The Leading Speakers Bureau

Former Director of Harrods

Michael Cole is the chairman of Michael Cole & Company Limited, the public relations and broadcasting company that he launched nine years ago. Having hosted The Michael Cole Show on Living TV for three seasons and nearly 100 programmes, Michael believes that there is not much that can shock or surprise him now!

“The British Jerry Springer”

[expand title=”In detail”] For 27 years, Michael was a reporter. He qualified as a journalist while working on daily newspapers and then joined an international news agency. In 1967, he went into television. He joined Anglia TV as a reporter, moving to the BBC 18 months later. From 1968 until 1988 he was a television correspondent, working for the BBC. In 1988, he was invited to join Harrods and the House of Fraser group. For 10 years, he was the Director of Public Affairs. Michael retired from Harrods in 1998 to set up his own company.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Michael Cole’s varied and fascinating career has made him a sought after presenter at conferences, product launches and events worldwide. Michael hosted Luxuria 2007 in San Moritz, Switzerland and his skills as a presenter were greatly appreciated by the attendees.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Highly professional, amusing and engaging, Michael is a superb presenter well used to the pressures of working in front of a live audience and guaranteed to make any event a success.[/expand]
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Consultant & Leading Thinker on Branding & Communication in India

Xavier Prabhu is among the leading thinkers and consultants on branding and communication in India. He sits on the board of Governors of ISB & M, a leading multi-city B-school in India and has been on the Board of Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, GICONS and COMMITS among others.

“Xavier Prabhu was chosen by the Leadership Institute, US as an outstanding achiever from India”

[expand title=”In detail”] Xavier Prabhu has worn many hats including those of a writer, editor, teacher, trainer, consultant and entrepreneur in a successful career span and has had the opportunity to work with leading CEOs in knowledge sector among others. He founded and headed editorial for almost three years from inception for businessgyan – a business handbook for over 26 months besides freelance writing for one of India’s largest IT periodicals. In April 2008 he was one of the entrepreneurs in the branding space chosen by Insead Business School Singapore to interact with its students on a visit to India.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Xavier Prabhu is a regular speaker on various subjects including branding, PR and entrepreneurship and a visiting faculty to many leading educational institutions in India. He combines his deep knowledge of the subject with his role as an entrepreneur over the past 7 years in creating one of India’s most promising integrated communication firms.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Xavier Prabhu is at his best in an interactive setting where he connects with the audience and takes them through his journey, insights and experience in his experienced and unique style.[/expand]

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CEO at Mahou India

Erik d’Auchamp has worked in several countries, cultures, and companies over the past decade in sales, marketing, start-ups, and managerial roles. At present he is the CEO at Mahou India (Mahou San Miguel). He brings an extensive marketing and innovation background to the table having worked with global brands across 5 continents. Erik is a true citizen of the world and is able to connect with many different cultures.

“20th century ideas and ideals applied to the 21st century –
business anything but usual!”

[expand title=”In detail”] An alumni from Harvard Business School and Copenhagen Business School, Erik is still on a quest to keep learning and challenge conventional thinking[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Erik takes audiences through unconventional ways of helping solve traditional problems, finding inspiration in unimaginable places and applying them to business. Erik d’Auchamp gives managers a framework which can help them get themselves, their employees, and ultimately, their company back on track through personal growth by giving alternative solutions to traditional problems using 20th century ideas for 21st century business solutions.

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[expand title=”How he presents”]Erik engages his audiences using quotes from Gandhi, giving a fresh and unique approach to business challenges.[/expand]
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Leading Market Analyst, Former Chairman & Co-founder of dunnhumby

Clive Humby is the former Chairman and co-founder of dunnhumby, a leading international marketing company, providing both consultancy and facilities managed services to a broad range of blue-chip clients. At dunnhumby, Clive was responsible for working with clients on their marketing and communications strategy and dunnhumby’s strategic direction. A specialist in customer retention, he is the chief architect of Tesco’s Clubcard and segmentation programme.

