Our Conversations

In 2017, following Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States, the impact of Technology on the election, and the polarisation across social media platforms, we curated a conversation asking, “Can we really trust technology?”

In conversation with thinkers from across industries, including Bruce Daisley, then UK CEO of Twitter, Lindsay Holst, digital manager for Vice President Joe Biden, Jeremy Waite, IBM, Javier Former VP of Marketing at Coca-Cola, and Matthew Luhn, Pixar we explored the role technology has on ourselves, our relationships, our businesses and society.

Are we living in a tension of new and old models of leadership? Can we address this tension by exploring different definitions of what it means to lead and building new models of leadership? 

In place of traditional definitions of leadership, be it in government, business or religion, the next generation finds their leadership through community, culture and connection. What it means to lead today is no longer about a single point of view but a community moving towards a common goal or north star. Leaders can be found in music, in sport, in art, and family and community, arubly turning the traditional model of leadership on its head. 

By inviting different generations to share what leadership means to them, what characteristics we look for in our leaders and how that manifests in our daily lives, we find common ground, and look build understanding, change our thinking and ease tension in businesses and institutions, developing leadership models that serve our teams, students, and, ultimately, our organisations and our society.

New is new is news. In the face of a struggling publishing media landscape and technological innovations changing our news consumption, how can the traditional media landscape retain its role in society, holding leaders in business and society to account whilst establishing itself as a leader in its own right?  

Have we moved away from news saturation into a desire for critical thinking? Are we now seeking leadership through transparent, informed opinion that holds key characters in business to account and offers valuable insight into the future of economics, policy and industry? Should traditional media houses revert to the importance of investigative journalism whilst assuming the responsibility of educating the next generation on the importance of fact over fiction or critical thinking over entertainment? Is there a new media that can lead society by balancing the demands of publishing media today and evolving economic models?