Influencers & Revolutionaries

Series FiveThis episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Marie Stafford, Global Director (Intelligence) at VML. She's a strategic foresight consultant skilled in creating inspiring future narratives, transforming futures insights and trends into commercial opportunity across a top tier multinational client portfolio. Specialised in foresight at the intersection of consumers, culture and innovation, Marie is also a seasoned speaker and panellist cited in outlets like the FT and New York Times. In this episode, she discusses the latest 'Future 100' from VML (the renowned industry report that examines key trends from around the world, and features interviews with a range of sector experts) along with her take on dynamic issues illuminated at the recent SXSW London. So, if you're interested in listening to the views of an industry-expert across a range of subjects from Sharing to Solitude and from Pets to Architecture...enjoy! 

Series FiveThis episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Peter Cunliffe-Jones, visiting researcher at the University of Westminster and Director of Facts Matter Research, a misinformation research and strategy consultancy, where he advises organisations in effective ways to both counter the harmful consequences of misinformation and protect wider freedom of speech. Peter started his career as a news journalist for the AFP new agency - working for more than 20 years in Europe, Africa and Asia. He reported from Bosnia and Croatia on the last year of war and first 12 months of peace, from Nigeria on the end of decades of military rule, oversaw the agency's coverage of the Asian tsunami, developed its online news services. In 2012, he founded Africa Check, the African continent's first independent fact-checking organisation, which operates in South Africa, Senegal, Nigeria and Kenya.He's also run training courses for fact-checkers in countries from Afghanistan to Myanmar, worked as a strategic adviser to the Arab Fact-Checkers network, which seeks to foster nonpartisan fact-checking in the Arab world, and served on the Safety Advisory Council for TikTok in Africa.His new book is called "Fake News - what's the harm?" and presents four dynamic ideas for fact-checkers, policymakers and platforms on the challenge of information disorder.In our conversation, Peter discusses all of the above and more, in what I hope you'll agree is a fascinating episode. So – enjoy! 

Series FiveThis episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Faris Yakob, co-founder of Genius Steals, who began his career as a strategist during the first dot com explosion, before moving into agency world.  He worked for some dynamic agencies inc Naked Communications (as their 20th employee) before moving on to be EVP Chief Tech Strat at McCann Erickson NYC. He subsequently went to MDC Partners - a network of best-in-breed agencies inc CPB, Anomaly, 72 & Sunny, and kbs+, and then co-founded the superbly named Spies & Assassins. Faris was a founding member of the IPA Social Committee, and has blogged about - and been involved in discussion around - social in the industry for a decade. He's also written for those inc Campaign, Fast Company, Forbes, Contagious, Canvas8, etc. We discuss all of the above and more, in a conversation which takes in Marx, uncertainty & risk, Kant, Severance, Cannes Lions, and the realities of Nomadic Consulting. So...enjoy!

Series FiveThis episode of The New Abnormal features Gareth Kay, Partner at The Intangibles 'the transformation consultancy for the intangible world'. He's spent over two decades working in, and learning from, some of the best creative companies in the world. In that time, Gareth realized there is no ‘one way' to shape and deliver valuable brands that create sustainable demand, but there are some principles that hold true: that problem-finding is at least as important as problem-solving; that being interesting is as important as being right; that great brands are built by their behavior not just their narrative; that the biggest risk facing many businesses is the false division between ‘brand' and ‘product'; that a strategy is only as good as the work it delivers. (By the way, he makes a return to the podcast, having been one of my first guests when I set the series up, back in 2000 during the first weeks of the pandemic). Gareth has earned himself a stellar reputation in the marketing world, and in this interview he discusses leading-edge thinking about the business context of today and how to unlock value for the world's most ambitious equity firms and brands...

Series Five This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Epaminondas Christophilopoulos, who is a Foresight, Strategy, Innovation and long-term planning advisor to government, private corporations and NGOs. A highly experienced foresight researcher with an extensive track-record on international projects and sound academic credentials, he's an expert on internationalization and research commercialization, and has managed projects in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. With a track record on several boards and expert advisory role in public policy institutions in Innovation, Culture, Agrofood, Environment, Security; Epaminondas is a UNESCO Chair on Futures Research, the President of MOMus, and is the ex-Chief Scientific Advisor for Foresight to the Greek Prime Minister.In this episode we cover all of the above, along with his views on a range of catalytic issues being discussed in futurist-circles in 2025. And, as a bonus, he also discusses 'Russian Cosmism' a radical biopolitical utopian perspective espoused by the philosopher Nikolai Fedorov in the late 19th C, in which he 'rejected the contemplative for the transformative, aiming to create not merely new art or philosophy but a new world'. So...enjoy!

Series Four This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Jan Berger, the Founder & CEO of Themis Foresight. Based in Berlin, his company anticipates economic, technological, social and political drivers of future change. He and his team are driven by the conviction that outstanding futures research is key for the strategic direction of Europe's business and entrepreneurial elite. Jan's academic training was in Modern & Contemporary History and Slavic Studies, which led him to take an MA at Lomonosov Moscow State University. He's lived and worked on four continents, and has held leadership positions in corporations and startups. So...we discuss all of the above in what I hope you'll agree is a dynamic conversation!

