Understanding the future is essential to make strategic decisions in today’s fast-paced business environment. Business executives and corporate managers are often faced with the need to make decisions in complex situations with insufficient information about current trends and future conditions. Joseph V. Micallef is a keynote speaker and trainer who offers important insights and a compelling methodology to help organizations overcome these common challenges in a complex, ever-changing business environment.

Joseph is a powerful and entertaining presenter who offers solid education on the techniques of strategic foresight and how to use them to identify and conceptualize current trends and to create and plan possible scenarios about the future. He is also a gifted futurist, a published historian and has a broad background in both corporate management and international security. He is also an entertaining after dinner speaker with humorous and fascinating talks about the origins and history of Scotch whisky and “Winston Churchill for the 21st Century.”
Most organizations struggle with making decisions under uncertainty. These “knowledge gaps,” about the future are a typical and persistent feature of our current, fast paced, rapidly changing environment. Joseph steps in to help each organization organize a systematic, institutional approach to understanding possible futures with clarity, fostering an environment of strategic adaptability and nimble execution in an ever changing world.
About Joseph V. Micallef
If you are looking for a dynamic speaker who offers results with each presentation, then Joseph V. Micallef should be at the top of your list. He is an expert on the application of strategic foresight to both decision making and understanding future trends. His insight into leadership in an opaque environment will help your organization create a culture that fosters nimbleness and adaptability while at the same time institutionalizing a consistent, rigorous methodology for developing and understanding possible futures. His background as both a historian and a specialist on global politics and international security give him a particularly broad perspective on future trends and how they will shape our tomorrow.
Joseph’s presentations are solidly based on experience and research and have been enthusiastically recommended by corporations large and small all over the world. He has over a quarter of a century of experience in the media industry as a builder, leader and entrepreneur. His real-world experience as CEO and Chairman of the Allegro Media Group provided a unique experience and insight that can guide other organizations to higher levels of success. In addition, he has been active as an advisor, director and investor to numerous companies in a broad range of industries.
In addition to his public speaking and corporate advisory role, Joseph is also a futurist, best-selling author, historian, nationally syndicated columnist, and a commentator on national security and world politics. He has offered political insights on Fox News, Fox News Radio and CNN, and writes a weekly commentary on world politics for the Huffington Post and Military.com. He has also produced, directed and/or written dozens of documentaries on military history and world affairs.
Joseph V. Micallef earned a Graduate Degree (M.Sc.) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was a Fulbright Fellow at the Italian Institute of International Affairs. In 2014 he was a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Pacific Northwest) He also holds a Certificate, Director’s Course from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
From E Speakers.com

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Keynote: Topics

The New Face of Terror: The Challenge of ISIS

The rise of the Islamic State (IS) has fundamentally altered the reality of the contemporary Middle East. Part radical jihadists and part revolutionary government, IS, has carved out a territorial domain comparable to that of Great Britain, with a population of over eight million people….

In the process IS has morphed into a political entity never before seen—a terrorist nation, complete with its own army, currency, and passports—committed to a revolutionary strategy of creating a new Islamic caliphate that will ultimately lead to the Islamization of the globe.

It has amassed billions of dollars in assets, and what appears, at least on paper, to be a well-armed, formidable army. In the process, not only has it plunged both Syria and Iraq into civil war, but has made them the epicenter of a broader Sunni-Shia rivalry that threatens to plunge the Muslim world into a global conflict. Its unspeakable brutality, its genocidal policies, and its murderous record are unmatched by any regime since Pol Pot or Nazi Germany. Its rise has upended the traditional politics of the Middle East, creating tensions between long standing allies while making reluctant, if not surreptitious, allies of long standing rivals like the United States and Iran.

What You Will Learn:

What are the origins of the Islamic State?
How is it transforming the Middle East?
What threats does it pose to the United States?
Can it be defeated?

Testimonials:

“Comprehensive, encyclopedic, insightful, strategic…a fascinating presentation that combines a mastery of Middle East history with a comprehensive understanding of contemporary international politics.” – Alisha K Hamel, LTC US ARMY Executive Director, Historical Outreach Foundation

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Deciphering the Future: Leading Into Tomorrow

Humankind has been attempting to divine the future since the beginning of time. From the Delphic Oracle to tarot cards to complex computer simulations, we have attempted to foretell the future. Along the way there has been no shortage, of mystics, prognosticators, prophets and futurists willing to predict what tomorrow will bring.

Understanding what the future may bring is critical to formulating an enterprise’s strategic plan. Yet there is no other human activity whose practitioners have been so consistently and overwhelmingly wrong.

Why do futurists so often fail? How can we lead an organization and make decisions when the future is indecipherable?

What processes do we utilize to plan for a future we can’t anticipate and how do we implement, execute and, when necessary, modify a strategy that presupposes either multiple, incompatible outcomes or outcomes that can’t even be imagined? What macro factors will likely shape our future and how do we apply those trends to our specific needs? Join me today for a fascinating presentation on deciphering the future.

What You Will Learn:

How should we think of the future and why do most futurists fail to correctly anticipate future trends?
How do we deal with the risks associated with an opaque future in formulating our long term plans?
What are the major macro trends that will shape the twenty-first century and how do we translate them into a meaningful long-term strategy?

