Map data: Jakarta, Indonesia
Google Earth, Google Maxar Technologies
For more than six years, Greg Wade has been connected to BYG, first as a client and now as one of our go-to advisors when we need global insight or introductions into places we’d never reach on our own. Greg is not just experienced. He’s spent over 30 years leading major business units, building partnerships, and working across North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and beyond. This year he published Unlocking Strategic Growth: The Mindset Behind Business Development Success, a book that distills what he’s learned from decades of building and scaling partnerships around the world.
What’s interesting is that Greg didn’t plan on ending up in global leadership. He was originally on track for law school, but his first role at AT&T opened a completely different path. Over time he realized he had a real instinct for connecting teams, spotting opportunities early, and helping companies work together in ways that created new growth. Those instincts eventually led him to senior roles where he was running large regional businesses, negotiating cross-industry partnerships, and building teams across six continents.
One of the big ideas Greg talks about in his book is learning to see opportunity inside chaos. He shared a story from his time helping align Samsung and BMW, two companies with very different cultures and ways of working. Instead of treating the differences as a problem, Greg focused on the small overlaps where they could build something new together. That collaboration became one of the early steps toward the connected-car experiences we now take for granted. For Greg, chaos isn’t a red flag, it’s a signal that something interesting might be possible if you’re paying attention.
Greg also emphasizes the importance of knowing when to say “no.” While leading BlackBerry’s business across Southeast Asia, he often had to balance headquarters’ expectations with the realities of local markets. In one pivotal moment, he backed the insight of his regional team instead of following the standard playbook. That decision protected key relationships and helped turn the region into one of BlackBerry’s most successful and profitable. Greg’s advice: build a simple decision framework before you’re under pressure, so you’re relying on clarity, not panic.
Another theme Greg returns to is cultural awareness. Having spent decades building partnerships across very different markets, he’s learned that you can’t rely on theory alone. Real cultural understanding comes from being present, spending time with teams, listening, observing, and understanding not just how business works locally but why. Greg believes anyone can develop this skill, but only with curiosity and real engagement.
And yes, we asked him about AI. Greg’s take is balanced: AI is a great tool for generating ideas and speeding up work, but it can’t replace human judgment, intuition, or relationships. In his view, the future belongs to people who know how to blend AI with lived experience, not people who assume AI will do the thinking for them.
What stood out most in talking with Greg is that his book isn’t just written for executives running big partnerships. It’s also for people starting out, for small business owners, and for anyone trying to navigate uncertainty. Greg doesn’t claim to offer perfect formulas. Instead, he focuses on mindset, noticing opportunities early, challenging assumptions, being willing to walk away, and staying open to what you can learn from people whose backgrounds are nothing like your own.
Unlocking Strategic Growth is exactly what you’d expect from someone who has spent over 30 years working across borders, negotiating high-stakes partnerships, and leading through ambiguity. It’s honest, practical, and grounded in real experience and that’s what makes it useful no matter where you are in your career.
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