If change is not optional, then neither is foresight.
Brad Howarth is a respected researcher, writer and speaker with more than 30 years of experience exploring the impact of technology, change, and innovation on business and society. His work spans journalism, research, public speaking, executive facilitation, and advisory work, helping organisations navigate complexity and prepare for the future with clarity and confidence. Brad’s ability to translate complex themes into accessible, actionable insight makes him a trusted advisor to leaders navigating fast-paced change.
As a business and technology journalist, Brad has contributed to leading publications including The Australian, BRW and international outlets. He is the author of four books, including Managing for Change and Innovation is for Everyone, co-authored with Peter Fritz AM.
As a Keynote Speaker, Brad works closely with clients to understand their specific objectives and challenges and applies his research skills to surfacing insights that are relevant and engaging to audiences. Presentations are bespoke to the needs of each client and are designed to act as thought-provoking conversation starters that challenge audiences to consider new perspectives and adopt a change-focused mindset.
Brad is also a highly regarded MC and Panel Facilitator. He brings a calm, intelligent presence to every event, using his skills in research and storytelling to craft insightful questions that bring clarity to complex issues. His extensive preparation makes Brad particularly effective in panel and in-conversation formats where domain expertise, audience relevance, and narrative flow are critical. He has hosted and facilitated events for organisations such as the Australian Food & Grocery Council, he Committee for Melbourne, AHRI, and WorkSafe Tasmania.
Brad has translated his storytelling experience into a practical workshop, designed to improve the persuasive skills of executives at all levels. This workshop teaches attendees how to use storytelling as a tool for driving commercial outcomes in public speaking, group presentations, and thought leadership content development.
Brad is also a passionate advocate for digital inclusion. He has served as an Ambassador for the Broadband for the Bush Alliance and as a Champion for the National Year of Digital Inclusion. Brad believes that as society becomes increasingly digital, we must ensure equitable access to digital services and the skills needed to use them effectively, avoiding a divide between digital ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.
Whether on stage, on screen, or in print, Brad Howarth helps organisations and audiences make sense of what’s next, equipping them with the foresight, tools and perspective to respond with purpose.
Talking Points
Voyaging into the Unknown
If the future is unknowable, that doesn't mean we can't put in place strategies today to help us deal with any eventuality. Adaptation and resilience are the characteristics that will define those organisations that emerge in the best shape from 2020, and these characteristics can be developed in any organisation.Voyaging into the Unknown
Key Takeaways:
- Strategies for creating a more adaptable organisation.
- Advice on how to find new opportunities.
- Examples of how other organisations have adapted to change.
Managing for Change
We know that change is inevitable, but how many of us can honestly say we are able to adjust to change when it happens? But rather than simply reacting to the changes happening around us, what if we could anticipate and plan for change before it happens? Managing for Change
Brad Howarth is fascinated by change. As a journalist, he has been reporting on change for more than 20 years, and in 2015 co-authored the book Managing for Change, which provides guidance on taking a more active approach to change. In this interactive presentation/workshop, Brad takes participants through practical strategies for better understanding, envisioning and planning for change, with the goal of helping them design and shape their future of in a rapidly changing world.
Key Takeaways:
- Advice on creating a framework for goal setting and realisation
- Strategies for becoming more personally adaptive and resilient
Storytelling for Commercial Success
Storytelling is one of humanity's oldest and most powerful tools, enabling us to transfer information in ways that can alter how people think, feel, and behave. Stories endure long after the facts are forgotten and can have an influence that stretches across entire populations.Storytelling for Commercial Success
In short, great stories have power – the power to create change.
For over 25 years Brad Howarth has wielded the power of storytelling, firstly as a business and technology writer for The Australian and BRW, and now as an executive communications trainer and coach. Throughout his career, Brad has used storytelling to translate and convey complex topics in engaging and meaningful ways for different audiences. Now, he teaches executives and teams how to do the same.
This interactive session exposes audiences to the power of storytelling and its role in human development, explores why storytelling is so compelling for communicating information, and discusses the techniques that can maximise the power of storytelling for achieving commercial goals. This includes guidance on defining and meeting objectives, developing key storytelling elements, building engagement by aligning with audiences' needs, enhancing delivery, and the importance of sharing stories within internal teams.
Content of the session includes:
The essentials of good communication
- The power of storytelling for transferring knowledge
- Using stories to influence how people think, feel, and behave
- The importance of defining a purpose and objectives
- Reducing the storyteller's cognitive workload
Aligning with audience needs
- The importance of research
- Understanding needs and wants
- Finding and articulating value
- Giving more than you take
Telling effective stories
- Working backwards from objectives
- Creating messages that matter
- Defining and delivering supporting evidence
- Using stories to drive influence
- Techniques for effective delivery
- Practicing for perfection
The session is suitable for executive groups, sales teams, or anyone who wants to boost their communication skills. This session can also be extended into a workshop where participants are coached on their own storytelling abilities.
Whether you are telling stories on stage, in group presentations, through one-on-one meetings, or using the written word, you are certain to benefit through learning to better harness the power of storytelling.
