Speaking | Global Futures & Foresight
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DAVID A. SMITH

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

GLOBAL FUTURES AND FORESIGHT

KEYNOTE SPEAKER - CHAIR - FUTURIST - STRATEGIST - AUTHOR

David uses views of the future developed within Global Futures and Foresight by their in-house research team and by surveying their worldwide network of future thinkers and business leaders.  

 

His purpose is to inspire his audience to embrace change and by so doing better prepare for the future.

 

David has spoken on TV and radio throughout the world and his experience has shown him the powerful impact that glimpses of the future afford business and government alike as they seek to achieve their strategic goals.

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He has addressed over 480 conferences and events in 46 countries on 5 continents. 

David Smith is an excellent speaker and has provided the perfect keynote for our annual user conference – not once, but twice! David’s style is very engaging and he leaves the audience buzzing with a fascinating glimpse at the future. Beyond that, he leaves them with practical things that they can do today to ready themselves for the many (and a bit overwhelming) changes coming our way.

 

I couldn’t recommend him any more highly as a speaker. This most recent conference was the eighth one we have run, and David is the only keynote that we have re-run. The choice was very easy for us – our audience simply loved him.

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Alison Murphy, Marketing Program Manager,

FINEOS, Boston, USA

David challenges, informs and engages his clients and audiences on the key issues of the near future, in order to stimulate ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking to help organizations generate new visions, strategies, products and services. 
 

A futurist and Chief Executive of Global Futures and Foresight (GFF) - a strategic futures research organisation, David’s 35 year diverse business career has made him recognisable as one of the world's leading futurists and strategic thinkers. GFF prepares views of the future on many topics and markets as diverse as Travel and Tourism, Insurance, Banking, Technology, Retail, the Army and Government.

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Since founding GFF, David has worked with many of the world’s largest organisations, and government bodies as well as academic institutions and industry associations. His  insights have led his clients to embrace change and prepare innovative strategies to renew themselves and generate new growth. 
 
David does this through using the research capabilities of the GFF, through his insightful and inspiring speeches and through chairing and moderating meetings and conferences.
 
In his 35 year business career he has held senior management positions in both large and small organisations. He has been involved in public sector, commercial and financial markets and has held sales, marketing and general management positions in companies such as the UK based DRG group and The US Unisys corporation. Whilst at Unisys he held the position of Strategic Marketing Director for their $2bn global financial services business. 
 
He has advised the UK and EU governments on strategic research investment decisions and his clients number some of largest and most prestigious firms around the world. David is a regular international keynote speaker and writer and a passionate believer that we are not victims of what the future might hold if we prepare ourselves in advance. 
 

KEYNOTE SPEAKING CLIENTS INCLUDE

Clients 2021.JPG

ON TOPICS INCLUDING

  • Hybrid working and the future of work and the skills we will need

  • Post-pandemic 'Big Break' - what's changed and how to respond?

  • Artificial Intelligence changes what we do, not just how we do it.

  • Beyond 'Digital' and how automation changes everything.

  • Innovation and the drivers of change.

  • Work Automation and the impact of technology.

  • Technology drives change. Understand the impact – early.

  • The Rise of the Networked Company – the new form of agile organization.

  • The Internet of Everything changes all companies.

  • Financial services and its future

  • Insurance - Changing for the intelligent digital age.

  • Mixed Reality will explode the need for presence.

  • Engaging with IT and IT leadership as a critical business issue

  • Marketing and its changing role and value.

  • Healthcare and living longer lives

  • Changing employees – What they want and how to keep them.

  • The Changing Corporation – Social responsibility, world stewardship & talent scout.

  • The Retail Revolution

  • Communicating with your stakeholders – new technologies and approaches.

  • The externalisation of companies – After outsourcing.

FOR MANY SECTORS INCLUDING

  • Insurance – market, carriers, brokers, London Market, Large Commercial

  • Banking – Market, retail, commercial, capital markets and derivatives etc.

