Keynote Speaking
Alex combines his own experiences, case studies and data to create and deliver thought-provoking keynotes that explore what the future might look like and what you can do to prepare for it.
Upcoming Events Calendar
Here’s a selection of topics I regularly speak about:
The Future of Work
When we think about the future of work, we usually think about the things that are already here. Automation, remote work, and the gig economy aren’t new ideas; they’re just trends we keep renaming and slapping onto conference slides to sound forward-thinking. The real question isn’t what’s happening- it’s what’s about to blindside us next.
In this session, Alex Hagan dives into the chaotic, fascinating, and occasionally ridiculous forces reshaping work in the decade ahead. How will AI and automation change industries (and why does every company think adding a chatbot is innovation)? What skills will actually matter in the future job market? And how do we prepare for a workforce that’s evolving faster than corporate IT can roll out a software update?
Expect big insights, bold predictions, and a reality check on what’s actually coming—without the doomsday scenarios or the empty corporate buzzwords. Whether you’re a leader trying to future-proof your company, an employee wondering how to stay ahead of change, or just here because you heard that software vendors were giving out free pens in the expo hall, this session will leave you smarter, entertained, and maybe even excited about what’s next.
Emergence: The Art and Science of Creating the Future
We live in a world moving so fast that by the time you finish reading this sentence, at least three new tech trends will have emerged, two industries will have declared themselves “disrupted,” and someone will have written a LinkedIn post about why AI is just like jazz.
Organisations everywhere are struggling to keep up. We’ve all heard the horror stories—Kodak ignoring digital cameras, Blockbuster laughing off Netflix, entire industries confidently marching toward irrelevance. But here’s the thing: complexity isn’t the problem. It’s the opportunity.
In this keynote, Alex Hagan breaks down the difference between companies that suffer from complexity and those that thrive because of it. He’ll show you why trying to “simplify” the future is a fool’s errand, and why embracing uncertainty might be the smartest (and most profitable) move you can make. Expect practical strategies, real-world examples, and a few much-needed reality checks on what it actually takes to create the future—instead of just reacting to it.
Automation is Coming—Which is Great, Because You Hate Your Job Anyway
Let’s be honest: AI and automation are changing the workplace at a terrifying speed. But also, let’s be really honest: you weren’t exactly in love with your job to begin with. If a robot can take over the soul-crushing, mind-numbing, “this meeting could have been an email” parts of your work, is that really a bad thing?
In this keynote, Alex Hagan takes a hilariously sharp, painfully accurate look at how AI is reshaping work—not by eliminating jobs entirely, but by forcing us to rethink what work should actually look like. Forget the doomsday predictions; this is about who’s using AI to work smarter, who’s being left behind, and why you should probably stop manually formatting spreadsheets like it’s 2008. You’ll walk away with practical strategies for leveraging AI before it leverages you, the key skills that actually matter in an automated world, and maybe even a little relief that the robots are here to help (sort of).
This is not a session about fear—it’s about opportunity (and, okay, maybe a little existential crisis). Expect big laughs, blunt truths, and an AI reality check that will leave you feeling more prepared, less panicked, and possibly ready to delegate half your job to ChatGPT.
Where’s My Hoverboard?
We were promised flying cars, robot butlers, and vacations on Mars. Instead, we got self-checkout machines that yell at us and an AI that still can’t figure out the difference between a dog and a muffin. So what happened? Why does the future always seem to underdeliver in some ways—while completely blindsiding us in others? And where’s my hoverboard?
In this fast-paced, entertaining, and insight-packed keynote, Alex Hagan unpacks the hits, misses, and total surprises of technological progress. He’ll break down why some innovations arrive ahead of schedule while others are forever “just five years away” (looking at you, driverless cars). More importantly, he’ll explore what this means for business, work, and staying ahead in an era where change is both wildly unpredictable and faster than ever.
This session is a wild ride (but not on a hoverboard) through the future we expected, the future we got, and the future that’s still on the way.
