Known by his nickname Woz, Steve has played a pivotal role in shaping the computing industry through his innovative designs. His notable contributions include the creation of Apple’s first line of products, the Apple I and II. The Apple I, which was hand-built by Wozniak, laid the groundwork for future personal computers, while the Apple II, introduced in 1977, featured significant advancements such as a central processing unit (CPU), a keyboard, colour graphics, and a floppy disk drive. This model was integral in launching the personal computer industry, making computing accessible to a broader audience. The Apple II’s success can be attributed to its user-friendly design and the software ecosystem that quickly developed around it, including early applications like VisiCalc, which revolutionised business applications.

In recognition of his contributions, Wozniak is listed as the sole inventor on four Apple patents, showcasing his technical ingenuity and pivotal role in the evolution of personal computing technology. Wozniak’s impact extends beyond hardware; he has been an advocate for technology education, inspiring countless individuals to explore careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

Wozniak’s legacy is further cemented by his philanthropic efforts.

He has been actively involved in various charitable initiatives, particularly those focused on education and technology access for underprivileged communities. His belief in the transformative power of education has led him to support programs that provide resources and opportunities for students to explore technology, encouraging the next generation of innovators.

Wozniak has also participated in numerous speaking engagements, sharing his insights on entrepreneurship, innovation, and the importance of creativity in technology. Through these talks, he inspires young people to pursue their passions and think outside the box, much like he did during his early career. His approach to technology and business demonstrates that success is not solely measured by financial gain but also by the positive impact one can have on society.

In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Wozniak has often expressed his views on the future of technology. He is a proponent of open-source software and believes in the importance of collaboration in technological advancements. His vision includes a world where technology is accessible to all, enabling individuals to enhance their creativity and productivity without barriers. Wozniak’s perspective encourages a new generation of developers and engineers to see the potential of technology as a tool for empowerment rather than just a means for profit.

As artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to evolve, Wozniak advocates for ethical considerations in technology development, stressing the need for responsible innovation that prioritises user privacy and societal impact. His insights into the future of technology not only reflect his extensive experience in the industry but also his genuine concern for the well-being of society as a whole.

In 1981, after establishing himself as a key player in the tech industry, Wozniak returned to UC Berkeley to complete his degree in electrical engineering and computer science, which he had previously abandoned to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions. His commitment to education is reflected in the ten Honorary Doctor of Engineering degrees he has received from various institutions, recognising his contributions to technology and society.

Beyond his educational pursuits, Wozniak founded the company Unuson, an abbreviation of “unite us in song”, in May 1982 and 1983. This company sponsored two US Festivals, which were conceived as celebrations of evolving technologies. However, these festivals evolved into a unique blend of technology exposition and rock festival, combining music, computers, television, and the community. The events featured performances by renowned artists, attracting large audiences and highlighting the intersection of technology and entertainment. Wozniak’s vision for these festivals was to promote innovation and creativity, fostering an environment where technology enthusiasts could come together and share ideas.

His influence is evident in the ongoing relationship between technology and culture, as modern tech conferences often incorporate elements of entertainment to engage audiences more effectively.

Menny Barzilay is an internationally known Cyber Security Expert and evangelist of innovation. He is the co-founder and CEO of FortyTwo Global, Cyber Security Professional Services (Israel) and partner and co-founder of FortyTwo R&D Labs (India).  Additionally, he is the CTO of the Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center at the Tel-Aviv University and the chairman of CyberSage, a cyber security startup focused on capacity-building technologies.

Menny is a former CISO in the intelligence services of the Israeli Defense Forces (Capt. (Res.)), and worked at Bank Hapoalim Group in various positions including the head of the IT Audit Department.  A strategic adviser to leading enterprises around the world, as well as States and Governments and sits in the advisory board of several startup companies.

Jonathan Brill speaks, writes, and advises on how to create, manage and turn radical change to your advantage. His warm style, compelling stories, and intellectual rigor inspire visionaries and open even the most hard-boiled executives to new ways of thinking and doing.

Harvard Business Review recently called Brill, “The world’s leading transformation architect.” His visionary, yet pragmatic approach to the future is based on years as the Global Futurist at HP where he directed long-term strategy and planning. He is the Senior Fellow at HBR’s China New Growth Institute and Board Advisor at Frost & Sullivan, one of the world’s largest market intelligence firms, with offices in 46 countries.

He is the author of Rogue Waves, Future-Proof Your Business to Survive and Profit from Radical Change (McGraw-Hill), the #2 selling economics book in China. The Economist called it, “A very important book for managers.” and Adam Grant called it, “An actionable framework for driving change instead of being blindsided by it.” He has taught the techniques in it to over 27,000 executives, ranging from startups to the Fortune 500 to the United States Secret Service.

Inc. magazine called Brill “A Silicon Valley legend.” because his innovation consultancies developed over 350 products and generated over $27B USD for clients like Samsung, Microsoft, Verizon, PepsiCo and the US government. These projects have ranged from AI, search engines, and metaverse technologies to theme park rides and design of the US Pavilion at the 2015 World’s Fair (Expo Milano) to Taco Bell’s Gordita.

