Discorso provides expert speakers for the events industry.

Nick Jankel is a global top 50 headliner keynote speaker and futurist who is booked by corporations, institutions, conferences, associations, and nations—think Kellogg's, LEGO, Pfizer, Abu Dhabi, Neom, Google, HP, and No.10 Downing Street—who seek an unprecedented ROI from surprisingly different—electrifying, empowering, and exquisitely customized—keynotes that captivate hearts, ignite minds, and inspire concrete change. He delivers keynotes in person and online all over the world, working out of his bases in Los Angeles and London.

A Cambridge-educated scientist and philosopher (Triple 1st/summa cum laude), Nick has spent 30 years cracking the code of change. His science-backed yet hyper-practical ideas help people navigate uncertainty and complexity, lead in change and lead the change, unlock breakthrough innovation, and take the pain out of transformation. A seasoned expert futurist, he explores what is probable, possible, problematic, and preferable in the Future of Work, Leadership, Health, Education, and Business.

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Nick backs up his inspiring, motivating, and energizing keynotes with deep expertise and experience gained from three decades spent supporting the success of high-growth start-ups and ambitious organizations like Nike, Unilever, Intel, Virgin, PlayStation, and Novartis and hard-won from his years as successful, serial entrepreneur on the frontlines of digital disruption (he founded his first business aged 24).

Nick is a groundbreaking theorist and master practitioner of transformational/ conscious/ creative leadership and breakthrough/ disruptive/ transformative innovation, the two most powerful technologies for ensuring organizations adapt to relentless change, survive ruthless disruption and deliver exponential value-creation. His thought-leading ideas are routinely called "game-changing," "powerful," and "profoundly practical."

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Samantha Simmonds is a newsreader, journalist, conference host and moderator with more than 20 years at the forefront of the news. She currently presents for BBC News and hosts the weekly current affairs show ‘Politics London’ on BBC 1.  She was previously a main anchor on Sky News for more than a decade.

Samantha’s career as a journalist has seen her report on some of the world’s biggest news stories – from natural disasters to war, royal weddings and celebrity deaths. She has covered numerous US and UK elections, interviewing senior politicians and key global figures. She is an accomplished writer and podcaster with a gift for helping her readers feel connected to herstories. She has written for many publications, including The Times, Daily Mail, and the Daily Telegraph,

Samantha’s warmth and energy and finely crafted presenting skills, make her a much sought-after global conference and awards host and event moderator. She has hosted events for the King of Bhutan, the UK Government, Deloitte, British Business Bank, London Stock Exchange Group, Sainbury’s, Hewlett Packard, and Manpower Group among many others.

Samantha has a particular expertise in engaging and humorous ‘fireside chats’ with world renowned business leaders and speakers such as Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel and the former Colombian President and Nobel laureate Juan Manuel Santos.

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Gerry Duffy is leadership and performance speaker who inspires audiences to act -making him the perfect choice for senior leaders, conference managers and event planners. With 14 years of delivering keynotes and workshop across Ireland, Europe, and the USA, he has inspired teams in industries like tech ,pharma, finance, construction, hospitality and more.

His engaging style fosters connection, encouraging audiences to take ownership of the concepts he shares. A personal interest in sporting high performance has seen him complete events such as running 32 marathons in 32days and completing ten iron-distance triathlons in 10 days. These serve as powerful metaphors for resilience and commitment.

Gerry shares practical, straightforward tools/ideas that audiences can implement immediately. He also prides himself on really understanding the key outcomes conference organisers are seeking and preparing specifically with those outcomes in mind. He has also authored four books including Lessons for Leaders – 27 Insights to Reflect on for Senior Leaders and CEO’s.

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Award-winning EDI expert and strategist Sabrina Trinquetel combines diverse lived experiences with industry expertise to drive innovation and growth through the power of inclusion.

She is passionate about empowering teams to think differently, innovate boldly and succeed collectively.

Believing as Matthew Syed wrote in his book Rebel Ideas, that ‘diversity is the engine of innovation’ Sabrina helps organisations tap into this potential through data-driven strategies, impactful initiatives and actionable insight.

Her approach challenges leaders to view diversity not just as a moral value but as a way to gain competitive advantage.

