Dick Stroud

My latest book, Goodbye Trust, is a series of essays that investigates why the West is witnessing plummeting levels of trust in academia, the media, politics, business, the justice system and financial regulators. I also explore how language is manipulated and the new moral. This is a no-holds-barred account of why our institutions fail and the dire consequences.

My previous book, The Joy of Moaning, turns on its head the notion that moaning is undesirable behaviour, something to be avoided and scorned. It delves into the detail of why we moan and most importantly, provides a guide for doing it better.

In 2021 I published ‘The Secondary Mod’, a definitive account of secondary modern schools. It tells the story of secondary education from WWI through to 2004 and how the forces that determined its structure still influence how children are taught today.

All my other books have been about business. In 2017, I published ‘This I Know’, a hard-hitting commentary that explains the fantasies, fiction and fantastic potential of the Ageing Business. ‘Marketing to the Ageing Consumer’, co-authored with Kim Walker, is the first marketing book that explains how companies can prosper from the physical, sensory and cognitive ageing of their customers. It explores the new products they will require and how to adapt all aspects of the customer experience. Way back in 2005 I partnered with Omnicom to write ‘The 50-Plus Market’. This covered all aspects of marketing from advertising and media selection to market segmentation and website design.

I was a pioneer in recognising the business opportunities of ‘digital’ and published a book imploring industry to adapt and exploit its potential. ‘Internet Strategies’ was published over 20 years ago! I was the first visiting lecturer on digital marketing at London Business School and the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Before embarking on this entrepreneurial career, I worked for IBM and PA Management Consultants. At the dawn of time, I collected a first degree in Electronics (Sussex University) and an MBA (Cranfield Business School).