“Clive expertly develops highly successful marketing and communications strategies”

[expand title=”In detail”] Prior to forming dunnhumby in 1989, Clive was Chief Executive of a major market analysis company. He has over 25 years experience of applying mathematical modelling methods to marketing, retail location and retail decision support. He has been responsible for the development of many major innovations in marketing segmentation and retail marketing, such as the ACORN system. Clive is actively involved with education, especially in the area of marketing technology and measurement.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Clive understands what is critical to your success and his high content presentations are filled with actionable points. In a tough competitive climate in which consumers chase the best deals, Clive shows how loyalty really works and how segmentation allows you to target special offers at low cost – with maximum returns on investment.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]His ideas are fresh and his presentations are warm, amusing and riveting. He is renowned for his clear and fluent speaking style and continues to be in great demand by corporate clients the world over.[/expand]
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Former Group Vice President-Global Product Development, & Chief Technical Officer at Ford Motor Company

Richard Parry-Jones CBE is an automotive engineering leader who worked for the Ford Motor Company for 38 years between 1969 and 2007. He chairs the Welsh Assembly Government Advisory Group for developing policy on Economic Growth, Transport and Energy, and was recently appointed Chair of Automotive Industry Growth Team for the UK Government. He is now working on a variety of projects, having formed an engineering consultancy company with a blue chip client portfolio.

Richard is the engineer once known as Ford’s “secret weapon”

[expand title=”In detail”] Richard Parry-Jones holds a 1st Class Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was responsible for many milestones in the evolution of Ford. He spent nearly ten years as Group Vice-President in charge of R&D for all of Ford and its subsidiary companies worldwide, leading a staff of 30,000 professionals in a network of Product Development centres in 15 countries. In more recent years, he has specialised in the development of environmental technologies and is also renowned for his expertise in driving dynamics and refinement. He was also the Company’s Chief Technical Officer for the last eight years. In 2005 he was awarded a CBE in The Queen’s New Year honours list for services to the automobile industry. He is Pro Chancellor and Visiting Professor in Automotive Engineering at Loughborough University.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Ex-Ford engineering supremo, Richard Parry-Jones’ feel for the customer and technical expertise helped improve all the Ford brands and his drive and determination are an inspiration to engineers throughout the Motor Industry. His insights into his outstanding contributions to the development of new vehicles are truly fascinating and actionable.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Known throughout the industry for his expertise in vehicle development – particularly in the area of driving dynamics and refinement, Richard Parry-Jones is a very composed, clear and fascinating speaker.[/expand]
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Expert in Branding, Marketing & Sponsorship

Carsten Buhl is a senior marketing professional, with 18 years of international FMCG marketing and sales experience. He currently serves as a Member of the Supervisory Board of Carlsberg Breweries and as the Senior Manager in charge of executing all UEFA related sponsorships. Previously he was in charge of all sponsorship for the UEFA EURO 2008 and EURO 2012 projects as well as heading the UEFA Cup and Super Cup for 3 editions.

“Building your brand on consumer passion is the unequaled best driver for commercial success”

[expand title=”In detail”] Carsten joined Carlsberg Group Companies in 1993 and has since been involved in a variety of projects for the Group. He has worked and lived in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malaysia, Poland and Switzerland. Carlsberg is among the world’s top football sponsors having been involved for more than 20 years with clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal and in tournaments like the EURO Cup, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]In his presentations he carefully explains to audiences how to drive sales growth by delivering a high quality innovative toolbox of activation opportunities to markets and unprecedented excellence in on-site sponsorship execution.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Carsten’s speeches are very interactive, he wakes people up, forces interaction, provokes and asks questions – he gives actionable answers and recommendations on the spot. Films and live examples are often part in what he presents.[/expand]
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Chairman and CEO of “Brandinsider GmbH”

Dr Peter Littmann is Chairman and CEO of Brandinsider GmbH, a strategic brand-consulting firm in Germany. From 1997 until 1999, he was Chairman and CEO of Wünsche AG, which at that time were holding brands like Joop! and Cinque. From 1993 to 1997, he was Chairman and CEO of Hugo Boss AG, a global men’s fashion design company. He is also currently Professor of Marketing at the University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany.

[expand title=”In detail”] Previously Dr Littmann spent 12 years with Vorwerk & Co., holding various positions, including Member of the Executive Board, General Partner and President. From 1978 to 1981 he was Executive Director at Rosenthal AG, Germany’s finest China producers. Prior to that, he served as President of the Carpet Division at Girmes Ltd. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Dr Littmann offers audiences fascinating insights into what it takes to become a global brand leader. He talks in great detail about market opportunities, how innovation and creativity can drive brand recognition and how lifestyle factors affect brand perception world-wide.

Dr Littmann’s high content innovative and engaging presentations clearly show audiences how to link strategy with innovation to create the winning formula necessary to develop markets world-wide.[/expand]
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Former Chairman of Interbrand

Rita Clifton has been called ‘The Doyenne of Branding’ by Campaign magazine, ‘Brand Guru’ by the Financial Times, and the Daily Telegraph described her as “The Brand Leading the Brands”. Rita is the former London Chief Executive and Chairman at Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy, and Vice Chairman and Strategic Director at Saatchi & Saatchi. Rita now has a portfolio of chairing and non-executive directorships, including Bupa, Nationwide, Dixons retail plc and Populus.

