The Leading Speakers Bureau

British Astronaut

Michael Foale is the British born astronaut who sprang to public attention whilst on board the Mir spacestation. Michael graduated from Cambridge University with a BA in Physics and a doctorate in Laboratory Astrophysics, While a postgraduate at Cambridge University he participated in the organisation and execution of scientific scuba diving projects. With the co-operation of the Greek Government he participated in one expedition and led another surveying underwater antiquities in Greece. In the autumn of 1981 he participated as a volunteer diver in the under water exploration of the 1543 ocean galleon, “The Mary Rose”, learning excavation and survey techniques in very low visibility conditions.

[expand title=”In detail”] Wishing to pursue a career in the U.S. Space Programme, Michael moved to Houston, Texas, to work on Space Shuttle navigation problems at McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation. In June 1983, Michael joined NASA Johnson Space Centre in the payload operations area of the Mission Operations Directorate. In his capacity as payload officer in the Missions Control Centre, he was responsible for payload operations on Space Shuttle missions STS-5IG, 51-1, 61-B and 61-C.

Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in June 1987, Michael completed a one-year training and evaluation programme in August 1988. Before his first flight he flew the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) simulator to provide verification and testing of the shuttle flight software, and later developed crew rescue and integration operations for International Space Station Alpha. He has served as Deputy Chief of the Missions Development Branch in the Astronaut Office, and Head of the Astronaut Office Science Support Group. In preparation for a long-duration flight on the Russian Space Station Mir, Foale trained at the Cosmonaut Training Centre, Star City, Russia. A veteran of four space flights, Foale has logged over 160 days in space including 10-1/2 hours of EVA. He was a mission specialist on STS-45, STS-56 and STS-63, and served as Board Engineer 2 on Mir 24.
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Russian space exploration hero, Academic, Former Statesman and Politician.

Aviation and space exploration were the ruling forces of Vitaly Sevastianov’s early life. A graduate of the Moscow Institute of Aviation in 1958 he started his career working in the Design Bureau under the academic Sergei Koroliov. In 1960 he taught the first of the USSR’s cosmonauts, including Gargarin. He was commissioned as a cosmonaut in 1962, working in this capacity until 1993, a record in itself. Vitaly Sevastianov’s first flight was on Soyuz 9 in June 1970 with Andian Nokolaev. The flight lasted 17 days 16 hours and 49 minutes and created a world record for that class of spaceship. In 1975 together with Piotr Klimuk he set a new USSR space endurance record of 32 days, 23 hours 20 minutes and 8 seconds.

[expand title=”In detail”] A member of the International Astronautic Academy and the Tsiolkovsky Russian Space Academy Vitaly Sevastianov entered the political arena in 1990.Later he became deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. He was twice elected to the Federal Russian Parliament, where he was Chairman of the Mandatory Commission of the State Duma and a member of the Committee of International Affairs. He is currently President of “Globe Russia” which forms part of the global ecological forum. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Author of many books and articles Vitaly Sevastianov has also gained reputation as an inventor and scientific researcher. He was a presenter, for over 20 years, of the long running popular television programme “Man, Earth, Universe”.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Vitaly Sevastianov has twice been decorated with the highest order of the USSR , the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union. His presentations are in Russian but he also speaks German and English[/expand]

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German Astronaut

Ulrich Walter is a full professor for astronautics at the Technical University at Munich, Germany where since 2003 he has headed the Institute of Astronautics, teaching and researching in the field of space robotic and exploration technology. He is President of the Hermann-Oberth-Museum in Feucht, member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Deutsches Museum, Munich, and member of the Board of Trustees of the Science and Technology Center, Freiburg.

“Space travel opens really completely new horizons. It unites humans and at the same time different ways of thinking.”

[expand title=”In detail”] After his studies of physics at the University of Cologne, Dr Walter spent one year at the US research laboratory Argonne National Laboratories in Chicago, then he went to the University of California, Berkeley. In 1987 he was appointed member of the German team of astronauts and until the start of the Shuttle Mission STS-55 in 1993, he was trained at the German Aerospace Center DLR as well as at the NASA Space Center in Houston. In 1994 he became leader of the major project “German Satellite Data Archive” of the German Remote Data Sensing Center of the DLR. In 1998 he went to the IBM Development Laboratory in Böblingen as a program manager in charge of development and consulting for IBM software products as project leader and lead consultant.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Ulrich Walter’s main focus is on real-time telerobotics in space, inter-satellite communication technologies, technologies for planetary exploration, and system modelling and optimisation. In addition to talking knowledgeably about new technologies and space flight, Dr Walter offers audiences deep insight into the physical and mental preparation and the self motivation required to become an astronaut.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Dr Walter inspires audiences with his highly engaging presentations lavishly illustrated with photos from his voyage into space.[/expand]

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Second German Astronaut & Space Shuttle Pilot

Dr. Ulf Merbold became the first non-American to fly on the Space Shuttle during the STS-9 missionin 1983, in 1984 he was involved in the Space Shuttle Spacelab German D-1 mission, as both back-up Payload Specialist and Crew Interface Coordinator (CIC). He was appointed Head of the DLR (German Aerospace Research Establishment) Astronaut Office in 1987 and led the German astronauts and supported the preparation of the D2 mission.

