The Leading Speakers Bureau

Celebrated Author of ‘Wild Swans’

Jung Chang is the author of the best-selling book ‘Wild Swans – Three Daughters of China’, which has sold over 12 million copies and been translated in more than 30 languages. ‘Wild Swans’ has won many awards, including the UK Writers’ Guild Best Non-Fiction (1992), Book of The Year UK (1993) and NCR Book Award UK (1992),. Her biography of Mao Tse-tung, ‘Mao: The Unknown Story’, was published in 2005 and has sold some 1.5 million copies outside China and been translated into 34 languages.

A compelling writer and raconteur

[expand title=”In detail”] Born in Yibin, Sichuan Province, China in 1952, Jung Chang worked as a peasant, a ‘barefoot’ doctor, a steelworker and an electrician before becoming an English Language student and, later, an assistant lecturer at Sichuan University. She left China for Britain in 1978 and was awarded a scholarship by University of York, where she obtained a PhD in Linguistics in 1982 – the first person from the People’s Republic of China to receive a doctorate from a British University. She has also been awarded honorary doctorates from the Universities of Buckingham, York, Warwick and the Open University and Bowdoin University in the USA.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Her spellbinding lectures charting the dramatic developments in 20th century China provide a truly unique, inspiring and uplifting experience and help to understand the challenges of 21st Century globalisation. The lessons to be learned from her latest highly acclaimed book ‘Mao – The Unknown Story’ add tremendously to the understanding of Chinese culture and development. [/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]A gifted storyteller, her presentations stimulate emotions and leave audiences reflecting upon her powerful and moving messages, taking them on a thoughtful and, at times, emotional journey.[/expand]
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Musician and Co-organiser of Band Aid and Live Aid and Live

November 25, 1984 was an historic day for Midge Ure and all of pop music, as 36 artists by the collective name Band Aid gathered at SARM Studios in West London under Midge’s production. They recorded Do They Know It’s Christmas?, a song he had just written with Bob Geldof as the industry’s heartfelt and eloquent contribution to Ethiopian famine relief. The unstoppable emotion engendered by the project led to Live Aid, the summer 1985 global concert that, all exaggeration aside, spoke for a generation.

“An artist who has received Ivor Novello, Grammy, BASCAP awards along with a flotilla of gold and platinum records, needs very little introduction”

[expand title=”In detail”] Midge organised the Live 8 concerts with Bob Geldof, with the aim of pressuring G8 leaders into following his recipe for ending world poverty. In 2005 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to music and charity.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Midge Ure talks candidly about his career and what Live Aid and the Live 8 concerts mean to him. He explains how the musicians aimed to convince the eight world leaders to focus on fighting poverty in the third world.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A charismatic and affable personality, Midge speaks emotionally and openly in his moving presentations. He is also a fantastic storyteller, leaving audiences well and truly inspired and entertained.[/expand]
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Former Chief Investment Officer of Baring Asset Management

Michael Hughes is one of the City of London’s best-known economists and as the Chief Investment Officer of Baring Asset Management, he was responsible for the management of US $47 billion in funds. Michael uses his considerable knowledge of the global and European economic landscape to provide essential information and insights to enable decision makers to plan strategically and gain the all important competitive advantage.

“A highly respected Global Finance Expert”

[expand title=”In detail”] Michael Hughes joined Baring Asset Management in 1998, from Barclays Capital, where he was the Group Economic Advisor and the Chairman of Barclays Capital Pensions Ltd. Prior to that, he was a Managing Director and Global Head of Economics and Investment Strategy at BZW Securities Limited.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Michael has the skill and knowledge which allows his audience to delve into the extremely rich and varied vein of economics and business strategies. Business leaders benefit from his astute insights and analytical brilliance of the economic landscape.[/expand]
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Former US Assistant Secretary of State and Adjunct Professor at Columbia University

James P. Rubin is currently an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a prominent commentator and lecturer on U.S. foreign policy. From 2000 to 2007, Mr. Rubin lived in London, working as a broadcaster, professor, commentator and communications consultant. Most recently, from 2005 to 2007, he was international news anchor and world affairs commentator for SKY news. Mr. Rubin served under President Clinton as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Chief Spokesman for the State Department from 1997 to 2000.

He shares his insights of how media covers world events and how the public receives news

[expand title=”In detail”] During the 2004 election, Mr. Rubin served as Senior Adviser for National Security for the Kerry/Edwards Campaign. In the 1996 election, Mr. Rubin was Director of Foreign Policy for the Clinton/Gore ’96 Campaign. While in London, Mr. Rubin was a Visiting Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics from 2001-2004, a partner in the Brunswick Group – a financial advisory firm – from 2001 -2004, and in 2002 and 2003 the host of the PBS series Wide Angle, a primetime, weekly international affairs program.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]James is an authority on foreign affairs and will give your audience insight into national security policies and US foreign policy initiatives that impact the world. James provides behind-the-scenes perspectives on his personal experiences during negotiations spanning the globe, from the Middle East and Iraq to Russia and China, in addition to the diplomatic missions which he led to Kosovo. Mr. Rubin is a regular contributor to a number of American and European newspapers, including The Financial Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]James is a stimulating speaker with a proven track record and is ideal for addressing international audiences as well as UK-based audiences.[/expand]
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