The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word FUTURIST
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "One looks ahead" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case one looks ahead = futurist.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does FUTURIST mean?
FUTURIST noun- An adherent to the principles of the artistic movement of futurism.
- One who studies and predicts possible futures.
- In the style of futurism.