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What do I do?

FUTURE INSIGHTS

GOVERNMENT INNOVATION

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

HIGH-VALUE STRATEGY

CREATIVE DIRECTION

POLITICAL COMMUNICATION

Most of my work falls under the category of "special projects", i.e., new things, big things, hard things, unusual things or just plain sensitive things.

 

I specialize in two questions; "What is next?" and "What do we do about it?"

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It turns out these are quite important. As a result, most of my projects involve a mixture of the following skills.

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Explore &

Inspire

Prototype & Demonstrate

Plan &

Regulate

Scale &

Support

Raford's "Future Funnel" - a process of project scales & activities designed to create future-facing strategies, visions, stories and change.

Immersive

Experiences

Research & Publication

Events & Outreach

Pilot Projects

Sector Strategies

Future Accelerators

Targets & KPI's

Fund & Invest

Monitor &

Review

Challenges & Prizes

Foresight

I have over 20 years experience developing foresight projects for dozens of national, state, urban, corporate and non-profit partners.

 

Foresight, futures, trends, scenario planning and related disciplines are really about three things: history, motivations & dynamics. In other words, how did we get here, who is involved, how do things work and what is changing?

Examples:

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  • The Future of Fashion, Retail & Commerce

  • The Future of Citizenship

  • The Future of Social Movements

  • The Future of Digital Economies

  • The Future of Media Influence

Examples:

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  • The Dubai Blockchain Strategy

  • The Dubai 3D Printing Strategy

  • Regional Economic Development Vision for a Major European City

  • Diversification & Legacy Strategy for Global Luxury Brand

Strategy

I develop successful strategies, action plans and initiatives that position organizations to make bold, triumphant moves.

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Position yourself to take advantage of change. What actions, initiatives and policies should you pursue to get ahead of the curve? How do you turn these into actionable initiatives and programs that succeed?

Creativity

I build teams and lead designs that turn ideas into action.

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Plans are only worth the PowerPoints they're rendered on. It's an entirely different skill to turn these into projects, particularly in sectors which have never been done before. It is important to develop concrete designs, initiatives and actions which both advance your plan and build support from all the right stakeholders.

Examples:

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  • The Dubai Museum of the Future

  • The Emirati Futurism Award

  • Brand & Communication Strategies for Dozens of Major Government Initiatives

Examples:

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  • Dubai Future Accelerators

  • The Dubai Future Fund

  • Seed and Series A Investment

Investment & Acceleration

I source deals, build accelerators and support start-ups and venture funds. 

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I have over a decade's experience building accelerators, conducting investments and creating entrepreneurial ecosystems - particularly in regulated sectors - which magnify the impact of first-mover advantages and create large-scale impact for good.

Training

I train executives, provide coaching, design curriculum and deliver training.

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From individual executive education to government-wide up-skilling programs, I have both designed and delivered large-scale training and bespoke capacity-building initiatives which contributes to sustainable transformation across generations.

Examples:

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  • Dubai Future Academy

  • Dubai 10X

  • Executive Learning Journeys

  • Leadership Coaching & Advisory

  • Start-up Mentorship & Guidance

  • Market Entry & Cultural Training for Major MNC's

Examples:

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  • Dubai Government's First TikTok Account

  • The Dubai Museum of the Future

  • The UAE Drones for Good Award

  • Hundreds of Notable Speeches, Presentations, Workshops & Community Events

  • Brand & Communication Strategies for Major Government Initiatives

Media

I tell stories that create change. 

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Press releases and political speeches have their place, but the world of communication has changed forever. From creating the first TikTok channel for the Dubai Government to running influencer campaigns and community engagements, 21st Century story-telling requires a deeper understanding of trust, credibility and influence that is truly "special". How will you tell your story of change and create champions needed for your continued success? 

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