“The brand is the most important and sustainable asset any organisation has – and it needs to be the central organising principle”

[expand title=”In detail”] Rita has featured on a wide variety of TV and radio programmes, including CNN, BBC, SKY, BBC World Service, Radio 4 Today and Radio 5 Live. The Bottom Line with Evan Davies, BBC2’s ‘Business Nightmares’, the Steve Jobs documentary Billion Dollar Hippy, and Any Questions? with Jonathan Dimbleby. She has been voted one of the 75 Women of Achievement in the fields of advertising, media and marketing, and is closely affiliated with the RSA, Marketing Society, Marketing Group, Account Planning Group, Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and is a member of the Government’s Sustainable Development Commission and the Assurance and Advisory Board for BP’s carbon offset programme.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Rita shares her vision and insights on how organisations can use their brand as a key wealth generator, and make it their most important single asset, making up the most valuable part of modern business.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Rita’s style is informal and relaxed yet dynamic and challenging. She will guide audiences through the forces at work and stimulate discussion on brands and customer experience. Her presentations are inspirational and highly motivating.[/expand]
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Chief Executive Officer for Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team

Nick Fry has been CEO of what is now the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS F1 Team since 2005. He has transitioned the team through ownership by British American Tobacco, Honda and a management buy-out and sold the team to Mercedes and the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund in 2010. He recently secured the services of Lewis Hamilton (after 14 years with McLaren), replacing Michael Schumacher to partner Nico Rosberg in the team’s pursuit of the 2013 World Championship to add to their 2009 World Constructors’ and Drivers’ titles.

“A talented leadership and motivational speaker”

[expand title=”In detail”] Nick began his career with Ford Motor Company in 1977 as a graduate trainee. During his high performance career, he worked with Ford in the UK, Detroit and Germany, including a period as MD of Aston Martin, before joining Prodrive in 2001; leading their expansion into engineering services as well as winning World Rally and Sports car Championships. Working in F1 since 2002, he re-structured the team, grew sponsorship and led the team to its first F1 victory and subsequent World Championships. Nick was appointed a UK Business Ambassador by the UK Government in 2010 and promotes UK business expertise in High Performance Engineering.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Nick is an enthusiastic and experienced leader, combining sports and commercial management experience he is capable of delivery outstanding innovative results in a global, cross-cultural environment. Nick will share his insights and vision on how individuals and organisations can win and maintain high performance in highly competitive markets, drawing on the parallels from the fascinating world of F1. He demonstrates the key success drivers for decision makers wanting ROI from strategic planning and execution of programmes, ranging from management buyouts to developing innovative marketing and change management.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]With a relaxed, anecdotal and humorous style, Nick gives businesses and organisations a rare insight into what it takes to build winning teams and compete for success at world level.[/expand]
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Former Marketing Director of two F1 teams, Benetton and Lola Scuderia Ferrari

Brian Sims is first and foremost a world class professional salesman with an exceptional track record. Having initially built a reputation in the corporate sector, he moved into the world of international motorsport and became one of the sport’s most successful sponsorship sales exponents. His achievements include being the first salesman to secure the multi-million dollar deals that brought FedEx, Gillette and Marconi into Formula 1. Brian is also the Founder and one of only three Honorary Life Members of the prestigious Motorsport Industry Association, the trade association that represents the £5 billion British motorsport industry.

“ Selling in the Fast Lane – From Xerox to Formula 1”

[expand title=”In detail”] Brian began his career as a Xerox salesman and it was the sales skills that he learned with this highly regarded company that would eventually enable him to succeed at the very top level of international motorsport. His passion for motorsport then came to the fore and he embarked on a new career, initially as a championship winning professional race driver. It wasn’t long, however, before he built an enviable reputation for securing substantial corporate sponsorship and this led him to a career in Formula 1, not as a driver, but as the Marketing Director of two F1 teams, Benetton and Lola Scuderia Ferrari. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]An accomplished business speaker, Brian has both the credibility and experience to relate well to sales audiences and has a unique ability to entertain and enthuse at the same time as passing on valuable lessons about the way he is still succeeding in achieving sales in these tough economic times.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]In his insightful and entertaining presentations Brian takes the audience behind the scenes of the glamorous, exciting, yet cut-throat world of global sports marketing. He intersperses accounts of how he became such a successful salesperson up to and including Formula 1, with a host of anecdotes from his colourful motorsport career.[/expand]
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