Parag is a brilliant, energetic, and mesmerizing speaker who carried the opening day at our recent symposium, the largest annual gathering of geospatial intelligence practitioners in the world. Our almost 4,000 attendees bring wide-ranging areas of expertise regarding myriad emerging technologies, including remote sensing, data analytics, and intelligence for national security. They were universally blown away by Parag’s talk, and the concepts he raised were grist for superb conversations and debates during the entirety of our event.
Speaking Topics
Global Scenarios for the Post-Pandemic World
The two words that best capture the post-pandemic world are “continental drift.” The global economy is rapidly becoming more regional. Globalization continues in many areas such as commodities, capital flows, and digital services, but from energy to electronics, North America, Europe, and Asia are becoming more self-sufficient through trade agreements and industrial policies aimed at controlling the supply chains. At the same time, a new era of competitive connectivity has begun as the tug-of-war heats up between China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the West’s “Build Back Better World” (B3W) agenda. Drawing on the copious research presented in his acclaimed book Connectography, Parag Khanna provides cutting-edge insights into the geopolitical, geoeconomic, and geo-technological shape of the future, with specific recommendations on how and where to invest in a volatile world.
The Global War for Young Talent
The lasting impact of the pandemic will be both demographic and geographic. We are reaching “peak humanity,” a global population not likely to cross nine billion people, but most of the world’s people are still young — and as they vote with their feet, they determine the winners and losers of the 21st century. Countries are now vigorously competing in a global war for youth to attract the taxpayers, workers, homeowners, and entrepreneurs of the future. Companies must do the same, even as workers of all ages are jumping ship in search of better options and lifestyles. In a remote working world, millennials and Gen-Z are moving targets. How can corporations attract young employees to headquarters while also building a decentralized workplace culture. Drawing upon insightful research from his book Move, Parag Khanna presents the world from the standpoint of the youth who will define it, guiding your talent acquisition and retention strategies for the years ahead.
Climate Adaptation:
Humankind’s Highest Priority
Deadly disasters are intensifying, with ever greater costs to societies everywhere. Rising sea levels and floods, droughts and heatwaves, cyclones, and forest fires cause upwards of $200 billion in damage annually. Climate refugees now outnumber political and economic migrants. The world will not only be hotter but also more violent, with conflicts over food and water, and uncontrolled mass migrations. That is why climate adaptation must be every nation and company’s foremost priority. This includes fortifying and redesigning our homes and buildings, investing in renewable energy and resilient food production, and relocating our businesses, citizens, and workers to more stable habitats. The climate will not adapt to us; we will have to adapt to it. Drawing up Climate Alpha’s proprietary software, Parag Khanna provides tailored analysis of the locations across the globe best suited to your business requirements and guides you in creating a tailored strategy for climate resilience.
The Future Is Asian:
Billions of People, Trillions of Dollars
Asia remains the world’s growth engine, representing more than half the world’s population and fifty percent of the global GDP. China is neck-and-neck with the US as the top destination for foreign investment and has accelerated its quest for technological autonomy and expanded the use of its currency. Meanwhile, the world’s largest trade agreement — Asia’s Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) — has come into effect. The next chapter of Asia’s economic story is also being written by the “fourth wave” regions of South and Southeast Asia, with countries such as India and Vietnam delivering the world’s fastest growth and taking the lead in new unicorn companies. As the author of the landmark book The Future is Asian, there is no better guide than Parag Khanna to the geography that drives the world economy.