Series FourIn this episode of 'The New Abnormal' I interview Nils Muller, CEO & Founder of TrendONE - a specialist agency that's a market leader in identifying key trends in fast moving branches of business. In our discussion, Nils discusses their methodologies and approach to working for clients such as BMW and Airbus, his viewpoints on developing 'Brand Germany' and takeouts from the Dubai Future Forum - having just returned from a hot and sunny UAE to a cold and snowy Germany. Hence, we discuss a range of topics covered at the forum, including Future Generations,  Future Education, and the Future of Nature regarding Planet-Centric Innovation.  Along the way, we also cover issues such as the latest thinking around Foresight, Strategic Growth, Collaborative Approaches and Futures-Literacy regarding Complexity, Experimentation and Anti-Fragility. So, I hope you enjoy listening to Nils as much as I did!

Series FourIn this episode of The New Abnormal, I interview Chris Arning, Founder of the boutique consultancy Creative Semiotics Ltd, co-founder of Semiofest, and course leader of 'How to do semiotics in seven weeks'. He works with best-in-class virtual teams to analyse brands in order to make them more coherent and true to themselves, more distinctive within their category and sector, and more resonant and relevant within the prevailing (and ever changing) culture. The outcome of his work is new pack designs, communication strategies, new systems for content creation and better equipped, more confident brand teams. He does that via semiotics: an evidence based technique rooted in academia via the premise that preference is driven by the intangible aspects of brands that activate associative thinking. Chris has a stellar reputation in his field, and in this interview he gives a brief masterclass in his specialist subject(s). So...enjoy!

Series FourThis episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Michael Beverland, Professor of Brand Strategy, Strategy & Marketing, at the University of Sussex Business School.He's an innovator in marketplace authenticity and strategic design research, as well as cultural marketing insights.Michael is also the author of 'Building Brand Authenticity: Seven Habits of Iconic Brands' and 'Brand Management: Co-creating Brand Meaning'. (Which provides an overview of the controversies and debates, leading thinking and enduring challenges in brands and branding, including historical context, cultural & critical perspectives).We discuss all of the above, therefore including issues such as classic and leading-edge thinking relating to branding / strategy / marketing, along with how these subjects are currently taught in business schools. Michael is an expert in his field, so I hope you enjoy listening to (and learning from) him as much as I did!

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Phil Balagtas, author of the superb new book 'Making Futures Work'.Phil is also a former Design Director at McKinsey Design and General Electric (Digital & Aviation) with over 20yrs of experience as a Digital Interaction Designer and Design Leader working across sectors inc aviation, aerospace, airlines, advertising, retail, utilities, and public sector. He's also a Facilitator, Futurist and Founder of the Design Futures Initiative (a nonprofit based in San Francisco), the Speculative Futures network and PRIMER conference - initiatives dedicated to the education and advancement of Futures Thinking and helping organisations develop business and product strategies for the near and far future through Strategic Foresight and Speculative Design. In this fascinating conversation, we discuss all of the above. So...enjoy!

Series FourThis episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Matt Boffey, Chief Strategy Officer at Design Bridge and Partners. He's part of its Senior Leadership Team and Executive Committee, managing a business of nearly 300 people in London, where he leads a strategy team of ‘the brightest and best brand & design thinkers on the planet'! We discuss a range of career highlights (so far) including how he authored transformational brand strategies for the likes of Adidas and Deliveroo, developed world-famous global creative campaigns for Nike, and originated the much-imitated ‘Good Food Deserves Lurpak' campaign. Elsewhere, Matt outlines the latest issues impacting the world of agencies, and how to encourage and enable a dynamic internal agency culture. He's a really dynamic thinker, so I hope you enjoy listening to his viewpoints as much as I did. 

Series FourThis episode of The New Abnormal podcast features the brand innoventor & commercial strategist Stephanie Vilner-Sheppard, who consults globally on strategy to help clients innovate and futureproof their P&L (for people and planet). She's a problem solver for brands and businesses, through a lens of planet-centred design-led thinking.That problem solving might mean creating innovation pipelines or setting short-, mid- to long-range strategy, or pointing out white space that's harder to see once you're in a company obsessing over short term results. It will likely mean bringing in insights from seemingly far afield and disconnected to a particular industry vertical, pulling on deliberately disparate insights. In this wide-ranging interview, she explains how to see opportunities before others, her experience at the G20 where she was elected ‘Lead Delegate' by EY, how she advised the Mexican President on futureproofing education, and why L'Oreal offered her any job in the company.She's deep multi-sector / multi-market experience, and so we discuss all of the above, and more, in this dynamic conversation. 

