Our Global Future: Scenarios to 2030   
Exploring Uncertainty With the Global Business Network

Will economic and technological changes push powerful nations towards democratization or new forms of political organization? Will the U.S. retain or regain power in the world as a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship? And how might long-term trends and short-term shocks in the geopolitical environment affect your organization and your role?

Join other young leaders—handpicked from cutting-edge organizations like Net Impact and Women 2.0—in examining the visible and hidden forces that are driving corporate and social sector organizations toward an uncertain future.

At this unique gathering, Peter Schwartz, GBN cofounder and internationally renowned futurist and business strategist, will debut his new scenarios on the evolution of the geopolitical environment over the next 20 years. The session will be highly interactive, involving a combination of small group discussion and expert commentary.

Attendees will be encouraged to share their insights about the implications of Schwartz’s scenarios on their sector, their organization, and beyond. Additional perspectives will be provided by Steve Weber, U.C. Berkeley professor of political science and an expert on international and national security; the impact of technology on innovation, defense, and deterrence; and the political economy of knowledge-intensive industries.

Event Details:

Wednesday, November 11 – 5:30pm-8:00pm
Cocktails and light dinner followed by presentation and group discussions
101 Market Street, Suite 1000, San Francisco, CA (GBN’s office)

Guests must RSVP in advance as space is limited. Please bring identification and arrive before 6pm to be escorted through security and upstairs.

For directions and public transportation/parking information, see http://www.gbn.com/

Speaker Bios:

Peter Schwartz, acclaimed futurist and business strategist, is cofounder and chairman of Global Business Network. Peter specializes in scenario planning, working with corporations, governments, and social sector organizations to develop alternative perspectives of the future and robust strategies for an uncertain world. His current work focuses on technology, energy resources and the environment, media and entertainment, and national security. Before cofounding GBN in 1987, Peter headed scenario planning for Royal Dutch Shell in London and directed the Strategic Environment Center at SRI International. He is author of The Art of the Long View (1991, 1996) and Inevitable Surprises (2003); coauthor of When Good Companies Do Bad Things (1999), The Long Boom (1999), and China’s Futures (2000); and served as a script consultant on such films as “Minority Report,” “Deep Impact,” “Sneakers,” and “War Games.” Peter is a former venture capitalist, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and sits on the boards of The Long Now Foundation and the World Affairs Council. He received an honorary doctorate and a B.S. in aeronautical engineering and astronautics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Steve Weber, a GBN Network member and  political economist, is a professor in the department of political science at U.C. Berkeley. His areas of special interest include the open source movement, international political economy, U.S. foreign policy, the political economy of European integration, and theories of cooperation. Previously, Steve served as special adviser to the president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London. Steve received a B.A. in history and international development from Washington University in St. Louis. After several years of medical school training at Stanford, he moved to the political science department, where he earned an M.A. and PhD. His current research projects include the economic and political dimensions of open source development and intellectual property, changes in the business cycle and their implications for firms and governments, and the coming crash of the knowledge economy. His latest book, The Success of Open Source, was published by Harvard University Press in  2004.