Testimonials:

“Your keynote was right on point! Our executives loved your message and your delivery. Your willingness to take questions in Spanish was both appreciated and impressive. You set the pace for the entire conference.” – Alejandro Martinez Sibaja, Director General, PEMEX Gas and Petrochemicals

“Joe worked with us in advance to understand our company’s unique challenges such that he could weave them into his keynote message. The message itself was one that was simple, yet presented in a way that was engaging, and most importantly, real versus theory-oriented. Joe’s message was full of energy and his unique talent to tell compelling stories with concrete lessons and real-world application made the time particularly well spent.” – Richard Pierce, CEO, CorSource Technology Group

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Leadership in Uncertain Times: The Role of Strategic Foresight

In today’s fast paced business environment, managers often have to make decisions under conditions where they lack sufficient or precise information about the future Understanding and managing the risks associated with such “knowledge gaps” is one of the principal leadership challenges facing modern organizations. How can corporate leaders identify the type of uncertainties they face, what strategies can they employ to reduce them and how can they use strategic foresight to get a better understanding of the future? How do companies create an environment of strategic nimbleness and encourage adaptability as a core value in a world of uncertainty?

“Leadership in Uncertain Times: The Role of Strategic Foresight” explores how business leaders can use strategic foresight to understand the future, create an environment of strategic nimbleness and adaptability and apply them to the nexus where knowledge gaps, risk assessment and strategy meet.

What You Will Learn:

What are the kinds of risks posed by an opaque future, how do you identify them and mitigate the risks associated with them?
How can leaders encourage strategic nimbleness and adaptability in their organizations?
How can modern organizations use strategic foresight to formulate long-term strategy when facing a future that is opaque?

Testimonials:

“Your leadership presentation was enlightening, insightful and entertaining! Our attendees enjoyed your words of wisdom, humor and delivery. You showed them the concept of being a leader and dealing with uncertainty from years of experience. Your wrap-up was awesome! I look forward to bringing you back for our next conference in 2016.” – Bryan Edwards, COO, Subway Western Canada

“I have seen and heard many keynote speakers, but your presentation and content was aligned with what we are facing in today’s environment. You truly understood our culture and process. As a speaker, your specific approaches to our daily challenges were right on point and perfect.” – Brent Mayes, CEO, All About Travel.

“Your insightful views on leadership in difficult times were presented with such passion, humor and candor, that it was difficult not to be fully engaged and listening to your every word. We truly appreciate the time you spent meeting with some of our employees and managers beforehand to learn about their challenges and the organization as well as your ability to take questions in a number of different languages. It was a difference as you spoke to them in ways that were both meaningful and immediately useful to their needs.” – Carlos Moura, Diageo Brasil

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Mideast 2017: The Future of ISIS & What Comes Next

The rise of the Islamic State (IS) has fundamentally altered the reality of the contemporary Middle East. Part radical jihadists and part revolutionary government, IS, has morphed into a political entity never before seen—a terrorist nation, complete with its own army, currency, and passports—committed to a revolutionary strategy of creating a new Islamic caliphate that will ultimately lead to the Islamization of the globe.

Even as the Islamic State is rolled back it is morphing to a worldwide criminal network while expanding its jihadist franchises to more than three dozen countries around the world. In the process, not only has it plunged both Syria and Iraq into a continuing civil war, but has made them the epicenter of a broader Sunni-Shia rivalry that threatens to plunge the Muslim world into a global conflict. At the same time, it has emerged as a deadly source of extremist jihadist violence in both Europe and North America.

Its recent defeats notwithstanding, the Islamic State is not going to go away. What will it morph into and how will it threaten western society. More importantly, what new jihadist insurgency will rise to fill the vacuum left by a rapidly retreating IS?

What You Will Learn:

What are the origins of the Islamic State?
How is it transforming the Middle East?
What threats does it pose to the United States and Europe?
How will military defeat change the Islamic State?
Which new jihadist organizations will follow in Islamic State’s wake?

Testimonials:

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After Dinner: Topics

What Would Winston Have Said: Churchill for the 21st Century

Winston Churchill was one of the most inspiring leaders of the twentieth century; a giant who strode across history like few others. He was legendary for his rapier-like wit and cutting one-liners.

In “What Would Winston Have Said,” I apply some of his most famous one-liners to today’s leaders and events. What would Winston have said about George Bush, Barack Obama or Vladimir Putin? What trenchant comments would he have made about ISIS and jihadism, Russia’s invasion of the Crimea, the war in Iraq or the Affordable Health Act? The answers, are both hilarious and, 50 years after his death, still remarkably fresh and prescient. Join me for a remarkable look at what Winston Churchill would have (and did) say.

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Cheers: The Fascinating History of Scotch Whisky and How it Conquered the World

Scotch whisky has become Scotland’s quintessential export; now found in more than 200 countries worldwide and consumed at a rate of more than 40 bottles a second. Where did Scotland’s signature spirit come from? Was it really invented by the Irish and how did it come to spread all over the world? Join me for a fascinating look into the history and appreciation of Scotch whisky.

Testimonials:

“Most interesting…an excellent publication which any student of Scotch should possess.” Review of Scotch Whisky: Its History, Production and Appreciation – Phillip Goodband, Master of Wine, Former Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine

“Joseph Micallef takes you into the heart of this complex, occasionally intimidating but fascinating evolution of…Scotch whisky…a riveting story of characters, accidents, innovations, mishaps, entrepreneurship and visionaries.” – Mike Nicolson, Master Distiller, Lagavulin Distillery

“An encyclopedic knowledge of wines and spirits and a fascinating story-teller … with an ability to both mesmerize and educate an audience.” – Gary Mortensen, President, Stoller Family Estate.

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