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Angus Hervey      

Political Economist & Journalist & Founder of Fix the News

Angus Hervey is a political economist and journalist and founder of Fix The News, a media company that seeks out and shares stories of progress from around the world. His weekly newsletter, read by 55,000 people from 195 countries, is widely regarded as one of the world's most authoritative and comprehensive sources of stories showing how humanity is actually meeting the big challenges of our time, covering rising living standards, human rights, clean energy, global health, scientific breakthroughs, conservation victories and more. His mission: to show that progress is not just possible but happening all around us.

Prior to Fix the News, Hervey co-founded Future Crunch, a platform for intelligent thinking about science and technology in the 21st century, and was the founding Community Manager of Random Hacks of Kindness Australia, a global initiative from Google, IBM, Microsoft, NASA and the World Bank to create open-source technology solutions to social challenges. He was also the first editorial manager for Global Policy, one of the world's leading international policy journals.

Hervey is a graduate of the University of Cape Town and holds an MSc in International Political Economy and both a PhD in Environmental Studies from the London School of Economics, where he was the Ralph Miliband Scholar.

Speech Topics


THE OPTIMISM EXPERIENCE

A musical show about human progress.

Feeling negative about the state of the world in 2021? Is the news getting you down? Have you had enough of people arguing on your Facebook feed? The Future Crunch team might be able to help. Showcasing their infectious brand of musically inspired, intelligent optimism, this is a story about the human race you've never heard before.

Diseases are being eradicated, war is decreasing, millions are being lifted out of poverty and billions are gaining access to the greatest information resource humanity has ever known. We can control robots with our minds, use machines to translate any language, cut and paste our own DNA, and we’re taking brave new steps into space. We're just not hearing a lot about it.

We know the challenges we face. This is a musical journey into how – with boldness, creativity, and and revolutionary technologies that build on thousands of years of human ingenuity – we are rising to meet them

THE ROBOT RULE OF THUMB

The future of work, and how to prepare yourself for it.

Advancements in technology have provided a catalyst to redefine the needs of people in the workplace, and as a result, we see a move towards more flexibility and a greater desire for meaning and purpose in the next economy. While these changes present challenges, they also offer an opportunity for the workforce of the future to find a sense of renewed freedom.

In this presentation, Future Crunch explores the changing world of work, and how technological disruption is redefining the skills that matter. The machines aren’t here to take our jobs - but they will change them. And that means that counter-intuitively, it’s the human skills that really count. Audiences will walk away with a better understanding of how to start building a workplace that is prepared for automation, disruption and changing work patterns. Essential insights for any organisation searching to drive innovative ways of working in the 21st century.

THE GREAT TRANSFORMATION

A rollercoaster tour across the frontiers of technological disruption.

Connectivity, digital disruption, machine learning and artificial intelligence, intuitive computing, automation, additive manufacturing, decarbonization, regeneration, gene-editing, synthetic biology, brain-machine interfacing. Each of these technological trends are transformative in their own right. Together, they’re a roaring tornado sweeping across the global economy.

History is full of tumultuous moments like this, inflection points that represent a gateway between one world and the next. There are different names, different ideas, for what lies on the other side. “The fourth industrial revolution” or “the next economy. ” For us, it’s even bigger. We call it “The Great Transformation” – a once in a hundred-year upheaval in every industry at once.

Understanding the drivers of this transformation is essential for any organization wishing to navigate the rapidly changing operating environment of the 21st century. Audiences will come away from this talk with the ability to think clearly and critically about technological disruption, a skill that's particularly relevant for leaders who wish to maintain a strategic advantage — and protect their organizations against competitors looking to do the same.

THE ADAPTABILITY QUOTIENT

The most important skill for the 21st century, and how to start cultivating it right now.

Technological disruption requires us to learn faster than we ever had to before. Behaviours we’ve honed for decades are becoming obsolete in a few short years. Combined with a generational mindset shift in how we view the world, many are wondering how to remain relevant. What’s the key quality for success in this world of constant change?

With trademark humour, dynamism and gold-plated research, Future Crunch tackles what the Harvard Business Review calls, “the new competitive advantage.” You’ve heard of IQ and EQ; this century belongs to those that are quick to read and act on signals of change. People with a high Adaptability Quotient (AQ): the ability to thrive in unpredictable environments. Instead of being really good at doing one thing, adaptive people are really good at learning how to do new things.

Drawing on the latest insights from the worlds of technology, neuroscience and management, this talk reveals why the best predictor of success is how individuals and organisations embrace rapid experimentation. Audiences will walk away with an understanding of what it takes to foster AQ, how to identify it in others, and how it can be a superpower for anyone looking to maintain an advantage in the next economy

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