The Leading Speakers blog

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Foremost Thinker on Human Resource Strategy

Dr. Lynda Gratton is Professor of Management Practice at London Business School where she directs the school’s executive programme, “Human Resource Strategy in Transforming Organisations”. Over the last decade Lynda has led The Leading Edge Research Consortium, a major research initiative involving companies such as Hewlett Packard and Citibank. A global authority on the people implications of strategy Dr. Lynda Gratton writes, teaches and consults across the world on human resource strategy.

“People are our most important asset”

In detail
In 2005 Lynda was named by the Times as one of the top 50 thinkers of the world (one of only 4 women). She is acknowledged as one of the world’s most influential thinkers in HR Strategy, and was recently ranked in the Top Ten of HR Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential poll. In 2004 Lynda was appointed a Research Fellow of the Advanced Institute of Management in the UK and is Director of the Lehman Centre for Women in Business.
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Co-founder of Lastminute.com
Martha Lane Fox is a highly successful self-made business entrepreneur.  She is best known as the co-founder of lastminute.com.

Martha is currently a Non-Executive Director of Channel 4 Television, a Trustee of the charity Reprieve and Patron of CAMFED. She has also helped launch a chain of upmarket karaoke clubs called Lucky Voice.

“Martha Lane Fox has hit the two zeitgeist buttons: youth and internet.” The Guardian

In detail

Martha started her career as an associate at Spectrum Strategy Consultants, where she met Brent Hoberman.  She then worked for a year as business development manager of Carlton Communication’s initiatives in pay TV and digital channels. Brent Hoberman eventually persuaded Martha to join him as chief operating officer of lastminute.com. She remained on the board until the company was purchased by Sabre Holdings in 2005 for £577million.
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World Renowned Economist and Expert on the Economics of Climate Change

Sir Nicholas Stern made headline news around the world and became an instant household name when he published his critically acclaimed and long awaited 700 page ground breaking ‘Stern Review’ into the economic impact of climate change. A former chief economic advisor to the UK government he was also the chief economist and Senior Vice-President of the World Bank from 2000 to 2003.  Sir Nicholas also played a key role in Europe’s economic development as the chief economist and senior advisor to the Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

“The scientific evidence is now overwhelming: climate change is a serious global threat, and it demands an urgent global response” Sir Nicholas Stern

In detail

Sir Nicholas was a lecturer at Oxford University from 1970 to 1977, and served as a Professor of Economics at the University of Warwick from 1978 to 1987. He taught from 1986 to 1993 at the London School of Economics, becoming the Sir John Hicks Professor of Economics, a role which he still occupies to this day.
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Founder and President, Foundation on Economic Trends

Jeremy Rifkin influences public policy on environmental, scientific and technological issues.

A master of speech, he addresses the impact of scientific and technological changes on the economy, workforce, society and the environment.

He is credited with shaping the global debate on technology displacement, corporate downsizing and the future of work.

A renowned intelligence on global economic trends

In detail

In addition to his role at the Foundation on Economic Trends, he is a fellow at Wharton School of Finance and Commerce where he lectures on future trends in science, technology and the global economy.

His informed perspective is regularly called upon by leading organisations, governments and the media.
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Wireless, Internet and e-Business   Specialist

Bruno Giussani is a specialist on the social and economic impacts of technological innovation.

A writer, serial entrepreneur and analyst, he has co-developed the first Swiss online news site, written an Internet column for The New York Times during four years, headed the online strategy of the World Economic Forum.

He advises private and public organization on technology and new media. Most recently he was a Knight Fellow at the Department of Communication of Stanford University and is an Affiliated Fellow at the Institute for International Studies.

A futurologist with his feet firmly on the ground.

In detail

A regular lecturer at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, he is also Vice-Chairman of the Board of Tinext, a software company which he co-founded, and a Board member of Namics, an Internet consultancy in Switzerland and Germany.

