Graham Norris
Change Psychologist and Futurist
Paralysed by change and demoralised by uncertainty, companies hire Dr. Graham Norris to help them think more confidently about the future so they can make great decisions. An award-winning speaker, Graham is currently the Chief Futurist at CIPS and this year's Conference Futurist at The Meetings Show. In his entertaining keynotes and workshops, Graham shows audiences how hey can cultivate the futurist within them, lean into the uncertainties and become agents of change, rather than victims of it. His TEDx talk Be More Futurist has inspired over 50,000 viewers, and through his newsletter, The DIY Futurist, he shows leaders how to develop foresight as a competitive advantage.
Book Graham
Biography
Imagine creating real strategic value by turning uncertainty into clarity and making decisions with confidence, even in the face of complexity.
Dr. Graham Norris is an award-winning business motivational speaker and futurist who helps organisations transform how they think about the future. His work is grounded in practical frameworks and brought to life with inspiring stories that engage audiences and motivate them to navigate uncertainty with clarity, purpose and conviction.
With over two decades of global experience, Graham has seen firsthand how “strategic whiplash” undermines organisational effectiveness and paralyses leaders. His mission is to change that dynamic, equipping decision-makers with the foresight and adaptability they need to thrive in an unpredictable world.
He is currently the Chief Futurists at CIPS.
Previously, Graham was a journalist for more than a decade, working with organisations such as Dow Jones Newswires and the Financial Times. His TEDx talk, Be More Futurist, has inspired more than 50,000 viewers to break free from short-term thinking, and his daily newsletter, The DIY Futurist, continues to help leaders cultivate foresight as a competitive advantage.
International Leadership Speaker
Graham’s international background makes him a trusted voice with audiences around the world. He spent 20 years working in rapidly changing Asian markets, including senior roles across Taiwan, Singapore, Japan and mainland China, where he advised multinational companies such as adidas, Intel, Microsoft, Lenovo, Canon, Molson Coors, Volkswagen and Novartis. In Europe, he has served as COO of the foresight-driven start-up Supertrends Institute and as trustee of an international charity supporting youth development.
Graham holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and earned a doctorate researching change and adaptability in multinational corporations. He has also studied strategic foresight at Oxford University.
Whether he is speaking on stage, facilitating strategic workshops, or coaching senior teams, Graham’s focus is always on delivering a seamless, high-impact experience that leaves audiences inspired, confident and ready to embrace the future.
Let’s create a future you can feel excited about.
What I Currently Do
Speaking Topics
The Future-Confident Leader: Making Bold Decisions in an Uncertain World
Making strategic decisions has never been more complex. Even the most seasoned leaders are feeling the strain of relentless geopolitical upheaval and rapid technological change. It’s tempting to retreat and wait for clarity. But inaction is the riskiest choice of all. The most successful organisations are those that lean into uncertainty and cultivate Future Confidence. Rooted in psychology and drawing on proven futurist techniques, this dynamic and highly interactive session empowers you to shift from hesitation to conviction. You’ll uncover how your personal mindset influences your decisions, learn to embrace uncertainty, and discover how to craft compelling future narratives that inspire alignment and action. By the end of this session, you will: > Understand your relationship with uncertainty, and how to use it to your advantage > Apply Full-Spectrum Thinking to today’s most pressing challenges > Create bold, energising visions that mobilise your entire organisation Are you ready to stop fearing the future and start leading it?
Beyond the Hype: Finding Clarity in the Age of AI
We’ve been talking about artificial intelligence for years, yet it’s still unclear what it actually means for our work. Every day brings a fresh wave of headlines, expert takes, and conflicting advice. It’s overwhelming. And with the stakes so high, making the wrong move on AI can feel catastrophic. Move too soon and you risk wasting time, money, and reputation. Wait too long and you may be left behind. But here’s the truth: AI is not magic. It’s simply the latest in a long line of transformative technologies — disruptive, yes, but manageable with the right mindset. In this uplifting and energising session, Graham cuts through the noise. Drawing on historical patterns and futures thinking, he’ll help you take a long-range perspective and move forward with clarity and confidence. You’ll learn how to stay focused on what matters, evaluate the real opportunities and risks, and make smart, strategic decisions in a fast-moving world. By the end of this session, you will: > Focus on the AI developments that truly matter, and tune out the hype > Explore both positive and negative scenarios to make more balanced decisions > Think more strategically about your role in shaping the future Yes, AI brings uncertainty. Now's the time to lean into it.
