Digitally Curious

As a Futurist I get to explore new inventions and track the progress of all kinds of technologies. But how did we get so smart to be able to dream all of these things up? Until I interviewed Byron about his new book Stories, Dice, and Rocks That Think: How Humans Learned to See the Future — and Shape it I hadn’t given this any thought.It is a fascinating read and looks at what makes the human mind so unique and also explores the three leaps in our history that made us who we are—and will change how you think about our future.Clearly, we humans are radically different from the other creatures on this planet. But why?Byron argues that we owe our special status to our ability to imagine the future and recall the past, escaping the perpetual present that all other living creatures are trapped in.Envisioning human history as the development of a societal superorganism he names Agora, Reese shows us how this escape enabled us to share knowledge on an unprecedented scale, to predict—and eventually master—the future.Thoughtful, witty, and compulsively readable, Reese unravels our history as an intelligent species in three acts:Act I: Ancient humans undergo “the awakening,” developing the cognitive ability to mentally time-travel using languageAct II: In 17th century France, probability theory is born—a science for seeing into the future that we used to build the modern worldAct III: Beginning with the invention of the computer chip, humanity creates machines to gaze into the future with even more precision, overcoming the limits of our brainThe book is a fresh new look at the history and destiny of humanity, you will come away from Stories, Dice, and Rocks that Think with a new understanding of what they are—not just another animal, but a creature with a mastery of time itself.We also discussed:What is a Futurist?Why Byron wrote the bookThe structure of the book into 3 actsPascal's 1654 moment on reasoning & ProbabilityHuman brain capacity in 1654 vs nowThe 21 told storiesThe power of storytellingAre we being overloaded with stories?What about "fake news" and untrue stories?Act 3: The rocks that thinkWhat will the next 50 years look like?Where will AI help us innovate?The half-life of a job2001: A Space OdysseyActionable advice for predicting your futureMore on ByronByron's websiteByron on TwitterBuy the bookThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

Quantum physics has already changed our lives, thanks to the invention of the laser and the transistor, both products of quantum theory. Almost every electronic device we use today is an example of quantum physics in action. I believe we may now be on the brink of a second quantum revolution as we attempt to harness even more of the power of the quantum world. Quantum computing will impact many sectors, including healthcare, energy, finance, security, and entertainment. However, significant practical challenges must be overcome before this level of large-scale impact is achievable.One of the companies at the forefront of this revolution is IBM.To better understand Quantum Computing, its advantages and its uses, I spoke with Richard Hopkins, an expert in this field.Richard is an IBM Distinguished Engineer and Fellow of the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering.  He was also the nineteenth President of IBM's Academy of Technology. Richard became President after 25 years of field experience as an IT Architect.We covered everything from Quantum 101 right through to how Quantum might help solve some of the world's biggest challenges - a fascinating episode for anyone who has heard of Quantum and wondered - just what is it? We also covered:What is Quantum Computing?How does a Quantum Computer work?When did IBM’s involvement in Quantum start?What is “Quantum Advantage”?The era of “batch computing” is here againWhen would you need to use a Quantum Computer vs a standard computer?The limitations of Quantum ComputersEdge computing and QuantumWorking together as an industryRichard’s journey to working in QuantumBecoming “digitally curious”The future Quantum jobsNon-technical roles in QuantumSectors that can benefit most from QuantumThe IBM Quantum networkIBM’s Quantum roadmapAI and QuantumThe risk of Quantum and encryptionThe need to be “cryptographically agile”The good uses of Quantum ComputingThree actionable actions to better understand the promise of QuantumResources mentioned in this episodeSpeakers for SchoolsIBM Quantum ComputingThe Eisenhower MatrixThinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel KahnemanMore on RichardRichard on LinkedInRichard on TwitterRichard Hopkins RobotsThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

In keeping with the renewable energy theme, and on the back of my 2 part series on the Genpact Envision Racing partnership, this podcast features Shell Recharge solutions.We will hear from Euan Moir about how they are expanding their electric vehicle recharge network across the country into homes and offices, but also look into the future, when national electricity grids will be able to deliver as well as receive energy from electric vehicle batteries. I first came across the Shell Recharge brand when I discovered an electric vehicle charging location in Fulham at a revamped Shell facility in west London.We also covered:Shell Recharge Solutions overviewHome, work and on-the-go solutionsTowards the target of net-zeroGateway to the broader Shell businessEV Driver survey report resultsAugmenting the existing infrastructure for smart chargingNational Grid capacity for EV chargingHow smart charging worksUsing charging data to provide better servicesThe change in driver behaviour requiredThe ability to sell energy back to the gridUsing renewable energy to charge EVsNew property considerations for EV chargingWhat's the future of EV charging?Innovation at Shell Recharge SolutionsHow is Shell using the data collected?Green number plates in the UKThree actionable things to better understand the benefits of sustainable mobility solutionsResources mentioned in this episodeShell Recharge SolutionsEV Driver Survey Report 2022Emotion by designLast.FMMore on EuanEuan on LinkedInThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

