Talk Abstract:
In a rapidly evolving landscape dominated by AI, automation, and digital transformation, it’s easy to feel that the future of work is about machines.
However, this keynote will argue the opposite: the human element is more critical than ever.
Mervyn George, a seasoned management consultant and expert in enterprise software, will explore the intersection of technology and human talent, demonstrating that empathy, creativity, and strategic thinking are irreplaceable in the digital age.
With a background in working with large multinationals and startups alike, Mervyn shares insights into how leaders can harness human potential to thrive in the future of work.
Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to enhance their own leadership capabilities, ensure meaningful human contributions within their organizations, and foster an adaptable and innovative culture.
Mervyn George is an innovation strategist and management consultant specializing in the human side of digital transformation. With over two decades of global experience, he helps organizations from fashion retailers to financial institutions integrate empathy, creativity, and strategic thinking into their tech-driven futures.
A celebrated speaker on the “Role of Humans in the Future of Work,” George argues that while AI and automation are becoming dominant, human judgment and innovation remain indispensable. He advises both startups and large-scale enterprises on aligning technological change with human potential, using methods honed through consulting, leadership coaching, and enterprise software practices.
Mervyn George is a seasoned technology executive, governance professional, corporate innovation strategist, exponential thinker and coach to scale-up businesses.
Mervyn’s work experience spans 20+ years, clients in 54 countries and long-term projects in South Africa, the UK, US, Belgium, Saudi Arabia and China.
He has served as a C-Suite advisor in many industry sectors, including Energy, Public Sector, Automotive, FMCG, Retail, Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Financial Services, Utilities and Mining.
Leveraging a wealth of experience with bootstrapped, hypergrowth and mature tech firms, Mervyn George currently runs a niche advisory business helping tech firms with strategic growth projects, serves on the governing body for South African state primary school, and serves as an independent investment committee member for a South African venture capital fund management firm.
One of Mervyn’s greatest strengths is his ability to understand and decode complex topics and to disseminate simplified and understandable concepts to audiences.
His research, while at the tech firm SAP, spanned corporate adoption of analytics, augmented reality, blockchain, big data, AI and Machine Learning as catalysts to building more intuitive, streamlined, predictive working models, and the opportunities and barriers to entry for large scale corporate digital innovation.
What fascinates Mervyn George most in this domain is the role of and the impact on people in the adoption of tech by companies in different stages of maturity.
Mervyn’s academic profile originates in Computer Science, Maths and Applied Maths. Through a Postgraduate Diploma touching on Industrial Psychology concepts, he shifted to a passion for Organisational Behavior and his Warwick Business School Executive MBA dissertation focused on Innovation Strategy in Large Corporate.
At SAP, Mervyn led the Africa component of multiple intrapreneurship and startup accelerator programs.
Mervyn George has graduated from McKinsey’s global Black Executive Leadership program, and has attained global ambassador, consultant and coaching certifications from the Exponential Organisations global community.
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Mervyn George opens his talk with a reflection on how technology shapes our lives, contrasting outdated methods of information-sharing with today’s instant connectivity. He then traces the evolution of the web: from the flat, static Web 1.0 to the social and interactive Web 2.0, and now toward the structured, intelligent Web 3.0, where data will be organized for machine-to-machine communication.
He explains that spatial web represents the convergence of several technology stacks that are currently siloed:
George emphasizes that bringing these layers together unlocks the spatial web, a framework where data, visualization, and interactivity seamlessly connect. He illustrates this with real-world breakthroughs, such as retinal disease diagnostics via mobile apps in Africa cutting weeks of waiting into instant detection.
Looking ahead, he describes a future where employees can shift from “home mode” to “office mode” instantly, using gesture, voice, or touch across any device. For businesses, this means new investments, rapid adaptation, and the creation of entirely new job roles, such as “spatial web architects” who bridge technology silos.
George concludes with optimism: the outlook for spatial web 3.0 is highly positive, offering employees a more convenient, intuitive, and powerful work environment, while organizations must embrace the innovation wave to remain competitive.
00:00 – Opening story on outdated technology vs. instant connectivity
01:15 – History of the web: Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and emerging Web 3.0
02:10 – Structured data enabling machine-to-machine communication
03:00 – Introduction to spatial web as a convergence of tech silos
03:45 – Networks: IoT and connected devices everywhere
04:15 – Data: Cloud adoption, cheaper storage, actionable insights
04:45 – Context: The demand for tailored, real-time consumer experiences
05:15 – Visualization: Virtual and augmented realities enabling new interfaces
05:45 – Engagement: Digital twins and their business applications
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Keynote speeches typically range from 30 to 90 minutes, with the duration determined by the speaker’s expertise, the event’s agenda, and audience preferences. Keynote speeches often include a combination of inspirational stories, practical insights, and actionable advice tailored to the event’s theme or objectives.
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