Smash the Silos: Cultivating a Shared Sense of Purpose
Misaligned goals and departmental silos aren't just frustrating — they're costing your organisation millions in lost opportunities and diminished performance. Traditional top-down strategy cascades often create disconnects between leadership vision and frontline execution. What if you could transform competing interests into collaborative momentum? The Vision Pyramid framework bridges the gap between high-level strategy and day-to-day operations. This practical approach aligns motivation at every organisational level, creating natural incentives for cross-functional collaboration. In this energising session, you'll discover: > How to create goals that simultaneously serve individual, team, and organisational success > A proven method for translating abstract strategy into actionable priorities > Specific techniques to foster genuine buy-in at every level Through real-world case studies and interactive exercises, you'll learn to build a strategic framework that naturally dismantles silos and unleashes your organisation's collaborative potential. Ready to transform your strategy into shared success?
Media Appearances
Showreel 2025 2H
Showreel for Dr. Graham Norris.
Be More Futurist
Our ambitions for the future depend on the decisions that we make today, but do we need to be futurists to make great decisions? In this engaging talk, organisational psychologist and futurist Dr. Graham Norris explains how anyone can cultivate their futurist mindset by making the connections between the past, future and present. The result? The ability to escape the noise of the present to think more creatively and confidently about what we want from the future. Dr. Norris is the founder of Foresight Psychology, a consultancy that works with companies going through change, helping them think more clearly about the future so they can realise their ambitions. Previously, he spent 20 years in leadership roles in Asia as a journalist and marketer. Our ambitions for the future depend on the decisions that we make today, but do we need to be futurists to make great decisions? In this engaging talk, organisational psychologist and futurist Dr. Graham Norris explains how anyone can cultivate their futurist mindset by making the connections between the past, future and present. The result? The ability to escape the noise of the present to think more creatively and confidently about what we want from the future. Dr. Norris is the founder of Foresight Psychology, a consultancy that works with companies going through change, helping them think more clearly about the future so they can realise their ambitions. Previously, he spent 20 years in leadership roles in Asia as a journalist and marketer. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Feedback
"Graham was thought-provoking, entertaining and took time to make what he was saying relevant to us. I definitely recommend him."
Dominic Walters
"Graham was a pleasure to deal with, professional, clear and concise and followed our brief, he also took the time to work with our sponsors at the event which was just fantastic and very well received. Graham was thought provoking and offered some really practical tips to our delegates."
Caroline Cassidy
"Many thanks Graham, really loved your presentation. People were talking about it and the key concepts all evening."
George Konstantinidis
"His presentation was very well received by the audience and helped set the scene for the rest of the day’s agenda."
Lisa Moyle
"Graham provided an excellent keynote at our CIPS Futures Conference in London and brought a thoughtful and thought-provoking way of thinking about the future."
Matt Howell
"He has a real passion for his field which makes each speech incredibly meaningful and impactful to the audience."
Clayton Baxter
"This session not only challenged existing mindsets but also equipped professionals with powerful frameworks for embracing ambiguity and building long-term resilience. Feedback from the session was overwhelmingly positive."
Sergio Gallego-Schmid
"Graham, I just wanted to thank you from all the team yesterday. It was great to see them so inspired and motivated to want to make change."
Charmaine Jackson
"Graham's message fit perfectly with the wider conversations we’re having as an organisation about resilience, perspective, and how we move forward through challenging periods. He showed us how mindset shapes our response to uncertainty and navigating change, and people were still talking about his session long after the event."
Jennifer Kemp
"Graham's talk was entertaining and highly relatable to the team. He was the cornerstone in our wellbeing week, and the immensely positive feedback reflected how engaging and enjoyable the session was."
Kate Gardhouse
"The feedback we received was ALL very positive – your talk was one of the best talks we’ve ever had. You engaged our colleagues from the start, kept them fully engaged throughout, and delivered on your promise to give people tools. I don’t know how else to say it was brilliant!"
Jelka Zalar
Enquire about booking
