Cathy Hackl is a distinguished figure in the realms of technology, AI and the Metaverse. Currently sharing her expertise as the Founder and Chief Futurist of Journey, formerly The Futures Intelligence Group, Cathy is on a mission to anticipate the future and the needs of the next generation of customers. Globally respected for her authority as a tech futurist, Cathy is also an Initiative Partner in Defining and Building the Metaverse for the World Economic Forum, along with delivering various keynote speaking engagements for high-profile clients. With brands such as Louis Vuitton, NIKE and Clinique trusting her guidance, don’t hesitate to hire Cathy Hackl today.
Initially beginning her career as an Associate Producer & Trainee for Discovery Communications and an Associate Archive Coordinator for CNN, Cathy’s illustrious career was founded in the media industry. Having worked a variety of jobs in the media industry, including being an Associate Producer for FOX 5 Atalanta, Cathy diversified to become a Public Relations Specialist for the University of Florida and an Adjunct Professor at IE Business School, before finding her interest in all things technology as a VR Evangelist for HTC Vive in 2017. Since then, she has worked as a Launch Pad Fellow for Oculus VR, and Experiential Marketing & Partnerships Lead of Emerging Technology for Mozilla, a Hologram Advisor for Avatar Dimension and a Partner Activation Leader for Amazon Web Services.
In addition to her expertise in technology, Cathy is also an avid futurist, having been a Futurist for Your Are Here Labs and Chief Futurist of Journey. In addition to her commitments at Journey, Cathy is also a Contributing Editor of Vogue Singapore, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Ad Council and a Partner of the WXR Fund. Aside from these roles, Cathy is also the Host of Adweek’s Signal Podcast, an award-winning broadcast that is a testament to her versatility as a speaker. Having been featured in the likes of The Economist and Bloomberg, it is without surprise that Cathy has been recognised as one of Ad Age’s Leading Women of 2023 and as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women of 2023 by Forbes Latam.
A globally respected authority on all aspects of strategic foresight, AR, spatial computing, the Metaverse, gaming and Web3, Cathy is now highly sought-after as a keynote speaker to share her expertise on such subjects - and Champions Speakers are proud to be an official speaker agent for Cathy Hackl. Having formerly spoken at the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, the Harvard Business School, MIT and Vogue’s Forces of Fashion, Cathy is a seasoned speaker whose expertise branches countless sectors. A staple in the world of immersive technology, Cathy helps her clients stay ahead of the curve and anticipate the changes that will undoubtedly shape the world around us. Also highly passionate about female empowerment, Cathy is determined to motivate the next generation of female STEM trailblazers, a testament to her passion for creating a more inclusive future for all. When looking for an engaging speaker who shares the exciting possibilities of the digital future, hire Cathy Hackl today!
Social Media
Books
The Augmented Workforce: How Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality and 5G Will Impact Every Dollar You Make
Marketing New Realities: An Introduction to Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Marketing, Branding & Communications
Reviews
Cathy Hackl received a 4.5 star rating across 10 events in 2023
Agent Recommendation
"Cathy Hackl shines as a metaverse and AI speaker, melding over 15 years of tech expertise with captivating insights. Her prowess in shaping virtual worlds and innovative strategies is unmatched, making her a beacon for any audience eager to navigate the digital future with confidence. Highly recommended!"
