Ted Souder

For two decades, Craig Wing has 500+ keynotes to 5,000 global leaders and executives to understand, create and design their ideal futures through imagineering and futures thinking. His expertise include emergent futures thinking, scenario planning, disruptive technologies, emergent business models, company culture and new world of work.

He’s spoken at length on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and Africa’s preparedness to drive this. He converted his car to electric: creating the future, versus merely talking about it! He rejected the chance to head one of Branson’s companies to focus on enhancing South Africa (ZA) and volunteers time mentoring the next generation of leaders.

Craig consulted to the United Nations to create 2050 scenarios for the Nigerian government, moderated the 10th BRICs summit on 4IR with H.E. President’s Xi, Putin and Ramaphosa & PM Modi and delivered a keynote on “the role of disruptive technology to meet the SDG’s.”

He’s hosted sessions at the African Innovation Symposium, head of Innovation for B4SA as ZA recovered Covid-19, adjunct professor at the Indian School of Business (ISB), Duke Corporate Education and others. Clients include UNAIDS, Deloitte, Audi, Tata, Shell, MTN, Airbus, Danone, Nestle, Anglo American, Microsoft, Fidelity, Accenture, Barclays, Investec, Discovery, Standard Bank, BMW, Huawei, Mubadala fund, Indonesian Central Bank, and Indian government.

He was a former radio insert future specialist on Hot1027FM (ZA Radio), created a YouTube mini-series on science and futures and asked to be a TV host for the national broadcaster.

Craig Wing | Futurist Speaker

His PhD was described as avant-garde, ingenious and adds significantly to the area in futures thinking where he developed new frameworks leveraging Rumsfeld’s Unknown Unknowns and Joharis Window. This research allows for leaders to design their ideal future company strategy and create a single metric for their future preparedness: The Future Fitness score.

His research is the foundation for his AI company using human analytics to optimize operations and develop future resilience and his third book called “Four Future Seasons” to quantify the future and draws upon Japanese philosophy, philosophy, and military strategy. He has a BSc (Eng), MSc (Usability) and MBA from Babson College (USA) as a recipient of the prestigious Frederic C Hamilton scholarship for significant entrepreneurial achievement.  During his MBA he was the first “non-American” class president.

He started 5 companies: software venture for partially sighted children, commercialization consultant and silicon valley, cleantech startup launched at 8 U.S and international Universities, profiled at the Clinton Global Initiative and TEDx speaker. As Google head of small business marketing, he launched South African Business Woza online where SME’s created 50,000 websites in its first year: 1 every 10 minutes. He grew revenue YoY by 82% YoY, was African “Googliest Googler” and first GoogleX African. He is an angel investor in disruptive, technology driven startups.

Accolades include: Leadership Forum member, AFLI Desmond Tutu Fellow, AshokaU Changemaker, WEF Global Shaper, Mail and Guardian Top 200 under 35, Destiny Man & African Independent Top 40 under 40, disruptive Innovation speaker at TEDx and Clinton Global Initiative awardee.

He is the youngest graduation speaker at University of Johannesburg and WomEng board member (non-profit inspiring woman into STEM), former chairperson of Moving into Dance (educating disenfranchised youth and the disabled through dance), non-executive and advisor for government entities.

He’s travelled to 52 countries: swam in the Amazon, trekked gorilla in Uganda and Tigers in India, swam with whales in Mozambique, skydived in California, hiked Machu Pichu (and the Great Wall), shark dived (twice!) wept at the Wailing Wall, watched the sun rise over the Taj Mahal and been tear-gassed in Turkey! When not travelling he learnt to play the guitar and considers himself a decent aspiring chef.

He speaks about Bitcoin, AI, Robotics, Genetics, Millennials, CRISPr, Autonomous cars, Customer experience, Innovation and Lean startup.

Countries he has spoken in include: USA, UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Romania, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda, India, Botswana and UAE. He has converted his own car into an electric vehicle – proving he believes what he speaks in creating the future!

Craig Wing is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences including the SA Innovation Awards, Finance Indaba, Manufacturing Indaba, Pioneer Nation, Africa Agri conference & ITWeb Digital Economy and facilitated panels at the African Innovation Symposium with the United Nations.

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