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Former Formula 1 World Champion

Damon Hill OBE is a British former racing driver from England. He was the 1996 Formula One World Champion and is the son of the late double Formula One world champion Graham Hill, and is the only son of a world champion to win the title. He retired from the sport at the end of the 1999 season, after 122 race starts. In 2006, Damon Hill became president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club, succeeding Jackie Stewart.

“A living F1 legend”

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Global Marketing Expert

René Jäggi is the former CEO of Adidas International and Chairman of H.T.M. (Head– Tyrolia-Mares-Penn) the international sports group. He is also the former Chairman of the Board of Head N.V and he was CEO of the LOC Venue office during the football world cup in 2006 in Germany. He is currently on the board of several international companies and Chairman of Flora Eco Power AG in Munich, a public bio energy company. In May 2007 he was appointed as a new member of the Board of Directors of Hong Kong Based Artificial Life, Inc. a provider of award-winning mobile 3G technology and applications.

René Jäggi is a recognised corporate marketing expert

In Detail

In addition to his corporate work Mr Jäggi is also the former President of the Executive Board of the Kaiserslautern Football Club and former President of Football Club Basel.
He was also Chairman of the advisory board of Romika GmbH, the sports shoe manufacturer as well as holding prior management positions in marketing and sales at battery giant Duracel and Reynolds the tobacco giant.
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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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President of Virgin Galactic

Will Whitehorn is the president of Virgin Galactic, appointed in 2004. Prior to this he was responsible for the corporate image of Virgin, public affairs, global brand development, selected company stewardship and a number of new business development activities. Virgin plans to launch its inaugural mission late in 2008.

“Leading expert on Branding and Leadership”

In detail

Will’s early career included time as a Market Intelligence Officer for the TSB Group flotation. Additionally, he was an Account Director at Lombard Communications, where he worked on numerous flotations and bids for companies including Chrysalis Group, Ward White and Grampian Holdings. He joined Virgin Group in 1987 as Head of Corporate Public Relations. In 2002, he became Virgin Group’s Brand Development and Corporate Affairs Director, in this role acting as Sir Richard Branson’s spokesman. In 2004 he became a Non-Executive Chairman for Next Fifteen Communications plc, a worldwide technology public relations group
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Former CEO of Starbucks

Orin C. Smith was President and Chief Executive Officer of Starbucks Corporation from 2000 to 2005. He joined Starbucks as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 1990, became President and Chief Operating Officer in 1994, and became a director of Starbucks in 1996. Mr. Smith has been a Director of The Walt Disney Company since 2006 and he has been a Director of Nike Inc. since September 20, 2004 and serves as a Member of its Audit Committee.

“Embracing diversity is not only the right thing to do socially or ethically, it’s good for business.”

In detail

Prior to joining Starbucks, Mr. Smith spent a total of 14 years with Deloitte & Touche. He serves on the Advisory Board for the University of Washington School of Business, the University of Washington Medicine Board of Directors and the Board of Directors of Conservation International. He was also a Director of Oakley Sunglasses, Watches, Shoes, and Apparel from August 1995 until July 10, 2003.
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Technical Manager of the French Football Association and Former Manager of Liverpool Football Club

Gérard Houllier was National Technical Director of the French World Cup Winning Team of 1998. He was the Manager of Liverpool Football Club from 1998-2004 and in 2005 he became the Manager of French Champions Lyon. Gérard was Manager of Paris St. Germain from 1985-1986, winning the French Championship in 1986. He was also the Manager of Lens from 1982-1985, earning UEFA Cup qualification. He worked as number two to the National French Team Head Coach, Michel Platini, for the European Championship of 1988 and 1992, later progressing to Head Coach of France.

Head Coach of France.
“Part of a manager’s role is to make players improve”
Gérard Houllier

In detail

In 2001 under his leadership, Liverpool became the first club to win three knock-out competitions in one season. One of the most respected management figures in world football.
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President of France 1974-1981

Valéry Giscard D’Estaing was President of France from 1974 until 1981. In 2004 he left partisan politics and took his seat in the Constitutional Council as a former President of the Republic. From 2002-2003 he served as President of the Convention on the Future of Europe and in 2003 he was admitted to the Académie Française. He is currently President of the CEMR (Council of European Municipalities and Regions), and a member of the French Constitutional Council.

The architect of the EU constitution

In detail

Valéry Giscard D’Estaing was born in 1926 in Koblenz. After serving in the French Resistance, he completed his studies at the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration. He then joined the Inspection Generale des Finances in 1952 where he pursued an administrative career until 1956. From 1956 to 1974 he has held numerous elective positions and governmental functions before becoming President
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Former Adviser to Mikhail Gorbachev

Alexander Likhotal served as adviser to Mikhail Gorbachev for many years and is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Geneva-based Green Cross International. He is a member of the International Council for the Earth Charter and Adviser to the Club of Madrid and has launched internationally acclaimed initiatives such as the Earth Dialogues Forum and has spearheaded Green Cross International’s global campaign for the Right to Water.

“The past has shown that new security threats would emerge in the form of global terrorism and that globalisation and our continued reliance on fossil fuels would raise the environmental stakes even higher”

In detail

Prof. Likhotal was the Deputy Spokesman for the President of the USSR and has held a number of academic positions internationally specialising in European security and NATO. He was visiting professor at the Northeastern University, Boston, USA, Research Associate at the Institute of European Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow and Associate Editor of Security Dialogue Journal, Oslo, Norway.
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First Woman to Summit Everest from North & South Sides

Cathy O’Dowd is a winning explorer and raconteur.

Not one to submit to adversity, she reached Everest’s peak from the south, despite facing the worst storm in the mountain’s history.

She took on the challenge of the treacherous north side two years later, but her attempt ended when she stopped to try and save a dying climber.

A year later she returned and succeeded in becoming the first woman to climb Everest from both the north and south sides.

The first woman to conquer both the north and south sides of Everest

In detail

A former university lecturer with a Masters degree in Media Studies, she grew up in South Africa.

Now based in Europe, she remains an active adventurer, from the heights of the Himalaya to the wilderness of the Arctic. In 2003 she attempted a new route up the notorious east face of Everest.
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Olympic Sprinter and Gold Medallist

Michael Johnson is quite simply one of the greatest athletes on the planet, and one of the best ever. His place in history was sealed at the Atlanta Olympics, during which he won an unprecedented 200 meters and 400 meters sprint double. Winning the double in Atlanta was impressive enough, but it was the nature of the victories, particularly in the 200m, which made Johnson’s name forever.

“Michael Johnson was the most eminent figure in athletics in the
1990’s” Wikepedia

In detail

From a very young age, Michael always loved running and sport. Always the fastest amongst his friends, he never dreamed he would be a world record holder and Olympic gold medallist. No-one else before or since has come near his time of 19.32 seconds in the 200 meters.
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