Richard O’Brien is Outsights Co-Founding Partner. He has extensive experience in Futures work, leading and building scenarios covering a range of sectors including financial services, information, retail, development, Japan and Europe. Richard is particularly experienced in finding and presenting critical external insights, and in helping clients to understand their significance in company performance.
An economist by training, Richard has 21 years experience in international banking, with Rothschilds and as chief economist and executive director of American Express Bank.
He is widely published, including his best-selling book Global Financial Integration: The End of Geography, is co-editor of more than a dozen books and a former contributor and advisor to leading international bodies such as the World Bank and the Group of 30 (on regulation). He pioneered much of the work on country risk analysis in international finance.
Richard serves on a number of public and private sector governing councils and advisory boards. He is frequently called upon to chair the jury for global competitions, including for The Economist, the BBC, Shell and Newsweek.
Richard holds an MA (Hons.) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University (Corpus Christi College) and a diploma in African studies from Edinburgh University. He is an active long distance runner and sings tenor for the London ensemble Eclectic Voices.
