The Leading Speakers blog

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Authority on the Future of Management/IT, Professor of Forecasting and Innovation

James Woudhuysen is one of Europe’s best-known independent speakers and writers on the future. In the 1980s he co-directed Britain’s first major study into the future of e-commerce (’teleshopping’ in those days). He then moved to the Henley Centre, Britain’s best-known think-tank on EU markets, where he built up the firm’s forecasting on the broader future of IT and proposed, in 1992, that the Internet be delivered over TV.

In 1996 staff at Phillips nominated James as ‘Motivator of the Year’

In detail

A physicist, broadcaster and author of several books, James is a columnist for IT Week and is visiting Professor of Innovation at De Montfort University, Leicester. He is often on BBC Radio 4. James managed worldwide market intelligence for Philips consumer electronics in the Netherlands.
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Former CEO of Burger King

Barry Gibbons earned the title of ‘Turnaround Champ’ from Fortune Magazine thanks to his phenomenal success in boosting Burger King’s fortunes. Within a year of taking on the role, Burger King was opening two new restaurants a day around the world. Having retired from big business, he is now a successful author, speaker and is co-founder of the UK publishing business Infinite Ideas.

Believing that managing isn’t enough he debates what it really takes to be distinct in your leadership, product development, service delivery and customer relationships

In detail

During Barry’s 5 years as the US-based Chairman/CEO of Burger King he received international acclaim. He has since co-founded and invested in a variety of ventures including a branded food service business, a magazine-CD publishing company, speciality coffee bars and a Latin theme restaurant that opened in Disneyland. He was also Executive in Residence at the University of Miami School of Business and is a regular on the BBC’s Bottom Line business broadcast.
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Best-Selling Author and Expert on HR and Management Issues

During his 17 years with The Gallup Organization, Marcus Buckingham has helped lead their research into the world’s best managers, leaders and workplaces. He has continued to gain experience in management practices and employee retention and has spent the last decade helping clients find and motivate their most talented employees.

“Marcus is the most engaging and useful business speaker working today. His advice is grounded in research and at the same time appeals to common sense.”

In detail
Marcus holds a master’s degree in social and political science from Cambridge University and is a member of the Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on Leadership and Management. He has been the subject of in-depth profiles in The New York Times, Fortune, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review and USA Today and is routinely lauded as an invaluable resource in informing, challenging, mentoring and inspiring people to find their strengths and obtain and sustain long-lasting personal success.
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The First Female Anchor of the Prime Time Italian Rai News & Author

Lilli Gruber is a journalist and writer. She is a highly respected journalist for foreign affairs, specialised in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and gulf wars. Lilli is a member of the European Parliament and is chairman of the delegation for the relationships with the states of the Gulf; member of the commission for the civil rights, the justice and the internal affairs and member of the delegation for the relationships with Iran.

“An Italian Media Pioneer”

In detail

In 1987 Lilli Gruber became the first female anchor to present the TG1, Italy’s most popular television news. In 1988, she became international political correspondent for RAI, covering events such as the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the war in the former Yugoslavia, the situation in the United States after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the Iraqi war. Lilli has worked for the Italian daily newspaper La Stampa, and for Io Donna, the women’s magazine of Italy’s leading newspaper Corriere della Sera, and for magazines Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni and Anna.
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World-Renowned Leadership Expert and Author of ‘The One Minute Manager’

Few people have impacted the day-to-day management of people and companies more than Ken Blanchard. A leading management expert whose impact has been felt for over three decades. In addition to serving as chairman of The Ken Blanchard Companies, Inc., the nation’s largest training firm, Ken is a visiting lecturer at his alma mater, Cornell University, where he is a trustee emeritus of the Board of Trustees.

