Mark Stevenson

Mark Stevenson is the “reluctant futurist” helping organisations tackle climate, inequality and democracy with sharp systems thinking and wit.

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“Mark is an entertaining and engaging speaker, and has a rare gift for making complex subjects clear and accessible without straying into glibness. We were impressed that several audience members commented that his talk spoke directly to their own desire to create change. Mark is practical yet has the capacity to inspire - you don't get both very often.”

Gaia Marcus

Connected Communities, RSA

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Why you should book Mark Stevenson for your next event

Translates climate, inequality and democracy risks into clear choices for governments, investors, NGOs and corporates.
Co-founder of carbon removals firm CUR8 and strategy lead at Oath, bringing real-world solutions to complex systems change.

Non-binding request for Mark Stevenson

Reluctant futurist, systems-change strategist & sharp-witted advisor on climate, democracy & risk

Mark Stevenson calls himself a “reluctant futurist”, but he is one of the most prominent voices helping leaders face what’s coming with eyes wide open. A strategic advisor to governments, investors, NGOs and corporates, he challenges how organisations feel, think, invest and operate in a world of climate breakdown, deepening inequality, democratic retreat and mispriced risk. Co-founder of carbon removals company CUR8 and Director of Strategy and Special Projects at soil health pioneers Oath, he brings hands-on experience of solutions, not just theories. Add two bestselling books, a hit podcast and a background in comedy writing, and you get a speaker who can make the future both brutally honest and unexpectedly hopeful.

The “reluctant futurist” you actually believe

Mark Stevenson has been branded a futurist for years, but he wears the label lightly. One client’s name for him, “Chief Annoying Question Asker”, is closer to the truth. When you book Mark Stevenson for your event, you invite in someone who will gently but firmly interrogate the assumptions your organisation lives by. He doesn’t peddle shiny tech fantasies or platitudes. He asks the uncomfortable questions the future is already putting on your desk about climate change, inequality, the retreat of democracy and markets that are failing to price risk in any meaningful way.

Mark’s work as a strategic advisor to governments, investors, NGOs and corporates is grounded in systems thinking. He shows how these crises are intertwined, and why they can’t be treated as separate “issues” on a risk register. His focus is on changing how organisations feel, think, invest and operate so they can respond with courage instead of denial, and with practical action instead of vague intentions.

From carbon removal to soil: practising the future, not just talking about it

Book Mark Stevenson for your event and you get a speaker who is deeply involved in real-world solutions. As co-founder of carbon removals company CUR8, he is working at the sharp end of climate action, helping build the infrastructure and markets needed to remove carbon from the atmosphere at scale. His role as Director of Strategy and Special Projects at soil health pioneers Oath adds another crucial layer, connecting climate resilience to the living systems beneath our feet.

These roles give Mark a vantage point far beyond theory. He understands the technical, financial and political challenges of decarbonisation from the inside. That makes his keynotes and boardroom sessions very concrete: he can talk candidly about what works, where the bottlenecks are and how leaders can avoid investing in yesterday’s answers to tomorrow’s problems.

Author of solutions-focused bestsellers

Mark’s two bestselling books, An Optimist’s Tour of the Future and the award-winning We Do Things Differently, have introduced a wide audience to people and projects already building a better future. Rather than dwelling on catastrophe, he maps out existing and proven solutions to our current dilemmas.

In his talks, he draws on stories and insights from these books to show audiences that change is not hypothetical. From innovative approaches to energy and food to new models of governance and justice, he highlights examples that are already working and asks what it would take to scale them. This combination of realism and grounded optimism makes his sessions energising rather than paralysing, even when the subject matter is tough.

Working at the intersection of law, security & climate

Mark Stevenson’s influence extends into law, peace and national security. He serves as Global Ambassador for environmental law firm ClientEarth, championing legal strategies that can shift entire systems rather than just treating symptoms. He has also been a strategic advisor on peace, national security and climate change to the UK Ministry of Defence, an unusual role that reflects how seriously his thinking is taken in high-stakes environments.

For audiences, this experience brings a rare depth. Mark can speak to how climate breakdown and democratic erosion are already reshaping geopolitics, supply chains and social stability. He connects boardroom decisions to their wider consequences, and shows why bold, systemic action is now a matter of prudence rather than idealism.

Humour, heart & the art of systems change

One reason Mark is in demand as a speaker is his unusual background as a successful comedy writer and songwriter. He sees this work as essential to his strategy practice. As he puts it: “The brain does the PR for what the heart has already decided; if you can’t speak to the heart any systems change is dead in the water.”

On stage, that philosophy comes to life. Mark uses humour, storytelling and a sharp sense of timing to make complex systems understandable and emotionally resonant. He helps audiences feel the stakes of the future without losing their nerve. The result is sessions that are memorable, disarming and surprisingly enjoyable, even when the subject is climate risk, inequality or democratic backsliding.

He brings serious content with a light touch, using comedy craft to keep people engaged.
He connects head and heart, turning abstract scenarios into human stories.
He leaves audiences with both a clearer picture of reality and a renewed sense of agency.

