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Testimonials

This is feedback from companies and organisations we have been working with.

It includes appreciation of how we add high value to virtual sessions and online discussions. Much of what we do is confidential and behind closed doors.

Future Investment Initiative

You pulled a legendary slot out of the bag this pm. Really very impressive. You put others to shame. Well done!!!

UN Global Sustainable Development Forum

We were all very grateful both for your “interview” and the presentation of TtU, both of which energised the participants and led to their citing you or your ideas almost incessantly thereafter.

I believe the presentation jolted them somewhat into, indeed, thinking the unthinkable and drew them out of their sometimes cosy attitude to what needs to be done or, rather, how it needs to be done.

Australian Leadership Retreat

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

MASIC Investment Forum

…On stage, Nik was brilliant and knew how to ask the right questions to speakers and audience so to setup 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. He did a fantastic job for our event.

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…

Global B20 Meeting

Nik Gowing is an unbelievable moderator. Probably the best I’ve ever attended for, and I HAVE attended and was on a lot of panels. Amazing subject matter knowledge and fielding questions from audience, as well as making difficult subjects into comprehensible chunks.

European Business Leaders Convention

Thank you so much for today: you pulled a truly remarkable session despite the technical issues. [The CEO] could not even remember the glitch from the beginning in the end!

My warm thanks for the friendly, collegial interaction and all the hard work and persuasion that you put into making it such a smooth and professional production. Without your feedback and nudging, the result could have been very different!

The German Marshall Fund of the US

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!

Louise Langeby, Deputy Director, Strategic Convening and Operations

A huge thank you for the superb moderation of our two BF sessions. It is always great to have you with us.

Dr Ian O Lesser, Vice President, Executive Director Brussels

Climate Action

The quality of the presenters was outstanding for their knowledge and their vision of trends along with the evidence for their confidence. The discussion was very energising. Excellent chairing and selection of questions by Nik.

Succinct, excellent questions and topics, and straight to the important topics. Very nicely done.

It was a pleasure to participate, the questions were deep and sharp on issues of climate, pandemic and pollution nexus. You Nik Gowing were as fabulous as ever!

The content was excellent & the speakers were interesting but best of all was the format. Nik chaired it expertly - each contribution was short & punchy, he marshalled the questions well & pushed the speakers to answer.

I must mention, you were simply cool, effective and in full control. This is what an experienced broadcaster does (I keep participating in the webinars and was able to see the difference!). Please count me in, as fellow traveller in all your future endeavour.

Ontario Hospital Association

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!

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.

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.

Idonea

In our collaboration with Nik Gowing and Chris Langdon they have been highly professional, to the point where they have an infectious, engaging spirit.

The two of you are not just top-class but a real joy to work with.

Sustainable Innovation Forum 2020

Nik chaired five days of digital events for the Sustainable Innovation Forum 2020.

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

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

Thank you Nik for this week’s webinars. World Class, very informative, top level contributors.

Richard Hagan, Managing Director, Panelfx

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

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

Fauna & Flora International

A sincere thank you to the team at Thinking The Unthinkable for encouraging us to seize the moment and lay the foundations for the next chapter of FFI’s history. Our collaboration brought a sense of pace and urgency, encouraging us to embrace opportunities and rise to the challenges ahead. There has never been a more important time to think the unthinkable.

Mark Rose, CEO, Fauna & Flora International

Investor AB

Nik was a lead moderator at our biennial Network Conference for 240 global Chairs and CEOs in our Wallenberg group of companies. His excellent moderation contributed to ensuring the closed event was a huge success. Our post-event survey concluded it was the ‘most appreciated conference since 2005’. Nik received largely the top rating of ‘Very Good’ from participants. We appreciated especially his pre-conference commitment plus his contribution of ideas, insights and preparation for key issues and interviews. We look forward very much to working with him again.

We would like to express a big thank you to the two of you for facilitating and moderating our Network Conference in such a smooth way. The engagement that you put in ahead of the conference – now for the third time – is exceptional. We do appreciate the way you push us and from what we have heard from the participants so far, this year’s conference was a true success. We are now working on how to take the next step and work with the participants on radical change and future proofing.