Creating Organizations Where Everyone Wins

In detail
Ken is a contributing editor of Quality Digest, Personal Selling Power, and the Executive Excellence newsletter. He earned his BA in government and philosophy from Cornell University, his MA in sociology and counselling from Colgate University, and his Ph.D. in educational administration and leadership from Cornell University.
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International Leading Authority on Corporate Stress

Carole Spiers is a motivational speaker, BBC broadcaster and author. With 20 years as a top industry guru on stress management and wellbeing, Carole’s energy and dynamism extends to providing professional comment to the media, print and countless radio interviews and is a weekly columnist for Gulf News. She has a unique credibility as a leader of personal empowerment.

“She mesmerises her audience through the brilliant use of theatre and anecdotal stories that invariably enthral them.” Alan Bentley, Harrow Business

In detail
Carole is a vice president of the International Stress Management Association (UK) for whom she created and established the UK’s highly successful media campaign – National Stress Awareness Day. She is also PR consultant to the London management team of the Professional Speakers Association. She regularly speaks for leading corporations from Unilever to Walt Disney, and Panasonic to the Bank of England.
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Expert on Corporate Strategy and the Learning Organization

Arie de Geus is widely recognised as the originator of many of the principles and practises underlying the “Learning Organisation” concept, and is one of the world’s most effective business strategists. He spent 38 years on three continents helping to lead Royal Dutch Shell through tumultuous times in the oil industry. After a remarkable career in scenario planning and organisational learning, Mr de Geus now helps organisations of all kinds reorganise and prepare for where their futures lead.

‘A global statesman of business change’

In detail
Today, Mr de Geus continues to work closely with Peter Senge and SoL (the Society for Organizational Learning). He is also involved with the London School of Economics, has been a Visiting Fellow at London Business School and has advised many government and private institutions. He is a founder member of SoL (the Society for Organizational Learning) and of GBN (the Global Business Network).
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Internationally Acclaimed Author and Leading Expert on the Future of Organisations

Margaret Wheatley is President of the Berkana Institute. An organisational researcher and consultant, in May 2003 she received the highest award given, the ‘Distinguished Contribution to Workplace Learning and Performance’ by the American Society for Training & Development. The citation for this award stated: “Margaret Wheatley gave the world a new way of thinking about organisations with her revolutionary application of the natural sciences to business management. Her concepts have travelled across national boundaries and through all sectors.”

Margaret is an expert at helping organisations who are wrestling with a common dilemma—how to maintain their integrity and effectiveness as they cope with relentless pressures for speed and change in chaotic environments. She provides new insights into the nature of how people interact and inspires us to build better organisations and better societies across the globe.
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Author and Leading Thinker on Organisational Learning and Sustainability

Peter Senge was the Director of the Center for Organizational Learning at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and is presently on the faculty at MIT. He is the founding chair of SoL, the Society for Organizational Learning, a global community of corporations, researchers and consultants dedicated to the interdependent development of people and their institutions. He has lectured throughout the world, translating the abstract ideas of systems theory into tools for better understanding of economic and organisational change.

“Strategist of the Century”

In detail

Peter Senge received a B.S. in engineering from Stanford University, an M.S. in social systems modelling and a Ph.D. in management from MIT. He has written many articles published in both academic journals and the business press on systems thinking in management. ‘The Journal of Business Strategy’ named Dr. Senge as one of the 24 people who had the greatest influence on business strategy over the last 100 years.
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Authority on Leadership

Dr. Stephen R. Covey, is an internationally respected leadership authority, family expert, teacher, organisational consultant, founder of the former Covey Leadership Centre, and co-founder/co-chairman of Franklin Covey Company - the largest management and leadership development organization in the world.

Dr. Stephen R. Covey is founder and chairman of the Covey Leadership Centre, a world-wide consulting company that implements leadership training for organisations and individuals. He is also the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, a six-million best-seller in 32 languages; Principle Centred Leadership; and First Things First. An internationally recognised author, lecturer and leadership mentor, Dr. Covey’s expertise encompasses the fields of personal relations, organisational development, management and leadership. He has appeared as a guest on hundreds of TV and radio programs. Dr. Covey is a Harvard M.B.A. graduate and holds a doctorate degree from Brigham Young University, where he is currently an adjunct Professor of Organisational Behaviour and Business Management.
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