Stefaan Vandist

Speaker
Dutch
English
Stefaan Vandist

Who is Stefaan Vandist?

Stefaan Vandist is an experienced keynote speaker and coach with more than 25 years of expertise in sustainable business innovation and future-inspired storytelling. Sustainability is the common thread throughout everything he does. Through his keynotes and coaching programme, "The Magic of Storytelling", he helps organisations gain control of their future narrative.

As the author of influential books such as "We, Myself & AI" (2018), "Pretopia" (2022) and "Provotyping the Future" (2024), he offers fresh perspectives that free the future from dry reports and technical jargon. As a curator of "Love Tomorrow", he helps programme a future-positive conference that takes place on the grounds of Tomorrowland. Stefaan encourages leaders to create a meaningful legacy and sees the transition to a sustainable society as the greatest adventure of our time.

Every keynote by Stefaan Vandist is experienced as a journey of future exploration. What are the major forces of change impacting our organisations? And how can we gain ownership of our own future story? His presentations are always tailored to the audience and can shed new light on topics such as the energy transition, regenerative agriculture, the circular economy, innovation in construction, and trends in urban development.

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  • Narrative Capability: The Underrated Superpower of Organisations

    In a world that is more digitally connected than ever, and with the AI race in full swing, one distinctly human ability is becoming increasingly important: telling a story that resonates and creates impact.

    Stefaan Vandist takes his audience on an energetic journey into the power of storytelling. Through humour, compelling examples and unexpected insights, he reveals how stories shape the way we see reality. They determine what we remember, what we believe and which futures we consider possible together.

    Stefaan calls an organisation’s ability to communicate its story clearly, convincingly and with impact narrative capability.

    In his keynote, he explores not only how stories work, but also where the stories of tomorrow are already taking shape. He takes his audience on a journey to the places where the future is being built today. Scientific breakthroughs, emerging technologies, surprising start-ups and, above all, social and cultural innovations become powerful signals of change.

    Do not expect a dry trends presentation. Instead, Stefaan offers a carefully curated journey through stories and developments that inspire wonder, provoke new thinking and reveal fresh possibilities. The result is a keynote that inspires, entertains and activates. Audiences leave with a fresh perspective on their own organisation and the motivation to tell a stronger, more compelling story about its future.

Stefaan supported me and several of my colleagues at VITO in developing the storytelling for the Love Tomorrow Conference 2024. It was a fantastic experience in which Stefaan challenged us to move beyond a purely scientific perspective and create a story that truly engages and resonates with citizens. A story capable of opening minds and inspiring people to believe in a future we can all fall in love with.

Looking forward to the next collaboration!

Inge Neven

CEO VITO (Vlaams Instituut voor Technologisch Onderzoek)

Micro

Our brains are wired for stories. We remember stories up to 20 times better than facts. But stories alone are not enough if they fail to inspire action. Connecting those two elements is what Stefaan does so exceptionally well.

Elena Doms

Top Green Voice on LinkedIn, Head of Earth+

Stefaan Vandist is a true connector. For those willing to embrace complexity, he provides the keys to contribute to a better future across a wide range of domains, from food and mobility to wellbeing and urban development. He inspires people and motivates them to take action. In doing so, he shows how Flanders and the Netherlands can truly become the region where the circular and regenerative economy flourishes.

Jan Rotmans

Professor of Sustainability Transitions

Like his books, a presentation by Stefaan Vandist is a positive whirlwind, offering a treasure chest of clear and practical applications. By closely observing today’s pioneers, he reveals the keys to the future without hiding them behind obscure language.

Ine Stultjens

Head of Marketing & Communication - Koninklijke Auping, Bedding

Stefaan Vandist demonstrates how creativity, innovation and purpose-driven policies are the key drivers of a better society.

Mohamed Ridouani

Mayor of the City of Leuven