8 Keynote Speakers With New Books Out in 2026 (And Why Event Planners Are Booking Them)

When you are searching for a keynote speaker for your next conference, a brand-new book is one of the clearest signals you can find. It tells you the speaker is actively shaping the conversation in their field, not recycling a talk from five years ago. For event planners, booking an author keynote speaker also comes with real perks: current, research-backed content, strong media profiles that help promote your event, and often signed copies your delegates can take home.

This month we present eight of the most in-demand speakers on the speaking circuit right now who have released new books. Here is who is newly published, what their book is about, and why each one belongs on your shortlist.

Dominic Thurbon

Change | Behaviour Change | AI

One of Australasia's most sought-after conference speakers, Dom Thurbon has energised audiences in the tens of thousands across Australia, Europe and North America. A dynamic, provocative presenter and masterful closing keynoter, he distils an entire conference into a call to action that leaves delegates inspired and ready to act.

New book · 2026

To Be Honest

A rollercoaster ride through the most incredible untruths, lies and misinformation, showing why telling the truth builds trust, drives performance and creates businesses and societies where people genuinely flourish.

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James Taylor

Creativity | Innovation | AI

A Wall Street Journal featured keynote speaker and virtual MC, James Taylor MBA FRSA has inspired audiences in over 120 countries with tailored, entertaining and highly visual presentations on creativity, innovation and AI. His clients include Fortune Global 500 companies, and he was recently the subject of a 30 minute BBC documentary.

New book · 2026

SuperCreativity

Built around the Eight Ps of SuperCreativity, a practical framework showing how leaders, teams and organisations can collaborate creatively with people and intelligent machines to accelerate innovation in an AI-augmented world.

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Prof. Rocky Scopelliti

Futurist | AI | Innovation

An international keynote speaker whose presentations have captivated audiences across Asia Pacific, the USA and Europe, including Mobile World Congress, Professor Rocky Scopelliti helps boards make sense of emerging technology. Over 150 boards and leadership teams each year, including Fortune 100 corporations, seek his advice on strategy and the future.

New book · 2026

Perceptive Machines

A deep dive into the next frontier of AI, where machines learn to see, hear, touch, smell and taste, and a multidisciplinary look at what synthetic senses mean for our identity, relationships, ethics and what it means to be human.

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Prof. Joel Pearson

Neuroscience | AI | Decision Making

A captivating keynote speaker who blends scientific rigour with entertainment, Professor Joel Pearson takes audiences on a wild ride through the workings of the brain. He has electrified teams at Pixar, Google, KPMG, Macquarie Group, Lexus and Toyota, turning neuroscience into practical tools for creativity, decision-making and thriving with AI.

New book

The Intuition Toolkit

A breakthrough guide to the new science of intuition, revealing five simple rules (the SMILE framework) for when it is safe to trust your gut in high-stakes decisions, and when it is not, illustrated with unforgettable real-life stories.

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Li Cunxin AO

Motivation | Adversity | Resilience

A spellbinding motivational speaker, Li Cunxin AO shares a real-life story of determination, courage and resilience that touches audiences deep in their hearts. His unique journey works powerfully with corporate and conference themes, leaving every room moved, uplifted and inspired to dream bigger and never give up.

New book · 2026

The Lucky Son

The long-awaited sequel to the international bestseller Mao's Last Dancer, a joyous and inspiring memoir of a life that cheated fate, sharing hard-won lessons on love, learning, leadership, legacy and the power and possibility of dreaming big.

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Future Crunch

Future | Trends | Optimism

Future Crunch delivers dynamic, visually spectacular keynotes and workshops that leave audiences buzzing with optimistic intelligence. From INTERPOL to the Million Dollar Round Table, they bring a rare level of joy and energy to the stage, exploring the frontiers of science and technology and why progress is happening right now.

New book · 2026

Full Stack Human

By futurist Tane Hunter with Dara Simkin, a field guide that combines neuroscience, behavioural psychology and real-world stories to help you rewire your mental operating system and stay human when everything around you keeps accelerating.

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Jessica Spendlove

Performance | Wellbeing | Resilience

A high-impact keynote speaker grounded in real-world application, Jessica Spendlove blends the science, strategies and stories of sustainable performance. Drawing on more than 15 years across elite sport, Special Forces and corporate leadership, she helps leaders and teams optimise energy, resilience and stress management to prevent burnout.

New book · 2026

For the Long Run

A practical playbook for building your own daily operating system for energy, recovery and wellbeing, drawing on lessons from elite athletes, executives and high performers to help you succeed not at the cost of your health, but because of it.

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Roni Millard

Wellbeing | Psychological Safety | Leadership

Known for warmth and a rare ability to connect deeply with a room, Roni Millard combines commercial credibility with authentic, relatable storytelling. A former Top 50 Australian CMO, she delivers keynotes on psychological safety, burnout prevention, resilient leadership and healthy high performance that inspire audiences to rethink what success really looks like.

New book

Invincible

A powerful call to rethink success, drawing on Roni's own journey through burnout and a breast cancer diagnosis to help leaders and teams build cultures where ambition and wellbeing coexist, and perform at their peak without sacrificing their health.

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8 Keynote Speakers With New Books Out in 2026 (And Why Event Planners Are Booking Them)

Dominic Thurbon

James Taylor

Prof. Rocky Scopelliti

Prof. Joel Pearson

Li Cunxin AO

Future Crunch

Jessica Spendlove

Roni Millard