Sabrina also addresses challenges such as how AI biases can reinforce stereotypes and how to mitigate these risks, supporting teams in best practice and prompt training.

She advocates for systemic change, through workshops, talks and media content, inspiring individuals all the way from senior leadership to grassroots teams to embrace inclusive practice that fuel innovation drive growth and ensure long-term success.

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Her topics include: The ROI of EDI

- Ethical AI Development: Tackling AI bias and building inclusion

- Lived Experiences: Queer parenting, Intersectionality, Driving Inclusive Environments

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Greg Williams is a globally renowned technologist, futurist and speaker with a wealth of experience in delivering engaging, impactful and actionable presentations.

Acknowledged as a leading expert in the way that technology is shaping organizations and society, this transformative trends strategist knows what’s next first and introduces organizations to the trends and technologies that are rapidly reshaping their industries.

As a distinguished thought leader and strategic forecaster, Greg is celebrated for his deep insights into artificial intelligence (AI), its transformative impact on organizations and the intricate interplay between technology and geopolitics. He has participated at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the UN AI for Good conference, Founders Forum, DLD, Vivatech, Web Summit, Slush, Cannes Lions, the World Government Summit and many other leading events across the world.

As editor of the prominent global trends forecast WIRED World, Greg has a unique vantage point on the innovations and ideas shaping our future. He offers indispensable insights to senior leaders on the forces that are influencing in their industries. His essay on neuroeconomics was featured alongside essays by Bill Gates and the economist and Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz in the book, Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.

His unmissable presentations offer senior leaders new ways of thinking about the technologies and trends that are determining the future: from artificial intelligence to the blockchain, sustainability to fintech, cybersecurity to healthcare, automation and robotics to retail, the future of work and the next wave of disruptive forces impacting every organization.

In his presentations, Greg identifies the challenges and opportunities for organizations in every sector to innovate in an accelerating culture where norms are constantly evolving. He has delighted audiences throughout Europe, the US and Asia in multiple sectors including finance, retail, travel, healthcare, apparel, software, manufacturing, mobility, security, energy, and consulting.

Greg is also a hugely experienced interviewer of global leaders, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, co-founder of Google DeepMind Demis Hassabis, Prime Minister Theresa May, CEO of LinkedIn Jeff Weiner, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, BMW CEO Harald Krueger, Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom, Google X CEO Astro Teller, Orange CEO Christel Heydemann and many other founders, senior executives, entrepreneurs and thought leaders.

Why Choose Greg Williams?

• Cutting-Edge     Expertise:     Greg spends his days talking to the major players in technology, business     and government, meaning that he stays ahead of emerging trends and that     his presentations are both timely and forward-looking.
• Global     Perspective: Greg’s extensive experience provides him with a     nuanced understanding of global trends and their implications for     organizations across industries and continents.
• Direct Access to     Industry Leaders: Through his interviews with technology visionaries,     Greg offers audiences exclusive insights into the strategies shaping the     future.
• Actionable     Insights:     Greg’s talks equip audiences with practical strategies to navigate the     complexities of technological transformation and global disruption.
• Expert     storytelling: Many years of     creating award-winning content across multiple platforms mean that Greg is     able to captivate and connect with audiences to deliver     impactful, engaging, and highly relevant content. Greg’s dynamic presentations have     received praise from clients in multiple industries.

Topic areas:

The Next Frontier: How AI is Transforming Industries, Driving Productivity, and Reshaping the Global Economy.

Artificial intelligence isn’t just transforming the way we work – it’s rewriting the rules of business, innovation, and society itself. Generative AI has arrived as a disruptive force, offering game-changing opportunities to revolutionize industries while raising critical questions about its impact. This talk dives into how leaders can navigate this new reality, harnessing AI to fuel growth, drive productivity, and address the profound ethical challenges.

The economic potential of AI is staggering, with estimates suggesting it could inject $2.6to $4.4 trillion into the global economy annually. For organizations, this means opportunities to revolutionize operations and enhance efficiency across sectors – from streamlining coding in software development to delivering hyper-personalized customer experiences in retail and banking.

