William Higham: Consumer Futurist

    William Higham is a consumer futurist, keynote speaker, and founder of Next Big Thing who helps organizations understand emerging trends and future consumer behavior.

    William Higham - Image 01 (March 11, 2026)

    Quick Facts:

      • Founder and CEO of Next Big Thing
      • Global keynote speaker and futurist specializing in consumer behavior
      • Advisor to major organizations including HSBC, BBC, and Mindshare
      • Former marketing strategist at Sony Music
    • Formats:

      Keynote Speaker and Consumer Trends Futurist

    • Audiences:

      Corporate leaders, marketing teams, innovation strategists, brand managers, and organizations seeking insights into emerging consumer trends and market opportunities.

    • Outcomes:
      1. Understanding of future consumer behavior and market trends
      2. Strategies to anticipate change and adapt business models
      3. Insights to build stronger connections with evolving audiences
    Reading time: 2 min
    Reviews: (0 reviews)
    • Travels from: London, UK
    • **Fee range: On Request

    Keynote Topics

    Five reasons consumer-led innovation is the easy way to boost your bottom line.

    In this keynote, speaker William Higham presents five reasons consumer-led innovation is the best and most effective way to reach goals and increase your bottom line.

    In this eye-opening talk, William explains the power behind Control, Comfort and Community and what they mean for to customers and business.

    This talk is focused on recruitment and how to ensure the right talent in your organization that will support and lead to a better tomorrow.

    This talk is perfect for HR professionals and leaders.

    Having a good corporate culture has become one of the most important things in business, however, it is also one of the most challenging and complex things to change.

    In this keynote, William shares his very best advice to creating an Innovation Culture.

    Talent Short Bio

    William Higham is a globally recognized consumer futurist, strategist, and keynote speaker specializing in future trends, innovation, and evolving consumer behavior. As the founder and CEO of Next Big Thing, he advises major corporations on how to anticipate market shifts and develop strategies that resonate with tomorrow’s consumers.

    Higham’s expertise lies in combining behavioral research, cultural insight, and data analysis to identify emerging trends and predict how consumer attitudes and behaviors will evolve. His work helps organizations understand how changing lifestyles, technologies, and social values shape purchasing decisions and brand relationships.

    Earlier in his career, Higham gained experience in consumer strategy while working at Sony Music, where he contributed to marketing campaigns for global music icons including Michael Jackson, Motörhead, and Alice Cooper. This experience sparked his fascination with how culture and creativity influence consumer trends.

    William Higham is a worldwide authority on future and evolving consumer behaviours. An expert on innovation, trends, and marketing, he consults industry leaders and major corporations on future trends and strategic decision-making, runs innovation workshops, writes and speaks on trends.

    William Higham is a recognized strategist, speaker and futurist. He is also the founder and CEO of the strategic consultancy Next Big Thing which he founded in 2002. His practical approach makes his keynotes actionable and relevant for clients all over the world. William is also regularly featured in the media from BBC to The Times where he offers his perspective on the future.

    William Higham gained his initial experience with consumer strategy at Sony Music in the 1990s, where he worked on marketing communications for Michael Jackson, Motörhead, and Alice Cooper. William has a natural interest for people and how the present affects the future. He describes himself as a dual personality with his passion for soft data and creative communities while still being devoted to hard facts and numbers.

    William’s approach to predicting future trends and behaviours is based on science and research about people’s attitudes towards change. William and his team use a unique combination of research methodologies that allows him to predict behaviour and share his valuable insights with clients.

    As a speaker he aims to inspire and help different organisations on future trends and behaviors by sharing his perspective and experience. William has spoken at many different events and while he specializes in consumer behaviour, he also offers his insights and knowledge on the broader perspective of change and future.

    Upon founding Next Big Thing, William has become one of the most respected future behaviorists in the world. His consultancy service uses consumer research and analysis to identify upcoming markets, providing corporate clients with an unbeatable insight into buying behaviour.

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