Most organisations fail as they are anchored in the belief that the future is an extrapolation of the past albeit Revenue, ROI, customer growth, etc and that they can control their own destinies.

In this revolutionary talk based on a 4-year PhD study and 250 years of executive experience, and combining elements of Japanese philosophy, military strategy and psychology, you will understand how to prepare for a multiplicitous future, where to use qualitative and quantitative tools, how (and why) traditional business techniques like MBA’s and SWOT or Porters forces are outdated and where to utilise design thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset.

The groundbreaking research will shape our understanding of futures strategy and thriving in an (un)known (un)known world framing black swans, corporate blind spots and reveal cognitive biases.

Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!" – Red Queen, Through the Looking Glass.

The world today is changing at a breakneck pace where waves of disruption are threatening our very survival and challenging our understanding of the next normal. Moving beyond a VUCA world, leaders need to understand the factors that underpin success in the world of tomorrow. This UNSAFE (Unknown, Nascent, Supervenient, Algorithmic, Factorial, Ephemeral) future is already here and leaders need to understand the drives for success.

In this thought provoking keynote, we unpack the world using the acronym UNSAFE to guide decision making and leverage insights to build a better future for all to move beyond UNSAFE to SAFER where collective and individual “Responsibility” is the crucial component where we can only succeed together.

We stand on the precipice of the next evolution of the human experience. Disruptive technology threatens to affect our very existence from personal and family to work and our very definition of humanity. With an ever-increasing onslaught of technology driven tools such as Generative AI, Robo assistance, always on awareables – how can you not only survive, but thrive in an algorithmic world.

Beyond the noise and hype of technology replacing jobs or creating industries, what is real?

In this keynote, we discuss limits to current LLM’s and how AI provides the “most likely truth” and how we can segment tasks (not jobs) to augment the human experience to ensure we are more human, not less.

Providing practical experience, and using the Eisenhower matrix, delegates will understand that their future lies not as the luddites by shunting technology, but augmenting humanness to extend our humanity where this cognitive augmentation will lead us to the Fifth Industrial Revolution.

It’s a common belief that Leadership in a business is the MOST important element for success….but how important? While literature is packed with leadership principles and means to be a better leader there is no metric to quantify its exact impact. Using ground- breaking PhD research that is described as “avante garde” and based on qualitative interviews and via a codification and thematic analysis, we can now measure the exact impact of leadership.

Beyond this though, what else drives your business’ likelihood of success? This keynote examines the 25 attributes that companies can focus on to create more resilient future strategies as indicated by a singular metric to understand their Future Fitness Score (FFS).

We will also uncover how to maximise resource efficiency over efficacy and how leadership changes as your business changes. This insightful session will drive your success into the future by understanding the sentiment and perception of your organisation super charge your leadership into tomorrow

What does it truly mean to think like a futurist, and how can organizations apply these insights to shape their futures? This keynote demystifies the role of futurists, moving beyond academic theories to explore practical methodologies and actionable strategies.

Dr. Craig Wing combines proven techniques like horizon scanning, the Three Horizons Model, and disruption theory with his groundbreaking Four Future Seasons PhD framework.

He will guide the audience through the exploration of second, third, and even nth-order impacts using tools like the Futures Wheel.

This engaging session equips delegates with the foundational principles to think like a futurist and empowers them to establish or enhance their organization’s futures capabilities. Through this journey, attendees will gain clarity on the value of futures thinking and actionable steps to create resilient, future-ready strategies.

The future of work has become one of the most widely debated and often misunderstood topics, particularly in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Many thought leaders claim to have the answers, but these insights often lack the foundation of rigorous academic research.

In this keynote, drawing from the University of Sydney's groundbreaking studies, we will unpack the real future of skills, examining how these will evolve into jobs and, ultimately, into the business models that will define tomorrow’s workforce.

We’ll explore the critical question: how can we transition from today’s workforce to that of the future? Using the Eisenhower Matrix and the Humanness Matrix, we will delve into how organizations can identify and prioritize tasks that are difficult to automate and that require human intelligence and creativity. By understanding the limits of AI, we will demonstrate how it can be leveraged not to replace humans but to enhance our capabilities, helping us focus on work that requires empathy, complex problem-solving, and interpersonal relationships.

This keynote is designed to challenge conventional wisdom, offering delegates a data-driven approach to navigating the future of work and positioning their organizations for success in an increasingly automated world.

Silicon Valley is the epicenter of groundbreaking innovation, but its true secret lies in the culture and leadership principles that underpin its success. Drawing from firsthand experience and industry insights, this keynote delves into the practices that define the world's most admired organizations, from fostering creativity to building resilient teams.