Greg also delves into AI-driven innovations in healthcare, including personalized treatment and faster diagnostics, and highlights how AI-powered robotics and autonomous systems are creating multitrillion-dollar opportunities in manufacturing and logistics. Through real-world examples and strategies, Greg demonstrates how businesses can unlock these benefits and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Looking ahead, the emergence of agentic AI introduces a new frontier in artificial intelligence. Unlike traditional AI systems that require human prompts, a genetic AI refers to autonomous systems capable of initiating actions, making decisions, and adapting to their environments independently. These systems could transform personal productivity, such as managing schedules or optimizing tasks, and revolutionize organizational workflows by automating complex decision-making and optimizing supply chains in real time.

With the potential to create entirely new business models, agentic AI presents immense possibilities – but also demands new governance models and strategies for integrating these systems responsibly. Greg’s talk unpacks the opportunities and challenges of agentic AI, preparing audiences for this transformative shift.

Greg also addresses the critical ethical considerations accompanying the rise of AI, including bias, privacy, and the environmental impact of energy-intensive AI systems. He explores the future of human-AI collaboration, emphasizing the importance of emotionally intelligent AI systems to foster trust and enhance interactions.

By focusing on upskilling, ethical governance, transparency, and interdisciplinary collaboration, Greg equips audiences with a clear roadmap for navigating the AI-driven future. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to leverage AI to drive innovation, adapt to change, and create sustainable value while addressing the societal challenges it poses.

The Technology Trends Disrupting Your Business: How to Flourish in the Digital Age

Organizational disruption is inevitable – businesses must be prepared to embrace change in order to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. This talk explores the emerging trends and technologies reshaping industries across the globe, from breakthroughs in genomics and synthetic biology to advancements in mobility, energy, and AI. With insights on the transformative potential of automation, virtual reality, and the ongoing evolution of software integration, this presentation equips senior executives with the foresight needed to anticipate and respond to change.

Designed specifically for leaders across diverse industries such as finance, retail, security, healthcare, energy, and consulting, the talk focuses on how these technologies can be harnessed to drive innovation, growth, and competitive advantage.

It provides actionable insights to help businesses not only understand the future but also make strategic decisions that enable them to lead in an increasingly digital and interconnected world. By preparing now, organizations can unlock new opportunities, optimize operations, and stay ahead of the curve in an era of constant disruption.

The next decade will bring even more profound shifts in technology and society. Advancements in quantum computing will revolutionize industries like finance, healthcare, and cybersecurity by enabling unprecedented computational power. The continued development of biotechnology will lead to personalized medicine, advanced genetic engineering, and sustainable food production. Meanwhile, autonomous systems in transportation, logistics, and manufacturing will reshape supply chains and redefine workforce dynamics.

Beyond these, energy transformation– driven by innovations in sustainable energy and energy storage – will not only impact industries but also affect global economies and geopolitics.

As these technological developments unfold, businesses will need to adapt quickly. This talk equips leaders with the knowledge and strategic frameworks to foresee what’s coming and build resilient, future-proof strategies that will keep them ahead in a world defined by rapid innovation and complexity.

Navigating the Evolving Threat Landscape: Essential Strategies to Stay Ahead of Emerging Threats

The pace of change in the cybersecurity landscape is accelerating, presenting both significant challenges and unique opportunities for organizations across the globe. Business leaders need to be prepared to navigate this evolving environment, where the rise of AI-powered attacks is becoming a critical concern. Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence to craft more targeted and sophisticated threats, forcing organizations to adopt equally advanced, AI-driven defense strategies to protect their assets and maintain a competitive edge.

Ransomware remains one of the top threats to organizations, with new attack methods on the horizon. The growing trend of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) is further complicating defenses, as it makes it easier for even less-skilled attackers to launch devastating cyberattacks. Alongside this, cyber-enabled fraud and identity theft are rising rapidly as top priorities for CEOs and CISOs alike, underscoring the importance of robust authentication and fraud prevention systems to safeguard business operations.

With geopolitical tensions on the rise, cybersecurity is increasingly viewed through the lens of "wartime preparedness." Business leaders must take into account the growing risks to supply chain security, operational resilience, and the potential impact of gray-zone warfare tactics. To stay ahead, it’s crucial to continuously assess emerging risks and develop proactive incident response plans that can minimize disruptions and protect organizational value.