The Evolution of Skills and the Future of Work
In 2019 Brad undertook a second major research project to investigate the skills that will be needed in the workplace over the next ten years. Through interviews with numerous workplace leaders, he was able to discern the nature of the changes that will impact workplaces and identify the skills that will be needed to meet these future challenges. The findings of this research is contained in the thought leadership report series The Evolution of Skills, published by TAFE NSW. The research report examined four industries in-depth government, healthcare, infrastructure and logistics although the key findings are consistent across all industries.The Evolution of Skills and the Future of Work
In this presentation, Brad speaks in detail about the factors that will impact the workplace of the future, and examine the skills that employers will need to help them best respond to what is to come, with practical advice on steps employers can take to ensure they are developing the skills they need. This presentation will also benefit individuals who may be wondering what skills they should acquire today to maximise their value in the workplace in years to come.
Key Takeaways:
- Exploration of the future skillsets required across specific industries
- Advice on how to develop these skills within an organisation
- Case studies of organizations that are meeting their future skills challenge
Strategic Storytelling Workshop
First unit (1 hour) – The Essentials of Strategic Storytelling (theory and discussion)Strategic Storytelling Workshop
Covering the core elements of storytelling, with a focus on using storytelling as a tool for driving commercial outcomes. Unit is designed to reinforce core storytelling techniques for application across media, public speaking, group presentations, and thought leadership content development. This session will cover:
• Why storytelling is effective for changing how people think, feel, and behave.
• The core elements of strong stories.
• Creating engagement and being remembered.
• Common storytelling mistakes and how to avoid them.
• Adapting different storytelling concepts.
• Making your audience the hero of your story
Second unit (1 hour) – Exploring Thought Leadership (workshop)
This hour will be used to dive deep into The Trade Desk story, to uncover the compelling narrative elements and bring these to life in ways that audiences will find engaging and memorable. We will examine both what The Trade Desk has to say about itself and how it can integrate into broader conversation within communities of interest. The goal of this session is to uncover provocative story elements that can be used in the following media engagement and public speaking components.
Third unit (1 hour) – Media Engagement Essentials (theory and discussion)
This hour will be used to reinforce the essentials of good media engagement, from tips for story preparation and anticipation through to the construction of a strong media narrative and techniques for delivery within the interview. This session will cover:
• The modern media landscape.
• Setting and supporting objectives.
• Techniques for story preparation and anticipation.
• Constructing a strong and impactful media narrative.
• Journalists’ objectives and techniques.
• Techniques for enhancing delivery.
• Optimal interview behaviours.
• Common mistakes and how to avoid them.
BREAK
Fourth unit (duration dependent on number of trainees) – Practical media session
This unit will see trainees using their skills to respond to a series of practice interview scenarios. Each scenario will be determined in consultation with you and will run for 5 to 7 minutes, with each based on potential real world situations. Interviews will be videoed for playback and analysis within the unit. Total session time will be determined by the number of attendees, set at 30 minute per attendee.
Fifth unit (1 hour) – Mastering public presenting
This final session will cover off the key elements of delivering stories in a public setting. It will cover the keys to strong stage presence and crafting a presentation that achieves outcomes. This session will cover:
• Crafting an engaging presentation.
• Techniques for building and maintaining engagement.
• Tips for dynamic delivery and mastering stagecraft.
• Matching what you say to what they see.
• Techniques for effective preparation and confident delivery.
Following this unit attendees will be invited to participate in one-on-one coaching sessions to refine their presentation skills.
Video
Brad Howarth | Introduction | Saxton Speakers Bureau
Brad Howarth is obsessed with change. Brad has been examining the impact of technology-driven change on business and society for 25 years as a writer, researcher and author.Brad Howarth | Digital Inclusion | Saxton Speakers Bureau
Brad Howarth is obsessed with change. Brad has been examining the impact of technology-driven change on business and society for 25 years as a writer, researcher and author.Brad Howarth | The Future of Work | Saxton Speakers Bureau
Brad Howarth is obsessed with change. Brad has been examining the impact of technology-driven change on business and society for 25 years as a writer, researcher and author.Brad Howarth | Want and Need | Saxton Speakers Bureau
Brad Howarth is obsessed with change. Brad has been examining the impact of technology-driven change on business and society for 25 years as a writer, researcher and author.I was looking for a new face in regard to the subject of the future and technology. Not just another futurist talk about stuff that people would never use, something more hands on for busine ... keep reading RCSA
Brad did an excellent job as MC of our HR Technology Conference. He was very well received by the audience and guest speakers. Brad has an easy going communication style and is professional and easy to work with.
I have worked with Brad for over 10 years. All my interactions with Brad as writer, reporter and more recently as Panel Host or Master of Ceremonies have been positive. And whether it was the public face of Oracle, Intel or currently TIBCO that I manage, I can rely on Brad to assist and guide me.
Brad is an exceptional presenter who understands the intricacies of the ever-changing world of technology and also manages to actively involve the audience throughout his presentations. Brad presented on the 'Next Big Things' that will happen in the online/interactive industry at the end of year wrap up panel for Interactive Minds. He also participated in our expert panel discussion. His insights and knowledge are exceptional and his easy rapport with the other panellists and audience made him a standout guest speaker.
Brad is a skilled and professional moderator. He oversaw two sessions at our forum, on relatively technical and obscure Internet-related issues. He was able to strike a balance between making the sessions accessible to the average layperson and useful for those with previous subject matter knowledge. Brad's pacing of the sessions was excellent, allowing our panellists to make their points and audience members to contribute frequently. He was well briefed and well prepared and I would not hesitate in engaging him again and recommending his services to others.
