Roger Spitz
World-Leading Authority on Systemic Disruption, Strategic Foresight & Transformative Change
Roger Spitz
World-Leading Authority on Systemic Disruption, Strategic Foresight & Transformative Change
Biography
Roger Spitz is a visionary futurist, venture capitalist, and expert advisor to the World Economic Forum. Before founding the influential Disruptive Futures Institute in San Francisco, he served as Global Head of Technology M&A at a major investment bank, advising on over $25 billion in transactions. Today, he is revolutionizing strategic foresight and systems innovation.
As President of Techistential, the preeminent foresight practice, Roger advises CEOs, boards, and investors on strategy under uncertainty, anticipating disruptions, and sustainable value creation. A renowned expert on AI, Roger coined the term ‘Techistentialism’ and is a sought-after thought leader on the future of strategic decision-making and artificial intelligence.
Roger serves on multiple boards, and is a bestselling author of books Disrupt With Impact: Achieve Business Success in an Unpredictable World and The Definitive Guide to Thriving on Disruption. Fully bilingual in English and French, and having lived in 10 cities across three continents, Roger’s frameworks are adopted globally and feature in leading publications, including the Journal of Futures Studies and MIT Technology Review.
Speaker Videos
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Speaker Showreel
Speech Topics
Catalyzing Positive Tipping Points through Agency, Foresight & Storytelling
Many efforts to address our global crises rely on grim narratives that emphasize a bleak future if we fail to act. Yet, we often neglect the power of optimistic narratives - those that highlight informed opportunities to drive positive transformation. In this inspiring keynote, we will explore how agency, storytelling, and systems thinking are powerful tools that can create impactful pathways toward transformative tipping points.
Humanity stands at a crossroads. As Roger Spitz puts it, “Everything in our world is constantly evolving - except our organizations, strategies, and governance structures.”
Drawing on insights from Disrupt with Impact, Roger’s bestselling book, we’ll explore the power of informed optimism in shaping the futures. The audience will leave with practical frameworks for embracing uncertainty and using storytelling to create virtuous inflection points that catalyze transformation across systems.
Change is Slow, Until It Isn’t: Anticipating Unpredictable Futures
The future of prediction is not about AI or data, but imagination. In a world where disruption has become a constant, it’s time to rethink the fundamentals of underlying change. Welcome to the end of trends.
To contrast metatrends, Roger Spitz introduces the concept of “metaruption,” a multidimensional family of systemic disruptions that cause widespread effects, including shifts in the notion of disruption itself. We’ll also examine why predictions fall short in today’s UN-VICE environment (UNknown, Volatile, Intersecting, Complex, and Exponential). Rather than chasing fleeting trends, the audience will learn to prioritize signals over noise and embrace foresight. Together, we will explore uncharted waters with a compass calibrated for the unpredictable.
The Future of AI & Decision-Making in an Era of Systemic Disruption
Artificial intelligence is rapidly advancing into domains once considered exclusively human. While we’ve long excelled at decision-making, our advantage may be waning. As Roger Spitz explores through his concept of “Techistentialism,” our very existence and decision-making are being fundamentally reshaped by technology.
Automation, cognification, decentralization, digitization, and virtualization are altering every aspect of our lives. How can humans enhance their capabilities to remain relevant as AI advances? What higher-level functions are machines now capable of, and how quickly are they learning? What strategies can we adopt to thrive in a world where AI increasingly influences decision-making?
You’ll leave this keynote with actionable tools and a mindset shift to thrive in a future where human cognition and AI are inseparable.
Anticipatory Leadership: Harnessing Disruption for Sustainable Value Creation
How can you leverage our deeply uncertain, complex, and disruptive world to create sustainable value? Systemic disruptions will redistribute trillions of dollars, presenting opportunities for immense value creation. Those who cling to business as usual will face value destruction.
Disruption’s impact hinges on your perspective, preparation, and the timing of your response. As such, Roger Spitz introduces his renowned AAA Framework, which equips leaders to build Antifragile foundations, develop an Anticipatory mindset, and leverage Agility to bridge short-term actions with long-term goals. Participants will learn how the true power of innovation lies not in its ability to disrupt, but in its potential to inspire and unlock new possibilities. This session will provide actionable insights and frameworks to harness disruption as a springboard for creating sustainable value.
The Next Chapter of Digital Disruption: Industries Blur, New Fields Emerge
The boundaries between industries are rapidly dissolving and spilling over. From agriculture to construction, sectors are converging, fusing, and transforming. Previously separate verticals now collaborate within new ecosystems, defying traditional classifications. The futures are hybrid; in this liminal world, there are no industry boundaries.
Known for his unique keynote talks, Roger Spitz blends exclusive research and insights from the Disruptive Futures Institute, with real-world case studies from his strategic foresight practice, Techistential. This impactful presentation will help leaders, investors, and analysts adopt new perspectives to evaluate companies and industries. Through the Disruptive Thinking Canvas™, Roger provides a practical roadmap to imagine, invent, and prototype the futures we want, where the magic happens as industries converge and new fields emerge.
“The Futures of…”
Alongside his five Call to Impact-themed keynotes, Roger Spitz brings transdisciplinary foresight expertise and venture capital experience in AI, emerging technologies, and sustainability to deliver landmark talks on topics related to The Futures of:
GOVERNANCE & LEADERSHIP
Anticipatory leadership, and the futures of boards and organizations.
TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY
The impacts of technology on society, media, information, and the future of work.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT
Evolving financial landscapes, including investments, asset classes, and insurability.
PROFESSIONS & WORK
The futures of education, careers, and work in the age of AI.
HUMANITY & WELLBEING
Exploring the futures of health, aging, and the human condition.