format combining strategic leadership expertise with award-winning comedic storytelling
• Darren earned Golden Buzzer on Canada’s Got Talent (performing as Darren Leo) plus $25,000 prize!!
• TEDx speakers delivering presentations on the ecology of influence and behavioral psychology
• Recognition as Emerging Leader in Advertising & Sales (Darren, The Peak 2023) and Board Chair leadership (Ben, Daily Bread Food Bank 2020-2022)

Ask about Ben Wise & Darren Chiu for your event

Ben Wise & Darren Chiu’s Biography

Founding Captivate: From Content Platform to Speaking Stages

Ben Wise and Darren Chiu launched Captivate during a unique moment of professional alignment. Both had independently begun researching behavioral psychology and persuasion—Ben as a way to enhance his leadership approach, Darren to improve his sales performance. When they discovered their parallel pursuits, they recognized an opportunity to systematize their learning and share it with a broader audience.

What started as monthly content quickly evolved into a comprehensive platform. Within months, organizations began requesting training sessions and workshops based on Captivate’s insights. Today, Captivate delivers tactical tools on influence and persuasion to thousands of professionals monthly, covering topics from the Endowment Effect to the power of soft skills, to strategic labeling in negotiations. Their practical approach—always actionable, always research-backed—reflects Ben and Darren’s philosophy that persuasion is a learnable skill, not an innate talent.

Individual Expertise: Google Leadership and Strategic Impact

Ben Wise serves as Head of Programmatic Media at Google, where he leads strategy for Canada’s largest agencies and brands. His 15-year advertising industry career has focused on helping organizations harness programmatic advertising to achieve measurable results. Ben’s approach combines technical expertise with behavioral insights—he understands that effective advertising isn’t just about targeting algorithms, it’s about understanding human psychology.

Beyond Google, Ben served as Board Chair of the Daily Bread Food Bank from 2020 to 2022, leading the organization through significant growth and transformation. He advises multiple startups on sales and go-to-market strategy and volunteers in mentorship programs helping young professionals enter the technology and sales sectors. Testimonials consistently highlight his ability to take fundamental concepts and make them fresh, engaging, and immediately applicable.

Darren Chiu brings 12+ years of experience as a Strategy Lead at Google, developing best-in-class marketing strategies for brands across industries. Before joining Google, Darren worked at Microsoft, building a foundation in technology marketing and sales. His unique ability to blend data-driven strategy with creative storytelling sets him apart—he doesn’t just understand the numbers, he knows how to craft narratives that move people to action.

What makes Darren particularly distinctive as a speaker is his parallel career as a stand-up comedian performing under the stage name Darren Leo. In 2024, he earned the Golden Buzzer on Canada’s Got Talent, advancing straight to the finals and winning $25,000. He regularly performs stand-up comedy, an experience that continuously refines his understanding of timing, audience reading, and what truly captivates people. This isn’t just a hobby—it’s a laboratory where he tests what works in persuasive communication. The skills he develops on stage—reading a room, building tension, delivering punchlines that land—translate directly into corporate presentations that keep audiences engaged from start to finish.

In 2023, The Peak recognized Darren as an Emerging Leader in Advertising & Sales, acknowledging his dedication to mastering persuasive communication across both corporate and performance contexts.

Speaking Philosophy: Making Behavioral Science Accessible

Ben Wise and Darren Chiu share a core belief: neither considers themselves “natural salespeople.” Instead, they’ve become students of their craft, continuously researching what makes communication effective. This perspective makes them exceptional teachers—they understand the struggle of learning persuasion because they’ve lived it themselves.

Their presentations avoid typical pitfalls by combining Ben’s strategic frameworks with Darren’s comedic timing and storytelling. Where Ben brings structure and psychological depth, Darren brings levity and relatability. This creates a dynamic that keeps audiences intellectually engaged while remaining entertained—a balance that’s rare in business speaking. They don’t just explain behavioral concepts; they demonstrate these principles in real-time through their onstage interaction.

Central to their teaching is the “Elephant and Rider” framework—the understanding that our emotional, intuitive side (the Elephant) drives most decisions, while our rational mind (the Rider) tries to steer but often gets overruled. To create lasting change, you must appeal to the Elephant’s feelings, not just the Rider’s logic. This insight shapes how they teach every other principle.

Each concept comes with practical applications audiences can implement immediately. The Reciprocity Effect (how small gestures create obligations), the Pratfall Effect (how admitting flaws builds trust), and the Maya Principle (balancing novelty with familiarity to drive adoption) become tools, not just theories. Audiences leave with frameworks they can apply the next day in sales calls, marketing campaigns, or leadership communications.

Speaking engagements include those at SocialNext, TEDxLakeheadU 2025 and on the Business Development Podcast (Episode 252) and CMA Connect, where they shared insights on emotional strategy, trust-building, and authentic communication.

Notable Media Appearances and Recognition

Ben Wise and Darren Chiu have contributed to multiple industry publications including CanadianSME Small Business Magazine and the Canadian Professional Sales Association (CPSA) Learning Hub. Their articles cover behavioral concepts like the Endowment Effect and strategic labeling, always maintaining their signature approach of making academic psychology actionable for business professionals.

Their podcast appearances showcase their dynamic duo format. On the Business Development Podcast, they revealed why facts alone don’t move people and how emotional strategy, trust, and authenticity drive real influence. The CMA Connect podcast featured their insights on psychological tactics in marketing campaigns, from emotional appeal and scarcity to personalization and social proof.

Organizations that have engaged Ben and Darren for training sessions consistently report overwhelmingly positive feedback. Teams leave sessions “re-energized, refocused, and better equipped” to deliver value in customer interactions. Their ability to foster real interaction and participation—rather than delivering one-way lectures—makes their presentations memorable and impactful.

Beyond the Stage: Community Leadership and Performance Excellence

Ben served as Board Chair of Daily Bread Food Bank, applying strategic thinking and persuasive communication to nonprofit leadership. He continues mentoring young professionals entering technology and sales careers.

Darren’s stand-up comedy career as Darren Leo represents serious professional development. His 2024 Golden Buzzer win on Canada’s Got Talent—advancing straight to the finals—validated what corporate audiences experience: his ability to captivate is exceptional. The skills he refines on stage—reading rooms, adjusting delivery in real-time, finding human connection—translate directly into effective corporate training. When Darren teaches persuasion, he draws on hundreds of hours performing at the highest levels of both comedy and business speaking.

Together, Ben and Darren combine deep corporate experience with genuine behavioral science expertise. They offer proven frameworks audiences can adapt immediately, backed by research and refined through real-world application.

Ask about Ben Wise & Darren Chiu for your event

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