We know that technology is rapidly changing and it seems heard to keep up sometimes. We’re told that we need to become lifelong learners and this is hard for most of us that lead busy lives, but how does the Former CEO of a 100,000 person company valued at over $4Bn keep constantly learning?This is a question I posed to Tiger Tyagarajan, Former CEO of leading professional services company Genpact on the latest episode of the Actionable Futurist® Podcast.He is one of the industry leaders who pioneered a new global business model and transformed a division of General Electric (GE Capital International Services) into Genpact, a global professional services firm delivering digital transformation solutions for clients. Genpact has more than 100,000 employees and annual revenues of $4 billion USD as of December 31, 2021. Tiger was appointed as Genpact’s chief executive officer in 2011 after serving as chief operating officer.I was a guest of Genpact at the London E-Prix held last weekend at EcCeL London as they sponsor the Envision Racing Team.As I learned in part 1 of the series when I interviewed Chief Digital Officer, Sanjay Srivastava this sponsorship goes way beyond having the logo on the car.Tiger explains in his episode how the partnership came about, and learnings to date. We also explored a range of other areas in our 35 minute chat including:How has Genpact changed in the 22 years Tiger has been thereThe story behind Tiger's nameTips for being a lifelong learnerUsing podcasts to facilitate continuous learningRe-skilling and upskilling at GenpactEmpathetic LeadershipBuilding leaders in a remote environmentThe Future of work - People. Place. PurposeThe importance of purposeHow the Envision Racing Team partnership came aboutUsing AI within Genpact to help clientsKey learnings from the Envision Racing PartnershipLearnings from the other Envision Racing sponsorsKey learnings from the pandemicWhat Tiger looks for in new employees & jobs of the futureTiger's involvement in Catalyst & the importance of diversity and inclusionThree actionable things to become a lifelong learner I’ve enjoyed getting up and close with the Formula-E cars, and also seeing how they are literally defining the future of electric vehicles, from energy management, battery design, power., braking, regeneration and overall awareness that there is a path to sustainable transportation.Thanks to Judith Schunke - head of Genpact Marketing EMEA and also their CMO, Stacy Simpson for making the day so enjoyable, and Liam Rawson and the team at The Hoffman Agency.Resources mentioned in this episodeGenpact websiteWinning Redefined: Genpact’s involvement with Formula-ECrossing data and AI: The Genpact and Envision Racing storyEnvisioThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

Our guest is world-famous and while you may not heard of her, you may have heard her voice!Aussie-born and now back in Australia, Karen Jacobsen’s speaking voice is in over 1 Billion GPS units and smartphones worldwide giving directions.From a single voice-over booking, she created her empowerment brand “The GPS Girl”, teaching the five directions for “recalculating" in business and life.An award-winning Singer and Songwriter, Karen's musical career highlights include sharing the bill with Norah Jones, Neil Sedaka and Christopher Cross and singing the national anthem at major sporting events including 80,000 people at the Giants Stadium for the New York Jets.A TEDx speaker, Karen has enjoyed wide media coverage including the NBC Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, the CBS Early Show, The New York Times, NY Daily News, Glamour magazine, being named one of People Magazine's Most Intriguing People and she hosted her own web series "Navigating New York with The GPSGirl".Karen's voice is in demand in the studio as a Voice-Over artist recording customised voice systems and advertising campaigns and in-person as an entertainer and speaker for Corporate events around the globe.As an Author, Karen’s book "The GPS Girl's Road Map for Your Future” gives direction for getting more of what you want in business and life.We covered a range of topics includingKaren's Hero: Olivia Newton-JohnHow Karen became "Aussie Karen" in SiriHow the recording process workedHow Karen uses voice interfaces in real lifeWill AI replace the human voice assistant completely?The time Karen found out she was the voice behind "Aussie Karen"Karen's Son's reaction to his mummy being in her phoneKaren's most interesting voiceover jobThe GPS Girl and corporate audiences on recalculatingTransferrable skills from a signer to a corporate presenterThe new reality of performing in a post-covid worldAdvice for people wanting to perform as a singer or speaker and how to build confidenceTips for improving your public speakingHow Karen recalculated in March 2020Karen's new life in The Whitsundays, AustraliaThe blueprint for a real ambassadorThe magic about The WhitsundaysThree Actionable tips for recalculating your next destinationResources mentioned on the showA Passionate Life - Ita ButroseTourism WhitsundaysOlivia Newton-JohnMore on KarenKaren on LinkedInKaren on TwitterKaren's Music WebsiteThe GPS GirlThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

