Overview C/O THE tRAINER

This course illuminates how using foresight can transform innovation - a view based on many years of experience, working on an international basis, on behalf of leading agencies & brands, alongside NGO & Govt clients.

In doing so it will challenge mainstream approaches, as the majority of innovation across multiple markets is known to end in failure. I believe that for those who seek 'problems to solve' utilising foresight on innovation activity is a more effective way of moving from insights to ideas to impact.

This is set in an interconnected context of volatility, uncertainty and disruption; whilst innovation has evolved from a competitive advantage into a defining feature of economic survival and growth. 

Essentially, my course illuminates a ‘Now / Next / Why’ approach to the overall subject and application of innovation, ranging from product & service creation to policy & business model development.

Hence, like innovation itself, the course is intended to show a different way of doing things that adds value, and enable delegates to thrive in this environment.

Course APPROACH

• Moving beyond incremental or ‘copy - paste’ innovation models, the course introduces foresight as a powerful framework for exploring multiple possible futures and using these insights to inform present-day decision-making. 

• Delegates will engage with leading-edge thinking and diverse global perspectives to better understand how innovation operates across sectors, where breakthroughs cascade between disciplines and industries.

• Participants will gain a structured understanding of futures literacy, geopolitics and governance, anticipatory leadership, trust and reputation, and the relevant balance between dystopian risks and action-based hope. The course also contrasts design thinking vs approaches based on foresight, highlighting why present-focused methodologies often fall short in rapidly evolving markets.

• A central theme is the paradox of innovation: while it drives growth and progress, it is also characterised by high failure rates, resistance from incumbents, and uneven outcomes. Delegates will explore how factors such as talent, intangible assets, platform ecosystems, and interdisciplinary collaboration are reshaping value creation, alongside key external pressures including AI, energy constraints, and geopolitical shifts.