The Leading Speakers Bureau

Renowned Authority on Customer Centered Growth, Entrepreneur and Award-winning Author

Richard Whiteley is the Principal of The Whiteley Group, dedicated to helping indiviuals and organisations realize and expand their potential by designing and presenting customized, exciting and provocative speeches and workshops. Most recently, he held the position of Vice Chairman of The Forum Corporation, an industry-leading, 700 man-strong, global training and consulting firm. His award-winning best seller, ‘The Customer-Driven Company’, was named one of the top four business books of 1991 by Fortune Magazine. ‘Customer-Centered Growth’, was selected as a Business Week best-seller, and named one of the top five business books by Selling Magazine.

“Increases expectations”

[expand title=”In detail”] Richard has appeared on national and local television and radio, was featured in Flightline, an American Airlines publication, and is a frequent commentator in the business press. He was formerly a columnist for Sales and Marketing Magazine, and has created two video programs, Customer-Driven Quality with Fortune Magazine, and Solving the Leadership Puzzle, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs pro football team. In 1978 Richard founded and later served as president of The Instructional Systems Association, a group of leading national training companies.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Richard’s personal experience in building his own successful companies, ensure that the ideas and principles offered are practical and based on the most pressing and contemporary issues facing business. An entrepreneur and practitioner first, his extensive knowledge of current business challenges and dynamic presentation style have brought him acclaim as a powerful speaker. His presentations are known for their practicality and usefulness because of his first hand company building experience and his work with over 300 organizations and 350,000 executives in 26 countries over the past thirty years. First and foremost Richard considers the audience members to be his primary customers and tailors each presentation to create high impact, take-home value for every participant. [/expand]
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Leading Authority on Leadership

Manfred Kets de Vries is a clinical professor of leadership development; he holds the Raoul de Vitry d’Avaucourt Chair of Leadership Development at INSEAD. He is the Director of INSEAD’s Global Leadership Centre, program director of INSEAD’s top management seminar, and the program “Consulting and Coaching for Change”, and has on five occasions received INSEAD’s distinguished teacher award. He is the author, co-author, or editor of more than twenty books and has published over 200 scientific papers.

“One of the world’s leading thinkers on leadership”

Manfred Kets de Vries has been ranked among the top 50 most influential business thinkers. In 2009 Thinkers 50, the global ranking of management gurus, placed him among the list of most influential thinkers

[expand title=”In detail”] He has also held professorships at McGill University, the École des Hautes Études Commerciales, Montreal, and the Harvard Business School, and has lectured at management institutions around the world. He is a founding member of the International Society for the Psychoanalytic Study of Organizations.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Manfred brings a different view to the much-studied subjects of leadership and the dynamics of individual and organizational change. Bringing to bear his knowledge and experience of economics , management and psychoanalysis he scrutinizes the interface between international management, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy and dynamic psychiatry. [/expand]
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Technology Guru, Founder & Director, Persuasive Technology Lab, Stanford Univ., Palo Alto

B.J. Fogg is best known for promoting the concept of “captology,” a word he coined to describe the overlap between persuasion and computers. The founder of the Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab is one of the most sought-after thinkers in Silicon Valley today. As a psychologist he brings a new perspective on working with technology innovations. He holds at least seven patents, and has additional patents pending.

Fortune Magazine recently listed BJ as one of “10 New Gurus You Should Know”

[expand title=”In detail”] B.J. Fogg has held full-time positions at Interval Research, HP Labs, Sun Microsystems, and Casio Research. In 2003, shortly after publishing his book, he began investigating how computers can help people develop close personal relationships. This work has led to a startup and Internet service YackPack. Stanford University awarded BJ the Maccoby Prize in 1998 for four years of experimental research on how computers can change people’s attitudes and behaviours.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]B.J. Fogg applies his findings to companies like eBay (where he’s working to improve customer service) and Nike (where he has helped simplify its sports technology line) and shares his insights with his worldwide audiences. His research goes deep into investigating the psychology of Facebook, how Web site or cell-phone design can impact consumers and he has started research into Peace Innovation (the vision is to innovate persuasive technologies that can bring about world peace in 30 years). [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]B.J.’s life’s work is to shape technology innovation in ways that benefit the world and make people happier and his powerful and passionate presentations draw us all that little bit closer.[/expand]
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Co-Founder of innocent drinks

Richard Reed is the co-founder of innocent drinks, the UK’s fastest growing food and drinks company and the no.1 smoothie brand in the UK. The business was started in May 1999 by Richard and two friends, and has a turnover of £35m, selling over 800,000 smoothies a week in the UK, Eire and Continental Europe.