High-growth, high-performance companies need to do extraordinary things to remain competitive. I recently had the opportunity to see how leading professional services firm Genpact is leveraging their sponsorship of the Envision Formula E Racing team in ways beyond what they imagined when they teamed up in 2018.I was invited to Silverstone, the home of British Racing to view first-hand the Envision Racing cars, as well as speak to one of the team drivers, Robin Frijns  as well as Team principal, Sylvain Fillipi, and understand how Genpact’s partnership is giving the team a competitive advantage.Owned by leading digital energy company Envision Group, Envision Racing is one of the founding and leading outfits in the FIA Formula E World ChampionshipAs we will hear in my 2-part podcast series, the championship is more than just a racing series, it's a battle for the future. Formula E cars, powered by pure electricity, are paving the way for the cars of tomorrow.Genpact is a principal partner of the team, and as we will hear from Genpact’s Chief Digital Officer, Sanjay Srivastava, their partnership goes way beyond their logo on the cars.Genpact powers many of the solutions to analyse the reams of data from the car after each race and provide actionable insights to tune the car for peak performance under race conditions.Sanjay explains in the first podcast: “Not only have we helped deliver performance on the racetrack, not only have we helped with the race against climate change, we've actually taken these learnings and applied it to a real business.”My discussion with Sanjay was wide-ranging and covered many topics around data, analytics, and how the learnings from the racetrack are making it into their customer engagements in a meaningful way. This podcast is timely, ahead of the London 2022 E-Prix to be held this weekend at ExCeL London – home of the world's first indoor/outdoor circuit where I will be a guest of Genpact to record a second podcast with Shibu Nambiar, their Chief Operating Officer.Resources mentioned on the showLeonardo Da Vinci by Walter IsaacsonMore on Sanjay Sanjay on LinkedInSanjay on TwitterGenpact WebsiteMore on SylvainSylvian's BioEnvision Racing WebsiteLondon 2022 E-PrixDisclaimer: This podcast was a paid partnership with Genpact. I was solely responsible for the content of the podcast.Thanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

What does playing soccer in your youth have to do with being the CEO of a high-growth tech company? If you’re Christina Kosmowski from LogicMonitor then it has everything to do with how to coach a team for success. Christiana was an early employee at Salesforce where she helped to develop their customer success program, and later did the same at Slack.  Her Twitter bio describes her as a customer-obsessed CEO changing the very role of IT with customers at the centre. She is a Wife, Mother, Engineer, STEM advocate, and Soccer lover. As CEO of LogicMonitor, Christina is responsible for accelerating the company’s hypergrowth and delivering on its brand promise of helping C-level executives and their teams thrive through transformation.  Prior to assuming the role of CEO, Christina served as LogicMonitor’s President, leading go-to-market strategy, R&D, customer success and operations.  Christina came to LogicMonitor from Slack, where she spent four years building and leading Customer Success and Enterprise Go To Market Teams and also spent 15 years at Salesforce, where she oversaw functions including renewals, consulting, support and customer success.  This is s a fascinating episode to peek inside the workings of a successful Software as a Service company and understand how they delight customers.  In this episode we covered:  The difference between customer success and customer service   The difference with a Software as a Service business   Biggest learnings from Customer Success teams at Slack and Salesforce   Becoming a customer-obsessed CEO   Sharing insights across clients by connecting them   Collaborating with clients   Christina’s authentic personal brand   Lessons from the pandemic   The “where is Christina” channel in Slack   Adapting management styles due to the pandemic   Analysing customer losses   How Christina’s engineering training has helped her career   What Christina said “yes” to multiple opportunities   Advice for secondary school students   The influence of soccer on leading teams   Why human relationships should be an industry priority   Christina’s Personal “board of advisors”   Selecting mentors   The best piece of business advice ever given   Innovation at Logic Monitor   Best practices to develop a customer success program   Promoting STEM in schools   Connecting the sales & engineering teams   What’s the future of customer success?   Quickfire round   Three Actionable tips to delight your customers   Resources mentioned on the showThe Leader you want to be - Amy Jen SuMore on Christina  Christina on LinkedIn Christina on TwitterThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