Series FourThis episode of ‘The New Abnormal' podcast features the strategic psychologist Dr Max McKeown - a writer, consultant & researcher specialising in innovation strategy, leadership and culture. He's written a series of influential books and conducts research with Warwick Business School.  An advocate of innovation culture, he also argues that failure can be positive for progress if it is viewed as part of learning. He makes a distinction between change and progress, "change is inevitable but progress is not". His book on strategy was one of the winners at the Chartered Institute of Management's Book of the Year Awards, Max argues that "strategy is about shaping the future" and approaches the subject as something that people do, both as style of thinking and the combination of actions taken along with their consequences. So, we discuss the above and his viewpoints on those including Sartre and de Beauvoir along with topics including satisfaction, dissatisfaction, radical freedom, progress, and the illusion of stability.Finally, he also gives us advanced notice of his next book 'Super Adaptability'.

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features the political scientist and university professor Sohail Inayatullah, who is the inaugural UNESCO Chair in Futures Studies at the Sejahtera Centre for Sustainability & Humanity, and instructs at the Metafuture think tank. He helps individuals and organisations create alternative and preferred futures, theorises how the future is constructed, and develops futures methodologies. Editor in Chief of the Journal of Futures Studies, he's also contributed to the Macmillan Encyclopedia of the Future, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and the Oxford Encyclopedia of Peace. In this fascinating interview, he explains his renowned approach to 'Futures Thinking' and whilst doing so discusses the Futures Triangle, S-Curves, Causal Layered Analysis, and the Six Pillars approach...The conversation also includes references to those such as Dator, Marx, and Hegel, whilst linking to issues such as Spiritual Cities, Poverty v Abundance, Wants vs Needs, Used & Disowned Futures, and Population Dynamics. So...I hope you enjoy listening to Sohail as much as I did!

Series FourThis episode of the New Abnormal podcast features Toronto-based Alexis Tennent, who is an innovative leader, design & foresight strategist. She firmly believes that foresight should not be confined to the realms of academia, politics, or privilege; rather, it should be an opportunity accessible to all. That's why Alexis aims to inspire inclusivity in foresight work, fostering empathy for those who engage in it voluntarily, despite how much it asks of us intellectually, psychologically, and emotionally. We discuss her work, including how she initiates the establishment of futures-oriented cultures within large-scale organisations, instilling a forward-thinking mindset across all levels, fostering innovation and adaptability. To do so, she leads cultural transformation, integrates innovation and design principles, and directs innovative programs. A current example of this is the work on which she's currently collaborating to 'Future with Nature'. Finally, we also discuss her MA project, where she explored memory, conceptions of time, and plurality in futures narratives...

This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features the renowned futurist and speculative designer, Monika Bielskyte. She's also the founder of Protopia Futures, a life-centric design and collaborative foresight platform that centres previously marginalised perspectives. The project's mission is to inspire a new wave of future visions showcasing how a transcultural and interdisciplinary approach, alongside disability and neurodivergence inclusion, can foster regenerative economies for the decades to come and chart an actionable path towards a positively interdependent and compassionate future world.Her work is firmly anchored in contextual, complex realities on the ground, rather than one-size-fits-all techno-solutionism, prone to short-term hype cycles and rapid obsolescence. As a speculative designer, Monika prototypes culturally expansive, socially and environmentally engaged future world designs that take lessons from visually and narratively captivating Science Fiction entertainment and apply them to make real-world future literacy more compelling. She's a deeply interesting individual, so I found it fascinating listening to her viewpoints and hope you do too! 

Series FourThis episode of The New Abnormal features the leading social philosopher Roman Krznaric, whose books focus on the power of ideas to create change. His international bestsellers, which include The Good Ancestor, Empathy, and Carpe Diem Regained, have been published in more than twenty-five languages. His new book History for Tomorrow is out now, and in it he unearths fascinating insights and inspiration from the last 1000 years of world history that could help us confront the most urgent challenges facing humanity in the twenty-first century. Roman believes that history offers a vision of radical hope that could turn out to be our most vital tool for surviving and thriving in the turbulent decades ahead. We therefore discuss a wide range of viewpoints that he illuminates in a suitably dynamic manner. I found it to be a fascinating conversation, and hope you will too!

Series FourThis episode of The New Abnormal podcast features the designer, researcher, and educator Lesley-Ann Noel, who is the author of Design Social Change and co-editor of The Black Experience in Design. She's also created several design tools for critical reflection, such as The Designer's Critical Alphabet and the Positionality Wheel. Lesley-Ann has a bachelor's in Industrial Design from Universidade Federal do Paraná in Brazil, a Master's in Business Administration from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, and a PhD in Design from North Carolina State University. She was awarded honorary doctorates for service to the field of design by the University of the Arts London and the Pacific Northwest College of Art. Lesley-Ann is the Dean of Design at OCAD University (Aug 2024). Before OCAD-U, she taught at North Carolina State University, Tulane University, Stanford University, and the University of the West Indies.In this deeply interesting conversation, she outlines her dynamic work, and discusses her book which has just been selected by McKinsey as one of their '2024 Annual Book Recommendations' as chosen by CEO's, founders, editors in chief, and other global leaders... 

