Dr. Mark
van Rijmenam
World-leading futurist and global AI keynote speaker. The futurist who shows up after the hype, with a framework, a stance on risk and a path to action.
Everything you need to introduce Mark: a one-line descriptor, stage introductions to read aloud, written bios in three lengths, key facts, the logo and photos, his speaker video and an audio overview. Copy, download and use freely. Updated October 2026.
One-line descriptor
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is The Digital Speaker, a world-leading futurist and global AI keynote speaker who helps leaders decide what AI means for their organization.
Stage introductions
Written to be read aloud, as is. Pick the length that fits your running order.
Pronunciation: Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is pronounced Dr. Mark van Ray-me-nam.
Short
50 words · about 20 secondsOur next speaker helps leaders decide what AI means for their organization. Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is The Digital Speaker, a world-leading futurist and a global AI keynote speaker. Global Gurus ranked him the number one futurist in 2025, and number three in 2026. Please welcome Dr. Mark van Rijmenam.
Medium
100 words · about 40 secondsOur next speaker helps leaders decide what AI, and the technologies that follow it, mean for their organization.
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is The Digital Speaker, a world-leading futurist and global AI keynote speaker. He holds a doctorate from the University of Technology Sydney and is a Certified Speaking Professional. Global Gurus ranked him the number one futurist in 2025, and number three in 2026. Salesforce named him among 16 leading AI voices.
He’s written six books. He doesn’t bring forecasts. He brings a way of deciding that leaders keep using long after today.
Please welcome Dr. Mark van Rijmenam.
Long
168 words · about 70 secondsOur next speaker helps leaders decide what AI, and the technologies that follow it, mean for their organization.
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is The Digital Speaker, a world-leading futurist and global AI keynote speaker. He has given more than 200 keynotes in 32+ countries, with an average rating of 9.2 out of 10, and is trusted by leaders at Microsoft, Dell, Nestlé, Mastercard and EY.
He holds a doctorate from the University of Technology Sydney, and he is a Certified Speaking Professional and Global Speaking Fellow. Global Gurus ranked him the number one futurist in 2025, and number three in 2026. Salesforce named him among 16 leading AI voices.
He has written six books, most recently the award-winning Now What? How to Ride the Tsunami of Change. He writes the Synthetic Minds newsletter, founded Futurwise, and even has a digital twin you can talk to on WhatsApp.
He won’t give us a forecast today. He’ll give us a better way of deciding.
Please welcome Dr. Mark van Rijmenam.
Written bios
For programs, websites and bureaus.
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is The Digital Speaker, a world-leading futurist and global AI keynote speaker who helps leaders decide what AI means for their organization. He speaks at conferences and leadership retreats, has written six books and was ranked #1 futurist by Global Gurus in 2025 (#3 in 2026).
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is The Digital Speaker, a world-leading futurist and global AI keynote speaker who helps leaders decide what AI means for their organization. He speaks at conferences and, through his Intelligence Age Readiness Briefing, at leadership retreats, offsites and board meetings.
A Certified Speaking Professional, Global Speaking Fellow and LinkedIn Top Voice, he holds a PhD from the University of Technology Sydney. Global Gurus ranked him #1 futurist in 2025 and #3 in 2026. Salesforce named him among 16 leading AI voices. His six books include the award-winning Now What? How to Ride the Tsunami of Change.
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is The Digital Speaker, a world-leading futurist and global AI keynote speaker who helps leaders decide what AI, and the technologies that follow it, mean for their organization. He speaks to conference audiences worldwide and, through his Intelligence Age Readiness Briefing, to leadership teams at retreats, offsites and board meetings.
He calls himself an optimistic dystopian, embracing technology’s promise with a healthy skepticism about its risks. His WAVE framework (Watch, Adapt, Verify, Empower) gives leaders a way of deciding that they keep using long after he has left the room. His Intelligence Age Scorecard measures how ready an organization is across the four WAVE pillars, in confidence, from the people closest to the work.
He has given more than 200 keynotes in 32+ countries, with an average keynote rating of 9.2 out of 10, and is trusted by leaders at Microsoft, Dell, Nestlé, Mastercard and EY. He speaks in person, virtually or live as a life-size hologram, and gave a TEDx talk in virtual reality (TEDxNijmegen).
