Simon Anderson
- Global perspective gained from speaking on four continents and travels to 35+ countries
- Co-author of the award-winning book Foresight 2020: A Futurist Explores the Trends Transforming Tomorrow
- Creator of the Future Ready Formula™ which empowers audiences to navigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities created by rapid change
Simon Anderson Speaker Biography
Simon Anderson has dedicated his career to helping executives and organizations move beyond resilience to be truly future ready. As a Futurist Keynote Speaker and Applied Foresight Expert since 2011, he transforms how leaders think about and prepare for tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities.
Simon’s Future Ready Formula™ combines deep strategic insight with immediately actionable steps. His counter-intuitive emphasis on unlearning – helping executives and organizations let go of outdated mental models – has made him a trusted advisor to leaders worldwide. A truly global speaker, Simon has delivered keynotes in person across four continents and 30+ U.S. states, while connecting with audiences around the world through virtual events. In every engagement, he shows organizations how to spot emerging opportunities early and turn rapid change into competitive advantage.
Founder of Venture Foresight, Simon works with executive teams to develop strategic foresight capabilities essential for long-term success. He co-authored the award-winning book Foresight 20/20 and his insights featured in global media have established him as a leading voice in applied foresight.
Simon’s signature combination of eye-opening insights and practical actions has made him a sought-after keynote speaker for executives and organizations ready to move beyond surviving change to shaping their own future.
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Speech Topics
Signature Keynote: Beyond Resilient: How to Be Future Ready™ in an Age of AI and Constant Change
Being resilient is no longer enough. Today’s leaders need to see what’s coming while there is still time to do something about it. Simon translates complex advancements into simple, usable strategies executives can implement immediately. Simon’s Future Ready Formula™ shows executives how to spot challenges and opportunities early and turn rapid change into competitive advantage.
Key Takeaways
• Future Ready Formula™: A clear, three-step approach (Attention, Anticipation, Action) that leaders can use to navigate continual disruption.
• Unlearning Techniques: Methods to let go of obsolete assumptions to see new possibilities.
• Practical Action Steps: Five proven steps—ranging from weekly “future scans” to reverse mentoring—that empower immediate and ongoing adaptation.
• Transformative Mindset: How to develop a “beyond resilient” leadership approach to make you and your organization truly future ready. Leaders leave with clear, actionable tools to make smarter decisions in a fast-changing world.
Industry/Association Keynote: Emerging Opportunities: Industry-Specific Insights for a Future Ready Organization
Your industry is changing faster than ever. But change brings opportunity – if you know where to look. In this customized keynote, Simon provides an eye-opening glimpse into the potential futures of your industry. By applying his Future Ready Formula™ and sharing a global perspective from travels to over 35 countries, Simon highlights the emerging trends and technologies poised to reshape your industry.
This isn’t about “the world of 2050…” – it’s about discovering the real-world actionable steps to evolve your products, services, and strategic approach. Simon’s proven methods for unlearning, experimentation, and early trendspotting offer a clear blueprint for creating a truly future ready organization.
Key Takeaways
• Customized Foresight: A deep dive into the trends most relevant to your industry, with clear guidance on how to respond proactively.
• Optimization vs. Innovation: Strategies for balancing efficient operations with the bold thinking required to innovate effectively.
• Unlearning & Adaptation: Techniques to challenge legacy assumptions, cultivate fresh ideas, and develop a change-ready workforce.
• Actionable Roadmap: Five specific, repeatable steps that turn emerging opportunities into sustained competitive advantages.
Organization Keynote: The Future of Work: Winning with AI in a Human-First Workplace
AI isn’t just changing how we work – it’s redefining what’s possible. As AI reshapes entire job categories, smart leaders are focusing on where human capabilities matter most. Simon shows you how to embrace the opportunities created by AI while still putting your people first.
Key Takeaways
• Demystifying AI & Automation: A plain-language exploration of current and near-future technologies.
• Attracting & Retaining Talent: Practical tips to build a dynamic culture where emerging tools support human creativity and collaboration.
• Future-Focused Strategy: How to use the Future Ready Formula™ to prepare for ongoing shifts in the way we work.
• Agility in Action: Five immediate tactics—such as weekly “Future 15’s” and pre-mortem planning—that help teams stay ahead of disruptive changes. Leaders leave with a clear roadmap for building an AI-enhanced workplace that delivers exceptional results and helps their team and their organization Be Future Ready™.
Reviews
Simon was a great speaker to have for our group. We were looking for content that would apply to a wider audience than our traditional keynotes, which discuss economic and investment trends, current events in our industries and other relevant items about our parent company. With Simon, his content on becoming Future Ready and looking at how to accept and push through disruption and adversity was a great topic that stimulated engaging conversation among our group. Simon was easy to schedule with prior to the event, showed up promptly, was able to make some last minute changes, and was perfectly pleasant in conversation. We would happily use Simon for keynote addresses in the future. This keynote could be used for many types of groups and would work well in many settings.
Futures and practical application don’t always go together, but Simon found a way to give the audience five things to do today to prepare for an unknown future. As a confernce planner, Simon was very easy to work with and we loved having him at our summit.
Simon was the perfect addition to our 2021 Impact Conference. His ability to approach large subjects with a detailed lens was something our attendees truly appreciated. It is so important to transform professional communities into future thinkers.