  • Information Communications Technology

  • Media - new media and social media

  • Marketing and how it’s being transformed

  • Travel and Tourism

  • Estate Agency & Real Estate

  • Education and Learning

  • Work and working

  • Health and wellness

  • Telecommunications

  • Retail

AT MANY EVENTS

  • Future of Banking in China Shanghai, China

  • Asia Banking Conference Singapore

  • International Fund Forum Monte Carlo, France

  • LOMA Conference Dallas, USA

  • JCSE Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa

  • Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa

  • Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Org.Melbourne & Sydney, Australia

  • Henley Management Centre Henley, UK

  • Unisys Banking Conference Nice, France

  • FutureScene St. Paul de Vence, France

  • Bank Administration International Conference New Orleans, USA

  • The future of Retail Banking (IIEA) London, UK

  • The Association of Exhibition Organisers London, UK

  • Marketforce - Mobile Financial Services London, UK

  • Packaging Industry Retailers Conference Daventry, UK

  • Service Excellence Awards Conference Nice, France

  • Unisys Analysts Summit Nice, France

  • Press Evening - Unisys Dusseldorf, Germany

  • Iberian Conference Nice, France

  • Unisys Global Insurance Conference Nice, France

  • Financial Summit 2006, GFF/Financial Services Forum St. Paul de Vence, France            

  • Financial Services Forum Annual Conference x 2 London, UK

  • PIMS, Richmond Events Oriana, Jersey

  • Unisys, Pinnacle Club New York, USA

  • EAE Development Conference Nice, France

  • VMA, Conference Konigswinter, Germany

  • Unisys Global Banking Conference Nice, France

  • Formic, Mobile data technologies London, UK

  • Computer Sciences Corporation Financial Services. (CSC) Beijing, China

  • Global Packaging Conference Madrid, Spain

  • The Financial Summit 2007St. Paul de Vence, France

  • Institute of Directors Southampton, UK

  •  'The Publican' annual conference London, UK

  • Annual Estate Agents Conference & Awards Ceremony London, UK

  • LOMA Distribution Technology Conference Tampa, Florida, USA

  • LOMA Emerging Technology Conference Tampa, Florida, USA

  • Today's Food Wholesalers & Cash Carry Conference Prague, Czech Republic

  • North Yorkshire Institute of Director After dinner speech Harrogate, UK

  • Developing Gloucestershire Conference Cheltenham, UK

  • Halal Markets ConferenceBandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

  • ACORD Implementation Forum Ft. Lauderdale, USA

  • Henley Customer Management Network Henley, UK

  • Home Sale Network Conference London, UK

  • Spotlight North Wales Conference Llandudno, Wales

  • Computerlinks University Conference Royal Mint, London, UK

  • MIDEMnet, Music Industry Conference and Exhibition Cannes, France

  • Allianz Innovation Workshop Munich, Germany

  • British Computer Society - Launch of Institute of IT Panel Royal Society, London, UK

