Joanna Lepore is a global foresight strategist, bringing expansive long term thinking to big business.
Meet Jo
Jo is a prominent voice globally in corporate foresight, helping world leading brands bring long term thinking into their growth plans, and expand thinking about what’s possible.
Today:Executive Vice President of International Growth Strategy and Foresight, Dig InsightsFounder & President, Foresight Inside GroupAssociated Partner, Copenhagen Institute for Futures StudiesFriend of the Forum, Dubai Future ForumHost and Creator, Looking Outside podcastFounder & CEO, Future& Foresight AdvisoryAdvisory Board | Anticipate Foresight Consultancy
Olivier Desbiey,
Head of Foresight AXA
"Jo is a true futurist and master connector, seamlessly integrating foresight into corporate strategies. Curiosity and openness make her a passionate professional, dedicated to understanding our world and integrating the value of looking forward into the corporate realm."
Daria Krivonos,
CEO Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies
"The one question that almost always arises is how to imbed foresight in the wider organisations. We are now happy to partner up with someone who can finally help us answer it from her own extensive first hand experience."
Sheila Mulligan,
President Weber Shandwick Central Region
"Jo's incredible way of thinking about the future in terms of connectivity to brand action is not only insightful – it’s actionable. She’s the partner you want alongside you at the strategy table in helping push, test and inform future pathways and opportunities."
Past:
Present & Future:
“I believe big business has the ability and the responsibility to drive positive change in the world.
This can be done more effectively by intentionally observing and preparing for the future, using foresight.”
About Jo
Jo Lepore is widely considered a leading voice in corporate foresight, having established and expanded foresight from within the global headquarters of Mars Wrigley & McDonald’s, and founded Foresight Inside Group, a network for corporate foresight professionals inside the world’s leading organizations.
Jo led the establishment and expansion of futures capability first hand inside world-leading multinationals, partnering vertically with senior leadership teams including global CEOs, and horizontally across geographies with market MD’s in over 60 countries.
As the ‘in house futurist’, she elevated long term planning and created a cultural shift needed to adapt to changing consumer expectations and navigate complex market conditions.
A strategist with over 15 years’ experience creating transformative growth pathways, Jo launched innovation that generated retail sales in the millions and identified billion dollar white space opportunities.
While today she is known for foresight, she brings with her complimentary skills from marketing and innovation, from across FMCG, retail & food industries, at General Mills, SCA Hygiene and Murray Goulburn (Saputo Dairy).
Jo is often asked to speak about future readiness at global events and podcasts. Her interviews and keynotes have provided provocative insights about future-preparedness at events like World Summit AI, Dubai Future Forum, CES, Venture Beat, IIEX and SXSW.
An advocate for curiosity and differentiated thinking, Jo hosts the Looking Outside podcast to explore fresh business ideas, interviewing leading thinkers like Paul Saffo, Byron Sharp, Jonathon Keats, Amy Webb, Dr Marcus Collins and Matt Klein.
In 2024 she founded Foresight Inside Group (FIG), alongside peers at Disney, Adam Walker, and JLR, Ben Moncrieffe. A network for futures professionals within corporate foresight, FIG supports 11 members organizations resourcing for the future, including Nestle, PepsiCo, Shell, Google and AXA.
After four years in the US, Jo has returned home to Australia, and remains dedicated to building expansive growth strategies and futures capability, leading global strategic expansion for Canadian innovation & research consultancy Dig, and as Partner for Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, and now, offering foresight advisory through Future&.
