Polymath and super forecaster David Murrin is an expert in discovering and analysing patterns in history in order to increase his understanding and ability to predict the future. His five-stage model based on recurrent human behaviour has extended his knowledge on understanding how we make decisions and has helped to predict a whole host of events throughout the past two decades. Beginning his career in the oil industry, David took to the jungles of Papua New Guinea and the southwestern Pacific Islands in order to explore the mineral composition of the region. It was whilst working with the PNG tribespeople that he first gained an understanding of collective human behaviour. Whilst observing his new colleagues at JP Morgan, Murrin recognised that people in modern society also behaved collectively.
In 1997, Murrin co-founded Emergent Asset Management where he currently works as the CIO. He also co-founded Emergent’s African land fund in 2008 and was responsible for their heritage oil fundraising. Since 2011, he has had full control of Emergent and works to predict fluctuations in the financial markets alongside his highly specialised team. David has since applied his in-depth understanding of human psychology and published two books about the impact on society of the 9/11 attacks and the First World War. Breaking the Code of History and Lions Led By Lions offer fresh and interesting insights into how humans have learnt behaviours over time from specific events in history.
He is also now a Global Fellow of PS21 which is a project that focuses on all of the major issues of the 21st century in order to evaluate the bigger picture. Through his strong interest in military history and the current global military balance, Murrin is able to accurately predict future events and relate them to the businesses he speaks to. He also offers a framework which can be used to explain human decision-making, help with risk assessment and reduce biases within the workplace.
David’s analysis of these external influences that affect regions and countries is also valid at a company level. The Five Phase Life Cycle applies to the individual, to teams and to companies. Is a company showing the energy, ambition and confidence of the growth phase, is it showing the maturity and stability of the third stage, or is it in decline? What can we do about this? As well as future trends speakers, David’s work naturally leads to a study of leadership and how change is created. He also discusses a range of topics surrounding geopolitics, economics and business. Through his fascinating talks, David will educate and enlighten audiences, making him the perfect asset to your evening.
With his expansive experience within the political field, David Murrin was hand-picked as one of The World's Top 20 Geopolitical Speakers to Hire in 2024.
How to hire David Murrin
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring David Murrin 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.
David's official speaking topics are listed below.
- The future of the global economy
- The rise of China and the Asian economies
- The new arms race
- The American empire in the 21st century
- The future for Britain and the European Union
- Demography and climate change
- Left brain right brain companies - which are more agile and responsive to change?
- The life cycle of a business
- Technology and the rise of the machines
- Iconic leadership - the nature of effective leadership
"I would like to thank you for participating in our event last week. The group and I found the subject and the content of your presentation, extremely interesting and your delivery, very engaging." - Fernando, CEO TPCG Group
"I would highly recommend David Murrin as a keynote speaker to any event organizers putting together conferences or meetings for high-level executives. His presentation, “The Geopolitics of Modern Africa for Investors,” at our African Cup of Investment Management conference in Cape Town, South Africa, was a fascinating and entertaining session that proved extremely popular with our attendees. David spoke to a packed room of representatives from across Africa’s finance industry, and his presentation was singled out as a highlight of the day-and-a-half conference by several attendees. It was a pleasure to meet David and I would enthusiastically recommend him as a keynote speaker." - Tim, Information Management Network (IMN)
"David addressed the Royal College of Defence Studies for the first time in 2013. His presentation on the impact of Leaders in the historical cycles of empires provided a compelling and thoughtful proposition. David’s analysis is provocative, challenging and highly persuasive, and his talk generated much interest among the 90 Members who represent over 50 countries. Without doubt, he provided one of the genuine highlights of this high-quality 2013 Course." - Nick, Royal College of Defence Studies
