The Author

Richard Hames is one of the world's most thought-provoking intellectuals and an influential futurist. He has degrees in music, medicine and computer science. An Australian citizen, educated in Europe and domiciled in Thailand, he is probably best known for his groundbreaking approach to strategic consciousness based on the integration of strategic foresight, peer-to-peer networks, real-time intelligence and living systems design.

A leading corporate philosopher, Richard is an international authority on leadership, strategic learning and global business ecosystems. In collaboration with Marvin Oka, Richard was responsible for developing the Strategic Navigation and Deep Design methodologies - ecologically intelligent, integral approaches to real-time design that are being implemented in forward-thinking corporations globally.

As a strategic foresight practitioner Richard has examined topics ranging from the psychology of conflict to emergent technologies, innovation, Asian economics, urbanization, terrorism, tourism, taxation, health care, social networks, political systems, energy, natural resource management and education.

After a diverse early career Richard was appointed Group Managing Director to AMI, a position which was to earn him an enviable reputation as a charismatic and highly effective leader of change through the transformation of an almost bankrupt business into one of Europe's most dynamic media corporations. He went on to co-found Global Business Network in Australia before establishing The Hames Group (a distributed think-tank and design laboratory comprising thought leaders from all fields of human endeavor) in 1995. Currently he is Distinguished Professor and Founding Director of the Asian Foresight Institute at Dhurakij Pundit University in Bangkok.

Richard is an adviser and futures strategist to governments, global institutions and multinational corporations in the USA, France, UK, China, Japan, South Africa, Australia and Turkey as well as personal mentor to presidents, heads of state, and some of the world's most innovative CEOs. He has been honored with many awards. These include a French Government Scholarship, a Leverhulme European Fellowship, the Mondadori Professorial Fellowship and the initial Lord Attlee Fellowship.

Richard is the author of three frame-breaking books. The Management Myth: Exploring the Essence of Future Organisations (1993);Burying the 20th Century: New paths to New Futures (1997); and The Five Literacies of Global Leadership: What Authentic Leaders Know and You Need to Find Out (2007). He is currently working on his fourth book. Dancing with the Future: The Art and Practice of Strategic Navigation documents the extraordinary methodology designed by Richard and Marvin Oka in 1996 and is a practical guide for organizations who see the need to implement real-time approaches to strategic design and management. This book will be available in July 2009.

Richard is available for keynotes, advisory engagements and strategy workshops in the US, Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe. He is represented internationally by Saxton Speakers Bureau, Australian Speakers Bureau, and Global Leaders Network. Please contact Michelle Bowran at Saxton Speakers Bureau [+61 3 9811 3514] and either Helene Greenham or Simone Pipito at Australian Speakers Bureau [+61 3 9699 4105] for further information on keynotes. Contact Andrew Greatrex at Global Leaders Network [+61 8 8212 1711] to arrange workshops, seminars and strategic development engagements.