I've always been fascinated by how technology can improve healthcare, and over the years at my keynote talks, audiences have asked me for my view of what's next.Finally, I managed to grab two leading figures on this subject: Dr Simon Wallace, Chief Clinical Information Officer at Nuance Communications, and Umang Patel, Chief Clinical Information Officer at Microsoft to help explain this important topic.Simon is a GP & public health doctor providing consultancy services to healthcare organisations. He has 20 years of commercial experience modernising & improving the delivery of healthcare. Previously he was at Hutchison 3G, AXA,  GSK & Worldcare UK.Umang has worked across commercial and public sectors in healthcare both from payor and provider perspectives and was an early employee at Babylon Health, commercial leader at Aviva, and a NHS Leadership Academy Fellow and practising clinician at Frimley Health.On the back of the news that Microsoft has agreed to acquire Nuance Communications for $19.7 billion and the transaction is now approved and complete, I spoke to Simon and Umang about how significant this alliance is for the future of digital health.They are both passionate clinicians and have a deep understanding of how healthcare will be improved with the use of the latest technologies.I managed to ask many of my "What's the future of healthcare" questions I've wanted to ask for a while, and also confirmed some of my futurist predictions.In this wide-ranging chat, we covered:The Nuance & Microsoft AllianceNuance & conversational AIFuture health plans from MicrosoftCan technology restore the NHS to full health?Open data vs patient privacyThe power of AI in transforming healthcareWhat we've learned from the pandemic about driving innovationThe success of the NHS appImporting fitness data into health systemsThe untapped power of speech & AI in healthcareWhat does the Healthcare Professional of the future look like?What does the Hospital of the future look like?The promise of a "digital pill"Using voice to establish patient wellbeingSimon's & Umang's proudest projects3 Actionable things to better understand the benefits of digital health solutionsResources mentioned on the showUnited Nation The Case for Integrating IrelandBetter Off Dead: Jack ReacherKaren Jacobsen - "Aussie Karen" Siri voiceMore on our guestsThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

In a world full of misinformation, which media sources can you trust?Enter The Conversation, an independent source of news analysis and informed comment written by academic experts, working with professional journalists who help share their knowledge with the world and deliver truthful stories that anyone can read and understand.To learn more about this unique resource, I spoke with Chris Waiting, Chief Executive Officer of The Conversation UK.Chris previously held senior management positions at the BBC and more recently at the Associated Press. He holds an MA from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from the London Business School.We discussed a number of important topics including:How The Conversation democratises knowledgeConversation's roots in AustraliaHow The Conversation addresses the decline in media trustHow The Conversation differs from mainstream mediaThe Future of Journalism in the age of misinformationThe rise of Fake NewsHow data influences the stories coveredThe tagline "Academic rigour, journalistic flair"The business modelFact-checking storiesResources mentioned in the showTim Marshall - Prisoners of GeographyMore on ChrisChris on LinkedInChris on TwitterThe Conversation websiteThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

Public relations is no longer just about sending press releases - increasingly PR has become integrated with sales and marketing functions and relies upon practitioners having a solid grasp of data. To find out more about the future of PR and communications, I spoke with Heather Kernahan, the Global CEO of Communications company Hotwire.Heather has spent her career immersed in technology and moved over to Hotwire from Eastwick Communications after its acquisition in 2016.Prior to this, she was at Autodesk, where she focused on integrated brand communications and led the development of the company’s first sustainability report.Heather says she “builds outrageously successful teams, companies and brands”, and is the author of an upcoming book UNSTUCKABLE, to be published in 2022.We recorded this episode live and in person at Hotwire’s London office.Hotwire has a concept called "Behaving famously" - which means purposely going out and making connections with people; It’s an expectation of everyone that works at Hotwire, no matter the role - you need to behave famously.We discussed a number of topics related to communications and PR including:How PR has changed during Heather's careerThe most effective campaign over the last 12 monthsHow dynamic can communications be?The need for data literacy in PRThe role of PR in revenue generationSelling more "shirts and shoes"Account-based Marketing (ABM)PR reps as business peopleThe role of PR in remote sellingThe importance of your digital first impressionDiversity and inclusion in modern communications practicesThe Hotwire Into Tech initiativeEvolving the agencyHotwire's team "Behaving famously" Content that cuts through the noiseCoaching Executives around thought leadershipAre print and broadcast still important in the comms mix?Meeting the needs of a 24-hour news cycleBranded content opportunitiesHeather's upcoming Book - "Unstuckable"The one key message from the bookThe importance of Podcasts in the PR mixUsing LinkedIn for promotion & recruitmentLessons from the pandemicThe role of data in the PR company of the futureQuickfire round3 Actionable tips for using communication in your businessResources mentioned in the showDavid Goggins: Can't Hurt meJane Wurwand: Skin in the gameMore on HeatherHeather on LinkedInHeather on TwitterHeather's WebsiteHotwire Global websiteThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious