Tracey Follows
Futurist of the System and the Self
Futurist · Author · Strategic Foresight Adviser · Founder of Futuremade
She is the author of The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology? and The Future of You Five Years On: From Machine-Readable to Me:chine. And she hosts the award-winning The Future of You podcast, featuring the Me:chine Dialogues.
You can read The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?, her original book on identity and emerging technology
The Future of You: Five Years On — From Machine-Readable to Me:chine.
Tracey Follows is an internationally recognised futurist, author and strategic foresight adviser whose work explores the futures emerging between the systems shaping our world and the selves who inhabit and transform them.
Her work spans technological, economic, geopolitical and societal change, examining how emerging developments reshape industries, markets, institutions, organisations and human lives.
With more than 30 years of experience across industry, corporate strategy and strategic foresight, including senior international and board-level leadership, Tracey combines commercial understanding with long-range futures thinking. She has worked across sectors including technology, media, retail, financial services, housing, health, travel, pensions, engineering, fashion & luxury, telecommunications and consumer goods.
She is the founder of Futuremade®, her strategic foresight practice, and the creator of System & Self™, an original futures framework and methodology for examining the relationship between large-scale systems and individual agency.
Rather than studying technological or societal systems independently of the people who live within them, System & Self explores what happens between the two: how systems shape human possibilities, and how people interpret, adapt to, challenge and transform the systems around them.
Its central proposition is:
Every future is written between the system and the self.
Tracey's wider body of original work includes the Database Brand, exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming the nature of brands and commerce; Too Much Future, examining the relationship between prediction and possibility; and Me:chine®, her research programme investigating human–machine futures and the relationship between machinable and unmachinable human capabilities.
Ranked among the world's Top 10 Futurists by Global Gurus in 2025 and 2026, Tracey contributes regularly to BBC Radio 4, guest lectures on executive programmes at London Business School and is a former Visiting Professor in Digital Futures and Identity.
Her academic background includes a First Class degree in Philosophy, an MSc in Technological Change and Industrial Strategy, and formal study in Futures and Strategic Foresight.
Through Futuremade, Tracey advises organisations, works with executive teams and delivers international keynote talks, connecting systemic change with strategic choices and the human possibilities that emerge from them.
Understanding the future requires examining both the macro forces changing the world and the personal futures of those living through that change. It is in their relationship that new possibilities emerge.
Work With Tracey
System & Self™ is Tracey's original futures framework and methodology for understanding the relationship between the systems shaping our world and the people who inhabit, influence and transform them.
Her central proposition is: Every Future is Written between the System and the Self.
Tracey advises, teaches and delivers selected keynote talks for organisations including Google, the United Nations, the US State Department, FT Global Boardroom, Virgin, Coca-Cola, Farfetch, Aviva, Tesco, BAE Systems and Fortune. Read the testimonials.
Thirteen years as a professional futurist, ranked among the Top 30 worldwide. #9 in Global Gurus 2026.
Twenty preceding years in industry, including board-level leadership.
Published author with original intellectual property and proprietary methodologies.
Creator of System & Self™ and Me:chine®.
BBC broadcasting experience, including as resident futurist on Radio 4’s Dough.
Visiting Professorship and London Business School teaching.
Major international platforms and strong client ratings.
See full CV including Wired, The Future Laboratory, Cannes Lions below
THE NEW WORLD RE-ORDER: The System keynote
SELFHOOD IN THE SYNTHETIC AGE: The Self keynote
Tracey’s Keynote & International Speaking Enquiries:
Managed by Connect Speakers Bureau
Contact
“She really does see trends before anyone else”
INDUSTRY KEYNOTES
AGENDA-SETTING TALKS
OPENING KEYNOTE
THE FUTURE OF YOU
CLOSING KEYNOTE
PANEL EXPERT
STADIUM SPEAKER
Q&A
INSPIRING AUDIENCES
"Exceeded all expectations"
"Mind-blowing"
"An exceptional futurist"
"Stayed with me long after it ended "
"So inspiring - loved it!"
"Favourite Session of the Day"
"Exceeded all expectations" "Mind-blowing" "An exceptional futurist" "Stayed with me long after it ended " "So inspiring - loved it!" "Favourite Session of the Day"
International Events
International events include FT’s Global Boardroom, UN HQ, UNDP Women’s Leadership in Digital in Doha, Nobel Visions in Moscow, FTLIve Tech, Virgin’s FutureVisions with Sir Richard Branson, and more
Tracey Follows: Experience & Appointments
A career spanning three interconnected fields: futures, strategic foresight, thought leadership, technology, leadership in institutions, governance and academia; and corporate strategy and leadership.
Founder CEO | Futuremade | 2017 to present
Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer | The Future Laboratory | 2016-2017
Head of Strategy | WIRED Consulting | 2018
Jury President | Inaugural Creative Strategy Lion | 2019
Advisory Council | dotEveryone | 2019
Futures Board Advisory Member | Lifeboat Foundation | 2023 onwards
Co-Chair of Cross-Technology Group, Track 7 Emerging Technologies | 2025
Forbes Contributor | 2019 - 2025
Guest Lecturer in Futures Studies & Strategic Foresight | 2023 to present
Visiting Professor in Digital Futures & Identity | Staffordshire Uni | 2023 - 2026
Non-Exec Director & Council Member | Advertising Standards Authority | 2017 - 2021
Chair | Account Planning Group | 2014 - 2015
Head of Consumer Communications | 2005 - 2006
Head of International Advertising | 2000 - 2003
Chief Strategy Officer & Managing Partner | JWT London | 2012 - 2014
Head of Planning | 2009 - 2012
Account Director | 1994 - 2000
Head of Brand Communications | 2004 - 2005
Leadership, Awards & Appointments
World’s Top 30 Futurist Professionals 2025 & 2026, Global Gurus • Jury President, Inaugural Creative Strategy Lions, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity • Associate Fellow, World Academy of Art & Science • Co-Chair, Emerging Technologies Cross-Technology Group, ITU Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI • Guest Lecturer, Futures & Strategic Foresight, London Business School • Visiting Professor in Digital Futures & Identity, Staffordshire University • Advisory Board, Human Trajectories Programme, Lifeboat Foundation • Winner, Best Tech Show, Independent Podcast Awards • BusinessCloud Top Trailblazing Women in Tech • Advisory Board, Doteveryone • Chair, Account Planning Group • Non-Executive Director, Advertising Standards Authority • Campaign Top 25 UK Marketing Influencers on Social Media • Ad Age Woman to Watch • Outstanding Contribution to Marketing, Women in Marketing Awards
Research & Intellectual Work
Tracey's books, research and original frameworks have been cited, discussed and featured in academic publications, institutional research and the work of other thinkers.

