David Rowan
Founding Editor-in-Chief of WIRED magazine’s UK edition
*Fees are a guide only. Exact cost will be dependent on requirements and are subject to change.
About David Rowan
David Rowan is the founding Editor-in-Chief of WIRED magazine’s UK edition. He is also an impressive author and keynote speaker. In his speeches David explains compellingly how emerging technologies will impact business — and how leaders should prepare now. His has given more than 600 keynotes in recent years, and has received repeat requests to present many times. His clients include Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Google, KPMG, McKinsey, Chanel and Unilever.
David has been a technology columnist for The Times, GQ, Condé Nast Traveller and The Sunday Times. He also hosts a new podcast series about tech founders called Walks with Founders. Furthermore, he is the author of the Amazon #1 business bestseller Non-Bullshit Innovation: Radical Ideas from the World’s Smartest Minds (Penguin, 2019). This book has been published in many countries around the world.
David deconstructs tech trends in real time, unpacking how major innovations like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, autonomous vehicles, and more, are changing businesses and consumers.
He focuses on how technology-led innovation can build prosperity even in economic downturns and amid the COVID-19 crisis. Moreover, David delivers fascinating and knowledgeable presentations full of insight into the future of technology. And he combines these with lively examples and engaging video clips which reveal that, in some cases, the future is already here.
David Rowan’s speeches
David is typically asked to speak about how innovation and technology are likely to impact a particular sector (from manufacturing to motoring), and what incumbent companies can do to protect themselves.
He customises every talk, and in recent months has addressed audiences in finance, fashion, utilities, television, insurance, shipping, travel, real estate and business software. David also speaks a lot about changing business models, and how companies can develop a culture of innovation.
Equally talented as a moderator he has moderated events for the World Economic Forum and the UK and French governments. And increasingly he has been much in demand to host webinars and virtual conferences.
David Rowan’s Investments
He has since invested in more than 60 early-stage tech companies, including two that became billion-dollar “unicorns”. David is also an adviser to Lakestar, one of Europe’s largest venture-capital funds.
His book Non Bullshit Innovation is a 20- country quest for bold corporate innovation in the face of technology-led disruption. It sets out sixteen proven strategies for future-proofing a successful business — helping leaders build resilience in a post-COVID- 19 world.
Incredibly well connected he knows the founders of WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Google, Didi, Spotify, Xiaomi, Nest, Twitter and countless other ambitious start-ups from Tel Aviv to Shenzhen.
Here you can find links to books by Afua Hirsch. For bulk book orders for your event please speak with a member of the team.
WHY THIS IS AI’s “NETSCAPE MOMENT”
How to understand the impact of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools. What they mean for business resilience, the job market, process automation.
FINDING OPPORTUNITY AMID THE CRISIS
Technology offers hope for optimism as we enter an era of uncertainty and financial fragility. Here are the growth opportunities — from re- inventing supply chains to building new brand heroes.
WHY BUSINESS INNOVATION HAS NEVER MATTERED MORE
COVID forced business leaders to move insanely fast to adapt. But how do you build a culture of effective innovation? Here are the lessons from David’s 20-nation quest for non-bullshit innovation.
TEN LESSONS FROM THE NON-BULLSHIT INNOVATORS
David Rowan travelled across the world to understand what it takes for businesses and governments to leverage digital transformation in exciting ways. He shares ten lessons from his new book Non-Bullshit Innovation that can be applied to all sorts of organisations.
WHAT TECHNOLOGY MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF YOUR INDUSTRY
David delivers bespoke presentations for client meetings. Recent subjects have included the future of food and drink (clients including Unilever, Coca-Cola, Barilla); the future of aviation (IATA); the future of real estate (CBRE, Leading Real Estate, Cushman & Wakefield); the future of media (Sky, Schibsted, BBC); the future of healthcare (BUPA, Vitality, Kaiser Permanente); the future of financial services (Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan).
THE FUTURE OF THE WORKPLACE
How to attract talent, and motivate your team to perform its best work, in a fast-changing world when the “workplace” is more fluid than ever before.
THE TEN NEW RULES OF BUSINESS
HOW TO OPTIMISE CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
WHY PURPOSE PLUS PROFIT IS THE NEW MANTRA
EVENT MODERATING
David has moderated events for the UK and French governments; WIRED; World Economic Forum; Pictet; Royal Academy of Engineering. He hosts awards ceremonies, frequently interviews CEOs on stage, and is often asked to host multi-day events.
Testimonials
Testimonials
"The team was blown away and they are a hard group to impress."
"Truly inspirational"
Warner Bros
"You set the tone for the day perfectly, engaging the audience and steering the presenters through a very full agenda. The feedback from the day has been overwhelmingly positive, which is largely due to your dynamism, good humour and professionalism."
David Cameron, 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
"Your contribution at the event was terrific. The content was highly relevant & extremely interesting. Your talk received the highest audience review on the feedback application. The level of your professionalism is unrivalled."
Mercer, Hong Kong
"It went brilliantly: an excellent presentation. A great success!"
Sky Betting
"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
