Skip to Content
Philippe Dessertine

Philippe Dessertine Economist, futurist, professor and author

A leading economist and futurist, Philippe Dessertine deciphers major economic, technological, environmental and societal shifts to help executives and decision-makers understand disruption, anticipate new models and turn uncertainty into a capacity for action.

Languages
English, French
Duration
30 to 90 minutes
Formats
Conference, Keynote, Panel discussion, Guest speaker

Biography

Economist, university professor and futurist, Philippe Dessertine studies the transformations reshaping our world in order to inform the decisions of those who must navigate them. His strength lies in connecting economics, technology, geopolitics, demographics, environmental transition and changing societal expectations in a broad, accessible and forward-looking perspective.

Understanding major shifts

A professor at IAE Paris-Sorbonne, Philippe Dessertine heads the Institut de Haute Finance, the Executive MBA Finance IHFi and the FINAGRI chair. For several decades, his work has focused on long-term financing, organizational change and the emergence of new economic models.

A former member of France's High Council of Public Finances, he also served on the 2009 Grand Emprunt Commission and chaired Comité 21 from 2022 to 2025.

When innovation changes the rules of the game

For Philippe Dessertine, technological disruption is not simply about new tools: it can transform value chains, behaviours, jobs and sometimes the very foundations of an industry. Artificial intelligence, new business models, the ecological transition, ageing populations, geopolitics and market transformation can combine to shift an established model.

His perspective is particularly relevant to organizations facing one central question: how can the new emerge without remaining trapped by the old?

Innovation, regulation and acceptance

Philippe Dessertine also explores the complex relationship between innovation, regulation and social transformation. He examines how rules can support transitions, build trust and structure markets, while also warning against regulatory complexity that may slow innovation.

An optimistic view of transformation

Author of numerous books and essays, Philippe Dessertine offers a deliberately forward-looking and optimistic reading of periods of disruption. In L'Horizon des possibles, published by Robert Laffont in 2025, he connects scientific acceleration, ecological transition, demographic change and new forms of value creation.

On stage, he delivers structured, educational and accessible talks for both business leaders and public decision-makers. His keynotes can be tailored to the sector, context and strategic issues of each audience.

Understand the world that is emerging so we are not trapped by the models that are disappearing.

Understand the world that is emerging so we are not trapped by the models that are disappearing.

— Philippe Dessertine
Would you like to invite Philippe Dessertine to your event?
Check availability

Conferences

Through his talks, Philippe Dessertine helps executives and decision-makers understand when an economic, technological or societal model stops merely evolving and begins to shift fundamentally.

01

When a Model Shifts: Innovation, Regulation and New Societal Expectations

Understand what happens when innovation no longer changes only products, but the model itself.

Technology, behaviors, regulation, and societal expectations do not always evolve at the same pace. Philippe Dessertine examines how an established industry can transform when its old reference points are no longer sufficient and new forms of value begin to emerge. He shows how innovation, regulation, social acceptance, and economic transformation interact when an established model starts to shift.

  • Understand why some models successfully transform while others do not
  • Identify tensions between innovation, regulation and social acceptance
  • Explore the coexistence of old and new models
  • Anticipate changing consumer and societal expectations
Ideal for Executives, public decision-makers, public affairs teams, professional federations, regulated industries and strategic conventions
Format Keynote or Conference · 30 to 45 min
Request this talk
02

The Horizon of Possibilities: Understanding the World Ahead

Turn the major disruptions of our time into new capacities for action.

Climate, demographics, artificial intelligence, geopolitics and new forms of value are shaping a world very different from the one in which our organisations were built. Philippe Dessertine connects these transformations and shows that they should not be seen solely as crises, but as signs of a new model emerging.

  • Gain perspective on current transformations
  • Identify new drivers of value creation
  • Understand interactions between technology, economics and society
  • Build a more positive and strategic vision of the future
Ideal for Conventions, executives, institutions and foresight events
Format Keynote or Conference · 30 to 60 min
Request this talk
03

Artificial Intelligence: When Technology Redefines Value

AI is not only changing our tools: it is transforming organizations and economic relationships.

Philippe Dessertine places artificial intelligence within a much broader transformation of the economy. Data, automation, new professions, platforms and changing customer relationships are progressively redefining what companies consider valuable.

