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Christina von Messling
Futurist; Head of Europe & Senior Foresight Manager, the Future Today Institute
- Leading foresight practitioner who advises Fortune 100 companies and world governments on how to adapt to emerging tech and global trends
- A widely respected authority on AI, extended reality, and synthetic biology and the groundbreaking shifts they’re causing across industries
- Leads a lively exploration into how to create cultures of innovation and spark growth
- Has created future scenarios for companies across verticals, including food and agriculture, food, insurance, and entertainment
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Christina von Messling is a forward-thinking multi-industry thought leader and strategist whose methodology and insights are sought out by Fortune 100 businesses and world governments as they prepare to chart the path to the most successful futures for their organizations. As the head of Europe and senior foresight manager at the Future Today Institute (FTI), a global foresight and strategy firm founded by world-renowned futurist Amy Webb, von Messling collaborates with clients to learn their organizations and industries inside-out and guide them to the untapped opportunities that exist, and that can be created, to innovate their businesses, disrupt their industries, and become the standard that other companies seek to emulate. Von Messling has led cutting-edge teams across the world in the life sciences (pharma, health, food and agriculture, chemicals) and entertainment industries, and combines a global perspective with in-depth, holistic knowledge of technology, societal dynamics, and the other main drivers of change.
Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, von Messling is a compelling voice who leads audiences on a riveting deep dive in which she helps them navigate the ever-evolving markets and spot — and adapt to — the signals of change that stand to reshape their industries. With a uniquely creative eye and a balanced focus on technology (especially AI, extended reality, and synthetic biology) and quantitative and qualitative global trends, von Messling walks audiences through exercises that empower each person to adopt the mindset of a futurist in order to envision strategic scenarios for their organizations, and trigger discussions on how to facilitate the change needed to turn ideal scenarios into tangible realities. Additionally, she draws upon her deep expertise in climate and energy innovation to talk through the potential impact on industries, as well as why organizations that prioritize sustainability are best positioned to thrive in this rapidly changing world.
Throughout her career, von Messling has operated as the intersection of digital transformation, creativity, and turning data into tangible business breakthroughs. She has created future scenarios for the world’s leading pharmaceutical and insurance organizations, and led foresight research for one of the world’s leading food companies. She also has more than a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and advises on the effects of AI and extended reality on all aspects of entertainment production and consumption. As the FTI’s head of Europe, she is focused on helping leaders and their teams decipher the geopolitical, economic, demographic, and cultural particularities in their regions, as well as
their interplay in a global context in order to drive their businesses forward. She is the author of the “Climate & Energy,” “Health,” and “Entertainment” sections of FTI’s yearly Tech Trends Report, which receives more than one million annual downloads. Prior to joining FTI, she held roles as an innovation consultant at TLGG (an Omnicom agency), where she advised Fortune 100 companies on how to utilize emerging technologies in support of their objectives. Before that, she was the VP of social media at a New York tech startup, where she created and led the global communications department, and was a creative director for advertising who spearheaded campaigns for leading brands, including Shiseido, Siemens, and JC Penney. Her strategic acumen has positioned her as a coveted mentor guiding the next generation of visionaries as a coach for an MBA-level graduate course on strategic foresight at New York University’s Stern School of Business.
A truly globally minded foresight practitioner, von Messling is fluent in German and splits her time between London, Berlin, and New York City — immersing herself in diverse cultures and driving the type of cross-cultural collaboration that creates boundless possibilities for organizations.
AI, XR, Synthetic Biology, and the Other Emerging Trends Impacting Your Industry. In this keynote, Christina von Messling, head of Europe and senior foresight manager at the Future Today Institute, draws upon her qualitative and quantitative research into geopolitics, economics, demographics, regional cultural particularities, and emerging technologies to help the audience decipher and adapt to the dynamic forces that are reshaping their organizations and industries. As von Messling explores the possibilities that artificial intelligence, extended reality, synthetic biology, and other emerging trends and technologies present to businesses and society, audiences will gain a more profound understanding of which new technologies to integrate in support of their business goals. Emphasizing the transformative power of intentional foresight and why it’s a necessary practice for every organization, von Messling offers a uniquely creative perspective into how leaders and their teams can identify that opportunities that will enable them to create new and profitable avenues for their businesses.
Synthetic Biology: The Next Frontier of Industry Evolution. Alongside AI, synthetic biology is among the most important emerging technologies that organizations need to be aware of as they plan their path toward continued growth. As a sought-out advisor on synthetic biology for businesses across an exhaustive range of industries, Christina von Messling offers groups a clear and comprehensible introduction to synthetic biology and why its impact will be at least as far-reaching as that of AI. While von Messling is considered among the leading experts on the ways in which synthetic biology is revolutionizing healthcare, agriculture, and energy, she also possesses deep expertise and customized insights into its potential to transform other industries of interest to the audience. As she shares, every organization and industry that is working with or producing materials will see groundbreaking shifts because of the advances in synthetic biology.
Unlocking the Innovation Advantage in Your Organization. As a seasoned foresight practitioner and creative director, the Future Today Institute’s Christina von Messling helps groups across industries unlock the secrets of innovation to drive their organizations forward. Identifying the strategies and mindset needed to drive transformative change in today’s rapidly evolving landscape and pointing to real-world examples, she inspires audiences to think boldly and embrace experimentation as they work to cultivate cultures of innovation and foster collaboration, agility, and adaptability within their organization. The tools, resources, and strategies she provides are designed to help groups tap into the art and science of innovation within their own teams, and identify the white spaces where they are positioned to disrupt.
Renewable Realities: Why a Sustainable Business Is a Successful Business. As sustainability futurist Christina von Messling examines the ramifications of climate and energy innovation across all sectors, she shares compelling examples and forward-thinking insights that demonstrate how advancements in renewable energy and sustainability practices are reshaping industries worldwide. Von Messling tailors this talk to demonstrate to audiences the pivotal role these innovations play in driving economic growth within and beyond their own industries, as well as in fostering resilience and enabling organization to adapt their strategies in support of growth and mitigating environmental risks. Von Messling shows that it’s possible for businesses to continue thriving in this rapidly changing world while embracing sustainable practices.