He holds a PhD from the University of Technology Sydney, is a Certified Speaking Professional, Global Speaking Fellow and LinkedIn Top Voice, and was ranked #1 futurist by Global Gurus in 2025 and #3 in 2026. Salesforce named him among 16 leading AI voices. He has written six books, most recently the award-winning Now What? How to Ride the Tsunami of Change. He writes the Synthetic Minds newsletter and founded Futurwise. You can talk to his digital twin on WhatsApp.
Key facts
- Name: Dr. Mark van Rijmenam
- Known as: The Digital Speaker, the Architect of Tomorrow
- What he does: a world-leading futurist and global AI keynote speaker who helps leaders decide what AI means for their organization
- Outlook: he calls himself an optimistic dystopian, embracing technology’s promise with a healthy skepticism about its risks
- Based in: Sydney, Australia
- Education: PhD, University of Technology Sydney
- Speaking credentials: Certified Speaking Professional (CSP); Global Speaking Fellow (GSF), a designation held by fewer than 50 speakers worldwide
- Rankings: Global Gurus list of the world’s top futurists: #1 in 2025, #3 in 2026
- Recognition: LinkedIn Top Voice; named by Salesforce among 16 leading AI voices; 45+ awards and rankings since 2014
- Track record: 200+ keynotes in 32+ countries; 100,000+ leaders; 9.2/10 average keynote rating; 4.83/5 from 500+ attendees; 80+ recommendations
- Trusted by leaders at: Microsoft, Dell, Nestlé, Mastercard and EY
- Formats: in person, virtually or live as a life-size hologram
- Framework: WAVE (Watch, Adapt, Verify, Empower)
- Diagnostic: the Intelligence Age Scorecard measures readiness across the four WAVE pillars; it is run by Think Squared at ia-scorecard.com
- For leadership teams: the Intelligence Age Readiness Briefing, for a leadership retreat, offsite or board meeting
- Books: six, most recently Now What? How to Ride the Tsunami of Change (4.9 rating on Amazon)
- Book awards for Now What?: Best Book Awards Winner (American Book Fest); Eric Hoffer Award Grand Prize Short List; Readers’ Favorite Book Award Winner; NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite 2026; Pencraft Awards Winner Spring 2026
- Newsletter: Synthetic Minds on Substack, a note every weekday and a weekly analysis every Tuesday
- Founder: Futurwise, a platform for verified, human-cited insight
- TEDx: a talk held in virtual reality (TEDxNijmegen)
- Digital twin: his digital twin speaks 29 languages, and anyone can talk to it on WhatsApp
- Bookings and media: enquiries@thedigitalspeaker.com
- Contracting entity: Futurity Ventures Pty Ltd as trustee for the Futurity Ventures Family Trust, trading as The Digital Speaker, ABN 89 422 409 835
Now What? How to Ride the Tsunami of ChangeFive book awards
- Best Book Awards WinnerAmerican Book Fest
- Eric Hoffer AwardGrand Prize Short List
- Readers’ FavoriteBook Award Winner
- NYC Big Book AwardDistinguished Favorite 2026
- Pencraft AwardsWinner Spring 2026
For speaker bureaus and organizers
The Intelligence Age Readiness Briefing
The Intelligence Age Readiness Briefing is Mark’s keynote for a leadership team at its retreat, offsite or board meeting, written for the client’s industry, markets and strategy after briefing calls with its executive team. It comes in three options: the keynote; the keynote and the Intelligence Age Scorecard, a confidential read from the client’s own people before the event; or the keynote, the Scorecard and a publication that records how the client’s top leaders see the future. Every attendee takes home a copy of Now What? Each option comes at one all-inclusive price, in one proposal. Book three to nine months ahead.
Current keynote topics
- Riding the Tsunami of Change: the flagship keynote on exponential change and the WAVE framework.
- Leading in the Intelligence Age: the AI keynote on strategy, governance and operationalization.
- Becoming the Architect of Tomorrow: when technologies collide and industries transform.
All three are available as an in-person keynote, a live virtual keynote, a holographic keynote or a half-day workshop.
Speaker brochure. Keynote topics, formats, client recommendations and the WAVE framework, in one PDF.
Download the speaker brochure (PDF)Logo and photos
Permission is granted to use the following logo and photographs for promotional, press or publicity purposes. Click any image to download it.
Speaker video
Permission is granted to use the following video for promotional, press or publicity purposes.
Audio overview
Exposing AI Readiness5:54
An AI-generated audio overview of Mark’s work on AI readiness. Share it with your attendees ahead of the event.