How to hire Cathy Hackl
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Cathy Hackl for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
Cathy Hackl's official speaking topics are listed below:
- Future of Business
- Future of any Industry
- Future of Leadership
- Direct to Avatar
- Marketing to Robots
- Augmented Reality
- Virtual Reality
- Spatial Computing
- XR
- Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence
- Innovation
- Emerging Technology
- Futurism
- Virtual Beings
- Future of Work
- Future of Marketing
- Future of Travel
- Future of Manufacturing
- CGI Influencers
- Personal Branding for Women in Tech
- LinkedIn Strategy
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
Feedback from In-Person Events:
"As a notable tech leader and futurist, we invited Cathy Hackl to keynote the Nevada Governor's Global Tourism Summit. Her talk was informative, engaging and really showcased how Nevada can be a leader when it comes to tourism innovation" - Brenda, Acting Director, Nevada Department of Tourism & Cultural Affairs
"Cathy is knowledgeable, engaging and passionate about the field of technology and social media. I came away with so much information that I am excited to move forward and try new ways to get information out through a variety of tools and platforms" - Nutan, Executive Producer, US Department of Defense
"The best speaker of future technology! Her talk was phenomenal. It truly brought forth the reality of the future of marketing and opportunities. She did a great job at explaining the things to come and providing useful information to take back to our business" - Event Attendee, Social Media Marketing World, San Diego
"Cathy Hackl is not only a seasoned broadcaster, but a compelling trainer who received a 90% approval rating at a Public Relations Society of America's recent workshop. Cathy's ability to share implementable strategies, while offering cutting-edge digital engagement techniques, was impressive, especially considering her audience-career communications" - Colleen, Professional Development, Public Relations Society of America
"Cathy Hackl is such a great source for information on Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. Her insights put these new developments and trends in context to show how they will have a practical impact. I follow Cathy's posts on LinkedIn and Twitter and I am sure to read articles she posts. It was such a pleasure to talk with her in our broadcast at Automation Fair at Home this year. Her network helped us to amplify messaging and reach industry influencers. Thank you, Cathy!" - Dave, Director of Advanced Technology, Rockwell Automation
"I requested Cathy to speak at our AR/VR team at Facebook and she did not disappoint. Her talk spanned a wide range of topics. She was energetic, engaging and easy to work with. We would love to have Cathy back in the future" - Sarah, Event Specialist, Facebook Reality Labs
"Cathy is a phenomenal speaker who is able to engage the crows with her well-rounded experience and anyone could tell how passionate she was for the future of reality. Not only was her keynote speech intriguing and informative, but her question and answer segment was one of the most interesting aspects of the conference. She was able to offer insight on so many sides of the industry and will always be welcomed back at OrlandoiX" - David, Executive Producer, OrlandoiX & Immersion
- 2023 - Named an Ad Age Leading Women of 2023
- 2023 - Named on Forbes Latam's 100 Most Powerful Women of 2023
- 2021 - Dean of the Republic Realm Academy for Everyrealm Inc
- 2021 - Host of the Metaverse Marketing Podcast for Adweek
- 2021 - Volumetric Video/ Hologram Advisor for Avatar Dimension
- 2021 - Partner of the WXR Fund & Metaverse Growth Strategist for Uplandme Inc
- 2021 - Futurist in Residence at VRM & The ARIA Network
- 2021 - Founder & Chief Futurist of Journey
- 2020 - CEO & Chief Metaverse Officer of Futures Intelligence Group
- 2020 - Partner Activation Leader for Amazon Web Services
- 2018 - Enterprise Strategist for Magic Leap
- 2018 - Futurist for You Are Here Labs - Immersive Experiences
- 2018 - Experiential Marketing & Partnerships Lead, Emerging Technology for Mozilla
- 2017 - Launch Pad Fellow of Oculus VR
- 2017 - VR Evangelist HTC Vive
- 2016 - Contributing Writer to VRScout
- 2016 - Chief Communications Officer for Future Lighthouse
- 2015 - Director of SummitLiveLA
- 2014 - Public Relations Strategist & Strategic Communications for University of Florida
- 2013 - Adjunct Professor at the IE Business School
- 2012 - Communications Director of Ellas 2.0
- 2010 - Communications Coordinator for EARTH University Foundation
- 2007 - Senior Account Executive for Spaulding Communications
- 2007 - Associate Producer for FOX 5 Atlanta
- 2004 - Associate Archive Coordinator for CNN
- 2003 - Associate Producer for Discovery Communications