Series FourThis episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Falk Fuhrmann, Executive Director at Shanghai HuiLue Business Consulting Co, and Visiting Professor teaching International Brand Communication & Innovation, Consumer Behaviour & Insights, at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou.He also is an award-winning creative strategist with more than 20 years of experience, who led the strategic planning department of TBWA when they opened their Berlin office. Later as head of strategy with DDB, he developed & championed the agency's philosophy of creative business solutions. For nearly a decade, Falk led strategy development for P&G in CEMEA, APAC & Greater China. So, we discuss all of the above in this fascinating discussion, which naturally takes in Daoism and Confucianism. Re: the former (and perhaps the latter) we had to struggle our way through some loud building activity in the background during some of this recording, so please channel your inner-harmony at those stages!

Series FourThis episode of The New Abnormal features Julian Boulding, Owner of The Network One. They provide “open source creativity” and communications services from around 1200 independent agencies in 109 countries, worldwide. His annual review of the Cannes Lions Festival is always eagerly sought after, and the actual version will be sent out after this podcast goes live. In it, Julian discusses the latest industry trends and issues as discussed at this years event. So, if you want to hear whether Cannes has changed (and if so, for better or worse) along with his views on agencies that are on the way up and those on the way down, the next big thing in client/agency relationships, which international markets are the ones to watch, and whether an average day involved a five hour lunch when Julian joined the industry, then please listen in. 

Series FourThis episode of The New Abnormal features Catherine Roy, Foresight & Design Leader at Thales. She sets their foresight and design strategy, and helps to drive futures thinking & business growth. Overall, she aligns futures, business, product and service strategy with the needs of users / consumers in order to achieve goals. In this podcast, she explains her approach to the above, by illuminating some dynamic case histories regarding projects covering foresight, risk and innovation. Along the way, we discuss issues including social acceptability, soft power, storytelling, co-creation and destruction, hype cycles, future consciousness, shapeshifting, meaningful disruption, and dynamic leadership. Oh, and why it's important for futurists to 'find your tribe' within an organisation...

This episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features NYC-based Suzette Brooks Masters, a serial social entrepreneur with a long track record of creating positive change in society on a range of issues. A thought leader and strategist in the fields of democracy, governance and futures. Suzette uses her extensive philanthropic, non-profit, research, advocacy, program development and legal experience to advise foundations, non-profit organizations, policy makers and corporations on how to usher in better futures for America and to build a truly vibrant and sustainable multiracial democracy. So, I hope you enjoy listening to her dynamic viewpoints!

This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features the novelist and journalist Victoria Robson, who has more than 20 years experience reporting on business and finance in the UK and Middle East. Her newly-published debut novel 'Sirens Bay' is an 'enemies to lovers' small-town romance set in Maine. She wrote it under the pen name Cassie Bruce, and is now working on the second book in the series. As co-founder of Brighton-based writers' group Real Writers Circle, she believes in the power of stories, understands the value of sharing knowledge, expertise and skills between peers, and loves the joy and support that community brings. In the podcast, we discuss the above, along with her involvement in the dynamic Safehaven Brighton, which was originally set up over a decade ago to support women in Brighton, especially those experiencing homelessness, isolation or abuse. It now welcomes anyone looking for a safe place, the aim being to provide them with dignity, hope and community. 

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Houston-based Alexandra Whittington, a futurist writer and speaker who explores the future of humanity and society. A former Lecturer in Foresight at the University of Houston, she's been highlighted as one of the world's top futurists by Forbes. The co-author and co-editor of several books including 'A Very Human Future', 'Aftershocks and Opportunities' and 'The Future Reinvented', Alex also delivered the popular 'Museum of the Future' TEDx talk. She's passionate about empowering people to imagine and create positive futures for themselves and their communities. So, we discuss the above, and I hope you enjoy listening to her as much as I did! 

Series Four This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features the renowned futurist Tom Lombardo, Director at the Center for Future Consciousness, Exec Board Member of the World Futures Studies Federation, and Editor at the Journal of Futures Studies. Back by popular demand (and having previously covered 'Top Futurist Books') this time he returns to the series to give an overview of the top movies in science fiction. The biggest problem - of course - was deciding what to leave out (so as to not make this episode several hours long) but Tom still managed to cover a wide range of superb films via his renowned depth and breadth of expertise. So, I hope you enjoy listening as he discusses titles that were produced in the earliest days of the 20th Century to those released to critical acclaim only recently. 

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Chloe Markowicz, Editor at Contagious, which helps agencies and brands supercharge their marketing by learning from the world's most creative and effective companies and campaigns.  They do that via their IQ intelligence platform, consulting services, training and events. We discuss a range of issues including the latest 'Contagious Pioneers' report, which highlights agencies that set the standard for creative excellence in advertising and marketing - and where the likes of BETC (Paris) / Colenso BBDO (Auckland) / Gut (Buenos Aires) / Howatson+Company (Sydney) / Lucky Generals (London) / Ogilvy India (Mumbai) / Rethink (Toronto) / Uncommon Creative Studio (London) were the winners.Chloe also discusses industry trends, big thinkers / dreamers / doers, and the imminent Cannes Lions Festival, where the Contagious team will be making a valiant attempt at working, in between partying at the 'Contagious Villa'. She also discusses how to break into the industry, and the experiences that led her to editing everyone's favourite industry title, which exists to inspire and enable contagious creativity.

