David Rowan Keynote Speaker

  • Author of Non-Bullshit Innovation: Radical Ideas from the World’s Smartest Minds (2019)
  • Founding editor-in-chief of WIRED magazine in the UK (2008-17)
  • Keynote speaker on technology trends and moderator for governments, WIRED, TED, World Economic Forum

David Rowan's Biography

David Rowan is today’s leading speaker on how emerging technologies will impact business — and how leaders should prepare now.  He’s given more than 600 keynotes around the world, and has moderated events for the World Economic Forum, the biggest global companies, and governments.

As the former founding Editor-in-Chief of WIRED magazine in the UK, David came to know the founders of WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Google, Didi, Spotify, Twitter and countless other ambitious startups from Tel Aviv to Shenzhen.

His best-selling book, “Non-Bullshit Innovation: 17 Proven Ways To Transform How You Work” (Penguin), is a 20-country quest to identify genuine innovation in the face of technology-led disruption. The book sets out 17 proven strategies for future-proofing a successful business — from “Turn products into services” to “Build an ecosystem”.

David spends his time at tech’s cutting edge: visiting university research labs and startup clusters to meet the people building the future. He’s an advisor and investor in over 150 early-stage tech companies, and runs venture funds that invest in health-tech and climate-tech.

David has been a technology columnist for The Times, GQ, Condé Nast Traveller and The Sunday Times, and at WIRED he built a conference and a consulting business. And he is still searching for the future.

As a speaker, David deconstructs tech trends and unpacks how major innovations, such as AI, quantum computing, and autonomous vehicles, are changing businesses and consumers.  He provides an in-depth insight into the future of technology, how it will impact various sectors, and how technology-led innovation can not only protect businesses, but build prosperity through turbulent times.  He also speaks about changing business models and how to develop a culture of innovation.  His talks are always customised to the audience, and he has spoken for clients across a varieties of sectors, including fashion, finance, insurance, television, travel, utilities, among others.

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David Rowan's Speaking Topics

  • WHY THIS IS AI’s “NETSCAPE MOMENT”: How to understand the impact of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools.

  • FINDING OPPORTUNITY AMID THE CRISIS: Technology offers hope for optimism as we enter an era of uncertainty and financial fragility.

  • WHY BUSINESS INNOVATION HAS NEVER MATTERED MORE.

  • TEN LESSONS FROM THE NON-BULLSHIT INNOVATORS

  • WHAT TECHNOLOGY MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF YOUR INDUSTRY.

  • THE FUTURE OF THE WORKPLACE.

  • THE TEN NEW RULES OF BUSINESS.

  • HOW TO OPTIMISE CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT.

  • Why purpose plus profit is the new business mantra

  • WHY PURPOSE PLUS PROFIT IS THE NEW MANTRA.

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Videos of David Rowan

Speaker Reel
Speaker Reel
David Rowan on how technology will transform shipping
David Rowan on how technology will transform shipping
David Rowan: Why the world will never move this slowly again
David Rowan: Why the world will never move this slowly again
The future of payments (Visa Europe)
The future of payments (Visa Europe)
David Rowan on Non Bullshit Innovation at USI, Paris, June 2019:
David Rowan on Non Bullshit Innovation at USI, Paris, June 2019:
David Rowan at International Luxury Travel Market 2017, Cannes:
David Rowan at International Luxury Travel Market 2017, Cannes:
David Rowan keynote at Royal Television Society 2017 convention:
David Rowan keynote at Royal Television Society 2017 convention:

Articles, Media & Podcasts

Books by David Rowan

David Rowan book cover
Non-Bullshit Innovation

Comments & Testimonials

The feedback from the day has been overwhelmingly positive, which is largely due to your dynamism, good humour and professionalism
Rt Hon David Cameron Prime Minister, G8 Innovation Conference
A stellar moderator – insightful and challenging to the speakers, witty and engaging for the audience, and very positive to work with.
World Economic Forum
David was fantastic. The content was perfect. The talk was fast paced, interesting, relevant and accessible. It set up the innovation session of our agenda really well and I was delighted with the result.
Sky
Thank you so much for an excellent session. You left the team in no doubt about the risks of disruptive factors and how they can impact any industry. Ours more than any is wide open here. Totally the right way to end the conference.
JP Morgan
The team was blown away.
Google

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