* Patrick Dixon has advised many of the world's largest insurance companies on global trends, opportunities, customer behaviour, fund management strategies and risk management. He has given Futurist keynotes at many of their largest corporate events, covering many global trends and their impact on the insurance industry.

Insurance is as fundamental to a stable and prosperous society as banking, hospitals and schools. Yet more than 3 billion people have never heard of insurance, do not know how it works, and have no idea how to get hold of it.  Most insurance today is sold to a mere 1% of the global population who own 50% of all the wealth.

Expect rapid growth, therefore, of basic insurance in emerging markets where 85% of humanity lives, targeted mainly at the emerging middle class. Health insurance will lead the way, after insurance types that people are forced by law to buy, such as motor insurance. Expect a boost in many nations in sales of life or health products from tax rebates, especially where they are structured to contain an element of saving. Many who are unbanked today will gain their first insurance cover using a smartphone, or through micro-loans associations.  Extract from The Future of Almost Everything....

Blockchain means that anyone in the world with online access can prove a particular document exists, when it was sent, who it was sent to and so on.  We can also prove that an event has taken place, in a way which is fully transparent to everyone who needs to know this around the world. The implications of this are going to be huge.  And it will be many years before we work it all out.  

Yesterday I shared a platform with a ROBOT to give a keynote (for EY / Ernst & Young) - as I do regularly....but I'm at no risk whatsoever of losing my job to the automaton.

I have worked with over 400 of the world's largest companies over the last few years, as a Futurist advisor / keynote speaker - and huge numbers of them are worried about robotics / AI / Artificial Intelligence. What does it mean for our business? Are we investing enough in Big Data analytics? How will competitors attack our markets using robotics and next-generation automation. How will Artificial Intelligence control our future?

At the same time, in the media everyday we see sensational headlines such as "Hundreds of millions of jobs will be lost to robots", suggesting that humankind will never be able to find enough work for tomorrow's people, because so many jobs will be done by machines....

Summary of keynote messages on Corporate Ethics - by Patrick Dixon, for Majid Al Futtaim, Dubai.

My keynote on corporate ethics was delivered in a vast IMAX cinema, largest screen in Middle East and N Africa. Celebrating launch of their new Code of Conduct - ethical guide for 40,000 employees globally, including Carrefour retailer which they own.

Why coporate ethics really matters. How to write a great ethical code of conduct.

Avoiding corporate scandals and media disasters. Future of ethics in retailing, health care, e-commerce, banking, sustainability, manufacturing and supply chains.