Julia Hobsbawm Founder & CEO WORKATHON

Julia Hobsbawm OBE is an award-winning British writer, speaker, consultant, and broadcaster, recognised as one of the foremost workplace futurists. She is the founder of WORKATHON a future-of-work consultancy, and CEO of Fully Connected Services Ltd, offering strategic advice, executive education, and thought leadership.

With a career spanning over three decades, she has advised figures such as George Soros and Mike Bloomberg, and spoken at forums including the OECD, European Commission, LEGO Group, and London Business School. Hobsbawm is the author of multiple acclaimed books, including The Simplicity Principle and The Nowhere Office, and is a regular commentator for the media including the Financial Times, BBC and Bloomberg for whom she wrote an influential column called Working Assumptions, which became her last book. Formerly the world’s first Professor of Networking, she coined the concept of “Social Health” and continues to lead conversations around hybrid work, digital balance, and workplace connection. Her work helps leaders navigate the cultural, technological, and emotional challenges of modern work. In 2026 Inspiring Workplaces named Julia one of the 101 top Global Employee and Engagements experts.

Photo: © HenriettaPhotography

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We look forward to welcoming international thought leaders and industry pioneers who will provide inspiration on new ways of working, work culture, leadership, technology and the future of work.

These include Prof Miriam Meckel, Dr Peggie Rothe, Dr Guzmán de Yarza Blache, Eve Wilkinson-Bell and many other exciting personalities.

More coming soon!

Speaker Partners News

Prof Miriam Meckel

Professor of Communication Management

Prof Miriam Meckel, Professor of Communication Management at the University of St. Gallen, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Leading Minds

Ole Scheeren

Architect & Expert for Collective Living and Urban Collaboration

Ole Scheeren, architect and principal of Büro Ole Scheeren, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Felix Grünschloss

Dr Peggie Rothe

Chief Insights & Research Officer at Leesman

Dr Peggie Rothe, Chief Insights & Research Officer at Leesman, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Henri Juvonen

Dr Guzmán de Yarza Blache

Global Design Strategy Lead at JLL

Dr Guzmán de Yarza Blache, Global Design Strategy Lead at JLL, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Guzmán de Yarza Blache

Julia Hobsbawm

Founder & CEO WORKATHON

Mattijs Kaak

Founder and Director of Ditt Officemakers

Mattijs Kaak, founder and managing director of Ditt Officemakers, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Joost de Jong

Eve Wilkinson-Bell

Workplace Regional Manager at HERE Technologies

Eve Wilkinson-Bell, Workplace Regional Manager at HERE Technologies, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Eve Wilkinson-Bell

Carlo Ratti

Director MIT Senseable City Lab & Founder of Carlo Ratti Associati

Amelie Marie Fischer

Engaged Scholar at the Future of Work Lab at the University of Konstanz

Philip Tidd

Principal and Regional Client Relationships Leader at Gensler

Dr Ann Sophie Lauterbach

Researcher at Dresden University of Technology

Bernd Fels

Pioneering Thinker and Co-founder of if5 and if5design

Manuela Lieber

Founder of Mindful Workspaces

Robert Thiemann

EVP Content Strategy at Material Bank

Birgit Gebhardt

Trend expert and futurologist

Birgit Gebhardt, trend expert and future researcher, speaker at the Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival 2026. Photo: © Hannes Jung

Dr Christian Nocke

Room Acoustics Expert and partner of Schall & Raum GmbH

Wherever Whenever - Work Culture Festival: Dr Christian Nocke

Nicola Bramkamp

Moderator & Curator, Transformation Expert

Wolfram Sauer

Co-Founder of Leading Minds & New Work Pioneer

Tracey Ingram

Moderator and Expert in spatial design & products

Volker Weßels

Sustainability Expert & Head of European Level Programm

Wherever Whenever - Work Culture Festival: Volker Weßels, Credit: Carsten Lerp

Heiner Hans

Lighting expert and Head of the TRILUX Academy

WW - Work Culture Festival: Heiner Hans, Credit: TRILUX

Updates to follow...

The line-up is continuously being expanded and updated.

Save the date WW – Work Culture Festival 2026