Dr. Merbold holds the distinction of being the first non-US citizen to reach orbit in a US spacecraft

[expand title=”In detail”] Ulf Merbold studied Physics in Stuttgart and upon completing his degree he worked at the Max Planck Institute for Materials Research in Stuttgart. In 1978 he was named as one of the three ESA (European Space Agency) Spacelab specialists on board the Space Shuttle. Between 1999 and 2004 he was responsible for the Utilisation Promotion Management in the Microgravity Promotion Division of the ESA Directorate of Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity, at ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands. He holds a commercial pilots license (CPL2) with Instrument Rating, as well as an Acrobatic license and has logged more than 3000 hours as Pilot in Command.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]The first West German citizen and second German native to fly in space, Dr. Merbold’s presentations are memorable and a fascinating glimpse into the world of space travel. His scientific interests and his challenging space missions have made him a much sought-after speaker at conferences and events.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]One of the few European astronauts, Ulf’s presentation vividly illustrate the complex and challenging world outside of our atmosphere.[/expand]

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The First African in Space

Mark Shuttleworth is an African entrepreneur with a love of technology, innovation and space flight. In April 2002 Mark realised his lifelong dream to fly into space. He prepared a whole year for this project, including seven months training at Star City, Russia. As a member of the crew of Soyuz TM-34, they launched from Baikonur in Kazakhstan and docked with the International Space Station.

He started ‘Ubuntu’ – the Linux for human beings

[expand title=”In detail”] Mark was born and raised in South Africa, and resides currently in the UK, where he researches new projects and technologies. After studying finance and information technology at the University of Cape Town, he went on to found Thawte, a company specialising in digital certificates and internet privacy. He sold Thawte to US company VeriSign in 1999, and founded HBD Venture Capital and The Shuttleworth Foundation.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Mark not only uses his personal experiences to inspire others to achieve their own personal goals but also talks knowledgeably about the implications of new technologies in business. In particular with his latest project ‘Ubuntu’, a complete Linux-based operating system, freely available with both community and professional support, he offers invaluable innovative ways for doing modern business. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A charismatic personality, Mark’s innovative presentations are filled with a veritable wealth of actionable ideas delivered in an easily digested formula.[/expand]

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Leadership and Strategy Specialist

Jorge Rufat-Latre is a director at Gary Hamel’s think-tank, focusing on helping clients to create new businesses and industries faster than their competitors. He has participated in culture change programs at a number of Fortune 100 corporations. He works simultaneously both at the organizational team level and on an individual level with tools ranging from large scale interventions to personal coaching sessions. Drawing upon his experiences Jorge offers valuable insight into implementing the best business strategies for a wide range of companies from all fields. His presentations are insightful, educational and highly entertaining.

[expand title=”In detail”] Jorge is both an engineer and systems thinker. First with General Electric and then with McDonnell Douglas, Jorge worked at NASA for eight years, and was involved in the shift from mainframes to distributed systems at Mission Control. He led teams in software development projects, designed and developed automated systems for the detection, diagnostic, and repair of spacecraft malfunctions, as well as astronaut training simulations.
Jorge holds a Masters of Science in Management from the Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, and a BS in Electrical Engineering from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, France. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]He has presented numerous papers at conferences sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the International System Dynamics Society. Jorge was director of the Center for Computer Research of Montreal (CRIM) and a member of the Franco-Canadian Scientific Research Project Selection Committee. He is a commercial pilot with a multiengine rating, is about to become a flight instructor, and never misses a chance to fly himself around.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Jorge is in great demand by decision makers the world over eager to benefit from his considerable expertise, he is able to present in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.[/expand]

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Former NASA Astronaut

Eugene Cernan is a former NASA astronaut who is well known for being “the last man on the moon”. Captain Cernan left his mark on history with three historic missions in space as the Pilot of Gemini IX, the Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo X and as the Commander of Apollo XVII. He is currently President and CEO of The Cernan Corporation and The Cernan Group, Inc., space-related technology and marketing consulting firms.