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Adam Chmielowski, co-founder at the specialist cultural insight and brand strategy practice, Starling Strategy, who work for clients including Google, Nike, PepsiCo, Pan Macmillan and the National Trust.Adam has worked in the insight and brand strategy industry for nearly 25 years, during which his interests have shifted towards using cultural rather than psychological / individualist approaches, as well as systems and sociological thinking, historical perspectives and a journalistic instinct for storytelling. No one project is the same, but all invariably involve helping brands see alternative paths to the future.He's also a lecturer on cultural strategy at the University of Bristol's School of Management, focusing on how the theory translates into practice. We discuss all of the above during the interview, along with his latest undertaking – an MRes at the Cabot Institute, exploring how brands construct sustainability campaigns as cultural strategies, using myth, promoting ideologies, reconfiguring systems and more. So…enjoy the episode!

The episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Shermon Cruz, the Founder & Chief Futurist of the Center for Engaged Foresight, a global futures innovation and strategic foresight hub..He serves as the UNESCO Chair on Anticipatory Governance and Regenerative Cities at Northwestern University, Philippines.  As a full member of the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF) and a pioneer member of UNESCO's Global Anticipatory Thinking Network (Futures Literacy), Shermon has established himself as a leading figure in the field. He is also a co-founder of the Global Future Society at the Dubai Future Foundation. Previously, Shermon held significant roles in business continuity management and risk management at PWC, EY, and Accenture.  We discuss his deeply knowledgeable perspectives regarding all things 'futures related' and I hope you enjoy listening to him as much as I did. (BTW, Shermon's dog also wanted to join the conversation...so you may hear the odd bark, all the way from the Philippines to wherever you listen to this podcast!

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Louise Mowbray, founder of Mowbray by Design, author of 'Relevant: Future-Focused Leadership' and co-author of 'Uncertainty: Making Sense of the World for Better, Bolder Outcomes'. She specialises in the future of work & future of leadership,  working with some of the world's most respected leaders and C-suite teams at the intersection of leadership, innovation, transformation and purpose-driven business. Clients include those such as PWC, EY, Cass Business School, The IoD, Boston Consulting Group, Henley Business School, the Law Society, and more. She's also a Conscious Leadership Coach, Natural Foresight Practitioner, and a behavioural science practitioner. So, in the podcast, we discuss all of the above in what I hope you'll find is a wide-ranging and deeply interesting conversation!

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Colin Strong, who is Head of Behavioural Science at Ipsos, and a Professor at Nottingham University Business School. He works with a wide range of organisations (both private and public sector) to design and deliver behavioural change through the use of behavioural science. His new book 'Out of Time: the revolution underway in beliefs about being human' is out now. In it, he seeks to make sense of our current state of liminality, and questions what we wish humans to become from this state. So, we discuss all of the above and along the way, Nietzsche, Descartes, the CIA and the late, great Daniel Kahneman all get a mention, along with many others. I hope you'll enjoy listening to Colin as much as I did!

Series Four This episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Jenny Southan, who is Editor, Founder and CEO of Globetrender, the world's leading travel trend forecasting agency and online magazine dedicated to the future of travel. She's also an award-winning freelance travel journalist, contributing to the likes of Conde Nast Traveller, LUX, Baku, The Telegraph, Monocle, Mr Porter, The Times, Elle, City AM, Forbes, Business Traveller, and Soho House's "House Notes" among others. During our conversation, she discusses a wide range of issues impacting the industry, from the perspectives of hotels, aviation, oceans, dining, wellness, technology, and queer travel. Along the way, she also talks about space tourism, a dynamic personal idea for innovation and...a recent trip to Necker Island. To put it mildly, it was difficult not to feel rather envious.

Series Four This episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Jonas Gissel Mikkelsen, Futurist and Director at The Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, where he heads up business development. Jonas is responsible for creating new initiatives, collaborations and joint-ventures, as well as overseeing publications and managing the Institute's brand & identity.  His primary competencies lie within an abstract ability to create prototypal ideas and an understanding of the larger perspective of initiatives re: the externalities and long-term effects. So, we discuss all of the above, with a particular focus on strategic transformation, Non-Profits and Civic Society. But before all that, we discuss his first job after leaving University...

This episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Maarten Leyts, the Founder of Trendwolves and an expert on translating trends into products, strategies campaigns and future brand value. He's also the author of ‘Generation ZAlpha – Connecting with the Next Micro-Generation'. Maarten believes that generational thinking, when used correctly, provides a solid framework for successful marketing and product innovation. We therefore discuss his research into issues such as the pandemic as a catalyst of change, brain development in the digital age, diversity & inclusion, the Metaverse, and data privacy. It's not every day that, when discussing marketing, you get to reference individuals such as the French philosopher Auguste Comte, the 19th Century Earl of Shaftesbury, along with those working at the World Federation of Advertisers and for the European Parliament…

This episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features the futures thinker and leadership advisor Eric Korsvik Ostergaard, who specialises in exploring and evaluating possible and preferable futures of work. He's also the author of 'The Responsive Leader' which described the paradigm shift towards future organisations, and 'Teal Dots in an Orange World'  which addressed how to create an appropriately dynamic internal structure. His next book - which focuses on Anticipatory Leadership - will be published in late 2024. So, we discuss all of the above, and I hope you agree that Erik delivers a masterclass in how to reinvent organisations for positive effect.

This episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Ben Holt, Global Lead for Strategic Foresight at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) Solferino Academy, who helps the network explore possible futures and learn the skills needed to make them useful in the present. He's also a Visitor at the Cambridge University Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) and a committee member at the Humanitarian Innovation Fund. In this episode, Ben discusses his dynamic work, all of which involves 'thinking about the future and making things happen today'. I hope you enjoy listening to him as much as I did!

This episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Ari Wallach, who is a futurist and social systems strategist. He's also the author of 'Longpath: becoming the great ancestors our future needs' and host of 'A Brief History of the Future' (which premiers on PBS in April 2024) c/o Futurific Studios, a new production studio focused on shifting the narrative and the way society approaches current problems for a positive future.  Ari is also a Columbia University adjunct professor, and over the past 20 years has advised some of the world's biggest companies and organisations, from CNN to the White House to the UN, on how to plan for better futures. He's a really dynamic guest, so enjoy the episode!

Series Four This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features the renowned futurist Tom Lombardo, Director at the Center for Future Consciousness, Exec Board Member of the World Futures Studies Federation, and Editor at the Journal of Futures Studies. He returns to the series to give an overview of his choices of the top futures books in science fiction (author/topic clustered) which are roughly chronologically sequenced as follows: Late Nineteenth Century Classics (Future of Human Society): Albert Robida: The Twentieth Century, Jules Verne: Paris in the Twentieth Century, & John Jacob Astor: A Journey in Other Worlds...Systematic/Philosophical Futures - SF/FS Synthesis: H.G. Wells: The Time Machine, The Sleeper Awakes, Men Like Gods, & The Shape of Things to Come...Cosmic Futures: Olaf Stapledon: Last and First Men & Star Maker... Early Twentieth Century Classics: Aldous Huxley: Brave New World, Yevgeny Zamyatin: We, Laurence Manning: The Man Who Awoke, & William Hope Hodgson The Night Land...Heinlein & Asimov Futures: Beyond this Horizon, Waldo, & The Past through Tomorrow Series & The Foundation Series...Robot Futures: Isaac Asimov: The Caves of Steel and Jack Williamson The Humanoids...Alien Futures: Adrian Tchaikovsky: Children of Time, Abraham Merritt The Metal Monster, Sheri Tepper Grass, China Miéville Embassytown & Jeff Vandermeer Annihilation...Transcendent Poignant Futures: Clifford Simak: City & Walter Miller A Canticle for Leibowitz...New Wave Futures: John Brunner (Future of Everything): Stand on Zanzibar & Robert Silverberg (Psychedelic Future) Son of Man...Cyberpunk Futures: Bruce Sterling: Schismatrix & Rudy Rucker The Ware Tetralogy...Human Futures: Greg Bear: Queen of Angels & Darwin's Radio, Stapledon's Odd John, & Alfred Bester The Demolished Man... Outer Space Futures: Doc Smith: The Skylark and Chronicles of the Lensmen Series, Larry Niven: Ringworld, Vernor Vinge: A Fire Upon the Deep, Alastair Reynolds: Revelation Space , S. A. Corey Leviathan Wakes & Iain Banks Matter...Future of Everything: Dan Simmons: The Hyperion Cantos (Others See Below)...Cosmic/Scientific Futures: Stephen Baxter: Vacuum Diagrams (The Xeelee Saga) & The Time Ships...Philosophical/Scientific/Technological High Powered Futures: Greg Egan: Permutation City, Diaspora, & Schild's Ladder...Cultural Futures/Future of Everything: Ian McDonald: River of Gods, Brasyl, and The Dervish House & Cixin Liu The Three-Body Problem Trilogy...Singularity Hi-Tech Future: Charles Stross: Accelerando & Ernest Cline Ready Player One...David Brin Futures: Earth, The Uplift War, and Existence... Ecological/Comprehensive/Utopian Constructive Future: Kim Stanley Robinson: Mars Trilogy/2312 & The Ministry of the Future...Neal Stephenson Futures: Snow Crash, The Diamond Age, and Seveneves...So…we hope you enjoy the podcast!

In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast, I interview Julian Boulding, President of TheNetworkOne, who work with around 1200 agencies in nearly 120 countries worldwide, providing 'open source creativity' and comms services from independent agencies, for a growing number of leading international marketing companies.  Julian's been attending the Cannes Lions for nearly 20 years, and after each festival, TheNetworkOne publishes a renowned report of their analysis and viewpoints on the underlying trends and longer-term significance of what has been seen, heard and discussed at the event. (Which, as ever, is the world's largest gathering of the advertising and creative communications industry.) As you'll hear in our discussion, the observations from the 2023 event are very different from last year...

This episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features 'poet for hire' Andrew McLuhan, who also just happens to be the grandson of media-theorist Marshall McLuhan and son of Dr Eric McLuhan. He writes, teaches, coaches and consults about culture and technology from a McLuhan perspective. We therefore discuss his work regarding his exploration, documenting and inventorying the library of Marshall McLuhan (which UNESCO named as part of its 'Memory of the World' registry) and why he views the relationship between his grandfather and father as akin to that of Plato and Aristotle. Along the way, James Joyce and the French symbolists get a mention, as does Trump.  (You don't often see those in the same sentence.)  Naturally, we talk about all things pattern-recognition, identity and global-village related, during this 'dynamic refresher' on the thinking of Marshall McLuhan. Which gives me the perfect opportunity to repeat that epic statement "in a culture like ours, long accustomed to splitting and dividing all things as a means of control, it is sometimes a bit of a shock to be reminded that, in operational and practical fact, the medium in the message". 

Series Three This episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features the renowned Philippa Wagner, a creative thinker who connects people, places & spaces across a range of lifestyle industries with a particular focus on F&B, hospitality, wellness & retail. She's a highly creative, commercially-driven strategist with extensive big-brand experience, having worked with some of the industry's best and brightest, including Birch, Ennismore, Sessions and Locke.  Philippa's specialist focus on consumer behaviours, strategic forecasting & brand storytelling puts her in a unique position to deliver insightful, forward-thinking outputs that help brands carve out a space for themselves in the world. In our conversation, she explains her viewpoints on companies from wellness startups to heavyweight hospitality brands, and how she works to put experience at the heart of their business.

Series ThreeThis episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Cecile Cremer,  Founder of 'Wandering the Future'. She's a renowned trends expert who explores the 'Added Value of the Future' by translating trends into future-proof business solutions. She's also the first female and youngest ever President of LaFutura Global Trend Network, and Co-Founder of the 'Humanized Tech Awards'. In this interview, we discuss all of the above, along with her viewpoints on issues including 'democratising the future' re: knowledge distribution, approaches on how to build healthier and happier countries, leading-edge thinking on speculative fiction & scenario planning, and of how to develop futures-thinking as a dynamic skillset. She's a really dynamic individual - and I'm sure you'll enjoy listening to her viewpoints.

This episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Paolo Gallo, a renowned executive coach, bestselling author and keynote speaker. He's the author of two superb books: 'The Compass and the Radar - the art of building a rewarding career while remaining true to yourself' and the newly published 'The Seven Games of Leadership - navigating the inner journey of leaders'.  In his dynamic career he's been chief human resources officer at World Economic Forum in Geneva, chief learning officer at the World Bank in Washington, and director human resources at European Bank for Reconstruction & Development in London, with previous experiences at International Finance Corporation in Washington, D.C. and Citigroup in London, New York and Milan, his hometown. So, in the interview we discuss both of his books, and his fascinating viewpoints on issues including authenticity, ethics, trust, change, development, and reputation. Paolo is a deeply interesting individual, and I hope you enjoy listening to him as much as I did!

Series ThreeThis episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Tom Morton, Global Chief Strategy Officer at R/GA. He helps brands solve the biggest challenges of a changing world: launching and scaling innovation, turning revolutionary technologies into legitimate brands, identifying and winning a radically different next generation of users, defining a purpose to transform the organisation and unlock future growth, developing marketing for today's media and culture, redefining brands from words to actions to create value through interface and innovation, responding authentically to the societal challenges of remote work and racial justice. As a standard setter for creativity and marketing effectiveness, Tom's been a judge for the Effies, Cannes Lions and the IPA Effectiveness Awards, and has won multiple effectiveness awards for increasing revenue and brand equity. As a champion of talent, he sits on the selection committee of the Advertising Hall of Fame and Hall of Achievement to honour diverse leaders who make a positive impact in the creative industries. So, and as you can imagine, we cover a lot of ground in this dynamic conversation: it's not every day that you hear philosophy, psychology and sociology mentioned in the same sentence when discussing brand actions. But first, we have to get past his 'Day One' in agencyland, that saw him tasked with sending faxes to clients. The question is, was he any good as a Jnr Account Exec?

Series ThreeThis episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Jan Oliver Schwarz, professor of Strategic Foresight & Trend Analysis, and head of the Bavarian Foresight Institute at the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt.  He's also known for his work on business wargaming, a dynamic simulation that helps leaders and organisations anticipate the future competitive dynamics in their industry, as reflected in his dynamic book 'Winning the Uncertainty Game'. His most recent book, the newly published 'Strategic Foresight' is grounded in theoretical foundations of the subject, reflects the latest academic research and explores its practical applications in different contexts. We therefore discuss all of the above in the interview, which draws on Jan's two decades of specialist experience in the area.

