Dr. Parag Khanna is a world-renowned strategist and geographer whose work focuses on the future of global civilization. He is the Founder and CEO of AlphaGeo, a leading predictive analytics platform for geospatial risk and climate-resilient investment, and the Founder of FutureMap, a strategic advisory firm. Recognized for his data-driven approach to geopolitics, Khanna has traveled to more than 150 countries, providing him with a unique, ground-level perspective on how the forces of globalization are manifesting across different continents.
His academic and professional career is marked by a deep commitment to understanding the mechanics of the "global system." Khanna holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He has held prestigious research positions at some of the world’s most influential think tanks, including the Brookings Institution, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the New America Foundation. Through these roles, he has advised numerous governments and international organizations on matters of national security, economic development, and urban planning.
Khanna is a prolific and bestselling author whose books have been translated into dozens of languages. His "Global Trilogy"—comprising "The Second World," "How to Run the World," and "Connectography"—redefined the way scholars and business leaders view the world map. In these works, he introduced the concept of "functional geography," arguing that how we use the world (through supply chains and digital networks) is often more important than the political boundaries drawn on a map. His 2019 book, "The Future is Asian," accurately predicted the rapid integration of the Asian continent and its return to a dominant position in the global economy.
In his most recent major work, "MOVE: The Forces Uprooting Us," Khanna addresses the most pressing challenge of the coming decades: the mass migration of people. He combines climate science, demographics, and economics to explain why billions of people will likely relocate by 2050. He posits that the most successful nations of the future will be those that effectively attract and integrate mobile populations, turning migration into a competitive advantage.
Beyond his writing, Khanna is a frequent contributor to major global media outlets, including CNN, the BBC, and Al Jazeera, and his insights are regularly featured in publications like The New York Times, TIME, and Foreign Policy. He has been named a "Young Global Leader" by the World Economic Forum and serves on several international advisory boards. His work at AlphaGeo continues to push the boundaries of strategic foresight, using advanced geospatial data to help organizations prepare for the long-term impacts of climate change and shifting global trade routes.