The Leading Speakers Bureau

Thought Leader, Management Consultant, Author

Subir Chowdhury has been a thought leader in quality management strategy and methodology for more than 20 years. Currently Chairman and CEO of ASI Consulting Group, LLC, he leads Six Sigma and Quality Leadership implementation, and consulting and training efforts. Subir’s work has earned him numerous awards and recognition. The New York Times cited him as a ”leading quality expert”; BusinessWeek hailed him as the “Quality Prophet.” The Conference Board Review described him as “an excitable, enthusiastic evangelist for quality.”

“The Quality Prophet” Business Week

[expand title=”In detail”] Subir has worked with many organizations across diverse industries including manufacturing, healthcare, food, and non-profit organizations. His client list includes major global corporations and industrial leaders such as American Axle, Berger Health Systems, Bosch, Caterpillar, Chrysler, Daewoo, Delphi Automotive Systems, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai Motor Company, ITT Industries, Johns Manville, Kaplan Professional, Kia Motors, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Loral Space Systems, Make It Right Foundation, Mark IV Automotive, Procter & Gamble, State of Michigan, Thomson Multimedia, TRW, Volkswagen, Xerox, and more. Under Subir’s leadership, ASI Consulting Group has helped hundreds of clients around the world save billions of dollars in recovered productivity and increased revenues.
[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]He advises CEOs and senior leaders of Fortune 100 companies as well as organizations in the public, private and not-for profit sectors all over the world, helping them make quality a part of their business culture[/expand]

Continue Reading »

Former Formula One World Champion

Niki Lauda is probably known as one of the best Formula 1 racing drivers the sport has ever seen. This three-time World Champion survived one of the worst, fiery crashes ever seen in Formula 1 only to walk away from a near-certain 4th title in 1976. His triumphant second career in the mid-1980s with McLaren saw him as the elder statesman of F1 and the tutor of young “Professor” Alain Prost.

“To finish first, one must first finish.”

[expand title=”In detail”] After recapturing the F1 title in 1977 with Ferrari, Niki abruptly quit to join Bernie Ecclestone’s emergent Brabham-Alfa Romeo team. He won two races for Brabham before, once again, abruptly retiring in 1979 to devote all his efforts to his then-fledgling airline, Lauda Air. He could not resist the urge to make a comeback, and in 1982 he rejoined Formula 1, winning his third GP after returning and the 1984 title. Finally giving in to the years, he retired for good with 25 GP wins after the 1985 season. After retiring he returned to running his airline, Lauda Air. Ousted by boardroom politics after a sale to majority partner Austrian Airlines in 1999, he managed the Jaguar Formula One racing team 2001-2002. In late 2003, he started a new airline, Niki.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Drawing upon his experiences both as a world class racing driver and businessman, Niki entertains his audiences with his presentations in which he shows the importance of teamwork, motivation and success.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Niki Lauda is a sought after speaker at company conferences and seminars around the globe. His entertaining and motivational presentations make him a popular choice.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Entrepreneur & Innovation Expert

Sahar Hashemi is one of the UK’s most inspirational female entrepreneurs and a powerful speaker on innovation and entrepreneurial mindset in corporations sharing with the audience her captivating personal stories of building two famous brands; Coffee Republic, UK’s first coffee bar chain, which she and her brother grew to 110 stores and £30m turnover and exited in 2001, and Skinny Candy, the guilt free confectionery brand which she sold to Glisten Plc in 2007. As well as being a bestselling author, Sahar was recently awarded an OBE ‘for services to the UK Economy and to charity’ in the 2012 Birthday Honours list.

