John Vary

John Vary is one of the world’s leading visionaries in futurology and innovation. With a career spanning over 20 years, John has redefined how organisations imagine and create the future.

From working as an Innovation Architect at Burberry and a Futurologist for the John Lewis Partnership, John has consistently driven transformational change at the intersection of creativity, human potential, and technology.

His expertise spans human and machine collaboration, neurodiversity in innovation, and unlocking potential at the intersection of technology and humanity.

He is now a highly sought-after keynote speaker and was ranked among the top 10 most sought-after futurist speakers of 2025. He has delivered keynotes on TED, SXSW, and WIRED, captivating live and virtual audiences with his ability to spark curiosity, provoke thought, and inspire meaningful action.

Contact Great British Speakers today to book Futurologist and Innovation Strategist John Vary to speak at your next event.

Type Of Speaker

A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) Business & Finance Creativity, Change & Innovation Diversity Education Employment & Recruitment Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Future of Work Futurist Health & Wellbeing Hidden Disabilities High Performance Leadership & Teamwork Personal Development Resilience Speaker

More About John Vary

John Vary grew up within a school system that didn’t yet recognise his ADHD or dyslexia, and thus his early years were defined by curiosity, resilience, and a determination to see the world differently. These neurodiverse traits became the foundation of his ability to think beyond the conventional and uncover hidden opportunities.

His career spans companies such as Capital One, SJ Berwin, BravoSolutions, and Eversheds, as well as sitting in as a visiting lecturer at the University of Warwick, Kingston University, and the University of Edinburgh Business School, in entrepreneurship and innovation, the future of work, and the importance and value of futurology in people management respectively.

He is the founder of Opportunities for Youth which creates access to knowledge, skills, and networks to empower young people; the founder of Strech, who work with organisations to unlock bold thinking and deliver meaningful change; and is a Non-Executive Director for Innate Change.

His neurodiverse perspective enables him to see patterns that others often miss, challenging conventional ways of thinking and uncovering untapped potential and opportunities. John brings his ability to translate complex ideas into accessible and actionable narratives to his writing, consulting, and speaking, shaping the conversation about the future.

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CORPORATE

John provides a range of services to individuals, leaders, and wider organisations, including as a Futurologist-in-Residence, which is designed to equip users with on-demand access to expertise and insights, carefully curated themed immersion sessions, and a hands-on, outcome-driven strategic project designed to tackle an organisation’s specific challenges and opportunities.

JOHN VARY | SPEAKING TOPICS

– Artificial Intelligence: Human-machine collaboration, generative ai, and the real opportunities beyond the hype

– Futures Design: How to use futures thinking and design tools to stretch imagination and build better strategies

– Future Trends: What’s coming next across work, culture, technology, and society, and what to do about it now

– Neurodiversity: The power of different minds, why inclusion of cognitive diversity drives innovation

– Innovation Strategy: How to unlock bold thinking, build creative systems, and turn ideas into action

– The Future of Work: Skills, mindsets, and structures needed to thrive in a world of constant change

– Culture Change: Building inclusive, adaptive, future-ready cultures across teams and organisations

– Education and Future Skills: How to prepare people for the unknown, rethinking learning, training, and human development

– Leadership in Uncertainty: Decision-making, imagination, and bold action in complex times

– Personal Story: From Barrow boy to boardroom, a lived journey through difference, resilience, and unconventional leadership

SPEAKING CLIENTS

CHEAD Conference, Employee Ownership Conference, MADFest, SXSW, TEDx, WIRED Retail

John Vary hire innovation speaker book at agent Great British Speakers

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book leading futurist speaker John Vary to speak at or host your next live event worldwide.

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Testimonials

“John Vary is unique. I have been fortunate to spend time with John on a few occasions, including him leading a session for me at a recent team day for over 40 leaders. Everyone was engaged and captivated by his story, his ability to unlock creative thinking in us all and really question our approach to challenges and opportunities! I received great feedback from the leaders, and I personally am looking forward to my next opportunity to spend time with John, to continue stretching my own creativity and innovative thinking.”

“John is one of the most inventive business people I’ve worked with.”

“Thank you so much for today, it was an absolutely brilliant talk and the team without a shadow of a doubt felt that your hour was the best hour of the day! Everyone was extremely intrigued and interested.“

“John’s superpower is his ability to connect with everyone, make them feel at ease, open their minds to possibilities and demystify future trends. He has brought a unique style and perspective to a business that can be very inward looking.”

“John’s contribution is unique, both in terms of the perspective that he brings and the way that he goes about sharing his thinking with the audience.”