Sumit Paul-Choudhury writes, thinks, and dreams about science, technology, and the future. His creative studio, Alternity, works on alternative histories, social experiments, and applied speculations. His first book, The Bright Side – an exploration of the psychology, philosophy, and practice of optimism – was published in January 2025. He is... Read more
Sumit Paul-Choudhury writes, thinks, and dreams about science, technology, and the future. His creative studio, Alternity, works on alternative histories, social experiments, and applied speculations. His first book, The Bright Side – an exploration of the psychology, philosophy, and practice of optimism – was published in January 2025. He is a partner in the communications consultancy Scientification LLP and a founding member of the Exploded View collective.
He trained as a physicist at Imperial College, where he earned a first-class B.Sc., but after graduating decided to try his hand at journalism while completing his M.Sc. in Mathematics at Queen Mary & Westfield. He started out in arts criticism but spent most of the next fifteen years writing about business and technology in London and New York, with an emphasis on financial engineering and risk management – subjects that would prove critical during the 2007-2008 financial crisis.
Wanting to return to science, he joined New Scientist, the world’s most popular science weekly, in 2008, where he served as editor-in-chief until 2017. During his tenure, the magazine successfully expanded into social media, video, books, and events ranging from evening lectures to global expeditions. In addition, he was editor-in-chief of Arc, an acclaimed digital publication about the future, between 2012 and 2014; and in 2016, he served as founding creative director for New Scientist Live, the world’s most exciting festival of ideas and discovery.
After leaving New Scientist, he undertook the Sloan Fellowship in Strategy and Leadership at London Business School. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow in the Computing department at Goldsmiths and a Fellow of the RSA, where he sits on the Editorial Board. He is a Trustee of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust and of the London-based arebyte digital art gallery. He also serves in various more or less formal capacities on several other projects, including Durham’s Light Years place-making initiative.
He has previously served as a judge for many prizes and awards, including the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction, the Wellcome Book Prize, the Royal Television Society Programme Awards, and the Costa Book Awards.
He lives, works, and fails to sleep in London.
You can book Sumit Paul-Choudhury through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Sumit's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Sumit Paul-Choudhury'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 Sumit tailored to your event.
Sumit Paul-Choudhury speaks on Artificial Intelligence, Entrepreneurs, Future & Technology, Leadership & Motivation, Technology. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Sumit to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Sumit Paul-Choudhury for events worldwide, subject to Sumit'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 Sumit Paul-Choudhury 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 Sumit can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Sumit Paul-Choudhury 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 Sumit can offer.
Sumit Paul-Choudhury delivers keynotes in English. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Sumit Paul-Choudhury's areas of expertise include Artificial Intelligence, Entrepreneurs, Future & Technology, Leadership & Motivation, Technology. To get a clear sense of Sumit'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.
Sumit Paul-Choudhury can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Entrepreneurs, Future & Technology, Leadership & Motivation, Technology is relevant. Details of Sumit'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 Sumit Paul-Choudhury 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 Sumit Paul-Choudhury, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Sumit's current availability for your dates.