Thomas Hajdu

Tom is a leader in innovation and technology, serving as the CEO of Disrupter. Specialising in digital infrastructure, Disrupter offers long-term, scalable solutions for high-profile clients by harnessing the power of AI, Web3, state-of-the-art network architecture, next-generation blockchain replacements, and breakthrough computation techniques. Disrupter's patented technologies craft digital infrastructures that are adaptive, forward-thinking and evolve with your needs.As Professor and Chair of Creative Technologies at the University of Adelaide, Tom is the Director of the Sia Furler Institute, focusing on creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship within the Faculty of Arts. He co-founded the Art Intelligence Agency in 2019, where he launched the world's first AI Artists in Residence program. Laurie Anderson was the inaugural invitee, and the initiative was featured in the New York Times and 60 Minutes. For example, outputs have appeared at Harvard University's Norton Lectures and the Smithsonian Museum. The Australian Federal Government awarded Tom a Distinguished Talent Visa and within months of his arrival he led an initiative that transformed Adelaide into the nation's first gigabit city, earning him the title of Chief Innovator of South Australia for 2017-2018. In this role he took a delegation to the White House to secure Adelaide's membership as the first international city to join the US Ignite Smart City Program. Tom also co-founded the South Australian Blockchain Lab.Before focusing on disruptive technologies, Tom co-founded tomandandy in 1990, where he helped redefine the role of music in visual media and dramatically reduced production costs while elevating creative standards. Over the years, tomandandy grew to become one of the largest music media companies in the world. His collaborations include Oliver Stone, U2, and Lou Reed, as well as corporations like Microsoft, Ford, Intel and Coca Cola.Thomas, a sought-after speaker and thought leader, has been invited to prestigious forums, including the original TED Conference and the CalTech/MIT Forum. He has served on numerous award juries, been a member of the Digital Advisory Group for the Australia Council for the Arts, and has mentored emerging talent through programs like the Founder Institute. Tom holds a Ph.D. and MFA from Princeton University and a Presidential MBA from Pepperdine University.