A voice for change on stage & in your headphones

Beyond the keynote stage, Mark Stevenson reaches audiences through his hit podcast with comedian Jon Richardson and fellow systems-change advocate Ed Gillespie. Available on all major platforms, the show extends his mission: to explore how we might redesign our systems in ways that are fairer, saner and more compatible with a liveable future.

For event organisers, booking Mark means bringing that same mix of rigour, irreverence and hope into the room. Whether he is speaking to senior leaders, policy makers, investors or cross-functional teams, he equips people to face the future honestly and to act with more courage and clarity.

If you are looking for a speaker who will challenge complacency, illuminate real solutions and keep your audience leaning in, Mark Stevenson, the reluctant futurist and Chief Annoying Question Asker, is a powerful choice for your next event.

Customer Reviews

Gaia Marcus Connected Communities, RSA

“Mark is a rare breed, able to combine scientific knowledge and insight with an engaging and informal style that captivates audiences of all generations. Mark is at ease with his topic providing an inspirational combination of knowledge and enthusiasm. Mark truly helped us to ‘wow’ the audience at our Meet the Future event, providing an insightful keynote that really set the tone for the day.”

Maria Schuett Marketing Manager, Central Hall Westminster

“Mark did a spellbinding job. It was a tremendous speech met with a standing ovation. It is not often that you can hear a pin drop in a room that size – but the audience was enthralled. Wonderful!”

Elliot Pullman CEO, US Space Foundation

“I invited Mark to give the closing keynote at the end of the international Club B conference for family offices held in Budapest. We always like to have something special for the final talk and we certainly got it. In fact, we invited him back to fill the final slot at the Club F philanthropy event later that year in Madrid, where he delivered an entirely different and equally compelling and inspiring presentation. I have no hesitation in recommending him for his thoughtful content and professional, but highly entertaining delivery.”

Peter Fletcher Managing Director, Parly Company SA, organiser of Club B and Club F conferences

“Mark Stevenson’s talk was eye opening, thought provoking and fascinating. It achieved our aim which is to enable our group to walk away as thought leaders; to make them more interesting people and to give them new and fresh perspectives on how much faster they may need to operate to stay alive. Despite his talk taking us on a walk through the wild side of what may happen in areas such as nanotechnology, he grounded the event by reminding us that our personal values are ultimately what will shape the future and we should evaluate and stick to those with vigour. We were impressed and there isn’t, in my view, a speaker in the futurology world that matches his content and extensive knowledge.”

Karen Jones Editor in Chief, Citywealth

“Mark spoke compellingly about future trends in energy and healthcare to a group of our clients, all senior London based asset managers. The audience of portfolio managers have access to the widest possible range of research providers, within and beyond the investment banking industry, yet the feedback on Mark’s talk made it clear that he had achieved real intellectual engagement. Mark’s speaking event for Daiwa was a resounding success.”

Meurig Williams Managing Director, Head of Equity, Europe & the Middle East Daiwa Capital Markets Europe Ltd

Keynotes

Keynote by Mark Stevenson:

The Future and what to do about it

Take a whistle stop tour of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of the next 20 years and why ‘business as usual’ is a recipe for disaster. Covid is really just the beginning of a ‘Long Emergency’ stretching over the next 30 years that will spell the death knell for organisations unable to get on with the business of playing their part in answering the grand questions the future is asking us. How is the landscape of society going to change in terms of technology, energy, governance, health and commerce? What questions should smart organisations be asking themselves? We’re in for a rocky ride, but future-literate organisations have a shot at greatness. Available as either a keynote or masterclass.

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Keynote by Mark Stevenson:

The 8 principles of successful optimists

Having spent 10 years working with and writing about some of the most innovative and extraordinary people and organisations in the world, Mark has distilled this learning down to his ‘eight principles for successful optimists’ that can be used at a personal, team and organisational level. What’s more, they can be implemented immediately with profound effects. Available as either a keynote or masterclass.

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Keynote by Mark Stevenson:

How to get people to change

How do you talk truth to power and get away with it? What does it take for change to go beyond good intentions and turn into action? How do you take people out of their comfort zones and have them thank you for it? The answers are unexpected, but surprisingly uncomplicated. Drawing on his experience advising organisations as diverse as Medecines Sans Frontiers and Virgin, Mark will take you through the theory and practice of moving the immovable, to make a different future. Available as either a keynote or masterclass.

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Keynote by Mark Stevenson:

Innovation in an age of chaos

How can an organisation maintain any kind of innovative edge when chaos abounds? Our increasingly VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world may seem almost impossible to navigate, and yet some organisations and individuals do, remaining relevant even as their competitors flail in the madness. While writing his last bestseller, We Do Things Differently, Mark spent four years in the company of some of the world’s most innovative people and organisations and he’ll distil what he learnt about the principles, techniques and skills they use to stay ahead - and how you can too. Available as either a keynote or masterclass.

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