“A Serial Entrepreneur”

[expand title=”In detail”] innocent drinks is not Richard’s first enterprise. In fact, Richard’s entrepreneurial career started earlier than most, when he began washing windows for his neighbours at the age of 8!!!! However, a summer job picking up dog biscuits in a pet food factory soon reminded Richard of the joys of working for himself, and led him to set up a summer gardening business called Two Men Went to Mow, employing his school friends.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Richard’s presentation, “The innocent Story”, shows that with a non-corporate attitude, a sincere commitment to the cause and creative thinking it is possible to create a fast growing, profitable company that acts responsibly.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A versatile and engaging speaker, Richard draws upon his innovative and creative ideas to inspire audiences with his entertaining presentations.[/expand]
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‘The Alternative Business Guru’

Geoff Burch has a wealth of experience in illustrating the thinking required to find business success. He is equally at ease delivering presentations at conferences, and as a highly amusing after dinner speaker. Geoff covers everything from sales and negotiation to customer care and how they can be improved. Geoff has spent years perfecting his art and is able to construct precise training programmes to suit all companies, and to motivate the individuals involved. Geoff currently presents BBC2’s All Over the Shop, a show that provides a humorous yet practical approach to the problems that businesses face.

“The Hell’s Angel of Management Consultancy” Financial Times

[expand title=”In detail”] The son of a Viennese psychiatrist, Geoff has a wealth of experience in illustrating the thinking required to find business success. Geoff looks at every conceivable area of business, and is renowned for taking a sideways look at the latest business fads and fashions – translating the ones of value into a memorable message that everyone can understand.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Whether it is sales, customer awareness, or change management, Geoff will fire up any team from senior directors, a gathering of international business people, to mass gatherings of ground floor and front line staff with his enthusiasm for the subject, in a way only a true fanatical genius can.[/expand]
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Professor of Business & Technology and Dean of External Relations at INSEAD

Soumitra Dutta is an authority on technology and innovation strategy. He has advised top management of major multi-nationals, leaders of major governments and has been showcased in major business and general news media. He is currently Robert Berger Professor of Business & Technology and Dean of External Relations at INSEAD and has co-written several books on technology-enabled business innovation.

“Refreshing global perspective on technology-enabled business innovation”

[expand title=”In detail”] He is the former Dean of Executive Education at INSEAD and had the responsibility of leading the largest executive education program portfolio in the world. Prior to joining the faculty of INSEAD in 1989, he was employed with Schlumberger in Japan and General Electric in the USA. Soumitra is also a fellow of the World Economic Forum and the co-editor of the Global Information Technology Report, the world’s most comprehensive and authoritative international assessment of the impact of ICT on the development process and the competitiveness of nations. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee for ICT for the Government of Qatar.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Throughout his distinguished career, he has focused on how to drive business innovation and growth through the right combination of innovative people and technology. He demonstrates why innovation is the best solution for making businesses thrive today and also ensuring that they emerge stronger after a crisis. In his latest book ‘Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom’, he reveals how online social networking is transforming our personal lives, the inner dynamics of our organisations as well as our behaviour as consumers and citizens.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Soumitra is a highly knowledgeable and insightful speaker whose presentations are filled with a host of concrete examples ready to be put into practice.[/expand]
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Director of Entrepreneurial Leadership Centre, Thought Leader & Author

Colin Turner is an extraordinary entrepreneur with a flair for unlocking business and personal success in others. He is presently the President of Futuremedia Learning, the UK’s leading learning and brand communications company as well as Vice President of Business Bureau liaising with the UK Government on improving business practise. The author of 18 books published in 38 languages, with over two million copies enjoyed by readers, he shares remarkable knowledge on all aspects of successful entrepreneurial thinking. He is Professor Emeritus of Entrepreneurship, referred to by Business Age as ‘Europe’s foremost teacher for business success’.

