William Smith-Stubbs is a writer, speaker and strategic advisor on technology, society and human behaviour.

He advises governments, boards and leadership teams, and writes and makes films about the forces reshaping human life.

Essays & Ideas

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Essays

Selected writing

William writes essays that sit between personal narrative and cultural diagnosis — exploring identity, technology, fatherhood, politics and the threads of human connection. In 2026 his work was long-listed for the Furphy Literary Award.

Discover all Essays

Last Drops of the Lucky Country

Algpopunk: How Decades Died

Bones: How we Mark Time

Collision: Why genius is a group activity

Summary

For more than fifteen years, William has worked at the intersection of human behaviour, technology and social change. He has founded an award-winning research and design studio and a social-cohesion nonprofit, advised Australian governments and global organisations, built technology products, led major research programs and served in governance roles.

His work has taken him from the World Economic Forum in Davos to the Obama Democracy Forum in Chicago, and from national public-policy projects to research into online hate, digital culture, and the future of human connection.

Today he works selectively as a strategic advisor and board leader while writing, speaking and making films about technology, culture and what it means to be human.

Selected recognition and appearances:


Obama Foundation - World Economic Forum - Global Good Fund - Good Design Australia - Gates Foundation - Unleash Innovation Lab


Chicago - Davos - Washington DC - Australia - New York - Denmark - Shenzhen - Singapore

Summary

For more than fifteen years, William has worked at the intersection of human behaviour, technology and social change. He has founded an award-winning research and design studio and a social-cohesion nonprofit, advised Australian governments and global organisations, built technology products, led major research programs and served in governance roles.

His work has taken him from the World Economic Forum in Davos to the Obama Democracy Forum in Chicago, and from national public-policy projects to research into online hate, digital culture, and the future of human connection.

Today he works selectively as a strategic advisor and board leader while writing, speaking and making films about technology, culture and what it means to be human.

Selected recognition and appearances:


Obama Foundation - World Economic Forum - Global Good Fund - Good Design Australia - Gates Foundation - Unleash Innovation Lab


Chicago - Davos - Washington DC - Australia - New York - Denmark - Shenzhen - Singapore

“William embodies the belief that lasting change starts from the ground up, one honest conversation at a time."

“William embodies the belief that lasting change starts from the ground up, one honest conversation at a time."

Obama Foundation Profile, 2025