VIC Technical Event March 2026

James Allen is a strategic foresight practitioner (futurist), strategist, writer and speaker who helps organisations make think more clearly and make better decisions about the future.

His work combines research and analysis (horizon scanning, trend analysis, structured analytical methods) with creative approaches (scenarios, storytelling, worldbuilding). With these tools, he brings clarity amid complexity and uncertainty, expand decision-makers’ perception of their strategic options, and support wise, durable choices.

For nearly two decades years James has applied these skills across a range of sectors, including government, utilities, and education, and communities, helping to shape strategies and risk programs that are both visionary and practical.

The focus of much of James's writing at the moment is on the urgent subject of the fault lines between culture, technology and what it means to be human. 

Toby  Parford-Plant is a passionate environmental and water futures practitioner with over 13 years’ experience working across conservation, education, government, and nonprofit sectors . Currently contributing to the Operating Environment Scan (OES) 2026, with a focus on identifying emerging social, environmental, technological, and economic signals shaping the future of water systems.

He has a background in water literacy, climate risk, and community engagement and education, alongside the use of digital tools, data, and emerging technologies to explore future pressures and opportunities. Deeply motivated by a love of the ocean and the natural world, and by the belief that lasting environmental outcomes come from informed, curious, and empowered communities.