Are you interested in hiring Thornton May to speak at your event, conference, trade show, meeting, or convention?
As a keynote speaker, he knows how to command a stage where he can deliver a powerful presentation that will captivate your audience.
On this page you can contact Thornton May’s speaker booking agency to learn more about his speaking fees and availability.
A booking agent will respond to you within two business hours to let you know if they are available and how much they cost.
Request SpeakerSpeaker Bio
Thornton May is a highly-sought keynote speaker and expert covering such topics as innovation, technology, futurist, and artificial intelligence. He is a best-selling author, consultant, media pundit, and thought-leader who has spoken at many conferences around the world where he gives leaders the skills they need to deal with fast, big changes in society, the workplace, and education.
Thornton May is hired to speak at events and conferences where he can give expertise on important global business affairs. He is a futurist, author and educator. At Dartmouth College, Keio University [Tokyo] and the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of Michigan, Thornton studied Japanese technology policies and practices during the Meiji Restoration [1868 through 1912], post-World War II and 1970s. Living in Tokyo Thornton worked at a series of global Japanese companies assisting managing “emerging technology” investments.
Thornton is one of America’s premier executive educators, designing and delivering high impact curricula at UCLA, UC-Berkeley, Arizona State University, The Ohio State University, Harvard University, the University of Kentucky, Babson, and the Olin College of Engineering. His programs mine the knowledge of the audience delivering practical insights in an engaging and interactive manner.
As a futurist, Thornton writes columns on technology for three leading publications, researches at four think tanks, and advises major organizations and government agencies on how to think differently about technology—all the while conducting seminal anthropological field research into technology-use behaviors of the various tribes comprising modern society.
No stranger to the risk and infosec tribe, Thornton has written for CSO Magazine and frequently advises, lectures, and always learns from professionals in the various agencies of the American intelligence community. In a previous life, Thornton served as the Chief Awareness Officer (CAO) for one of the world’s first managed security services firm.
Thornton was hired by noted futurist Alvin Toffler [Future Shock, Third Wave, Power Shift and Revolutionary Wealth] to assist the “technology futures” program for Toffler Associates. Toffler Associates designed and delivered the strategic plans for South Korea [President Kim Dae-jung] and Singapore [Minister of Finance Lew Kuan Yew]. These plans specified the technology investments necessary to sustain economic dominance in the twenty-first century.
Thornton returned to America to lead technology research at the Nolan Norton Institute. His research team is credited for coining the phrase “Chief Information Officer” in 1981. Thornton pioneered the multi-client research program designed to discover strategic and operating insights associated with emerging technologies.
His work as a futurist and anthropologist position him as part Paul Revere [the one to sound the alarm] and part Arnold Toynbee/Edward Gibbon [the one who explains what has happened/what is happening].
Thornton has taught at four major universities, written columns on technology for multiple leading publications [25 plus years at Computerworld], advises major organizations and government agencies on how to think differently about technology, all the while conducting seminal anthropological field research into technology-use behaviors of the various tribes comprising modern society.
Thornton began his career as an anthropologist studying tribal behavior in the modern Japanese corporation. He received a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University, and did post-graduate work in Japanese Studies at the University of Michigan. At five feet, seven inches, he played professional basketball in Japan.
Thornton brings a scholar’s patience for empirical research, a second-to-none gift for storytelling and a stand-up comedian’s sense of humor to his audiences. His book, The New Know: Innovation Powered by Analytics examines the intersection of the analytic and executive tribes.
The editors at eWeek honored Thornton, including him on their list of ‘Top 100 Most Influential People in IT.’ The editors at Fast Company labeled him ‘one of the top 50 brains in technology today.’ Thornton is a founding member of the Internet of Things World Forum.
Request SpeakerSpeaking Fees
Thornton May’s speaking fees can vary depending on the type of event you are producing and where it is located.
His speaking fee can also vary depending on whether you need them to deliver a live or virtual presentation.
Please note we do not work with organizations looking for speakers to speak for free, do podcasts or interviews, or do non-paid charity work.
Contact Thornton May
To inquire about his speaking fees and costs, contact Keynote Speakers Agency today to book Thornton May for a live or virtual event, meeting, special appearance, conference, or trade-show.
Our agent will respond within two business hours.