Menu
David Murrin is a renowned superforecaster, global thinker and expert on human systems, known for his unique ability to identify recurring patterns in history to predict future trends. With over two decades of experience analysing global, political and economic cycles, he has developed a groundbreaking Five-Stage Model based on recurring human behaviour that helps leaders and organisations anticipate change, manage risk and make more effective decisions. As a speaker, David empowers audiences with practical tools to understand the forces shaping our world and to prepare confidently for what lies ahead.
David’s fascination with human behaviour began far from the boardroom. Early in his career, he ventured into the jungles of Papua New Guinea and the southwestern Pacific Islands to study the region’s mineral composition. It was during his time living among local tribespeople that he first observed the collective behavioural patterns that would later form the foundation of his theories. His insights into group dynamics and decision-making provided the basis for a lifetime of work connecting anthropology, geopolitics and economics into a coherent model for understanding societal and market cycles.
In the world of finance, David co-founded Emergent Asset Management, where he currently serves as Chief Investment Officer. His leadership helped launch Emergent’s African Land Fund in 2008, one of the first funds to identify the long-term potential of African agriculture. Alongside his financial expertise, he has published two books exploring the societal impacts of major global events, including the September 11 attacks and the First World War, offering frameworks for understanding how nations and individuals respond to crises. His work as a Global Fellow of PS21 has further enhanced his international profile as a respected voice in geopolitical and economic forecasting.
David Murrin is sought after as a speaker for his deep insight into human and organisational behaviour. His Five-Phase Life Cycle model has proven invaluable for assessing corporate growth, identifying risks and reducing decision-making bias. Whether analysing global trends or company dynamics, he provides audiences with a clear, actionable understanding of where they are in the cycle and how to move forward. Blending historical insight with future-focused thinking, David inspires leaders to think strategically, act decisively and thrive through change.
David Murrin is regularly booked to engage audiences at events, read their latest feedback below:
“I would like to thank you for participating in our event last week. The group and I found the subject and the content of your presentation, extremely interesting and your delivery, very engaging.”
“I would highly recommend David Murrin as a keynote speaker to any event organizers putting together conferences or meetings for high-level executives. His presentation, “The Geopolitics of Modern Africa for Investors,” at our African Cup of Investment Management conference in Cape Town, South Africa, was a fascinating and entertaining session that proved extremely popular with our attendees. David spoke to a packed room of representatives from across Africa’s finance industry, and his presentation was singled out as a highlight of the day-and-a-half conference by several attendees. It was a pleasure to meet David and I would enthusiastically recommend him as a keynote speaker.”
“David addressed the Royal College of Defence Studies for the first time in 2013. His presentation on the impact of Leaders in the historical cycles of empires provided a compelling and thoughtful proposition. David’s analysis is provocative, challenging and highly persuasive, and his talk generated much interest among the 90 Members who represent over 50 countries. Without doubt, he provided one of the genuine highlights of this high-quality 2013 Course.”
The High-Performance Speakers Agency is the UK’s leading bureau for teamwork, leadership, and marginal gains speakers. We hire speakers for corporate conferences and events across the world and cater to both in-person occasions and online webinars. Our roster includes sportspeople, business leaders, adventurers and more, to ensure audiences of all industries receive tailored, impactful advice on optimised performance.
Copyright © 2026 The High Performance Speakers Agency. All rights reserved.
