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Author, Alchemist, Catalyst
Positive, encouraging, engaging, challenging and upbeat about the future including AI, big data, digitalization, emerging technologies and much more, Dave looks towards The Future of the World of Work.
He looks at “humans plus machines” to combine the best of both. His view is not nihilistic. It’s not “humans versus machines”. It’s being open, engaging, people-facing, achievable and relevant.
Dave’s thorough approach to tailoring his presentations is reflected in excellent feedback. He is invited to speak worldwide for companies, including in law, finance, banks, engineering, construction, schools and universities, food and drink, tech, and many more.
Dave has a tell-it-as-he-sees-it style, and a light-hearted approach. He inspires, enthuses and entertains. He helps audiences to think differently and creatively. His mission is to make people see how technology can help them work smarter. Not harder.
Dave is a superb speaker for live and virtual events (which can be either live or pre-recorded), at Q&A and at interacting with clients to achieve sustained outcomes and excellent results. He has a fully-equipped, professional-quality studio at home in the UK.
Dave’s work as a published thought leader allows him to begin new conversations with audiences to resonate at all levels about the changing nature of work, which requires greater flexibility, collaboration, creativity and innovation.
His clients include Google, Facebook, Vodafone, Dropbox, Connect Plus M25, UBM, New Civil Engineer, CIPD, Communisis, The Law Society, London Business Forum, Richmond Housing Partnership, MCA Insight, Pancreatic Cancer UK, Baillie Gifford, Richmond Events, Gladstone Software, PHD Dubai, The Economist, Mizuho International Bank, Business Centre Association, Mind The Product, Association of Relocation Professionals, Public Service Manager’s Association, Lucy Cavendish College (University of Cambridge) and Nickelodeon.
In December 2017, Dave was invited to open, and to close, the Children’s Global Media Summit over three days in Manchester UK. HRH Prince William was the keynote speaker on Day Two of this important, global event.
Following his success headlining at the Cheltenham Science Festival in 2019 (speaking on the future of the world of work and education) Dave was invited back for multiple sessions in 2020/2021.
Technology geekdom is in Dave’s DNA. A life-long Star Trek fan, he is a former Crystal Maze winner: these attributes all combine to create this friendly, approachable, optimistic, beardy, pony-tailed alchemist. With over 25 years in the technology industry (and via his former “day job” as “Chief Envisioning Officer” at Microsoft) Dave is at the forefront of conversations on how individuals and organisations could benefit from the transformational potential of technology, rather than simply using it to do the same things… but only slightly better.
At Destination Star Trek, he went onstage to speak about a subject close to his heart – how technology, and even innovations referenced in Star Trek, are being brought to life now, changing the way we live and work forever. One of the most influential people in the digital industry, he was nominated as one of the Drum’s Digerati (2013, 2014) BIMA’s Hot 100 (2013) and the Digital Marketing Show’s “Class of 2014”.
Bringing new and exciting thinking to the world of work, Dave’s books Business Reimagined and The Rise of the Humans discuss the need to rethink how we use technology to make it work for us, not against us. The books sold over 12,500 copies. Dave is working on his next book.
The Rise of the Humans (2014) shines a light on the deluge of digital information which surrounds us in work and in life, threatening to overwhelm us. Dave argues that the sheer volume of information often prevents us from ever going deep into subjects and it constrains us from getting the much-needed headspace to think. He claims this deluge often leads us to “snack” on data in a way that’s unhealthy for our minds, working styles and, most importantly, our lives.
With a loyal audience on social media, Dave is a prominent and regular voice at leading industry events and platforms including the RSA, WorkTech, and Cloud World Forum. He was a guest on Sunday Brunch (C4) 31 Dec 2017. His RSA Animate video on the need to re-imagine work has generated over 800,000 YouTube hits to date. His point of view resonates widely.
Addressing the intersection of modern society technology through his public speaking and published work, Dave is spearheading the development of the UK’s IT and digital industries by helping people to understand and aspire to greater outcomes from our use of technology.
Dave is an authority in the industry, on a broad range of topics and a regular contributor in UK and Pan-EMEA media including the BBC, The Telegraph and The Guardian on topics from the future of education, privacy and on-line safety, right through to the Big Data rock stars and the impact of Machine Learning.