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Helping people and organizations look smart in the future
Have you ever wondered why some people always seem to know what’s coming next? As a futurist and strategic advisor, I help people and organizations get the right insights about the future—before others have even understood what is going on.
This is not about crystal balls and wild predictions but about really understanding what is happening and asking the right questions.
I am Johannes Kleske
As a critical futurist and strategic advisor, I help people and organizations find direction and develop creative power in an increasingly complex world. For nearly 20 years, I have combined scientific analysis with strategic consulting to challenge dominant narratives about the future and open up new perspectives. I aim not to make superficial trend forecasts but to provide a more profound understanding of the forces and interests that shape our vision of the future. My goal is to transform my clients from passive recipients of supposedly inevitable developments into active shapers of their future.
Service: Keynotes
As one of Germany’s leading critical futurists, I bring new perspectives to your stage. In my keynotes, I combine sound analysis with surprising insights and transform fear of the future into the courage to take concrete action.
Service: Foresight Consulting
As a seasoned futures expert, I provide support to agencies and consultancies in critical areas such as pitch preparation, complex client projects, and strategic transformation processes. With a rare combination of 15 years of practical project experience and deep expertise in (critical) futures studies, I can help your team develop compelling future strategies.
Follow the Rabbit Podcast
Together with Igor Schwarzmann, I host the ‘Follow the Rabbit’ podcast, where we explore emerging trends and cultural phenomena to help our listeners update their mental models of how the world is changing. We delve into the interconnections between technology, society, and culture—from the transformation of health into a luxury good to the return of “third places” after the pandemic.
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My perspective as a critical futurist
Articles, interviews, podcasts, etc.
Critical Futures
WB-40 Podcast
English
To shape the future, we must first understand the present: a conversation with Johannes Kleske
Foresight Folk
English
How can a look into the future(s) save the climate today?
young, wild & green
English
Latest posts from my blog
Book a keynote speaker: What matters when planning
Switch to Deutsch You are planning an event and are looking for a suitable keynote speaker for your program. But what does that actually mean? I often observe a misunderstanding: many people think of a “keynote speaker” as a celebrity who somehow adds glamor, puts on an impressive show, and entertains the audience. That can
How a keynote is created
Switch to Deutsch The request came via my contact form at the end of April 2025: BE-terna, one of Europe’s leading providers of business software solutions, is planning its first Digital Summit. Two days in Munich, 150 to 200 participants from various industries: manufacturing, process industry, financial services. The motto: “Redefine Tomorrow.” Could I imagine
Highlights and provocations from the Future Days 2025 conference
Switch to Deutsch I just came back from Lisbon, where last week the second edition of the Future Days Conference took place. It’s a gathering that brings together the more progressive thinkers and activists in the wide field of futures and intersecting disciplines. This event took place in one of the most impressive conference venues
My Critical Futures Research
In addition to my practical foresight work with clients, I am also involved in the further development of trend and futures research. Since completing my master‘s in futures studies (2020), I have focused in particular on critical futures research, which deals with the deconstruction and reconstruction of existing images of the future. I am interested in the role the future plays in society and how it influences decisions and developments.
As a co-founder of the German Network for Critical Futures, I am actively involved in the development of the discipline. In addition, Jonas Drechsel and I regularly discuss critical futures in our podcast.
Visit my Digital Garden to find out more about what I’m working on as a critical futurist.
