An Interview With Thought Leader, Broadcaster and Author, Professor Noreena Hertz

Renowned thought leader, broadcaster and author,  Professor Noreena Hertz  speaks to us at our Knowledge Guild event about global trends, geo-political risks, and 'Generation K' - the post-millennials.

Hi Noreena, could you please tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm Noreena Hertz, I'm an economist and a thought leader. I'm really interested where economics hits up against business, society, politics, psychology - and I'm interested in trying to figure out where the world is going and what the world is going to look like over the next 2-3 years.

Who are Generation K?

For the past 4 and a half years I've been extensively researching a generation that I call 'Generation K'. I call them 'K' after Katniss Everdeen, the heroine of the Hunger Games, because unlike for the older millennials for whom the wolrd was their oyster, for this generation the world is less oyster, more hobbesian nightmare - unequal, dystopian, harsh. They're very different to the millennials. They are really distrustful of big business and they don't want to passively consume, they want to co-create. They're also extremely anxious not only about traditional young-people's issues but about the world at large - 76% worry about climate change, 72% are worried about getting into debt.

Generation K - named after Hunger Games heroine, Katniss Everdeen.

What will their role be in the future of work?

They're already a market worth £130 billion in Europe, and within 2 years they will make up a third of the global workforce. For employers and for brands, getting your heads around just how different this generation are is absolutely essential.

What’s next for you?

I'm continuing to research extensively at the moment around two things; the rise of populism among young people, and the positive and negative impacts of artificial intelligence on business and society. I'm also continuing advisory work. I work with some of the world's leading CEOs, presidents and prime ministers thinking really deeply about some big strategic issues. I'm also on the board for Warner Music so I'm staying on top of what's current in the charts!

Thanks so much for speaking with us Noreena!

For more info. about  Noreena Hertz  or any of our speakers, call us on +44 (0) 20 7607 7070 or email us at  info@speakerscorner.co.uk .

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