The rapid expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) and operational technology (OT)systems is increasing the attack surface for many organizations. These often under-secured devices are becoming prime targets for cybercriminals. At the same time, the rollout of 5G networks introduces new vulnerabilities that must be addressed. In this ever-changing environment, improving security across all digital touchpoints is no longer optional—it’s critical to securing the organization’s future.

This talk will empower business leaders to understand the emerging threats, the strategic shifts necessary to defend against them, and the technologies that can make atangible difference. Attendees will walk away with actionable insights on howto future-proof their organizations, ensuring resilience in the face ofevolving cyber risks.

Technologyand Power: How the Digital Age is Shaping a New Geopolitical Order

We are living in a transformative era of geopolitical and technological disruption. The war in Ukraine, ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China, global competition over semiconductors, decarbonization imperatives, and the increasing reliance on AI and advanced technologies are reshaping how nations project power and influence. These issues are intertwined with persistent challenges like supply chain fragility, labour shortages, rising economic inequality, and the urgency of the climate crisis – all demanding simultaneous attention.

As Marc Andreessen observed, “software is eating the world.” It’s not just companies but also industries, governments, and global power structures that have become part of an expansive technology stack. Every aspect of modern life – from advanced weapons systems and energy grids to viral online trends – is deeply embedded in digitalization and driven by innovations in software, data and AI. Governments and enterprises alike are racing to harness the potential of technology, not just for economic gains but as critical instruments of geopolitical strategy.

In this pivotal moment, we are witnessing a tectonic shift akin to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Technology is no longer just a cross-border unifier — itis a competitive, and often contested, lever of national influence. Nations are cooperating on global challenges like climate change and cybersecurity while simultaneously competing in a high-stakes race for technological supremacy. Today, technology is shaping geopolitics like never before — and geopolitics is fundamentally reshaping the trajectory of technological innovation.

In this talk Greg will explore:

• The semiconductor     race: How global     competition for semiconductor production is driving economic and strategic     alliances, with a focus on the U.S. CHIPS Act, Europe’s Chips Strategy,     and China’s tech ambitions.
• The rise of tech     giants:     How technology companies are wielding power akin to nation states,     influencing global trade, security, and societal norms.
• The future of     supply chains: Why “friendshoring” and “reshoring” are reshaping     global trade in response to geopolitical tensions and national security     priorities.
• New geopolitical     alliances:     How democracies and autocracies are forming technology-focused alliances,     from AUKUS and the Quad to China’s Belt and Road Initiative for digital     infrastructure.
• The quantum leap: Why quantum     computing and AI will offer immense economic and military advantages, and     how these breakthroughs are becoming new arenas of geopolitical rivalry.
• The resource     scramble:     How the race for rare earth elements and other resources critical to     advanced electronics is redrawing geopolitical maps and sparking new     conflicts.
• The next election     cycles:     How political shifts, particularly in the U.S. and Europe, will shape     technology policy and its impact on global power dynamics.

This talk delivers essential insights to help leaders understand how the interplay of technology and geopolitics will influence markets, industries, and societies in the years to come. It is designed to empower business executives, policy makers, and innovators with the knowledge they need to navigate and thrive in this complex new era.

The Future of Work: Navigating the Workplace Revolution: From Automation to Adaptability

The way we work, lead, and innovate is being reshaped at an unprecedented pace. Technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, automation, and digital collaboration tools are transforming workplaces, while shifting employee expectations and global disruptions continue to challenge traditional business practices. To thrive in this dynamic environment, leaders must adapt their strategies and redefine how their organisations operate.

This presentation explores the key trends and forces shaping the future of work, offering actionable insights to help leaders future-proof their organizations and gain a competitive edge in an era of constant change.

