James Harkin is an analyst and forecaster of new ideas and new social, political and technological trends and what they mean for companies, governments and institutions. He is the Director of Flockwatching, a company which uses the information on blogs, social networks and the internet to create understanding of social... Read more
James Harkin is an analyst and forecaster of new ideas and new social, political and technological trends and what they mean for companies, governments and institutions. He is the Director of Flockwatching, a company which uses the information on blogs, social networks and the internet to create understanding of social changes, new media and consumer trends in mass observation.
From 1999-2004 James worked full-time as a ‘futurologist’ for think-tanks and agencies in New York, London and in continental Europe. He managed projects on changing social and technological trends as an associate of the London think-tank Demos, and authored a number of Demos pamphlets, including Mobilisation: The growing public interest in mobile technology, and Eternal Youths: How the baby boomers are having their time again.
He writes regularly for several newspapers and magazines including the Financial Times. He regularly appears on the BBC, CNN, Channel 4, Sky and Al Jazeera talking about social and technological trends, and has lectured on political economy and social theory at Oxford University, and the consequences of the internet at the London School of Economics. James has also moderated live studio debates on two continents for Al-Jazeera television.
His most recent book, ‘Niche: Why The Market No Longer Favours the Mainstream’ is about the changing shape of culture, politics and society and won a K Blundell award from the Society of Authors for increasing social awareness. His other books include ‘Big Ideas: The Essential Guide to the Latest Thinking’ and ‘Cyburbia: How Crackpots, Inventors and Visionaries Created Our New Life Online’.
James was the associate producer of the BBC’s three-part ideas-driven series about game theory, The Trap: Whatever happened to our dream of freedom?. He was also associate producer of the BBC’s three-part series All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace, which looked at the relationship between cybernetics, ecology and culture and aired on BBC TV in 2011.
He recently keynoted both The Economist’s annual ‘Big Rethink’ conference and the annual conference of Liz Murdoch’s TV production company Shine on strategy, the arts and institutional change.
In November 2011 James was one of the very few international journalists to make it into the city of Homs in Syria as the situation deteriorated there; his reports from Homs and Damascus was a cover story in Newsweek Magazine. His reports also appeared on the BBC, CNN and NPR and in a range of newspapers all across Europe and the US. In late February 2012 he went back to Syria, visiting Damascus, Douma, Herasta and Homs as an undercover journalist. He wrote about it in a long cover story for The New Republic in the US (“The Stalled Revolution”), in dispatches for The Atlantic Magazine, and in a commission from The New York Times, and in comment pieces for Foreign Policy.
James has been elected to a visiting fellowship at the Reuters Institute at Oxford University for the academic year 2013/2014, for a project on the Syrian conflict; and also to Senior Associate Membership of St. Anthony’s College, Oxford University, for the academic year 2013/2014.
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You can book James Harkin through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with James's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
James Harkin's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for James tailored to your event.
James Harkin speaks on a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with James to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book James Harkin for events worldwide, subject to James's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether James Harkin is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what James can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief James Harkin on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what James can offer.
James Harkin delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
James Harkin's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of James's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
James Harkin can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in a range of business, leadership and industry subjects is relevant. Details of James's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what James Harkin is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with James Harkin, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check James's current availability for your dates.