Delegates will explore how frameworks like Hofstede’s Onion Model can be applied to craft values, rituals, heroes, and symbols that resonate deeply within an organization. Key themes include the role of unplanned interactions in sparking innovation, as seen in Silicon Valley’s culture of "incidental occurrences," and Amazon’s Two-Pizza Rule for creating agile, effective teams. The session also highlights Google’s Project Aristotle, which uncovered the key elements of high-performing teams, and GE’s 20% rule, which empowers employees to dedicate time to passion projects that drive innovation.

With a focus on designing cultures that engage Millennials and future generations, this keynote offers practical lessons to help organizations cultivate environments where innovation and collaboration thrive.

We are now in an age of factorial change – faster than the outdated exponential view, where the velocity and magnitude of transformation outpace even exponential growth. Technology evolves at unprecedented speeds, geopolitical landscapes grow increasingly interconnected and volatile, and customer expectations shift in ways previously unimaginable. In these uncertain times, the key to success lies in reframing challenges as opportunities—a process that starts with cultivating the right mindset.

This keynote draws on a blend of academic research and practical experience to equip organizations with the tools to navigate these complexities. Using the "Understand, Design, and Create" framework, participants will explore how to identify the forces shaping their industries, design effective strategies to adapt, and create innovative pathways to remain resilient and future-focused.

Topics include the disruptive potential of technologies such as AI and quantum computing, the implications of geopolitical changes on global markets, and actionable insights into meeting evolving customer expectations. This session offers not only a robust understanding of the present but also practical steps for preparing for a dynamic future, turning uncertainty into a driver for growth and innovation.

Markets are increasingly demanding that companies go beyond financial success to demonstrate a clear and meaningful purpose. Drawing on insights from the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer—which reveals that business is now the most trusted institution globally—this keynote explores the profound responsibility this trust places on organizations.

The most successful companies are those that align their strategies with an aspirational vision, inspiring both their teams and their customers.

The session challenges participants to identify their organization’s dream, one that transcends the obvious and resonates with purpose. Through an interactive workshop, attendees will engage with practical tools such as the Futures Wheel and Horizon Scanning, which are essential for anticipating and shaping future opportunities. This is further enriched with hands-on applications of AI technologies like ChatGPT, illustrating how innovation can drive purpose-driven growth and decision-making.

Participants will leave with actionable insights and frameworks to craft a future that combines purpose with profit, ensuring their organizations remain trusted and relevant in an ever- changing landscape.

In this engaging and dynamic simulation, participants are divided into teams to tackle “Einstein’s puzzle”—a challenging riddle created by Einstein in the 1960s. While less than 5% of the population can successfully solve the problem, teams will compete to piece together clues and determine “who has the fish.” The twist? Success hinges on the ability to cooperate and overcome inherent biases, especially the instinct to compete.

From the start, participants’ natural competitive tendencies are reinforced, but true success can only be achieved if they shift their mindset and collaborate effectively. Through this experience, participants will uncover how personal and group dynamics, along with biases, can obstruct progress and hinder problem-solving.

The post-session debrief offers invaluable insights into how these biases affect teamwork and decision-making, highlighting the importance of cooperation to reach shared goals. This simulation is a powerful tool for enhancing collaboration, breaking down silos, and improving collective problem-solving abilities in high-stakes environments.

In this engaging and highly insightful workshop, delegates will take the WhatTheForesight survey prior to the session, an innovative tool designed to provide a clear and data-driven assessment of their organization’s readiness for the future. This unique survey evaluates a company’s preparedness across multiple dimensions, from technological advancements to geopolitical shifts, customer evolution, and emerging market dynamics. Using cutting-edge analytics, we’ll dive deep into the results to uncover underlying trends, assess sentiment, and identify the key drivers shaping the future landscape.

Through real-time analysis, we’ll explore how your organization fares in terms of adaptability, resilience, and foresight, providing you with a tangible Future Fitness score. We’ll highlight the areas where your company is aligned with future opportunities and pinpoint where improvements are necessary to remain competitive in a rapidly changing environment. This workshop isn’t just about analyzing data—it’s about translating it into strategic action.

Delegates will learn how to use these insights to make informed decisions that drive innovation, strengthen organizational culture, and cultivate a forward-thinking mindset that is essential for long-term success. By the end, participants will leave with a robust understanding of how to build a future-ready organization, equipped with the tools and strategies to stay ahead of disruptions, manage uncertainties, and capitalize on emerging opportunities in the evolving global marketplace.