Dr. Suzanne Livingston

I help people and organisations design futures. I use brand, strategy, UX and technology to bring focus, purpose and imagination to the environments I work in.

Until 2019, I was Head of Strategy and then Global Principal at Wolff Olins. Over nearly 20 years, I built a raft of experience in disciplines, sectors, challenges and regions which I continue to draw on and develop today. It is my intention to help create organisations which shape the future both profitably and sustainably.

I have a particular interest in advanced technologies, because of the profound shifts they bring about. This is born from my PhD at the University of Warwick in Philosophy (cybernetic systems), which later led me to co-curate the blockbuster AI exhibition ('AI: More than Human') at the Barbican Centre in London which opened in 2019. It is currently on a world tour and will be for some years to come.

Strategy consultant, curator and coach

I often work in creative contexts with arts and culture organisations, but as my core subject is technology, I work across sectors. My clients have included Sony Corporation (Japan), Ericsson (Sweden), Ford (Europe), Reuters (London), Guggenheim (NY), Sony Computer Entertainment (US), BoozAllen (US), Native Instruments (Berlin), Breast Cancer Now (London), SafetyCulture (Sydney), London Olympics 2012, Southbank Centre (London), Somerset House (London), The Guardian Newspaper Group (London), Oxford Ionics (Oxford), Northwestern University (Doha), Qatar Museums (Doha), Whitney Museum (NY), Nomos Bank (Moscow) and Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston).

Consulting

I work across organisations, helping them plan for the future, mark out a distinctive path and energise their cultures accordingly. I work internationally on short term and long term projects, often with organisations undergoing transformation.

Research

I write, curate and give talks on the subject of the future and technology. My interest in technology is very broad, but the area of AI and culture has become a specialism. I am interested in how technology is a mirror to ourselves and a means to positive social change. I have recent writing in Spike Magazine #77 (A Field Guide to AI) and an upcoming chapter in the AI anthology ‘Machine Decision is Not Final: China and the History and Future of Artificial Intelligence’ (published 2024).

Coaching

I have managed project teams and department groups throughout my career, with a view to helping people discover more about their skills, interests and sphere of influence, as opposed to being confined to a pre-set idea of themselves. I am a trained CTI coach working privately and within organisations.

Speaker

I am regularly asked to join panels, conferences and broadcasting projects. I have spoken at events including the Wired Pulse Conference, Dezeen Day, Casino Luxembourg, Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, Ars Electronica 2020, E-AI Montreal 2022, the ACM conference Korea, University of Reading, University of East Anglia, Belvedere Museum Vienna, Aesthetica Future Now Symposium 2024, WPP GroupM and Interpublic London. I have also contributed to AI and creativity documentary ‘Naked AI’ and the OnDesign podcast. I continue to speak in a business and academic context.

“Suzanne helps businesses see the future. Her deep knowledge of AI and technology sets her perspective and everything she does apart. As a strategist, she connects technology, philosophy, design, culture and business seamlessly. As a coach, Suzanne helps colleagues, clients and businesses be true to what they’re in the world to do, helping them gain new clarity and new confidence.”

— Katie, Strategy Director