Key Topics Include:

• Technology’s     Transformational Role: How advancements in AI, machine learning, and automation are redefining     workforce structures, enhancing productivity, and reshaping how     organizations function.
• The Hybrid Work     Revolution:     Adapting to the long-term shift toward hybrid and remote work models, with     a focus on building inclusive cultures, fostering collaboration, and     maintaining organizational cohesion.
• Redefining     Leadership for a Tech-Driven Future: The essential leadership traits     required to navigate uncertainty, foster adaptability, and inspire teams     in an environment increasingly influenced by digital transformation.
• Building a     Purpose-Driven Organization: Why embedding a clear purpose at the     core of your organization is critical for attracting and retaining top     talent, driving engagement, and enhancing decision-making.
• From Productivity     to Adaptability: Shifting key performance indicators to prioritise     resilience, agility, and innovation in the face of technological and     market disruption.
• Automation and     Human-Centric Innovation: Integrating automation into workflows     while empowering employees to focus on creativity, problem-solving, and     value-driven activities that machines cannot replicate.
• Preparing for     Workforce Transformation: The implications of generative AI,     reskilling needs, and the growing importance of lifelong learning to     ensure teams are ready for the future.
• The Role of Data     and Analytics: Leveraging advanced analytics and AI to make     informed decisions, drive innovation, and identify emerging opportunities     within organisations.

The Future of Healthcare: Navigating a Technological Revolution

Healthcare is being transformed by the convergence of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), digital therapeutics, and remote monitoring solutions. These technologies are not just standalone innovations – they are deeply interconnected, creating a dynamic ecosystem that is fundamentally reshaping how healthcare is delivered, monitored, and optimized. Technology offers the tools to mitigate the challenges of public health and the potential to create a new era of personalized, sustainable, and accessible healthcare.

·       AI is poised to redefine healthcare, not only in diagnostics and patient monitoring but also in real-time decision-making. From AI-powered predictive analytics that can foresee potential health crises, to personalized treatment protocols powered by deep learning, AI’s role in healthcare is growing exponentially. AI-powered drug discovery could dramatically shorten development timelines, potentially bringing life-saving treatments to market years ahead of current schedules.

·       The neurotechnology sector is advancing at an extraordinary pace. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs)are already showing promise in treating a variety of neurological disorders, including ALS, Parkinson’s disease, and severe mental health conditions. The integration of AI with neurotech is enabling more precise treatments and faster recoveries. Looking ahead, the synergy between AI, wearable devices, and neurostimulation therapies could offer groundbreaking approaches to mental health.

·       Digital therapeutics, which involve the use of software to treat and manage medical conditions, are becoming a mainstream part of treatment protocols. In fields like diabetes management, addiction therapy, and cognitive behavioral health, these apps are proving to be as effective as traditional treatments and expanding the possibilities for remote care.

·       The potential for mRNA technology to extend beyond vaccines, tackling complex diseases like cancer, rare genetic conditions, and autoimmune disorders, is within reach. Researchers are already exploring its potential for targeted treatments, and breakthroughs in personalized organ printing could change transplant medicine forever, reducing organ shortages by creating organs using patients' own cells.

·       Success in this rapidly evolving ecosystem will require close cooperation among a wide range of stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, investors, healthcare professionals, technologists, designers, policymakers and patients.

Ultimately, the future of healthcare lies in a vision where technology not only improves the precision and speed of treatments but also empowers individuals to take control of their own health. Remote monitoring, wearables, AI-driven personalized care plans, and access to virtual health services will empower patients, reduce unnecessary hospital visits, and enable proactive rather than reactive care. Technology means we are entering an era where the patient is at the center of the healthcare ecosystem.

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Until 2020 James was a Sales Director a market leading global survey technology and panel company. He built a sales team from scratch over 10 years and by 2019, it was the leading sales team in Europe dealing with major brands such as GSK, Reckitt, Unilever, P&G, Coca-Cola and many more. His team delivered double digit revenue growth, every year.

​In March of 2019, following several years of record breaking growth, he suffered a completely unexpected and almost total mental and physical breakdown, following a severe and very public anxiety attack 

​Throughout his career and at its peak, he developed a series of very successful habits and behaviours. Not all of them were sustainable or healthy which led to a completely avoidable anxiety disorder that he could no longer ignore.

Since 2021 having retrained as an Executive Performance coach and Mental Health First Aider, ,he now creates and delivers interactive and impactful talks, workshops, groupand 121 coaching, helping high performers and their teams reach their goals at lower personal cost.

