The man behind the octopus
About Perry
Hi, I'm Perry Knoppert — also known as Dr. Octopus.
I speak, I build movements, and I help people and organizations think differently. I founded The Octopus Movement, a global network of nonlinear thinkers in 136+ countries, working to create possibilities by breaking out of conventional frameworks.
I write, I give keynotes, I consult with leaders and teams who want a different question — not a better answer. And sometimes I sit with a cup of tea and do nothing at all.
I live in the Netherlands with Charlotte the Pooch.
Origin story
Why Dr. Octopus?
The name wasn't self-appointed — it was given. Howard Drakes, a thought leader and connector based in South Africa, began referring to Perry as "Dr. Octopus" in his LinkedIn posts — struck by the way Perry seemed to operate with eight minds at once: building communities across continents, writing, speaking, consulting, creating art, and connecting people in unexpected ways.
The nickname stuck. What started as a playful observation on LinkedIn became an identity that captured something essential about how Perry leads — not from a single center of command, but through distributed intelligence, curiosity, and reach.
Like the octopus itself — an animal with no central brain but immense awareness — Perry's approach to leadership is nonlinear, adaptive, and deeply present. Each arm thinks for itself. Each connection matters. The name Dr. Octopus became the philosophy.
A global network
The Octopus Movement
The Octopus Movement is a non-profit bringing together nonlinear thinkers and innovators from every corner of the globe. We believe in the beauty of human complexity — the weird, the different, the ones who think in spirals rather than straight lines.
With 170+ Founding Members, 42+ Think Tanks, and over 1 million possibilities created, the movement empowers diverse minds to challenge norms, ignite innovation, and shape a better future through creativity, vulnerability, and deep human connection.
Everything for a possibility.
136+
Countries
170+
Founding Members
42+
Think Tanks
Behind the scenes
The Dr. Octopus Log Files
The Engine Room is where the inner workings of The Octopus Movement come alive. Inside, you'll find the Dr. Octopus Log Files — raw, unfiltered reflections on building a global movement, the lessons learned, the failures embraced, and the questions that keep Perry up at night.
Read the Log Files →Read the book that started it all.
Octopus Leadership is a small, elegant essay with a big message on what it means to lead with distributed intelligence, beauty, and space.