Mega-trends expert to speak at forum on the future

The Economist’s Dr Daniel Franklin, a world-renowned expert on future trends, will be the star speaker at an exclusive event to discuss New Zealand’s future.

Dr Franklin will deliver the keynote address at the new New Zealand Forum, an invitation-only event hosted by Massey University and Westpac in December.

The forum will identify the global trends shaping the future, and opportunities for New Zealand to show leadership and prosper. It will bring together an exclusive audience of leaders in the areas of business, design, government and academia.

Dr Franklin is The Economist’s executive editor and editor of Megachange – The World in 2050, a book that outlines the mega-trends shaping our future. His presentation will outline the sweeping forces changing our world faster than at any other time in human history.

He will then join a panel of local thought leaders to discuss the implications and opportunities for New Zealand. The panel will include lawyer Mai Chen, Retirement Commissioner Diana Crossan, business commentator Rod Oram, TUANZ chief executive Paul Brislen and Westpac chief economist Dominick Stephens.

Award-winning former political journalist Linda Clark will facilitate a Q&A session that will explore alternative responses to New Zealand’s future issues. The discussion will invite participation from the event’s high profile audience.

Future U competition winner Stephen Lines will bring a youthful perspective to the event when he presents his winning vision of New Zealand in 2050, and challenge attendees to create the sort of country his generation wants to live in.

Massey University Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey says the University organised the forum with Westpac to create a stronger focus on New Zealand’s future.

“Massey is educating the future leaders of New Zealand and, in many cases, that means preparing them for careers that don’t yet exist,” he says. “We want to create a successful vision for our country that we can all work towards, and Massey’s contribution will come through its research and by training our students to think and work in innovative and creative ways.”

Mr Maharey says the University is extremely pleased that Dr Franklin has agreed to be part of the conversation. “He is a world-renowned expert on future trends and was the obvious choice of keynote speaker from the moment we began planning this event.”

Westpac's Managing Director Private, Wealth and Insurance Simon Power says: "Thinking long term is exactly what we as a country need to be doing, and having someone of Daniel Franklin's stature to assist with leading that discussion is an extraordinary opportunity. Westpac is proud to back any forum that gets us focused on what those opportunities may be."

The forum presentations will be posted on the event website at www.newnzforum.ac.nz, and those not attending the event can post questions and join the conversation via twitter @newNZ_Massey.