The events challenge the audience to ask themselves how they really are, if they are performing as well as they could and if their habits are working for them. The emerge motivated and equipped to make immediate practical changes and perform, communicate and live, well.

Recent talk titles include:

The Real cost of Yes – How and when a well placed no can be more positive than an automatic yes.

Collective Accountability – How should and could we be collaborating for better sustainable results

Spotting the signs of unhealthy stress– What to look for how, when and what to do if you spot something

From breakdown to breakthrough– How could breakdown have been prevented

Not all stress is bad for you –How to spot good from bad

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Amar Latif likes a challenge. A successful entrepreneur, hegave up his hard-won role as Head of Commercial Finance at BT to start his own travel company. He’s travelled the world, skydived, ski-ed, climbed, even donea spot of acting, and is also a TV presenter. A remarkable enough set of achievements, made more impressive because Amar has been blind since he was18-years-old. Born with an incurable eye condition, Amar had lost 95% of his sight by the time he was in his late teens. Determined not to be defined by his blindness, he continued through university and into a corporate career (despite the belief from some that you couldn’t be both blind and an accountant). Amaralso had an incurable lust for travel, but found travel companies seriously lacking when it came to accommodating the needs of independent blind and partially sighted explorers. So he started his own travel business with a mission to help blind people explore the world in a way that was usually closedto them. Traveleyes brings together blind and sighted travellers, usually unknown to each other before the trip, and unites them through experiences fromsailing to safaris to trekking up Europe’s highest peaks. Sighted travellersguide and share their descriptions with their blind companions. In response,the sighted experience first-hand a fearlessness and curiosity about the worldthat they’ve often lost. As well as becoming an award-winning entrepreneur,Amar’s love of travel has been the foundation of a broadcasting career. For theBBC2 series Beyond Boundaries, Amar was part of a group of disabled travellersthat explored Central America, trekking from the Atlantic to the Pacificcoasts, through jungle, over a volcano, and across one of the continent’slargest lakes. He’s appeared on the award-winning River Walks for BBC1, and wasthe first ever blind contestant on Celebrity Masterchef. On BBC1’s Pilgrimage,he trekked a part of the Sultan’s Trail from central Europe to Turkey exploringboth history, geography and faith. In BBC2’s Travelling Blind he joinedcomedian Sara Pascoe as they travelled from Istanbul's Grand Bazaar to theBlack Sea and the Cappadocia rock formations in an affecting and personaljourney in which Amar explained the necessity of experience and the importancebut impermanence of memory for blind people

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Paul Johnson Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Paul is Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the UK’s leading economic research institute. He writes a weekly column for The Times and is a Visiting Professor in the UCL Policy Lab and at the UCL Department of Economics. The IFS has won ‘Economic and Financial Think Tank of the Year’ four years in succession and hosts two major research centres combining its leading role in public policy with world leading academic economic research. As well as working at the IFS, Paul has also worked at the FSA, was chief economist at the department for education, and director of public spending at HM Treasury as well as deputy head of the Government Economic Service. In addition, Paul was aboard member of the Climate Change Committee for over ten years. Paul’s book Follow the Money: How Much Does Britain Cost? was published in 2023,illustrating how well – or not – the government raises and spends £1 trillion every year. It has already been a Sunday Times top 10 bestseller and aims to hold the government to account. Robert Peston described it as ‘an important book by the economist who has set the terms of so much political debate over the past decade.’ “Gripping and horrifying...witty and brilliant. Buy it.’ The Times. He is a frequent contributor to written and broadcast media and his radio recordings include the acclaimed ‘Austerity Audit’ for Radio 4. He has published extensively on the economics of public policy including tax, welfare,housing, pensions, education, climate change and public finances. In 2018 Paul was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list for services to sciences and economics.

