Four keynoters with futurist, comic, paramedic and Navy rescue pilot in their CVs are the unlikely line-up for next May's PacPrint Forum Series.

A lot has changed since the Australian print trade show was held last - including the name of its now-merged organiser, Visual Connections - and associations general manager Karen Goldsmith promises a look ahead with presenters tackling some of the 'big issues' facing the industry.

Speakers named are:

-Steve Tighe, The future (May 23 at 11am) - is "engaging, entertaining and thought-provoking" and promises a "virtual journey into the future", with alerts to the drivers of future change and their implications and covering questions such as how to detect emerging trends and how best to innovate.

-Peter Davidson, High performance (May 24 at 11am) - is a former helicopter paramedic who helped winch eight sailors during the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and has a story to tell about crisis management and "what ordinary, well trained, motivated people can achieve". Themes and issues include leadership and vision, teamwork, preparation and training, and the importance of persistence and determination "particularly when faced with rapidly changing environments".

-Marty Wilson (pictured), Change (May 25 at 11am) - is an author, presenter and comedian who interviewed more than 1000 people for his series of What I Wish I Knew books; forum organisers promise he'll distil that wisdom, add his own scientific research, and deliver the results interwoven with laugh-out-loud stories - "as only a former Australian Comic of the Year can" - to help leaders deal with fear of change.

-Jerry Grayson, Leadership (May 26 at 11pm) - was the British Royal Navy's youngest helicopter pilot - driving experiences he put into a book Rescue Pilot: Cheating the Sea - before establishing aerial production company Helifilms to cover events including the Olympics and the World Cup, and contributing to major films.

The 90-minute Forum Series sessions are free to registered visitors. PacPrint 2017 runs at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from May 23-26, colocated with Visual Impact Expo.