CONFERENCES
Conference Chair & Moderator
Having been deeply involved with major world news events for 40 years, Nik is a highly sought-after chair, moderator and keynote speaker at international conferences.
He has an international portfolio of commitments. It draws on his extensive experience over almost four decades in diplomacy, defence and international security. He was head-hunted by the BBC from ITN, where he was award-winning Diplomatic Editor for Channel 4 News in London. For 18 years he covered most of the world's major news events. He is best remembered for his breaking news coverage of the death of Princess Diana in 1997.
Designer/Producer of Conference Formats and Virtual Events
As moderator, Nik plays an active role in creating a more dynamic and powerful event. Testimonials confirm how he contibutes to the design, development and delivery for clients in order to achieve the maximum benefit for those attending.
Praise for Nik's conference work:
"As always, it has been a great pleasure to work together with you ahead of our Network Conference. We truly appreciate that you provoke us and push boundaries. The success of a conference like this is always dependent on the team setting it up, all the thinking around potential speakers and the pre-meetings with the speakers. We are happy that we had you on the team this year as well."
- The Wallenberg cousins, Investor AB
"Nik Gowing and the Thinking the Unthinkable team have been instrumental to my team and business/events/projects’ success. Through the vast experience that Nik and his team bring - coaching and mentoring from my experience - Thinking the Unthinkable is not just a name. It is an approach, a priceless one, to any organisation and leadership/executive teams’ success.
"Nik’s role as chair ensures our events are high on impact. He drives tangible action in his approach, and not just in conversations or discussions. The preparation Nik encourages for each project behind the scenes is invaluable. Nik has guided our thinking to ensure we pursue the right approach to fulfilling our organisation’s mission successfully: that is raising climate action to achieve a sustainable, equitable, just and low carbon economy."
- Iolanda dos Santos, Chief Events Officer for Climate action
"Thank you for your fantastic job. It was a true pleasure for me to work with you and I was enormously impressed by your attention to detail and dedication to ensuring that the event would be a success. I look forward to the opportunity of working with you again."
- Lorenzo Bernasconi, Head of Climate and Environmental Solutions, Lombard Odier
"Working with Nik was stimulating, as he asked pertinent questions during the preparation phase that allowed us to improve the format of the event and the quality of the content. His warmth, together with his ability to firmly offer an external observer’s point of view, makes working with him very enriching.
"The result of the collaboration was a very engaging event with an approachable tone that made it easier for all the contributors to convey the content. It obtained a high level of satisfaction from the attending and remote participants."
- Enel, Grid Futurability ® for a Net-Zero World
“A big big thanks to Nik Gowing, the host for this week. 40 years of Broadcast experience really does make a difference.”
- Rhys Thomas, Programme Director and Head of Innovation Portfolio at Climate Action
"Nik’s commitment to the Aurora Forum since its inception has been stellar. His moderating skills are professional, engaging and a great catalyst to excellent discussions which are key to the success of the Forum. Our recent hybrid/virtual Forum was no exception. He played a huge and valuable role in the successful delivery. I look forward to our continued work together."
- Stephanie Ashton, Founder & Executive Director, Aurora Forum
“You are the best host of any high-level climate conversations I’ve seen. Seriously well done and thanks for the work you do!”
- Grant Harrison, Account Executive, GreenBiz Group
“Thank you Nik for this week’s webinars. World Class, very informative, top level contributors.”
- Richard Hagan, Managing Director, Panelfx
“Awesome Sustainable Innovation Forum. Listened as much as possible during my day and really appreciate all your moderation, curation and leadership in this important area.”
- Dr Ralf Belusa, CDO & Supervisory Board Member
“It has been a pleasure to hear you and the other speakers on very important topics. I congratulate and applaud you on your work.”
- Kevin Korn, Global Sport Brand Builder & Strategist
“It is a pleasure to work with you, truly very inspiring and thought provoking.”
“SINCERE THANKS for doing such an excellent job at guiding all of us through the topic. We covered a lot of ground in 90 mins - and you kept us on our toes.”
- Swedish Chamber of Commerce, 2020
“It is the second time within a year that we have called upon Nik Gowing to facilitate a conversation with CEOs of Ontario’s hospital sector. On both occasions, one in person and the second virtual, Nik commanded the room and led vibrant engaged conversations.”
“Nik has an infectious energy and delegates responded with active participation, true dialogue and engagement, and shared learning. Nik has an uncanny ability to actively listen while processing the content in real time – a skill from his BBC days.”
“Unlike more classical facilitation, Nik had a busy chat line under way, was engaged with the audience, was managing the content, pace and flow, and he ensured that everyone was heard. His facilitation skills are unparalleled. Nik hit the ball out of the park for us!”
- Ontario Hospital Association, 2020
"The second Nik arrived he took command as the Forum’s moderator. He suggested great ideas we implemented which helped reinforce audience engagement with the speakers...
“...On stage, Nik was brilliant and knew how to ask the right questions to speakers and audience so to set up the stage for a rich discussion between speakers and audience and speakers during the
panel discussion. This is the second time we had Nik moderate our Forum and he did a fantastic job for our event."
- MASIC Investment Forum, 2020
“Thank you so much for moderating two great Brussels Forum sessions this week! We received some feedback from yesterday’s speakers emphasising what an outstanding moderator you are - I couldn’t agree more!”
“Thank you again for helping us make the first virtual Brussels Forum a success!”
- The German Marshall Fund of the US, 2020
“There’s something about this intimacy. The fact that Nik Gowing can basically draw something out of every single person in the room when he is facilitating a session is very very special.”
“Part of me wants to tell the world and part of me wants to not tell a soul!”
- Steve Marshall, Premier of South Australia at the Australian Leaders' Retreat, 2019
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