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Trevor Williams served as Chief Economist at Lloyds Bank for over a decade. Now an author, academic and consultant, he analyses the key trends and policies that shape the economy and markets. From energy and climate to how companies use their data to understand the wider economy, he brings clarity and relevance to an often complex and abstract field. Trevor worked for the civil service whilst studying for his economics PhD, after which he went onto work for over 30 years as an economist in the City, most notably at Lloyds.His professional life has encompassed equity and foreign exchange, forecastingand financial analysis. Today he provides clear insight into how politics,demographics and trade shape economies and economic trends. From earnings andinflation to stock markets and trade deals, Trevor explores what is going on inthe economy and what it means to organisations and individuals. Looking at boththe global and the local, the long and short term, he explains what the numbersreally reveal. With a focus on interpreting the information as it is, not aspeople might think or wish it was, he considers the effects of disruptions likeBrexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, and how (and how quickly) economies canrecover and what actions influence that recovery. Trevor also studies whatrisks businesses and governments face and how the economy will react. Inparticular, he looks at the political economics of climate change, includingthe risks for investors, insurers and the general population that this existentialchallenge could impose. He also examines the economics of energy; thelikelihood, causes and potential effects of energy shortages and what decisionsand policies have increased the risk of energy reserves running low, as well asthe cost to businesses and consumers. As rotating Chair of the Institute ofEconomic Affairs’ Shadow Monetary Policy Committee Trevor keeps a close eye onBank of England decisions and direction of travel. He unpicks the impact ofinterest rates, monetary policy and quantitative easing and translates theminto useful intelligence businesses can use to inform strategy. He also revealshow companies can use their own big data sets to reveal insights into thebroader economy and their place within it

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Darren Edwards’s life has been defined by persistence, resilience and change. Few people can talk with Darren’s authority and honesty about how to positively, successfully face uncertainty and fear. A gifted storyteller, by turns inspiring, likeable and candid, he explores practical solutions to challenging situations through the lens of his remarkable story.

After time in the armed forces, and pursuing his mountaineering passion, Darren trained as a teacher. Shortly after qualifying, he was climbing in North Wales when the ledge he stood on fell away, and he plunged over 100 feet. Lucky to survive, he broke his back in two places, severing his spinal cord. Darren was paralysed from the chest down. As well as the dealing with the trauma of his new circumstances, he faced a gruelling rehabilitation regime and an uncertain future.

Within days of leaving hospital, Darren found purpose. Determined to return to his outdoor adventures, he bought a kayak and took to the water for the first time. It was the start of a series of adventures that saw him kayak the length of Britain with fellow ex-servicemen and become the first wheelchair user to complete the 777 challenge - seven marathons on seven continents over seven days. Later this year, he will sit-ski across Antarctica to the South Pole.

As well as challenging himself physically and mentally, redefining what he, and others, thought possible, Darren also embraces a passion for entrepreneurialism. Driven by his desire to make a difference and help others, he launched Adaptive Expeditions, a company that organises adventures that encourage disabled people to push their boundaries.

Grounded in the training and mindset acquired in the forces, and his pursuit of mountaineering, Darren explains you don’t need to experience extremes to build resilience. That everyday pressures can be just as challenging as tackling any mountain or terrain. He shares the lessons he's learned from facing the unknown head-on. He considers how to remain positive and focused in the face of difficulties. He delivers real-world examples of how to empower individuals and teams, and how to uncover your own leadership style.

Darren Edwards

Disabled Adventurer & Inspirational Speaker

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Stefan Stern is a journalist and author. He has over 30 years' experience of writing about leadership and management. He was the Financial Times' management columnist between 2006 and 2010, and has also worked for the BBC and Management Today magazine. He still writes for the FT and also The Guardian, Prospect magazine and The Conversation.

He is the author of three books: "Myths of Management -what people get wrong about being the boss" Kogan Page 2017 (Prof Cary Cooper was the co-author); "How to be a better leader" Pan Macmillan(Bluebird) 2019; and most recently "Fair or Foul - the Lady Macbeth Guideto Ambition" Unbound 2024.

Since 2010 he has been Visiting Professor in managementpractice at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), University of London. He isa Fellow of the RSA. He is the co-presenter of a podcast on the future of work,The Nowhere Office (with Julia Hobsbawm).

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TimGordon believes that the rise of AI is the key issue for our age - but that itis within our power to decide what it becomes. With a decade of experience inthe field he is a regular speaker, commentator and adviser on the opportunitiesand challenges of the technology, all couched in a way that is both accessibleand memorable. He brings to bear his varied career experience - working insenior roles in business, politics and the media and from starting two AIbusinesses.

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