He is a frequent thought leader, speaker and contributor to HBR, TED, Global Peter Drucker Forum, SCMP, SXSW, J.P. Morgan, Singularity, Forbes, Korn Ferry, The Economist Global Business Report, Bloomberg, Sirius XM, Fast Company, The Project Management Institute, Brightline and Thinkers50. He has educated corporate leaders at Harvard and Stanford Universities.

He holds a degree in industrial design from Pratt Institute, spent years as a research consultant to the MIT Media Lab and in management training at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

“Jonathan cuts through the noise and gets to a way everyone can approach uncertainty and change with greater confidence.” – Tiffani Bova, Global Growth and Innovation Evangelist, Salesforce

“Jonathan Brill isn’t Nostradamus but, for the world’s top business and government leaders, he’s the next best thing.” Bronwyn Syiek, Independent board director, Oxford University Press, International Personal Finance, Plc.

THE FIVE YEAR FUTURE:

WHY YOUR FUTURE IS CHANGING
How transformational technologies like AI, economics, social and geopolitical trends impact what’s possible over the next five years.

WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT
The science-based frameworks that will create the best outcomes for your business, your family and your life.

HOW TO START
The small actions you can take today, over the next year and the next three to win when your world changes.

He has previously held academic positions at New York University and the London School of Economics, and lectured at Harvard Business School, Stanford Business School, London Business School, Johns Hopkins, IMD, and INSEAD, as well as being the co-founder and CEO of BrazenX and the CEO at Hogan Assessment Systems.

Dr. Tomas has written 11 books and over 150 scientific papers on the psychology of talent, leadership, innovation, and AI, making him one of the most prolific social scientists of his generation. His work has received awards by the American Psychological Association, the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences, and the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology, to which he is a Fellow. Dr. Tomas is also the founding director of University College London’s Industrial-Organizational and Business Psychology program, and the Chief Psychometric Advisor to Harvard’s Entrepreneurial Finance Lab.

Over the past 20 years, he has consulted to a range of clients in financial services (e.g., JP Morgan, HSBC, Goldman Sachs), advertising (e.g., Google, WPP, BBH), media (e.g., BBC, Red Bull, Twitter, Spotify), consumer goods (e.g., Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser, P&G), fashion (e.g., LVMH, Net-a-Porter, Valentino), government (e.g., British Army, Royal Mail, NHS), and intergovernmental organizations (e.g., United Nations and World Bank).

Dr. Tomas’ media career comprises over 100 TV appearances, including on the BBC, CNN, TED, and Sky, and regular features in Harvard Business Review, the Guardian, Fast Company, Forbes, and the Huffington Post. Dr. Tomas is also a keynote speaker for the Institute of Economic Affairs. He was born and raised in the Villa Freud district of Buenos Aires, but spent most of his professional career in London, and lives between Miami, New York, and Rome now.

Dr. Chowdhury currently runs Parity Consulting, Parity Responsible Innovation Fund, and is a Responsible AI Fellow at the Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society at Harvard University. She is also a Research Affiliate at the Minderoo Centre for Democracy and Technology at Cambridge University and a visiting researcher at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering.

Previously, Dr. Chowdhury was the Director of META (ML Ethics, Transparency, and Accountability) team at Twitter, leading a team of applied researchers and engineers to identify and mitigate algorithmic harms on the platform. Prior to Twitter, she was CEO and founder of Parity, an enterprise algorithmic audit platform company. She formerly served as Global Lead for Responsible AI at Accenture Applied Intelligence.  In her work as Accenture’s Responsible AI lead, she led the design of the Fairness Tool, a first-in-industry algorithmic tool to identify and mitigate bias in AI systems. Dr. Chowdhury co-authored a Harvard Business Review piece on its influences and impact.

Dr. Chowdhury is dedicated to cultivating and growing the next wave of technology-forward companies enabling the responsible use of emerging technologies. She is a General Partner (and founder) of the Parity Responsible Innovation venture capital fund. She also serves as a mentor for the Creative Destruction Lab and as a board member of Startups and Society.

Dr. Chowdhury is deeply engaged in AI global policy, serving as a board member of the UK Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, and on UNESCO’s Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development. She has helped shape policy – as advisor to the UK House of Lords Parliamentary group on AI, in her testimony to the FTC, New York City Algorithmic Commission, the UN, OECD, Partnership on AI, and other global AI and ethics organizations.

She serves on multiple boards, including Oxford University’s Commission on AI and Governance, the UK’s Centre for Data Ethics and Governance, AI4All, a group dedicated to drawing underrepresented groups into STEM, the SSRC’s Just Tech Advisory Group, the University of Virginia’s Data Science Program, and Patterns, a data science journal by the publishers of Cell.

Rumman has been featured in international media, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, NPR, MIT Sloan Magazine, MIT Technology Review, BBC, Axioms, Cheddar TV, CRN, The Verge, Fast Company, Quartz, Corrierre Della Serra, Optio, Australian Broadcasting Channel and Nikkei Business Times.

She was named one of BBC’s 100 Women, recognized as one of the Bay Area’s top 40 under 40, and a member of the British Royal Society of the Arts (RSA). She has also been named by Forbes as one of Five Who are Shaping AI. Dr. Chowdhury holds two undergraduate degrees from MIT, a master’s degree in Quantitative Methods of the Social Sciences from Columbia University, and a doctorate in political science from the University of California, San Diego