  • NATO and Lloyd's of London - Risk Conference London, UK

  • Royal Mail Rugby, UK 

  • Unisys South Africa Johannesburg, S. Africa

  • Alliance & Leicester GroupCrewe, UK 

  • Royal & Sun Alliance, top 100 executives Solihull, UK 

  • More Th>n Horsham, UK 

  • Direct Line Insurance London, UK 

  • Reckit Benckiser London, UK 

  • Bausche & Lomb Amsterdam, Netherlands  

  • SAS, Scandinavian Airways Copenhagen, Denmark 

  • Unisys Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands 

  • Executive MBA Course (Speech and workshops)Tampere, Finland 

  • Rogers & Co. Ltd.Port Louis, Mauritius 

  • Pensions Net-Work Tring, UK 

  • British Marine Federation, National Conference Warwick, UK  

  • Henley Management Centre (Consortium MBA)Henley on Thames, UK

  • Higham Dunnett Shaw (Chairman’s Dinner Speaker)London, UK

  • Heinz (Innovation day)Hayes, UK 

  • Reed Exhibitions Annual Top Executives conference Berlin, Germany 

  • West Bromwich Building Society West Midlands, UK

  • Heinz Foods, Global Procurement Conference Alton Towers, UK 

  • Royal Bank of Scotland, Insurance Brands, Marketing London, UK 

  • Institute of Directors, Chairman’s Away-day 2007 London, UK 

  • CISCO Advanced Services Conference Berlin, Germany

  • Annual Investment Meeting, Fund Managers Conference Gleneagles, Scotland

  • APS Annual client and Guest conference Whittlebury, UK 

  • West Bromwich Building Society Board RetreatCanary Wharf, UK 

  • HSBC Bank PLC Client Conference Hampton Court, London

  • Standard Chartered Bank, ‘Theme Week’London, UK 

  • British Dental Association MBA – Henley Management College Henley, UK

  • Financial Services Forum – General Insurance SIGLondon, UK

  • SustainPack – Sustainable Packaging Conference Prague, Czech Republic

  • Building Societies Association, Annual Conference Manchester, UK

  • FSF/Unisys – Life Insurance Summit Nice, France

  • Bank of Ireland, Marketing Conference Dublin, Ireland

  • Financial Services Forum – Future of Working from Home London, UK

  • Clearswift, Client conference Reading, UK

  • CSC, Financial Services Conference Tokyo, Japan

  • HSBC Bank PLC Client Conference Norwich, UK

  • HSBC Bank PLC Client Breakfast Colchester, UK

  • APS Annual client and Guest Conference Walton Hall, Stratford, UK

  • Yorkshire Business Association, Workshop Harrogate, UK

  • MoneyPortal IFA Network Conference Cannes, France

  • Audit Commission Workshop London, UK

  • Wates, Strategy Presentation Cobham, UK

  • ACORD, Board Presentation and Workshop Paris, France

  • Country Range Group, Spring Conference Manchester, UK

  • Brunei Halal Conference Bander Seri Bagawan, Brunei

  • ClearPath Strategic Briefing, Unisys St. Paul de Vence, France

  • International Insurance Society, Annual conference Madrid, Spain

  • CRN Finance Forum Reading, UK

  • Customer Service Network Gloucester, UK

  • Telecommunications Executive Network - Digital Home 2010 London, UK

  • IPA, Advertising Industry Conference London

  • Chartered Institute of Marketing, Annual Dinner Brighton

  • World Halal Forum - Europe London

  • The FWSIM 2010 CIO Executive Leadership Summit Connecticut, USA

  • SPAR Bi-Annual Conference Dubai, UAE

  • SAP Where next? Using sustainability to drive business growth London

  • Radical Futures Forum Helsinki, Finland

  • 1st Annual Packaging Conference Nottingham, UK

  • Farrers London, UK

  • CIO Connect, Insurance Industry breakfast London, UK

  • Philips Lighting Eindhoven, Netherlands

  • Terex top executives meeting Mannheim, Germany

  • Valtra (AGco) 60th Anniversary event Jsolskaya, Finland

  • Lloyds Banking Group London, UK

  • Warwick University Business School Coventry, UK

  • CIOnet London, UK

  • WoW networking Winchester, UK

  • Mars Chocolate Annual Sales Conference Windsor, UK

  • IEEE City University - Systemic approach to Sustainability London, UK

  • World Halal ForumKuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  • Bromford Housing Association Bromford, UK

