Before you fix the world you need to understand it – Stephen Dubner

As the date of the Discovery Invest Leadership Summit draws near, delegates are looking forward to hearing world-class speaker and award-winning author, journalist and TV personality, Stephen J. Dubner share his insights on what really makes our modern world tick.

Dubner is best known as the co-author of the international bestseller Freakonomics which spent more than two years on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold more than 4-million copies around the world, in more than 35 languages.

Freakonomics is remarkable for its off kilter view of modern day society. It contains stories inspired by engineers and astrophysicists, psychotic killers and emergency-room doctors, amateur historians and transgender neuroscientists. Through their stories, Dubner seeks to reveal that most of us want to fix or change the world in some fashion, however large or small but that in order to change the world, you first have to understand it.

The highly anticipated sequel to Freakonomics, SuperFreakonomics was released in 2009, posing not only the tough questions, but the unexpected ones: What’s more dangerous, driving drunk or walking drunk? Why is chemotherapy prescribed so often if it’s so ineffective? Can a sex change boost your salary?

During his presentation at the Discovery Invest Leadership Summit, Dubner will show that despite a great deal of complexity and downright deceit, the modern world is not impenetrable or unknowable and if the right questions are asked, is even more intriguing than we think. All it takes is a new way of looking.

He is well-placed to join the other speakers at this year’s Discovery Invest Leadership Summit, which include businessmen Johann Rupert, Adrian Gore and Tokyo Sexwale: South African businesswoman and thought leader, Dr. Mamphela Ramphele: former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani and global financial meltdown guru, Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

This year’s Discovery Invest Leadership Summit will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre on the 11th August 2010. To find out more or book your place at this must-see event go to: www.theleadershipsummit.co.za and for bookings call 0861 000 749 or visit bookings@theleadershipsummit.co.za