“Space is one of the greatest untapped educational resources available to us. “

[expand title=”In detail”] Captain Cernan was a Naval Aviator for 20 years. 13 of these years were dedicated to the involvement with NASA as an astronaut. He also participated in the design, engineering and development testing of spacecraft hardware and systems. Among his numerous honors, Captain Cernan received the 2008 Rotary National Award for Space Achievement and the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) Gold Air Medal, one of the most important international awards.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Captain Cernan not only shares the excitement of his experience in the U.S. space program, but also inspires his audience to reach for the stars and to continuously strive for excellence in science, engineering and exploration. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A brilliant communicator and inspirational speaker, Eugene captivates and motivates audiences with his fascinating presentations.[/expand]

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President of the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Paris

Claudie Haigneré is a French doctor, politician and former astronaut with the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (1985–1999) and the European Space Agency (1999–2002). Following her career as an astronaut, Claudie entered French politics. She became Minister for European Affairs in Jean-Pierre Raffarin’s Government and Minister Delegate for research and new technologies. She is now President of the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris.

“The First French Woman in Space and Flight Engineer of the Soyuz Spacecraft”

[expand title=”In detail”] Claudie Haigneré was a back-up crew member for the 1993 Mir Altaïr mission in which her future husband Jean-Pierre Haigneré participated. The asteroid 135268 Haigneré is named in their combined honour. Claudie visited the Mir space station for 16 days in 1996, as part of the Russian-French Cassiopée mission. In 2001, Haigneré became the first European woman to visit the International Space Station, as part of the Andromède mission. She retired from ESA on June 18, 2002. She was made a Cavalier of the Honorary Legion Order, France’s highest award for her contribution to the scientific world and her outstanding abilities as an astronaut.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Claudie Haigneré advises businesses and clients on a wide range of subjects and particularly the advantages and benefits that can be obtained through new technologies.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]An experienced and prolific conference speaker, Claudie tailors her presentations to ideally suit the event and individual audience. [/expand]

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Author of “The Management Shift” & CEO of Drucker Society, London

Professor Vlatka Hlupic is an award winning international thought leader, with an interdisciplinary educational background and several strands of her career. She is a Professor of Business and Management at the University of Westminster, a former Adjunct Faculty at London Business School and Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Drucker Society in London.

“A renowned, professional keynote speaker”

[expand title=”In detail”] Vlatka is an activist for humanising management, and an author of a ground-breaking book The Management Shift – How to Harness the Power of People and Transform Your Organization for Sustainable Success, which was listed by Forbes as one of the top eight business books in 2014. She is the winner of the CMI Management Articles of the Year Award 2015 and the winner of the Axiom Business Books Award. She has been nominated for the Thinkers50 Guru Radar and “Ideas to practice” Award, the CMI Management Book of the Year Award and FT & McKinsey Business Book Award. [/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Vlatka is a thought leader on the behavioural nature of business and economics and the economic contribution of management. In her presentations she shares her intellectual insight with a practical understanding of how breakthrough ideas can be implemented. [/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Vlatka Hlupic is a down to earth and compassionate speaker who has a wealth of knowledge on management and business theories and is popular at events all over the world. [/expand]

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Paralympic Swimmer and Director of 2012 Paralympic Integration

Chris Holmes is Britain’s most successful individual Paralympic swimmer ever winning nine gold medals, six at one Games. Chris is LOCOG’s Director of Paralympic Integration, responsible for the Paralympic Games for 2012. Prior to this he was a commercial lawyer at a leading City practice. He is a member of the board at UK Sport where he is heavily involved in ensuring that the performance pathway for the athletes set to compete at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 is soundly in place.

“Chris is knowledgeable, approachable and has the ability to enthuse and inspire and instil confidence in the audience” Hilt

[expand title=”In detail”] Chris is a former Disability Rights Commissioner where he served on the board, audit and legal committees for five and a half years. He was also an ambassador to the successful London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid where he was closely involved in securing the top sporting prize for this country. He is a patron of the Youth Sport Trust, the British Paralympic Association and Help for Heroes. Over his sporting career he has won, a string of World and European titles, broke 35 World Records and was awarded the M.B.E. for services to British sport.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Chris’ presentations take his audiences on the journey from loss of sight over night, aged 14, to gold medallist and World record holder, aged 20. Chris has considerable experience of public speaking, communications and engaging with commercial, community, public sector and governmental organisations in the UK and internationally. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Through his ambassadorial role with the London 2012 bid he has worked closely with officials across Whitehall and undertook many influencing engagements with foreign ambassadors from across the World to promote Britain and the bid. He is able to communicate passionately the sporting and business messages from his own life but transcend this and create connections and relevance to whoever his audience may be.[/expand]

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