Book Smart Cities & Urban Futures Speakers

Gerd Leonhard is a leading global Futurist and Digital Ethics expert, whose bestseller Technology vs. Humanity is available in 12 languages. He has delivered over 2,000 keynotes across 70+ countries, reaching millions live. As a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies and governments, he provides bold insights into the future of AI, digital transformation, and business. His unique "super-keynotes" use immersive media to challenge audiences to shape the future for the better, making complex trends feel thrillingly real.

Dr. Peter Diamandis is the Founder of the XPRIZE Foundation and the Executive Founder of Singularity University. He is an MIT-trained engineer and a Harvard-trained physician, recognized for his visionary approach to technology and business. As a serial entrepreneur, he has started over 25 companies and is a co-founder of BOLD Capital Partners, a venture fund focused on exponential technologies. His bestselling books, including Abundance and BOLD, inspire leaders to think exponentially and tackle the world's grandest challenges for profit and purpose.

Peter Zeihan is a globally recognized expert in geopolitical strategy and a New York Times bestselling author, known for his ability to synthesize demography, economics, and security to forecast global shifts. His firm advises energy majors, financial institutions, and the U.S. military on building resilient operations and supply chains. His keynotes provide accessible, irreverent, and relevant takeaways on globalization, energy futures, and the collapse of the post-WWII world order.

Bjarke Ingels is the founder of BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and a leading visionary architect and urbanist. He was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and received The Wall Street Journal’s Innovator of the Year Award. His philosophy centers on designing sustainable cities that adapt to climate change and human needs. His keynotes, drawing from his books like Yes Is More: An Archicomic and HOT TO COLD, offer deep insights into innovative design and how to create adaptive architectural solutions for a constantly evolving world.

Dan Buettner is a National Geographic Fellow and #1 New York Times bestselling author who discovered the world’s "Blue Zones"—the regions of exceptional longevity. He is the Host and Co-producer of the Emmy-winning Netflix series, Live to 100. He is a 3x Guinness World Record holder for distance cycling, lending credibility to his focus on health and endurance. As a keynote speaker, Buettner provides research-backed strategies on longevity, well-being, and happiness, and the core lifestyle changes needed to dramatically improve the health of entire communities.

Uri Levine is a serial entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of Waze (acquired by Google for $1.1 billion). He is also an investor and first board member of Moovit (acquired by Intel for $1 billion), cementing his status as a key figure in high-growth technology ventures. As a keynote speaker and workshop leader, Levine shares his experience through his "Cookbook for Startups," empowering entrepreneurs and business leaders with practical strategies for market disruption and value creation. His presentations focus on entrepreneurship, market evolution, and solving big, impactful problems.

Dr. Parag Khanna is a leading global strategy advisor and the founder of FutureMap. He is the bestselling author of books like Connectography and The Future is Asian, offering deep, data-driven insights into global trends and geopolitical strategy. He is a frequent media commentator and TED speaker whose talks have been viewed millions of times. As a keynote speaker, he provides tailored briefings to corporate executives and government leaders on systemic risks, technological disruptions, and market entry strategies, helping organizations navigate the shift toward an increasingly multipolar and interconnected global order.

Steven Van Belleghem is a globally recognized expert on Customer Experience (CX) and a bestselling author. His latest book, A Diamond in the Rough, was named the #1 must-read business book for 2024 by Forbes. He is the Co-founder of Nexxworks, an inspiration agency, and a marketing professor at Vlerick Business School. His keynotes provide a visionary approach to CX Strategy, detailing how to transform human and digital roles, and leverage AI not for the sake of technology, but for creating customer benefits like hyper-personalized offerings.

Tony Seba is a top-ranked futurist, Amazon bestselling author, and the Co-founder of the think tank RethinkX. He is a world-renowned forecaster of disruptions in energy and transportation.

Richard Florida is a leading urbanist and the author of the international bestseller The Rise of the Creative Class. He is the founder of the Creative Class Group, a global advisory firm that guides cities and corporations on economic growth strategies. His work, which includes the book The New Urban Crisis, provides deep insights into the challenges of gentrification and social inequality within successful cities. As a highly sought-after speaker, he leverages his extensive knowledge to help organizations and audiences understand the dynamics of urban studies, economic platforms, and the future of work.

Daniel Burrus is a world-renowned Futurist and strategic advisor to Fortune 500 companies, celebrated for his exceptional accuracy in predicting technology trends and disruptions. The author of bestsellers including Flash Foresight and The Anticipatory Organization, his philosophy centers on leveraging Hard Trends to anticipate disruption and achieve a competitive advantage. His keynotes provide leaders with practical strategies for turning change into an opportunity for exponential growth.

Scott D. Anthony is a globally recognized expert on disruptive change and a two-time Thinkers50 most influential thinker. He is the former CEO of Innosight and a Professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. The author of eight books, including Dual Transformation and the bestseller Eat, Sleep, Innovate, his work provides a practical playbook for forward-thinking organizations. His keynotes are highly sought after for their actionable insights on building a culture of innovation and mastering the art of converting ambiguity into strategic opportunity.

Professor David Daokui Li is a leading Chinese economist and a top policy advisor, having served on the Monetary Policy Committee of China’s central bank. He is a Professor and Director of the CCWE at Tsinghua University. With degrees from Tsinghua and Harvard, his expertise lies in Chinese economics and policy, trade, and comparative economics. His keynotes provide audiences with unmatched insights into China’s economic trajectory and the internal policy discussions that shape global markets.

Nikki Greenberg is a world-leading futurist and multi-award-winning keynote speaker specializing in digital transformation for the real estate and corporate sectors. She is the founder of Women in PropTech. As the former Head of Technology Strategy for Real Estate at QIC (with a $70B portfolio), she provides a unique balance of visionary and practical advice. Her keynotes focus on AI, the future of work, and what leaders should do today to be future-ready for the digital economy.

Dr. Mark Esposito is a globally recognized expert in AI, the circular economy, and the forces of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He is a Faculty Affiliate at Harvard University and the Co-founder of the AI solutions firm Nexus FrontierTech. The author of over a dozen books, including the bestsellers The AI Republic and The Great Remobilization, he advises executives and governments globally. His keynotes bring clarity to complex issues, equipping audiences with actionable strategies for building resilient organizations and effectively embedding machine learning into core business processes.

Wayne Hemingway is a designer, an entrepreneur, and a leading voice on urban regeneration and social responsibility. He is the co-founder of Red or Dead, a global fashion brand. His work is a powerful testament to the power of a bold vision and a commitment to a more human-centered and purpose-driven approach to business. A compelling keynote speaker, Hemingway provides a clear and practical guide to mastering sustainable design and social responsibility. He speaks on entrepreneurship, leadership, and the importance of a more human-centered approach to business. His talks are ideal for leaders and teams.

Stephen Goldsmith is the Derek Bok Professor of Urban Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School and a renowned expert in data analytics for local government. He formerly served as Mayor of Indianapolis and Deputy Mayor of New York City. As a leading author on local government, his books include The Responsive City and A New City O/S. His keynotes provide actionable strategies for leaders on how to govern data, how to build a smart city, and the power of open, collaborative, and distributed governance to enhance public and private sector performance.

Cathy Hackl is a leading global futurist and technology strategist, often called the “Godmother of the Metaverse.” She is an External Partner at BCG and the Founder/CEO of Future Dynamics, her foresight lab. An Ad Age Leading Woman of 2023 and a prominent voice on CNBC and The Economist, her expertise spans AI, spatial computing, and next-generation consumer behaviors. Her keynotes are dynamic and tailored to inspire actionable change and strategic vision for navigating today's rapidly evolving technological landscape.