Catherine Ball Keynote Speaker

• The Next 10 Futures: A Playbook for the 2030s and Beyond

The future never arrives in a straight line: it arrives as a cluster of possible futures, each shaped by technology, climate, demographics and culture. In this keynote, Dr Catherine Ball maps out ten critical futures that will define the 2030s and beyond: from longevity and labour, to synthetic biology, autonomous systems, and space-as-infrastructure. Rather than predicting a single outcome, Catherine gives leaders a practical playbook for scanning signals, building scenarios, and making better decisions today for a world that refuses to sit still.

Key takeaways:
• Why thinking in plural futures beats single-line predictions for boards and policymakers.
• A practical framework for turning weak signals (AI, biotech, space, quantum, climate tech) into strategic choices.
• How to build “future‑literate” teams and governance that can adapt to surprise.
• Concrete actions for the next 12–24 months to de-risk the 2030s.

• The Indo‑Pacific Century: Technology, Climate and the New Map of Power

From undersea cables and semiconductor supply chains to AI regulation and climate migration, the Indo‑Pacific is becoming the world’s decisive theatre of change. In this keynote, Dr Catherine Ball unpacks how technology, climate and demographics are rewiring power across the region and what it means for business, education, and government. Drawing on her work at the intersection of emerging tech, oceans, and policy, Catherine shows how organisations can read the new “map” of influence, risk and opportunity from Singapore to Sydney, Delhi to Tokyo. This is geopolitics in plain English: no doom & gloom, just informed, actionable foresight.

Key takeaways:
• The five forces reshaping power in the Indo‑Pacific: tech, trade, talent, territory and temperature.
• How AI, space, drones and digital infrastructure are becoming geopolitical assets – and liabilities.
• What regional fragmentation and climate pressure mean for supply chains, talent, and regulation.
• A boardroom checklist for making geopolitically aware decisions on investment, data, and partnerships.

• Tech with a Soul: Human‑First AI, Robots and Digital Twins

We’re rushing to adopt AI, automation, robotics and digital twins – but to what end? In this talk, Dr Catherine Ball argues that the real competitive advantage isn’t just having advanced technology, but designing it with a soul: human‑first, ethical, and aligned with planetary limits. Audiences will explore case studies from drones to healthcare, from smart cities to industrial twins, and learn how to move from “shiny object” pilots to meaningful, values‑driven transformation. This is a roadmap for leaders who want all the benefits of emerging tech without losing trust, talent or purpose.

Key takeaways:
• A clear, non‑technical explanation of AI, robotics and digital twins and where they actually add value.
• How to bake ethics, inclusion and environmental limits into your technology strategy from day one.
• Practical guardrails for avoiding bias, surveillance creep and “innovation theatre”.
• How to talk about tech in the boardroom: questions directors and executives must be asking right now.

• Keys to the Future: Signals from the Noise

Board-level horizon scanning in emerging technologies

In a world where every week brings a new “game-changing” technology, boards are being asked to make decisions on tools they have barely heard of, let alone deeply understood. This confidential, board-focused briefing cuts through the hype to surface the real signals from the noise.

Drawing on live intelligence from university labs, deep-tech start-ups, global conferences, and closed-door conversations with investors and regulators, Dr Catherine Ball maps the converging technology trends that matter most for governance, risk and opportunity. From AI agents and sovereign data infrastructure to synthetic biology, space systems, and the longevity economy, this session shows where capital, capability and regulation are actually moving: not just where the headlines are.

Rather than predictions, the focus is on decision-readiness: what questions directors should be asking now, how to stress-test strategy against the next 3–5 years of disruption, and how to embed horizon scanning as an ongoing part of board practice.

Key Takeaways:
• Decode emerging tech signals into boardroom insight.
• Prioritise opportunities while calmly mapping material risks.
• Embed practical horizon scanning into governance rhythms.