Dr. Peter Cochrane is a British futurist entrepreneur, business and engineering advisor to international industries and governments. He has worked across: hardware, software, systems, network, adaptive system design and operation. He currently runs his own company across 4 continents, and was formerly CTO at BT, The Collier Chair for the Public Understanding of Technology @ Bristol, and winner of numerous awards including an OBE and IEEE Millennium Medal.

Dr. Peter Cochrane was Head of BT Research from 1993 until 1999, when he was appointed Chief Technologist. In November 2000 he retired from BT to join his own start-up company, ConceptLabs.

Peter's BT career saw a progression from a linesman to R&D engineer before becaming Head of Research and then CTO. With a 1000 strong team engaged in studies spanning optical fiber, fixed and mobile networks, Peter reported direct to the main board and was responsible for developments that would support future IP, eCommerce, eRetail, eLogistics and many other new businesses. Peter’s PhD was pivotal in BT deciding to go all-digital and all-optical in the 1970’s, and he played a key role in a downsizing of BT from 242,000 to 110,000 people in the early 1990s.

His latest venture, ConceptLabs is a new style laboratory/incubator in Silicon Valley. It was formed with a group from the Apple Advanced Technology Group in 1998 as part of his personal program of diversification into new technology and business.

Dr. Cochrane learned telecommunications from the bottom up, starting his career as a linesman, installer and maintenance technician. He earned bachelors, masters and two doctoral degrees, and worked his way through ever more responsible positions in world-class research operations. At the same time, he taught at leading academic institutions and wrote and lectured widely in professional, academic and popular venues. He has directed probes of such advanced topics as artificial intelligence, wearable computers, agents, telemedicine, fiber optics, virtual reality, human computer interface, multimedia and networks. His book, Tips for Time Travellers, was described by MIT Media Lab Director Nicholas Negroponte as: "a primer about living in the future."

Peter has also been employed in the defence, logistics, travel, retail, energy, healthcare, transport, pharma, and consulting sectors as an advisor, board member, and manager with responsibilities for strategy and operations with budget responsibilities up to £1bn.  As an investor and entrepreneur Peter has also engaged in the founding of new companies, investment and the management of growth leading to market success.

He was appointed as the UK’s first Prof for the Public Understanding of Science & Technology @ Bristol in 1998.   A graduate of Nottingham Trent and Essex Universities, Peter has received notable recognition with the Queen's Award for Innovation & Export in 1990 and Honorary Doctorates from Essex, Robert Gordon, Stafford, Nottingham Trent and Brunel Universities. He was awarded an OBE in 1999 for contributions to international communications, the IEEE Millennium Medal in 2000 and The City & Guilds Prince Philip Medal in 2001.