The Institution of Mechanical Engineers' Annual Dinner

Mark Stevenson: Author, Inspirational Futurist

Mark Stevenson is the author of two books, the just released We Do Things Differently and the best-selling An Optimist’s Tour of the Future which has been translated into 10 languages and was described by Wired “a very coherent and entertaining journey through the world of future technology” and by New Scientist as “a refreshing reminder that the future will always belong to the optimists”.

Stevenson is one of the world’s most respected thinkers on technology and societal trends – helping you see where the world is going – and how to adapt.

His many advisory roles include Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Earth Challenge, Civilised Bank, Atlas of the Future and The Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

As founder of the cultural change agency wdtd.co.uk, he spends much of his life working across the globe with organisations of every hue, helping them see their role in creating a better future, or to die gracefully if they need to. The company’s clients are a diverse mix of government agencies, NGOs, corporates and arts organisations.

Stevenson has also written for The Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Intelligent Life, The Irish Times, The Irish Independent, The Daily Telegraph, and The New Statesman. His key skill is an ability to take complex or abstract concepts and make them understandable by non-specialists without trivialising the subject matter.

Stevenson is also an occasional comedy writer. His work has been performed on Radio 4 and his play (co-written with Jack Milner) Octopus Soup comes to London in January 2018.

Testimonials:

“Mark did a spellbinding job. It was a tremendous speech met with a standing ovation. It is not often that you can hear a pin drop in a room that size – but the audience was enthralled. Wonderful!” – US Space Foundation

“Mark is an entertaining and engaging speaker, and has a rare gift for making complex subjects clear and accessible without straying into glibness. We were impressed that several audience members commented that his talk spoke directly to their own desire to create change. Mark is practical yet has the capacity to inspire - you don't get both very often.” – RSA

Toby Peyton-Jones: HR Director, Siemens UK and Northern Europe

Toby Peyton-Jones was appointed to the Executive Management Board of Siemens Plc in 2008 heading up HR for Siemens in the UK and now Northern Europe.

He started his career as an officer in the Royal Engineers.  In the 1980s he worked as Programme Director for the Centre for Leadership and Development Training and later moved into management consulting during the era of public sector privatisation.

Toby joined Siemens in 1989 and performed a number of leadership roles, supporting the rapid growth of Siemens in the UK.  He moved to China in December 1999 to take up a General Management role as Director of Siemens Management Institute in Beijing, where he worked with the Chinese Government and Siemens businesses to develop the talent needed to fuel China’s arrival on the world stage.

Toby returned to Germany in 2003 to work in Mergers and Acquisitions moving to Munich where he jointly headed up the global HR M&A function prior to returning to his current role in the UK.

Throughout his Career he has been a passionate international voice championing Education and particularly Vocational Education previously as a Commissioner for UK Commission for Employment and Skills and has recently been appointed as a Board Member for the Institute of Apprenticeships.