The New Abnormal

Series Three In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview Rob Hopkins,  cofounder of Transition Town Totnes and Transition Network,  and author of numerous books including 'The Transition Handbook, The Power of Just Doing Stuff, and most recently, From What Is to What If: unleashing the power of imagination to create the future we want'.   He presents the podcast series 'From Wha...

Series Three In this episode of The New Abnormal,  I interview Stefan Rollnick, Head of The Misinformation Cell at Lynn, a consultancy who believe that when you inject behavioural science into communications, you can build campaigns that do what’s important: create the behaviours needed to positively change the world.   With a background in politics and campaigns, Stefan has provided strategic con...

Series Two This episode of #TheNewAbnormal features Gustav Martner, Head of Creative (Nordics) at Greenpeace.  Having worked with numerous leading agencies (inc being Exec Creative Director , EVP (Europe) and MD (Sweden) at CP+B ), he's also been a member of numerous award juries, including The ONE Show, Art Directors Club, Cannes Lions, D&AD, and NY Festivals.  Gustav has also been the C...

Series Three In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal I interview Alex Quicho,  Head of Cultural Intelligence at Canvas8. Her research into identity, ethics, and technology has been published widely, including in Wired, Bookforum, and a monograph for Zero Books. She is an associate lecturer in speculative futures at Central Saint Martins and holds a master’s degree in cultural criticism from the Royal C...

Series Two This episode of 'The New Abnormal' features Brooklyn-based John Seabrook, a staff writer at The New Yorker since the 90's as well as being the author of a range of superb books including ' The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory' / 'Nobrow: The Culture of Marketing—The Marketing of Culture' / 'Deeper: My Two-Year Odyssey in Cyberspace / 'Fla...

Series Three This reposted episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features James Hurman 'a creative person from Auckland, New Zealand'. He founded and continues to lead Previously Unavailable, an innovation studio that provides innovation and CX consulting and new product, brand and business design and development. James is also a co-founder and director of Tracksuit, a SAAS business that pr...

Series Two  In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast, I interview Jon Cohen, the author of "Asking for Trouble: understanding what people think, when you can't trust what they say".  The aim of the book is to enable the development of more creative concepts, braver public policy and more compelling marketing communications through a better understanding of response. He's also...

Series Two In this episode of 'The New Abnormal' I interview Sara Wheeler,  a prize-winning non-fiction writer noted for her accounts of the polar regions. Her books include the international bestseller Terra Incognita , which tells the story of a seven-month journey in Antarctica. The Daily Telegraph reviewer wrote of it, ‘I do not think there will ever be a better book written about th...

Series Three This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Tom Johnson, MD at the consumer insights and futures consultancy, Trajectory. He's a researcher, trends analyser and forecaster with  a mass of experience leading complex insight and foresight projects for clients including Vodafone, British Council, Department for International Trade, General Medical Council, McCann and many more...

Series Three In this episode of The New Abnormal, I interview Steven MacGregor.  He's a global expert in workplace health, wellbeing and performance with PhD and Master's degree in design thinking and virtual teams.  Steven is also founder of The Leadership Academy of Barcelona. and author (or lead co-author) of six books in the past 12 years, notably 'Chief Wellbeing Officer'...

Series Two In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview Christian van Nieuwerburgh, Executive Director of 'Growth Coaching International' and Professor of Positive Psychology at University of East London.  An international authority in the field of coaching, he's a renowned public speaker who regularly presents on the topics of motivation, engagement and leadership.  We discuss h...

Series Two This episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast features Dr Jennifer Mercieca,  author and Professor at Texas A&M University; an historian of American political rhetoric whose research combines history, political theory / philosophy / science.  Her latest research is on how ubiquitous propaganda has ruined our public sphere and what we can do about it. As an author, she writes about America...

Series Two  In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast, I interviewed Lucie Greene, who is a forecaster, strategist and author specialising in cultural trends, consumer insights and brand innovation.  Having relocated to NYC from L.A. she set up her futures practice 'Light Years' having previously led JWT's global futures think tank JWT Intelligence.  She also launched their renowne...

Series Two In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interviewed Graham Black, Owner/Creative Director at BureauxBlack Design, and a Lecturer at Falmouth University; whose particular areas of expertise are in the arts, culture, sport, literature and current affairs.  His early agency career focused on the music industry, designing record sleeves and advertising campaigns for clients inc Virgin, EMI an...

Series Two  In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast, I interview the filmmaker, photographer and story finder Simon Kreitem.  He's also the CEO at Lonelyleap, a collaborative, transatlantic team of strategists, directors, cinematographers, designers and producers; whose films are based on human truths.  They communicate at a deep level, stimulating intelligence, feeding curiosity and inspi...

Series Two In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview Sophy Roberts, journalist and author of 'The Lost Pianos of Siberia'.  She focuses on travel stories in remote parts of the world, with a special interest in literature, history, culture and conversation. The ex-Travel Editor of The Economist and a Special Correspondent for Conde Nast Traveller, she shoots articles as well as wri...

Series Three In this episode of 'The New Abnormal' I interview the renowned journalist and author Ian Williams, who was Foreign Correspondent for Channel 4 News, based in Russia and Asia, before joining NBC News as Asia Correspondent, when he was based in Bangkok and Beijing.  As well as reporting from China over the last 25 years, he has also covered conflicts in the Balkans, Middle Eas...

Series Two  In this reposted episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview Julian Boulding, owner of 'thenetworkone' which is the world's largest independent advertising & marketing agency network, with over 1,200 agencies in 109 countries.  They also provide “open source creativity” and communications services from independent agencies, for a growing number of leading int'l mark...

Series Two  This episode features the amazing Dan Burgess. He's spent 25 years working at the leading edge of creative engagement, eco-innovation, creative activism and cause-led campaigning.  As he says "there's an enormous regenerative and creative potential in care, love, empathy, responsibility, generosity, co-creation and participation". In his opinion, these are the most...

Series Two In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview Stephen Colegrave, the Executive Editor & Co-Founder of the Byline Times, Byline TV and Byline Festival.  He's also a film producer and author of three books. The Byline Times is a fearless independent newspaper, featuring a daily national news and investigation site that's all about "what the papers don't print&quo...

Series Two  In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal I interviewed Richard Watson,  Futurist-in-Residence at Judge Business School, Cambridge University.   He helps organisations to think, especially about emerging opportunities and risks. Particular interests include emerging tech, AI, robotics, education, energy, and water.  Richard has written extensively on societal trends and the impact of technolo...

Series Two In this reposted episode of #TheNewAbnormal I interviewed Matt Rivitz, founder of the activist community "Sleeping Giants".  (He's also a freelance copywriter - his past jobs inc being Creative Director of TBWA/Chiat/Day and Senior Copywriter at Goodby Silverstein & Partners).   After witnessing the public rise of racism and sexism in the media and social media in 201...

Series Two In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal podcast, I interviewed Mark Vernon, a psychodynamic psychotherapist, writer and broadcaster, who has a keen interest in spirituality and the inner life. He has a PhD in ancient philosophy, as well as degrees in physics and theology. His books (which have appeared in translation around the world) cover subjects from friendship and belief, to wellbeing a...

Series Three In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interviewed Kathleen Higgins, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas, at Austin.  Kathleen's main areas of research are continental philosophy, philosophy of the emotions, and aesthetics.  She has published a number of books: Nietzsche's “Zarathustra” , The Music of Our Lives,  A Short History of Philosophy,  A Passion for Wi...