  • Understand AI’s real economic impact
  • Identify new sources of value creation
  • Anticipate changes in organizations and work
  • Preserve judgement, responsibility and trust
Ideal for Executive committees, transformation teams, innovation, finance, services and industry
Format Keynote or Conference · 30 to 60 min
Request this talk
04

History and Modernity: How Can We Reconcile a New Model with the Fears It Creates?

Why do societies sometimes resist the very transformations they need?

Major transitions generate hope, anxiety and resistance all at once. Philippe Dessertine examines the economic and human dynamics behind this tension and shows how innovation, education, institutions and trust can support the acceptance of new models.

  • Understand resistance to change
  • Connect innovation with social acceptance
  • Give meaning to transformation
  • Create the conditions for trust
Ideal for Transformation, public affairs, innovation, industries in transition and institutions
Format Keynote or Conference · 30 to 60 min
Request this talk
05

Europe and the Global Economy: Decision-Making in a Reshaping World

Understand new power dynamics to better anticipate tomorrow’s decisions.

The United States, China, Europe, Africa, technology, resources and sovereignty: Philippe Dessertine puts into perspective the geopolitical transformations reshaping markets and corporate strategies.

  • Decode new power dynamics
  • Understand the economic consequences of global fragmentation
  • Identify European sovereignty and competitiveness issues
  • Anticipate the impact of these transformations on companies
Ideal for Executive teams, international organizations, institutions, investors and federations
Format Keynote or Conference · 30 to 60 min
Request this talk

For which events?

Philippe Dessertine speaks at the key moments where people, performance and impact matter.

  • Seminars and conventions
  • Leadership committees and strategic talks
  • Product launches
  • CSR and climate events
  • Institutions, schools and universities

Possible formats

Formats adaptable to your goals and context.

  • Inspiring talk
  • Impactful keynote
  • Participative workshop
  • Panel
  • Webinar

Why choose them?

A unique experience serving strong, useful messages.

  • Field experience backing the message
  • Authentic and inspiring stories
  • Human, demanding and accessible approach
  • Tailored content aligned with your stakes
Would you like to invite Philippe Dessertine to your event?
Check availability

Videos

Discover Philippe Dessertine in talks and interviews: an accessible, structured voice connecting economics, innovation, geopolitics, artificial intelligence and societal change.

Looking for more content or a specific clip? Contact us
The Horizon of Possibilities: Inventing the World to Come 1:04:35
Conference clip

The Horizon of Possibilities: Inventing the World to Come

Philippe Dessertine deciphers the end of an economic model that has run out of steam and explores the great transformations — demographic, technological, monetary and ecological — that could shape a new cycle of prosperity.
Watch video
Power to the Imagination: For an Agile and Sustainable Economy 34:35
Conference clip

Power to the Imagination: For an Agile and Sustainable Economy

In a world of accelerating change, Philippe Dessertine invites businesses and decision-makers to make innovation, agility and imagination the drivers of a more sustainable economy.
Watch video
A New World Order: China, Africa and Europe Facing the Great Shifts of the Twenty-First Century 1:42:23
Conference clip

A New World Order: China, Africa and Europe Facing the Great Shifts of the Twenty-First Century

Philippe Dessertine deciphers the shift in the global economic and geopolitical balance, from the rise of China to the new relations between Europe and Africa, and invites us to rethink the drivers of tomorrow’s growth and value.
Watch video
Digital Revolution: The Shift to a New Model Has Already Begun 50:16
Conference clip

Digital Revolution: The Shift to a New Model Has Already Begun

Philippe Dessertine shows how the digital revolution is profoundly transforming the economy and businesses, upending established models and paving the way for a new organisation of society capable of meeting the great challenges of the twenty-first century, particularly those relating to climate and demographics.
Watch video

Want to feature Philippe Dessertine at your next event?

Our team helps you craft a tailored intervention, aligned with your goals and your audience.

Request a proposal Check availability

Publications

  • The Horizon of Possibilities — Robert Laffont, 2025
  • Who Will Pay the Bill? — Robert Laffont, 2022
  • The Great Shift — Robert Laffont, 2021
  • Debt: Magic Potion or Deadly Poison? — Télémaque, 2020
  • Sustainability and Financial Risks — Palgrave Macmillan, 2020
  • The Rise of Green Finance in Europe — Palgrave Macmillan, 2019
  • This is not a crisis, just the end of a world — Anne Carrière, 2009
Would you like to invite Philippe Dessertine to your event?
Check availability