David De Cremer is a Belgian psychologist and economist, born in 1972, whose work examines how leadership changes as artificial intelligence enters organizations. He has held the Provost’s Chair at the National University of Singapore Business School in the Department of Management and Organisation, and is affiliated with Ghent University. He studied at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the Old University of Leuven, and the University of Southampton. His consulting work has reached companies including Novartis, AB InBev, KPMG, Solvay, IBM, Barclays, Rabobank, ING, Cisco, Bayer, Exmar, DSM, and Huawei.
Key facts
- Born: 1972
- Country: Belgium
- Occupation: psychologist; economist
- Employer: Ghent University
- Education: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven; University of Southampton; Old University of Leuven
- Awards: Jos Jaspars Medal
Books on leadership and algorithms
De Cremer’s book “Leadership by Algorithm: Who Leads and Who Follows in the AI Era?” was published by Harriman House on May 26, 2020, and runs 212 pages. It looks at how decision-making authority shifts between humans and automated systems inside organizations.
A second book, “The AI-Savvy Leader: Nine Ways to Take Back Control and Make AI Work,” followed from Harvard Business Review Press in June 2024, running 256 pages. In it he coined the term “reflective procrastination,” describing a human habit of inconsistency that allows different perspectives to be weighed before acting.
He also co-wrote a biography of Huawei with Tian Tao and Wu Chunbo, describing a company with over 170,000 employees operating in more than 170 countries.
Recognition and awards
De Cremer was named the most influential economist in the Netherlands for 2009-2010, ranking number one in the Top 40 of Dutch economists. In 2016, the organization Trust Across America, Trust Around the World named him a Global Thought Leader, and GlobalGurus listed him among the World’s Top 30 Management Gurus and Speakers in 2020.
Thinkers50 selected him as a Radar thinker in 2021, one of 30 global thought leaders to watch. He was named the best Psychologist Scientist in Singapore in 2023. His academic honors include the Jos Jaspars Medal, the British Psychological Society award for Outstanding PhD, the Comenius European Young Psychologist Award, and the International Society for Justice Research Early Career Contribution Award.
Public commentary and ideas
De Cremer published a Harvard Business Review piece examining the negative effects of cc’ing a boss when emailing coworkers. His concept known as the “Circle of Irony” effect was described in the MIT Technology Review.
He once held a public conversation with chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov about AI in business.
Did you know
- He was ranked among the World’s top 2% of scientists in 2020. (thinkers50.com)
- He once held a public conversation with chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov about AI in business. (daviddecremer.com)
- His “Circle of Irony” effect concept was described in the MIT Technology Review. (daviddecremer.com)
- He coined the term “reflective procrastination” to describe a human habit of inconsistency that allows different perspectives to be considered. (ideasforleaders.com)
- His Huawei biography, co-written with Tian Tao and Wu Chunbo, describes a company with over 170,000 employees in more than 170 countries. (books.google.com)
Data sources
Data updated: 2026-11-12