  • Your packaging partner client event Bradford, UK

  • e-sure insurance Reigate, UK

  • British Marine Federation Southampton, UK

  • Red Dragon, Spar C-Store Bi-annual conference Dubrovnik, Croatia

  • PriceWaterhouseCoopers Norwich, UK

  • HSBC Norwich, UK

  • Mills & Reeve Norwich, UK

  • Infineum Sales and Marketing conference Lisbon, Portugal

  • Media360 conference Manchester, UK

  • C-Store OpenRoom conference Faro, Portugal

  • Surrey University Employers conference Guildford, UK

  • e-broking conference (Incisive Media)Ascot, UK

  • BBC Marketing launch event at Salford Quay Salford Quay, Manchester, UK

  • Ernst & Young - Risk Management conference Rome, Italy

  • Ernst & Young - Management conference Rome, Italy

  • InsuranceDay - Insurance Technology Congress London, UK

  • Linpack - Fresh Ideas Warsaw, Poland

  •         "              "Madrid, Spain

  •         "              "Frankfurt Germany

  •         "              "Birmingham, UK

  •         "              "Paris, France

  • Vlerick Leuven School of Management Gent & Brussels, Belgium

  • TEN Next Generation Broadband conference London, UK

  • Microsoft Summit - Imagine London, UK

  • Trends+ consumer trends  London, UK

  • Warwick Business School, MBA programme Coventry

  • Royal Bank of Scotland Insurance/Cap Gemini London

  • Jobs Summit, RSA London

  • Smart Cities Conference - Birmingham City Council Birmingham

  • Basware Sales and Marketing Conference Helsinki, Finland

  • Jordans Ryvita Management meeting Cambourne, UK

  • Long Term Care Insurance Conference Las Vegas, USA

  • Deloitte Technology Congress Brussels, Belgium

  • Menzies 'Big Event' seminars Southampton, Dorking, London

  • Product Design and Innovation Conference London

  • Client event - HSBC, Grant Thornton, Birketts Ipswich, UK

  • European Commission - Digital Agenda - Chairman - Social Media Brussels, Belgium

  • European Parliament - Digital Agenda - Social Media Strategy Brussels, Belgium

  • HSBC Colchester, UK

  • ACORD Forum Asia, speaker and Chairperson Singapore

  • CSC Financial Conference Hong Kong

  • The only constant is change for OilTanking Salzburg, Austria

  • IGP European conference Berlin, Germany

  • Experian European Sales and Marketing Conference Frankfurt, Germany

  • UK Trade and Investment (UKTI, Export event.Gloucestershire, UK

  • KPMG Global Insurance Practice Heads conference London, UK

  • Acord Club London, UK

  • Chartered Insurance Institute Leeds, UK

  • London Technology Week, Technology Conference ExCel, London, UK

  • UKTI, Export Fair and conference Bristol, UK

  • KPMG Client conference, London, UK

  • Chartered Insurance Institute Liverpool, UK

  • SMA Innovation Webinar Global

  • Philippines Insurance Society Manila, Philippines

  • Allianz Conference Coventry, UK

  • QBE project launch London, UK

  • FINEOS client summit Dublin, Eire

  • Travelers Insurance Broker Conference Loch Lomond, Scotland

  • BrightWave Annual Conference London, UK

  • Financial Services Forum, Annual Conference London, UK

  • Avios launch event, Keynote speaker.Media City and Brighton, UK

  • KPMG - AIG - Willis - Women in Insurance Conference London, UK

  • Prudential top 200 execs conference, Keynote London, UK

  • Acord Forum Asia, 3rd year running, Chair Singapore

  • Middlesex University - Interview to camera London, UK

  • ADIDO Digital Summit Southampton, UK

  • British Chamber of Commerce Executives Forum Henley on Thames, UK

  • UK Broker Summit Hampshire, UK

  • Aquila Insurance Executives dinner London, UK

  • TEDx at Surrey University Guildford, UK

  • Avios relaunch Brighton and Salford

  • Henley Customer Centre Henley-on-Thames

  • Financial Services Forum on Telematics London

  • Lloyd's women in insurance conference London

  • ICAEW Insolvency Conference London

  • ANV Senior Executives meeting London

  • Future Strategy - Futures conference, Tehran, Iran

  • Roche meeting at Henley Henley-on-Thames

  • Business Reset Breakfast, British Chambers of Commerce Cliveden

  • Naked Leaders Annual Conference London

  • Fix Auto Annual Conference Burton-on-Trent

  • Financial Services Forum Annual Executive Summit St. Paul de Vence, France

  • CCMA - Call Centre Association Annual Conference London

  • Financial Services Forum Mortgage Summit St. Paul de Vence, France

  • HSBC and Business West - 'An Audience with David Smith'Bristol

  • Rydon Construction, All staff conference Gatwick

  • British Gas, All staff conference.Glasgow, Scotland

  • NetVu Insurance Conference San Antonio, Texas, USA

  • Roche Strategy Event Hatfield, UK

  • Finance and Investment Forum London, UK

  • Ecclesiastical Insurance Conference Gloucester, UK

  • Roche European Executives and High Flyers event Welwyn Garden City, UK

  • Renewable Energy Generation conference Berkeley Heath, UK

  • Amlin Motor Group Insurance Underwriters City of London

  • John Lewis Partnership Maidenhead, UK

  • Chaucer Insurance Syndicate, Strategy workshop London

  • Institute of Travel and Tourism Tel Aviv, Israel

  • Internet of Insurance Conference London, UK

  • FutureFest London, UK

  • Insurance Technology Congress, Chair London, UK

  • EY Financial Services Executive Conference The Grove, Middlesex, UK

  • The Association of Accounting Technicians Annual conference Birmingham, UK

  • Atom Bank St. Paul de Vence, France

  • HSBC Strategy Event Bedford, UK

  • Irish Accounting Technicians Conference Dublin, Eire

  • Roche Pharmaceuticals at Henley Business School, lecture Henley-upon-Thames, UK

