Series Four This episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Jonas Gissel Mikkelsen, Futurist and Director at The Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, where he heads up business development. Jonas is responsible for creating new initiatives, collaborations and joint-ventures, as well as overseeing publications and managing the Institute's brand & identity.  His primary competencies lie within an abstract ability to create prototypal ideas and an understanding of the larger perspective of initiatives re: the externalities and long-term effects. So, we discuss all of the above, with a particular focus on strategic transformation, Non-Profits and Civic Society. But before all that, we discuss his first job after leaving University...

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Colin Strong, who is Head of Behavioural Science at Ipsos, and a Professor at Nottingham University Business School. He works with a wide range of organisations (both private and public sector) to design and deliver behavioural change through the use of behavioural science. His new book 'Out of Time: the revolution underway in beliefs about being human' is out now. In it, he seeks to make sense of our current state of liminality, and questions what we wish humans to become from this state. So, we discuss all of the above and along the way, Nietzsche, Descartes, the CIA and the late, great Daniel Kahneman all get a mention, along with many others. I hope you'll enjoy listening to Colin as much as I did!

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Hilary Sutcliffe, Director of SocietyInside, who bring together people and ideas to help tech and its governance earn the trust of society. The name #SocietyInside is a riff off the famous brand ‘IntelInside’ and aims to encapsulate their aspiration that we reverse-engineer innovation from the needs of society rather than just create technologies which are in an eternal search for a home.Hilary explores the purpose, risks, ethics, stakeholder involvement and governance of these technologies through research, writing and stakeholder involvement as well as acting as a sounding board & critical friend. She also believes that 'innovation is society in the making'. We therefore discuss all of the above, and in particular, the issues of inclusion, respect, openness and integrity in policy, regulation and organisational culture. She also explains why "trust is not an outcome - not a message, not a slogan. It's the result of someone's belief in your trustworthiness. Focus then on being trustworthy and providing evidence of your trustworthiness". 

Series FourThis episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features the Leadership Advisor & Speaker, Diego Gilardoni, who helps leaders navigate uncertainty by achieving clarity through a future-proofed vision. In the interview, we discuss issues such as cross-cultural management theory, strategic foresight, geopolitical depression (with a focus on the polycrisis), along with cognitive diversity, and the dynamic approach to strategic thinking for which he's renowned. With a background as a journalist in Europe and the US, and as a business consultant in China, Diego provides fascinating perspectives from the intersection of international affairs, communication, business, culture and strategy. 

Series FourThis episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Tom Morton, Global Chief Strategy Officer at R/GA. He helps brands solve the biggest challenges of a changing world: launching and scaling innovation, turning revolutionary technologies into legitimate brands, identifying and winning a radically different next generation of users, defining a purpose to transform the organisation and unlock future growth, developing marketing for today's media and culture, redefining brands from words to actions to create value through interface and innovation, responding authentically to the societal challenges of remote work and racial justice. As a standard setter for creativity and marketing effectiveness, Tom's been a judge for the Effies, Cannes Lions and the IPA Effectiveness Awards, and has won multiple effectiveness awards for increasing revenue and brand equity. As a champion of talent, he sits on the selection committee of the Advertising Hall of Fame and Hall of Achievement to honour diverse leaders who make a positive impact in the creative industries. So, and as you can imagine, we cover a lot of ground in this dynamic conversation: it's not every day that you hear philosophy, psychology and sociology mentioned in the same sentence when discussing brand actions. But first, we have to get past his 'Day One' in agencyland, that saw him tasked with sending faxes to clients. The question is, was he any good as a Jnr Account Exec?

Series Four This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features the renowned futurist Tom Lombardo, Director at the Center for Future Consciousness, Exec Board Member of the World Futures Studies Federation, and Editor at the Journal of Futures Studies. Back by popular demand (and having previously covered 'Top Futurist Books') this time he returns to the series to give an overview of the top movies in science fiction. The biggest problem - of course - was deciding what to leave out (so as to not make this episode several hours long) but Tom still managed to cover a wide range of superb films via his renowned depth and breadth of expertise. So, I hope you enjoy listening as he discusses titles that were produced in the earliest days of the 20th Century to those released to critical acclaim only recently. 

Series FourThe episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Shermon Cruz, the Founder & Chief Futurist of the Center for Engaged Foresight, a global futures innovation and strategic foresight hub..He serves as the UNESCO Chair on Anticipatory Governance and Regenerative Cities at Northwestern University, Philippines.  As a full member of the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF) and a pioneer member of UNESCO's Global Anticipatory Thinking Network (Futures Literacy), Shermon has established himself as a leading figure in the field. He is also a co-founder of the Global Future Society at the Dubai Future Foundation.  Previously, Shermon held significant roles in business continuity management and risk management at PWC, EY, and Accenture.  We discuss his deeply knowledgeable perspectives regarding all things 'futures related' and I hope you enjoy listening to him as much as I did. BTW, Shermon's dog also wanted to join the conversation...so you may hear the odd bark, all the way from the Philippines to wherever you listen to this podcast!

Series FourThis episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Cecile Cremer,  Founder of 'Wandering the Future'. She's a renowned trends expert who explores the 'Added Value of the Future' by translating trends into future-proof business solutions. She's also the first female and youngest ever President of LaFutura Global Trend Network, and Co-Founder of the 'Humanized Tech Awards'. In this interview, we discuss all of the above, along with her viewpoints on issues including 'democratising the future' re: knowledge distribution, approaches on how to build healthier and happier countries, leading-edge thinking on speculative fiction & scenario planning, and of how to develop futures-thinking as a dynamic skillset. She's a really dynamic individual - and I'm sure you'll enjoy listening to her viewpoints.

The podcast features Andrew McLuhan, grandson of Marshall McLuhan. They discuss exploring Marshall McLuhan's library, the relationship between his grandfather and father, pattern recognition, identity, global village concept, and the iconic statement 'the medium is the message'. Topics include mimesis in media studies, cultural shifts, technology's impact on identity, challenges in navigating technology, stress management in modern life, global village concept, and newsletter subscription details.

Series FourThis episode of 'The New Abnormal' podcast features Adam Chmielowski, co-founder at the specialist cultural insight and brand strategy practice, Starling Strategy, who work for clients including Google, Nike, PepsiCo, Pan Macmillan and the National Trust.Adam has worked in the insight and brand strategy industry for nearly 25 years, during which his interests have shifted towards using cultural rather than psychological / individualist approaches, as well as systems and sociological thinking, historical perspectives and a journalistic instinct for storytelling. No one project is the same, but all invariably involve helping brands see alternative paths to the future.He’s also a lecturer on cultural strategy at the University of Bristol’s School of Management, focusing on how the theory translates into practice. We discuss all of the above during the interview, along with his latest undertaking – an MRes at the Cabot Institute, exploring how brands construct sustainability campaigns as cultural strategies, using myth, promoting ideologies, reconfiguring systems and more. So…enjoy the episode!