'Reluctant Futurist’ Mark Stevenson is a strategic advisor to governments, NGOs and corporates, helping them face the grand systems challenges of our time and understand their (changed) role in meeting them, or dying gracefully if they need to. Though branded a ‘futurist’ by others Mark is more, as one client puts it, ‘Chief Annoying Question Asker’. He helps organisations change the way they feel, think, invest and operate in order to answer the intertwined questions the future is asking us - on climate change, inequality, the retreat of democracy and the failures of the markets to price risk properly (to name just four). His clients include the Ministry of Defence, Medecines Sans Frontiers and The Production Group (working with the world’s biggest tour managers to create the regenerative tour). His two bestselling books, An Optimist’s Tour of the Future and the award-winning We Do Things Differently map out some existing and proven solutions to our current dilemmas. He also enjoys a successful side career in comedy and music, which he regards as essential for maintaining key skills needed in his strategy work. “The brain does the PR for what the heart has already decided, if you can’t speak to the heart any systems change is dead in the water.” His hit podcast with comedian Jon Richardson and fellow systems change advocate Ed Gillespie is available on all major platforms.

People often ask me: ‘what can I do in the face of climate change when it's such a huge problem?’ – and one of my immediate answers is ‘support and champion ClientEarth’. James and his team create action today that brings about the systems change we need for a sustainable future – and they’re succeeding day-in, day out. I can think of no more important organisation and no better expression of the pragmatic optimism we need going forward. In short ClientEarth rock harder than a Teutonic metal band heading into an electrical storm on the back of Harley’s playing blistering guitar solos while wearing Viking helmets and some serious leather. Come along for the ride. They’ll make you fall in love with the future again.