  • IBM CMO DaySouth Bank, London, UK

  • The Future of Marketing in Financial Services London, UK

  • Chime Specialist Marketing Agencies Group, Keynote London, UK

  • GoodYear - Future Mobility press conference Belgrade, Serbia

  • Knight Frank International IT Conference London, UK

  • BOC Strategy event Guildford, UK

  • Dublin Institute of Technology - Speech and executive workshop.Dublin, Eire

  • The Future of Work in the Health Industry London, UK

  • Annual conference in Distribution Tehran, Iran

  • Digital Advice London, UK

  • Global Family Office Summit St. Paul de Vence, France

  • DLA Piper conference Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • Majesco Convergence Conference Ft. Lauderdale, USA

  • Chaucer Insurance London, UK

  • Advocate Marketing Academy (AMA)Maidenhead, UK

  • Adido Conference Bournemouth, UK

  • Roche at Henley Business School Henley-upon-Thames, UK

  • Marketforce - General Insurance Conference London, UK

  • Agriculture and Horticulture Board Kenilworth, UK

  • Midlands Leadership Group Somerfield, UK

  • iClub conference Kiev, Ukraine

  • GoodYear Dealers Conference London, UK

  • Marketing Directors Network AI London, UK

  • ProcureCon Zurich, Switzerland

  • Goodyear EMEA Birmingham, UK

  • Chartered Insurance Institute Ipswich, UK

  • SATO client meeting Budapest, Hungary

  • Havant College Southampton, UK

  • Reeds School Cobham, UK

  • Surrey University Guildford, UK

  • Belron – Automotive Frankfurt, Germany

  • Goodyear Annual Dealer Conference London, UK

  • OctoMilan Milan, Italy

  • Financial Services Forum, Annual Conference, Chair and Interviewer London, UK

  • Investment Marketing and Innovation London, UK

  • Through the Night – Radio 5 live London, UK

  • Phoebus Software Birmingham, UK

  • Risk Net and Society Générale London, UK

  • Willis Towers Watson – Airports conference Netherlands

  • Financial Services Forum – Executive conference St. Paul de Vence, France

  • Association of |Insurance Underwriters London, UK

  • Roche Pharmaceuticals Henley, UK

  • Talent conference Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • CMIS London, UK

  • Schroders innovation event London, UK

  • Equinix London, UK

  • Association of British Insurers London, UK

  • KPMG banking change London, UK

  • Roche Pharmaceuticals, Futures methods session.Henley, UK

  • Roche European Distribution Conference Henley, UK

  • Chief Nation and Nutanix London, UK

  • SCOPE Technology event London, UK

  • Arab Banking Corporation – Foresight Conference Manama, Bahrain

  • DLA Piper – Sectors Fortnight London, UK

  • Willis, Towers, Watson, Airlines Conference Da Nang, Vietnam

  • Association of British Insurers autonomous automotive conference London, UK

  • Tata Consulting Disruption event London, UK

  • Affordable Housing meeting London, UK

  • British Army, Home Command, People of the Future conference Sandhurst, UK

  • Marketing Disruption event, Brighton University Brighton, UK

  • Yorkshire Leaders Groups Harrogate, UK

  • Travellers Automotive Dealers conference London, UK

  • Future Store, Retail conference Twickenham, UK

  • Financial Services Forum, Future of Banking London, UK

  • Colt Senior Management Review London. UK

  • Future of Warfare – 5th Rifles, UK Army Burford, UK

  • North American, Professional Insurance Agents Conference Orlando, USA

  • Henley Centre for Customer Management Henley, UK

  • DLA Pipers, Partners Conference London, UK

  • Financial Services Forum – Mortgage Summit St. Paul de Vence, France

  • DLA Pipers Tax Summit Cascais, Portugal

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