Founder & CEO of Next Big Thing, Behavioural Strategist, Consumer Futurist, Author of ‘The Next Big Thing’
William Higham’s Biography:
William Higham is a globally recognised futurist, behavioural strategist and keynote speaker, best known as Founder and CEO of Next Big Thing, a strategic consultancy specialising in foresight, innovation and consumer behaviour. He is a research driven speaker whose work helps leaders make confident decisions in uncertain environments. William is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most respected voices on future strategy, having advised some of the world’s best known organisations on how markets, customers and workforces are changing, and what to do next.
William’s career began in the creative industries, where he built a deep understanding of culture, audiences and emerging trends. After completing a BA in English Literature at the University of London, he joined Sony as Senior Press Officer, leading PR campaigns for global artists including Michael Jackson, Alice Cooper and Joe Strummer. He later moved to Virgin as Senior Product Manager, developing marketing strategies for The Rolling Stones and The Verve, before becoming Marketing Manager at Universal Music, where he worked with acts such as The Cure and Shed Seven. These formative roles shaped his instinctive ability to spot shifts in behaviour early.
In 2003, William founded Next Big Thing, marking a decisive move into strategic foresight and consultancy. Under his leadership, the business has become a trusted partner to organisations including Amazon, HSBC, Vodafone, BBC and Walt Disney, helping them identify new growth opportunities and build resilience. He has also held the role of Managing Director of OnePoll, where he successfully repositioned the business as a leading standalone market research agency, delivering year on year growth, industry accreditations and major client acquisitions. Alongside consultancy work, William is a published author and a regular media commentator.
Why Hire William Higham?
Today, William Higham is in high demand as a keynote speaker for conferences, leadership events and strategy offsites worldwide. His talks focus on consumer behaviour, innovation culture, strategic foresight, leadership through uncertainty and the future of work. These topics are critical for organisations facing rapid social, technological and economic change. William’s strength lies in translating complex research into clear, practical insight that audiences can act on immediately. Delegates leave with a sharper understanding of what is coming next and how to prepare, making William a compelling choice for organisations serious about future success.
William Higham’s Career Highlights:
Here are some of the key milestones that define William Higham’s career in behavioural strategy and futurism:
- 2025 – Recognised as a Top 15 Futures Speaker for strategy and consumer insight
- 2022 – Featured expert on Netflix’s Future Of documentary series
- 2010 – Appointed Managing Director of OnePoll
- 2009 – Published ‘The Next Big Thing with Kogan Page’, translated into five languages
- 2003 – Founded Next Big Thing
Videos
William Higham’s Official Keynote Speaking Videos & Showreel:
Testimonials
“The session went really well and we are more than happy. Really appreciate you recommending him, and making the session happen for us.” – Msizi, Saica
“William was thought provoking, had an engaging style and certainly set an agenda and context for change. The presentation definitely fitted in with the tone and context we were aiming for, so certainly pleased with the brief. Many thanks to you and William, it was great working with you both.” – Mike, Philips
“His insights into the attitudes & behaviour of UK consumers proved highly useful.” – Wayne, BBC
“Let me start off by saying Will was amazing. We had a few technical issues during his presentation and in fact two of his videos didn’t play despite us checking these. He continued on without these playing and carried this off perfectly we couldn’t have asked for more of Will. He then went on to do a piece for camera and network with our delegates when a lot of speakers would have just wanted to escape the nightmare scenario, so please pass on our sincere thanks to him.” – Vanessa
“Will has the unique skill of being able to identify those trends which are important and those which are just fads, then translating them into a commercial opportunity for your business.” – Alex, Head of Insight, Sainsbury’s
“Will’s talk was a great way to start our strategy conference. He brought new, provocative insights into evolving consumer behaviours, inspiring the audience to think of new ways to serve tomorrow’s consumer.” – Matt, Director of Strategy & Business Transformation, Primark
“William’s presentation was extremely high standard. I look forward to working with him again.” – Amy, EMAP Conferences
“William gave us great insights into how consumer attitudes are changing, and how companies will need to adapt to better appeal to tomorrow’s new ‘smart’ shopper.” – Michaela, Senior Editor, Financial Times Global Conferences
“Will offered a unique perspective on how companies can remain competitive in the 21st century, in a compelling, entertaining and convincing manner: encouraging delegates to rethink their approach to consumer behaviour.” – Jim, Department for International Trade, South West
“It was a great pleasure to work with such a professional speaker as William Higham.” – Birgit, Baltic Conferences
“We hired William Higham for two events as part of the Trade Horizons Roadshow, which ran across the South West in Summer 2018. This series of events was designed to support the growth of South West businesses through international trade. William went beyond the usual whistle-stop tour of emerging trends in technology, offering unique perspective on what companies need to know to remain competitive in the 21st century. William framed these insights in a compelling, entertaining and convincing manner, encouraging delegates to rethink their approach to consumer behaviour and psychology.” – Jim, Business West
“William is a rare talent, cutting through the hype to reveal what is really round the corner.” – Jo, Omnicom Group
“He delivered a really engaging talk that was well-received by the audience.” – Nico, Media Futures
“I want to pass on my thanks for your highly appreciated contribution to the 2020 CILT Conference and for coping with the difficult environment of Zoom, which can be a very sterile stage without any audience reaction or interaction. The breadth of the topics covered came together really well within the theme of “route to zero” and your session was superb in adding to the overall debate which is something we will be progressing during this year through our policy groups and with Department for Transport. I very much appreciate you giving up your time to prepare, present and respond to questions and know the delegates and future viewers of the content will have found it to be really valuable. On behalf of the Institute, its members and myself, thank you for participating.” – Kevin, Chief Executive, CILT
Speaking Topics
William Higham’s Official Keynote Topics:
- Consumer Behaviour and Future Trends
- Innovation Culture and Growth
- Leadership in Times of Disruption
- Strategic Foresight and Uncertainty
- The Future of Work and Organisations
- Understanding Gen Z, Gen Alpha and Emerging Consumers
How Much Does William Higham Cost to Hire?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire William Higham?
The cost of hiring William Higham depends on event format, location, duration and audience requirements. For an accurate and tailored quote, please contact a London Keynote Speakers Agency booking agent for expert guidance.