This episode of #TheNewAbnormal features the writer, philosopher and technologist Gary F Bengier - who is probably most known for being eBay's first CFO and the person who was in charge of taking the company public. As a Silicon Valley executive, Gary also worked for several other tech companies and had a front-row seat in the development of technologies from streaming services to  semi-conductor chip design.Meanwhile, his futuristic novel 'Unfettered Journey'  has sold thousands of copies, been a best-seller in five countries,  won 14 awards, and is translated into 8 languages. In this episode, we discuss a range of issues including why AI is the tech that will cause the most fundamental change in our lives, what will happen when robots produce everything that people need (and there's no longer a requirement for traditional jobs) and how human beings may find meaning and purpose in this likely future...

This episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Katharina Michalski, who is a 'Change Explorer, Navigator & Curator' with the dynamic Foresight Folk. Based in Berlin, the platform is dedicated to fostering foresight to enhance decision-making. On their learning journey, they speak with some of the brightest minds in this area about practising and implementing foresight in their professional and everyday lives. They also explore different tools that help us think more clearly, creatively and strategically about the future. In this interview, we therefore discuss her background and approach to working at the intersection of foresight and strategy, all of which was sparked by a early moment in her career, when she decided to 'follow her curiosity'...

Series ThreeIn this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview Frank Spencer, Founder & Creative Director at TFSX (Foresight, Innovation, Strategic Design and Learning). TFSX, based in Florida,  help their clients to thrive in a world of complex ideas and practices, uncover emerging trends on the horizon that will impact their business, and discover unseen opportunities for strategic advantage and development. Frank holds an MA in Strategic Foresight from Regent University, and has worked on strategic foresight projects for numerous major companies. He's a prolific speaker, having delivered keynotes in Atlanta, Buenos Aires, London, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Shanghai, Melbourne, Washington, New York City, Singapore, Mumbai, Wellington, Moscow and San Francisco, on topics such as leadership development, futures thinking, creating environments of foresight in organizations, identifying unseen opportunities, reaching preferred futures, and social innovation.So, we discuss all of the above, in what I hope you'll agree is a really interesting conversation, during which Frank gives a real masterclass in 'futures thinking'.

Series ThreeThis episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features a fascinating interview with a renowned futurist, Tom Lombardo. He's a Director at the Center for Future Consciousness,  which offers educational experiences that challenge and stimulate the mind, expand conscious awareness, empower creativity, deepen understanding, enhance ethics and promote social growth.  Tom is also an Exec Board Member and Fellow of the World Futures Studies Federation, and Editor at the Journal of  Futures Studies. In this deeply interesting and wide-ranging conversation, Tom discusses issues including the history of futurism, his best-selling books, notable futurists / philosophers / psychologists / authors, along with contemporary leading-edge thinking into the overall subject of futurism, foresight and scenario planning.So...I hope you enjoy listening to his viewpoints as much as I did! 

Series ThreeThis episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Roger Spitz, who is an international bestselling author, President of Techistential and Chair of the Disruptive Futures Institute. Based in San Francisco, he's an authority on foresight, sustainability, and systemic change. He also publishes extensively on decision-making in uncertain and complex environments.Techistential, Roger's foresight practice, advises boards, leadership teams, and investors on sustainable value creation. In addition, he developed the Disruptive Futures Institute into a preeminent global executive education centre which helps organizations build capacity for futures intelligence, resiliency, transformative innovation, and strategic foresight.During our conversation, we discuss his four-book collection “The Definitive Guide to Thriving on Disruption” in which he lays the foundations to make sense of our increasingly complex, nonlinear, and unpredictable world - where disruption is no longer merely a single or recurring event, but a steady state, expanding its impact.We discuss all of the above, and along the way, manage to cover topics ranging from Eastern philosophy to prediction to micro-learning to science-fiction.I therefore hope you enjoy listening to the episode as much as I did recording it! 

Series ThreeIn this episode of The New Abnormal,  I interview Stefan Rollnick, Head of The Misinformation Cell at Lynn, a consultancy who believe that when you inject behavioural science into communications, you can build campaigns that do what's important: create the behaviours needed to positively change the world.  With a background in politics and campaigns, Stefan has provided strategic consultancy to the World Economic Forum, World Health Organisation, UK and Welsh Government, national health agencies, and more. In our interview, we discuss a world where choices are everywhere, cognitive overload is at maximum, the stakes of our decisions are higher than ever, and it's harder to trust what we see and hear. Hence, audiences need the communications industry to do better. That's why the Misinformation Cell provides a unique service dedicated to helping clients with the growing threat of online hate and misinformation so they can cut through the noise, build resilience within their online communities and together, achieve positive societal change...

This episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features the Leadership Advisor & Speaker, Diego Gilardoni, who helps leaders navigate uncertainty by achieving clarity through a future-proofed vision. In the interview, we discuss issues such as cross-cultural management theory, strategic foresight, geopolitical depression (with a focus on the polycrisis), along with cognitive diversity, and the dynamic approach to strategic thinking for which he's renowned. With a background as a journalist in Europe and the US, and as a business consultant in China, Diego provides fascinating perspectives from the intersection of international affairs, communication, business, culture and strategy.