He was a member of the advisory committee of Transitions Online, a Prague-based independent news organisation covering, the former Soviet regions, and of NetAid, a New York group fighting poverty.
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Former World No 1 Tennis Superstar

Boris Becker entranced tennis fans when in 1985, aged just seventeen, he became the youngest ever player to lift the famous shield at the All England Club. The German became a tennis legend, taking the Wimbledon title twice more. His career haul of 49 titles included two Australian Open crowns and one US Open success. 

Boris now plays on the Senior ATP Tour and Billie Jean King’s World Team Tennis tour. He remains a hugely popular figure at Wimbledon and commentates there for the BBC each year.

“A sporting legend”

In detail

Boris exploded onto the tennis scene in 1985, when he became the youngest male ever to win the Wimbledon singles championship. His victory was considered a fluke by some because none of the top seeds reached the final that year; he won a four-set over unheralded Kevin Curren to take the title. However, Boris proved it was no fluke by winning the championship again in 1986, this time beating Ivan Lendl. He reached the finals four years in a row, from 1988 through 1991, winning the final for a third time in 1989. He also won the U. S. Open in 1989 and the Australian Open in 1991 and 1996. He finished his career with 49 singles titles and 15 doubles titles.
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Head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department

Serena Sutcliffe is one of the world’s most admired and respected wine experts. Joining the wine trade in 1971, she passed the Master of Wine examination at first attempt, only the second woman to obtain this qualification. From 1977-1990 she was in the international wine consultant business in conjunction with husband, David Peppercorn. In 1991, she joined Sotheby’s as a senior director, a member of Sotheby’s European Board, and Head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department.

“Chevalier dans L’Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur” France 2006

In detail

Serena Sutcliffe has been a member of the Wine Committee of the International Wine & Food Society, the Education Committee of the Institute of Masters of Wine, the International Committee of the British Gastronomic Academy, and a committee member of the Journal of Wine Research published by the Institute of Masters of Wine.
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The best soccer player ever

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé, is a living legend and widely regarded as the best soccer player ever.

He is best known for leading the Brazilian national soccer team to three World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970 and to permanent possession of the Jules Rimet Trophy.

“The King of Football”

In detail

Pelé began playing for a local minor-league club when he was just a teenager. He was quickly established as an exceptionally prolific goal scorer and soon became hailed as a national hero for his accomplishments and contribution to the game. He is the all-time top scorer in the history of the Brazil national team. Since his full retirement in 1977 he has been an ambassador for football and has also undertaken various acting roles and commercial ventures.

He was voted Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999 for his Olympic successes and in December 2000, he was named Footballer of the Century by FIFA.
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President of PlaNet Finance

Jacques Attali is an eminent economic advisor.

From 1981 to 1991 he was special advisor to François Mitterrand and in 1990 he became the first president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD.

Now, he is chairman of A&A, an international consultancy company and the founder and president of PlaNet Finance, an international non-profit organisation that uses the Internet to combat poverty concentrating on the microfinance sector.

Economic theorist, advisor and author

In detail
In 1984 he founded Eureka, the main European programme on new technologies. Then in 1989, he launched an international action programme against massive floods in Bangladesh.

Recently, he also served as Conseiller d’Etat in Paris and has advised the United Nations Secretary General on nuclear proliferation.
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Founder & Member of the Fujitsu Executive Institute and Senior Associate at the Judge Business School, Cambridge University

Roger Camrass is an accomplished author and international business strategist with over 25 years of experience in tackling Innovation in rapidly changing corporate environments. From 1999-2001 Roger headed Ernst & Young’s European electronic commerce practice and in September 2003 he was appointed Executive Director of Fujitsu Plc.

Innovative Strategist in a Connected World

In detail
A graduate of Cambridge University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he became a research fellow at MIT, participating in the early design of the Internet. After numerous senior roles in the UK, Netherlands and the USA, he headed Consulting Operations of Butler Cox plc, followed by appointments as Partner at Arthur D. Little (92-94), and then European President of SRI (the Stanford Research Institute).
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