Jacob Wallenberg, Marcus Wallenberg & Peter Wallenberg

Summit of Minds

Nik led key plenary sessions at SOM 2021 in Chamonix, France. His aim is always to stimulate open debate, pushing at the limit of comfort zones. In this way speakers contribute in the sharpest and most open ways. Register for free to watch the closing session here.

Always such a pleasure to listen to your words, humor and extremely cutting-edge thoughts. You did an awesome job again in that summit!

Valerie Roze, Go-To-Market Chief Sales Executive and External Advisor

Fabulous summit and I really enjoyed your session facilitations.

Risto Väyrynen, The Impact Office, Geneva

It was fantastic to have you on board as a moderator, and in person! The Summit of Minds attendees were evidently craving community.

Petra Jaeger, International Business and Development

Your contribution to our like minded community is invaluable! We owe you so much.

Olivier de Richoufftz, Secretary General, Family Enterprise Foundation

Thank you Nik for summarising the spirit of the Summit of Minds so well! I really appreciated your astute involvement and the inspired flavours your brought to the debates with outstanding moderation skills and an incredible energy.

Gregory Guillot, Business and Biodiversity Programme Officer, IUCN

Great summit yet again and your moderating has a great deal to do with it.

Atalanti Moquette, Philanthropist and Art Historian

It is impressive to see how incisively you helped distilling ideas, wisdom and energy from the many brilliant minds at the SOM.

Ana Gerlin Hernández Bonilla Måbeck, Founder, The Nutriverse

Aurora Forum

A big thank you for once again so brilliantly moderating the Opening Session of the Aurora Forum. You were as ever marvellous in the role and warmed the room up and set the tone for how everyone felt they could speak and join in.

Stephanie Ashton, Executive Director, Aurora Forum

Grid Futurability ® for a Net-Zero World

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.

Zero-Hour Sessions at COP26

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, Lombard Odier’s Head of Climate and Environmental Solutions

Congratulations for your stellar moderation of the Natural Capital panel.

Tony O’Sullivan, Panellist and Founding Partner, Pollination

Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Very well done Nik. You are a star.

Carl-Henric Svanberg, Chair of AB Volvo, Chair of European Round Table for Industry, Chair BP 2010-18

I have worked with Nik for a couple of years now, and knew instantly that I wanted him more involved in our Summit. He has a sharpness and edge which helps create that electric conversation whilst delivering a super professional presentation. A true professional, he provides input in every detail to ensure the success of the event.

Peter Sandberg, Chief Executive, Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Climate Action for Associations

We wanted to send you a big thank you for supporting CAFA at Reset Connect. Your contribution was really valuable and we appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule.

Kari Allen, Executive Director

Cities Stockholm+50

The vision that you brought to the table was quite different from what we had previously discussed internally – and it made such a difference for everything that came after.

The setup not only made the event itself livelier and more enjoyable for participants, it also helped me immensely in my approach towards potential speakers. Because suddenly, seats in the audience were almost as attractive as actual panel seats.

I honestly don’t think we would have been able to secure as many high-level speakers with a more traditional setup.

David Preuss, International Policy Adviser for the mayor of Stockholm

Resilience Association

It was a virtuoso performance! I thought you made some great points that were highly relevant and really got people sitting up and thinking. I cannot thank you enough for giving up your time today.

A huge thanks again for not only taking part today, but doing so with skill, great knowledge and gusto.

Peter Power, Vice Chairman

Climate Innovation Forum 2022

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

Network Conference for Investor AB and the Wallenberg Foundation

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

World Cement Association

Nik was instrumental in helping us achieve a highly successful conference, not only by his mastery in engaging the delegates but also his input into the preparation. He helped us configure the conference hall to promote interaction and to think through the flow of each session. He challenged us to define objectives more clearly.

Once at the event, Nik perfectly illustrated the impact that a skilled conference chair can have, turning all the delegates into participants not just spectators. Many veteran delegates commented that they had never been to a conference with such open and lively discussion of key topics facing the industry.

Ian Riley, CEO