Introduction: Creating the Future 2019
Roger Weatherby, CEO Weatherbys Private Bank

Chief Executive Roger Weatherby welcomed our guests and introduced the three topics for the day: the future of democracy, how recent advances in neuroscience and technology are set to revolutionise medicine and healthcare and the ever more urgent need to prevent climate change to protect the environment.  He also explains the rationale for Creating the Future.

To read Roger's speech, please click here.

Change and how to do it
Mark Stevenson, Futurologist, Author & Entrepreneur

Futurologist and award-winning author Mark expanded on the day’s themes and explained why we need change. He looked at how to question assumptions, how systems change works and how to build organisations that can do it.

Can democracy bridge the generation divide?
Professor David Runciman, POLIS, The University of Cambridge

Democratic politics increasingly sets older voters against younger ones. Age is a bigger driver of how people vote than class, income or gender. The generation divide is at the heart of the fight over Brexit and the rise of populism around the world. David explored the causes of intergenerational conflict and what it means for the future of democracy.

Hacking democracy
Carole Cadwalladr, Journalist

Investigating and calling out the ‘gods of Silicon Valley’ for being on the wrong side of history in one of the most perplexing events in recent times: the UK’s super-close vote to leave the European Union. Carole uncovered a barrage of misleading Facebook ads targeting vulnerable Brexit swing voters and links the same players and tactics to the 2016 US presidential election. She discussed whether free and fair elections were a thing of the past with our MC Oli Barratt.

Bring back the Green Cross Code
Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman, Ogilvy

Often people are happy to do something through persuasion which they would never adopt through compulsion. There are three levers for behavioural change typically employed by government. Legislation, economic incentives and voluntary persuasion. The third is used less than ever before. Rory told us why we should try persuasion first.

Regenerative neurology – the future
Professor Siddharthan Chandran, The University of Edinburgh

Disorders of the ageing brain are a major public health threat. Our brains are the most complex organ we have – the last area of human discovery – which explains why in over 40 years we’ve failed to find cures for neurological diseases like Parkinson’s, MS and Motor Neurone Disease. Now disruptive technologies, including artificial stem cell creation, are offering opportunities to accelerate the discovery of new medicines and we are on the cusp of a revolution for regenerative neurology.

The wrong data
Maxine Mackintosh, Co founder One HealthTech

Conditions like dementia are complex and remain undetected for many years before symptoms emerge.
In recent years, large datasets like electronic medical records have provided a new source of information to investigate these diseases. But in reality, data capturing sickness information may only tell us when we will get sicker, not before. Maxine explained why we are looking at the wrong data when it comes to predicting and preventing diseases.
 

Our gut, mental health & ageing
Tim Spector, Genetic Epidemiology

Tim talked us through how the recently discovered 100 trillion microbes in our gut are key to our health and happiness. With the same numbers as cells in our body, these little chemical factories influence our brain, our mood, our energy levels and anxiety and maintain our immune system. Our microbes are unique, whilst our DNA is less so; they offer the key to personalised medicine.
 

Let's fix climate change
James Thornton, ClientEarth

We have the solutions to all major sources of climate change, and ordinary people have the power to help make them happen. The young are rising, and there are global legal campaigns to shut down coal, save biodiversity and move toward clean energy and nature and human friendly agriculture. We can save civilisation and find meaning while we do so.

Eliminating the idea of waste
Laure Cucuron, TerraCycle

Only 9% of plastic is currently recycled. By 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish.
No matter how much recycling rates improve we need to address the root cause. This means replacing our single use, throwaway culture – moving from disposable to recyclable packaging – Laure explained how.

The future of water security
Giulio Boccaletti, The Nature Conservancy

We are at a tipping point in our relationship with water. Humanity is over-using resources, our inability to adequately value water and invest in the systems we depend on threatens human health, prosperity and even, in some cases, political stability. Giulio put forward the case for a fundamental re-evaluation of the relationship between nature and economic growth in the 21st century.

Doughnut Economics for the 21st century
Kate Raworth, Economist

Kate talked about humanity’s 21st century goal – to meet the needs of all people within the means of the living planet – and the economic mindset that will give us the best chance of getting there. She shared some of the core ideas from her book “Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist”, and described how she is now working with cities, businesses, communities, and teachers to scale these ideas up and bring about transformational change.

Telling the truth, Extinction Rebellion
Dr Gail Bradbrook & Dr Gabrielle Walker

Leading environmentalist and author Gabrielle Walker talked to Dr Gail Bradbrook, one of the Founders of Extinction Rebellion. Since its launch in May 2018 XR has become a global movement across 63 countries. Learn how the organisation started; its key aims and challenges. Hear Gail’s reflections on the Spring Rebellion, what has been achieved so far, and the importance of this Autumn Rebellion starting on October 7th.