Biography

George Friedman is a New York Times bestseller and geopolitical forecaster with more than two decades of experience in intelligence consulting and publishing. He is the founder and Chairman of Geopolitical Futures and is highly sought after at industry events as an expert strategist and speaker on international affairs. 

Geopolitical Futures, founded in 2015, is an online publication that focuses on analysing and forecasting global events as a guide to navigate the future. With George’s stellar reputation and expertise, the publication is used as a driving force to predict geopolitical events. Prior to Geopolitical Futures, George founded a private forecasting and intelligence publishing company called Stratfor. The company, based in Texas, USA, was founded in 1996, and he served as the CEO and Chief Intelligence Office until his resignation in 2015.

George is a well-established author who has published several books, including The Storm Before the Calm (2020), which outlines the challenges the United States will face in the 2020s in what would be described as a ‘crisis decade’. He correctly forecasted Russia’s re-emergence in Flashpoints (2015) and in his book The Next Decade (2011) he outlined the skills that future leaders would require and the United States need to create regional power balances. His most engaging and fascinating work is the 2009 acclaimed New York Times bestseller titled The Next 100 Years, where he outlines the political and economic crisis in the EU and China’s economic decline. One of his earliest publications was a book he co-authored titled The Coming War with Japan (1991), where he forewarned a potential conflict between Japan and the United States following the dismantling of the Soviet Union.

In a quest to share his knowledge and expertise, George has been featured in many publications and online media, including Bloomsberg, Daily Pioneer, Forbes, CNBC and Business Insider.

George obtained his PhD in government from Cornell University in 1970, and prior to that, he received his BA Honors in political science from The City College of New York.

Hungarian-born and immigrating to the United States as a child, George is an admired and well-respected speaker who is internationally recognised as a pioneer and is celebrated for his ability to analyse and portray the geopolitical landscape strategically.

Read More

Videos

Is There a Global War Coming? | George Friedman at Brain Bar

Request Availability

Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more

Geopolitical Trends Businesses Need To Watch.

The next 100 years will see political powers rise and fall, but the basic matrix remains the same. Russia and China will weaken, as Japan, Turkey, and Poland fix their internal issues and rise. The United States will maintain its position as the primary global force.

The current trend of population decline in the developed world will spread globally, leading to cheaper land as demand decreases. For the first time in centuries, labor will be the expensive commodity as capital seeks to augment the shrinking workforce. Global GDP may fall, but per capita GDP will rise. Subsequently, the main technological breakthroughs must be in medicine, making people more productive as their lives extend toward 100 years.

The ability to produce highly-educated workers from the lower levels of society will define the status of nations. Policies that support the efficient use of labor are the key. The surge of the educated and informed class will pose challenges to regimes. The regimes can suppress the challenge and weaken geopolitically; or, they can allow the regime to evolve and strengthen geopolitically. This is the key choice.

Booksby George Friedman

THE STORM BEFORE THE CALM: America’s Discord, the Coming Crisis of the 2020s, and the Triumph Beyond

The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century

Flashpoints: The Emerging Crisis in Europe Kindle Edition

The Next Decade: Where We've Been . . . and Where We're Going

America's Secret War: Inside the Hidden Worldwide Struggle Between the United States and Its Enemies

Blog Posts

Event Planning AI Revolution Transforms How Professionals Create Seamless Experiences

AI keynote speaker Kate O'Neill share event planning strategies that can help professionals streamline workflows while preserving human connection.

Read More

Persuasion Without Pressure: Why Service-Based Influence Wins Every Time

People resist persuasion but crave great service. Learn how to influence through assistance, not manipulation, with proven strategies from Dan Pink.

Read More

Team Energy Solutions That Transform Workplace Culture with Judi Holler

Discover proven team energy strategies from keynote speaker Judi Holler that transform workplace culture and unlock your team's creative potential.

Read More

How Event Professionals Can Recover from Burnout Without Sacrificing Success

Learn how event pros can build mental resilience and prevent workplace exhaustion with these proven burnout recovery strategies.

Read More

Why Human Connection Drives Real Change

Change keynote speaker April Rinne discussing human-centered change strategies that go beyond listing what you want to transform in your life.

Read More

AI Strategies to Increase Productivity According to Lisa Bodell

Learn AI productivity strategies from innovation keynote speaker Lisa Bodell to automate routine tasks and reclaim time for creative work.

Read More

Related World Affairs Speakers

Contact Us Today

  • Fill out the form so we can best understand your needs.
    A representative from The Keynote Curators will reach out to you.

  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.