“A leading authority on business, lifestyle and management” Time

[expand title=”In detail”] A leading authority on success, business, management and lifestyle, Colin Turner, a.k.a The Monaco Mentor, is the Patron of Determined to Succeed; providing personal development learning tools for Schools in Scotland. Combining Eastern philosophy and contemporary Western experience into a practical format for daily use, he is consistently in demand with some of the world’s most recognised global corporations; Pfizer appointed him as their external change agent to attain leading market position. He was also instrumental in developing BT’s global customer service strategy. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Concentrating on the entrepreneurial characteristics that are essential for growth, he shows audiences how to increase focus, performance and productivity. In his presentations, he propels both teams and individuals to develop their personal and career paths to success. As an internationally respected keynote speaker, Colin Turner has the very real ability to inform and inspire people while igniting within them a fresh approach to business and life. He shares proven techniques gained over 35 years experience of building his own, successful enterprises and working closely with cutting edge leaders of the world’s most profitable organizations.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]His dynamic, highly inspirational and thought-provoking presentations are specifically tailored to deliver real value, ensuring a memorable conference that delivers the best impact for the messages you wish to impart. His tough, no holds barred, uncensored style, whether for leading organizations, business owners and entrepreneurs, works.[/expand]
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Professor of Competitiveness

Colin Coulson-Thomas is the UK’s first Professor of Competitiveness.

He is the principal author of a widely used methodology for designing and re-engineering board and management processes.

An authority on board and director development, he has worked with the boards of over 70 commercial and public sector organisations.

Expert strategic reviewer and developer of board and director performance.

[expand title=”In detail”] He has facilitated many strategic reviews, such as the session of G10 chairmen that established the vision and mission of the TEC movement and the role of the TEC secretariat.

Currently, he delivers a programme of bespoke and in-house master classes for board members and senior management teams.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Focusing on the board’s role in corporate transformation, he shows you how to improve board performance and that of the directors within it.

His unparalleled expertise on corporate change and creating entrepreneurial drive are not to be missed.[/expand]
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Multi Award Winning Entrepreneur and Bestselling Author

Jo Haigh is an independent General and Corporate Financier with extensive skills in mergers & acquisitions, private equity and general management as well as an Entrepreneur. She has bought and sold over 300 companies in the last 20 years specialising in owner managed companies. She is currently a partner and Head of Corporate Finance at Corporate Finance Services LLP.

Jo has won speaker of the year award in Vistage and is “the speaker most in demand”

[expand title=”In detail”] In 1989 she founded her own business, the fds Group, a training and consultancy organisation. Over the past years she has held numerous non-executive roles in various different companies and is a regular presenter for the Institute of Directors on corporate governance and mergers and acquisitions. She is a visiting Fellow at the Leeds University where she delivers lectures on Corporate Governance. In her distinguished career, Jo has been has been awarded various accolades including the IOD Business Adviser of the Year Award (2006/07) and Business Woman of the Year 2005/06.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]With her extensive knowledge in Strategic Planning, Financial Management, Corporate Finance and Boardroom Management she offers essential and effective advice how to improve boardroom dynamics, improve company finances and how to effectively grow and sell a business. An astute businesswoman and entrepreneur herself, Jo Haigh has assisted over five hundred company CEO’s by giving them the tools to make their businesses survive and thrive even in difficult times.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Jo is an inspirational and highly motivated speaker with a firm, but common sense approach and the ability to hold and inspire even the most sceptical groups. Her passion, financial and legal knowledge together with her willingness to help others makes her a highly sought after speaker today.[/expand]
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Author and Inspirational Workplace Guru

Judith Leary-Joyce is a best-selling author and a regular presenter at conferences on the subjects of Great Company Culture, Employer of Choice; Inspirational Managers and the Psychology of Success. Her passion for excellence makes her an exciting speaker who uses stories and examples to help people understand and buy in to the concepts. Her fascination with helping companies become employers of choice began when she worked on the 2002 ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ list for the UK Sunday Times.

“Behind every excited and dedicated employee, you find an inspirational manager”

[expand title=”In detail”] Prior to founding GCC in 2002, Judith worked for 20 years as a psychotherapist, while founding and leading a psychotherapy training centre in London. She then moved into the business arena and spent 10 years as a consultant in leadership and management development, working with global companies. She has facilitated and coached a wide range of senior leaders in a variety of business settings. She is known for providing strong, rigorous support that includes giving tough messages. Using her experience of psychology she is able to do this in a way that maintains self-esteem and allows the person to move forward in a positive way.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]A motivational speaker, Judith can speak about the opportunities provided by the present recession, particularly in the area of Employer of Choice. A positive company culture and motivated employees will make the difference between success and failure in challenging economic conditions. Judith will help companies see how they can create a culture that invites opportunity and embraces the change in a positive and highly productive way.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Judith is an engaging and accessible speaker, who can help you and your audience understand what it takes to become an Employer of Choice, including the business benefits this brings; the value of Inspirational Managers and the support they provide in tough times, plus how to manage and retain your high achievers. She is also part of our Top Women keynote speakers. [/expand]
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