A highly experienced public speaker, Sean has given keynotes around the world for over a decade, speaking at venues including boardrooms, congress halls, stadiums and festivals. He has also been a university lecturer (on strategy / foresight / comms) for 20 years. When he’s not giving talks, he’s an independent foresight strategist with deep levels of multi-sector experience, delivering #NowNextWhy insights for clients ranging from corporates to agencies to NGO’s, working on national & international projects.
‘Good Business is…Good Business’ – Sean Pillot de Chenecey
He’s also the author of two books: ‘’The Post-Truth Business’ that went to No1, whilst ‘Influencers & Revolutionaries’ was shortlisted for the ‘Business Book of the Year’ Awards. His podcast #TheNewAbnormal features guests from academia to business to activism, and has over 150,000 downloads.
The content of the above, updated with the viewpoints of other thought-leaders, think-tanks and leading-edge reports etc, are often linked to his speeches. Therefore, his talks include a mixture of ‘big-thinker’ references, usually based on these meta-themes:
- Trust
- Innovation
- Hope
Sean’s first book “The Post-Truth Business” went to No1 in the ‘Business Bestseller’ charts and was a finalist in the 2019 ‘Business Book of the Year’ Awards. It was the first business title to connect the areas of trust, privacy, disinformation, ethics and empathy. In speeches referencing it, he takes an inspiring look at how to rebuild brand authenticity, consumer engagement and reputation capital in a distrusting world. The book focuses on subjects relating to brand futures including:
- The impact of fake news, disinformation and the weaponizing of lies
- The safeguarding of privacy, alongside privacy as a tradable asset
- Why brands must create communication with meaning
- Lessons in authenticity from artisans and inventors
- Conscious Capitalism and Brand Activism
- Branding Trust and Reputation Capital
His second book “Influencers & Revolutionaries” focused on best-practice and leading-edge innovation on an international basis. A finalist in the 2021‘Business Book of the Year’ Awards, it describes exciting actions being taken by dynamic organisations across numerous sectors in answer to emerging trends, social issues and changing behaviour. Sean explains why numerous disruptive trends indicate what the future may hold. The book’s subjects include:
- Emerging trends, new consumption patterns and niche areas of growth
- Rejuvenating business tactics via radical thinking and risk-taking
- Leading-edge innovation theory, and an ‘Innovation Manifesto’
- Trend forecasting and scenario planning re: brand strategies
- Innovative approaches to social and environmental issues
- The future city, future home and the future of work
Following a decade with cutting-edge agencies, Sean became a consultant, and has conducted ethnographic research around the world. He’s fascinated by the individuals, movements & events that shine a light on social and cultural change. As a result of this, he has a very deep level of knowledge regarding the genuine issues impacting brands from a ‘Now / Next / Why’ perspective.
Sean has given speeches at marketing conferences and cultural events in cities from San Francisco to Berlin to Tokyo, and from Helsinki to Istanbul to Melbourne. He’s spoken at venues ranging from the Empire State Building to the Houses of Parliament, including boardrooms, theatres, stadiums & festivals. Sean has given many talks online alongside moderating webinars, hosted podcasts, appeared on TV & radio shows, etc. He’s written for int’l business magazines, been quoted across a wide range of int’l newspapers, and has also lectured at universities (on marketing trends and consumer behaviour) for over a decade.
His motivating talks (whether they be to ‘inform, persuade or inspire’) include a powerful mixture of research anecdotes, philosophical theory and ‘big-thinker’ references regarding brand development, scenario planning and business futures.