“Sahar’s passion for innovation energises the room

[expand title=”In detail”] Formerly a lawyer, Sahar has been recognised for her achievements as an entrepreneur by Her Majesty the Queen and named as a ‘Pioneer to the life of the nation’. She was also named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in Davos. She was also named one of 100 most influential women in Britain by Daily Mail and 35 top women in British business by Management Today. In a Shell Livewire survey of role models Sahar was among the top 5. She has been on the cover of Director Magazine, Management Today, Observer Magazine, New Business Magazine, Business 550 and Voyager.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]An internationally recognised speaker, Sahar’s captivating and uplifting speeches are unique as she combines her own enthralling ‘story’ with key themes of change management and employee engagement. By telling her very personal journey, she connects with the audience on an emotional level and brings to life the passion, determination and open mindedness needed to succeed. She makes a strong impact, igniting the audience with a ‘can do’ spirit and the tools and habits to ‘make it happen’.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]A passionate keynote speaker, Sahar’s energy is infectious and delegates always leave events inspired and motivated to stop ‘thinking about it’ and ‘get on with it’! She is also part of our Top Women keynote speakers.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Leading Expert on Leadership and Start-ups and First Chair of the London 2012 Olympic Bid

Barbara Cassani CBE is a leading expert on leadership and start-ups. She founded the low cost airline Go and spearheaded the successful London 2012 Olympic bid. She is currently a partner in 3x + Y Ventures which was established to identify start-up and growth opportunities in the UK travel and retail sectors. She was named President of Vueling in 2007 and appointed Executive Chairperson of Jurys Inn hotels in 2008.

In 2002, Barbara Cassini was named as the Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year

[expand title=”In detail”] Upon graduation in 1984 Barbara worked as a management consultant for Coopers & Lybrand before moving to work in the U.S. operation of British Airways. There she worked in sales, marketing, and on the team that integrated Dan-Air into BA’s business. She was awarded an honorary degree from Cranfield University in 2004. She started her career in management consulting then worked in wide variety of roles at British Airways. In 1997, Barbara started-up Go, the low-cost airline, with a £25m investment from British Airways and guided the airline to profits in less than 3 years as its CEO. She then headed a £110m management buyout and a year later Go was sold to easyJet for £374m.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Through her experiences within the airline industry and the successful London 2012 Olympic bid Barbara is well positioned to explain to decision makers how to create a highly motivated team, increase competitiveness and develop winning business strategies. She gives fascinating insights into how to create a successful company with limited resources in a short space of time.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]An engaging and dynamic speaker, Barbara’s presentations are filled with innovative ideas and are guaranteed to show audiences how to leapfrog the competition, delight customers and increase both sales and profits.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Executive Editor, The Washington Post

Marcus Walker Brauchli is the executive editor of The Washington Post as of September 2008. He is a former managing editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was part of the team that redesigned The Journal into a physically smaller newspaper, which has already saved The Journal US $ 5 million in newsprint costs. He also helped guide transition to smaller editions in Europe and Asia and helped The Journal develop its Weekend Journal section. He served for many years as a Journal foreign correspondent, has been a deputy managing editor of the paper since 2005.

In 2007, NewsBios.com named Marcus one of the 100 most influential business journalists in the US

[expand title=”In detail”] Marcus Brauchli graduated from Columbia University and was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard from 1991 to 1992. He joined Dow Jones, publisher of The Journal, in 1984 as a copy editor and transferred to Hong Kong as a reporter for the newswire. In 1987, he joined The Journal as Scandinavia correspondent, moving the next year to The Journal’s Tokyo bureau where he covered economics and eventually became the China bureau chief. While in Asia, he was known in part for giving a big party every year that drew people from business, politics and the arts from around the world.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Marcus Brauchli now holds the most powerful position in business journalism, overseeing the editorial operations of both The Washington Post newspaper and washingtonpost.com. He is a champion of the highest quality standards, who as a foreign correspondent, has reported from more than 20 countries. His insight into the multiple media, at a time when there is constant change in the way people consume information, is invaluable to those wanting to understand today’s business climate.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Marcus Brauchli’s presentations are high in content and filled with highly respected insights into current issues.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Best-selling Author & President of the Table Group, Inc.

Patrick Lencioni is a best-selling author and president of The Table Group, a consulting firm that specialises in executive team development and organisational health. Recognised as one of the world’s leading experts on executive team development, his original leadership theories are based on consulting work with CEO’s and their teams at numerous national and international organisations around the world.

“What a huge home run! Pat Lencioni’s presentation at our MIT Birthing of Giants program was simply outstanding – he received one of the highest ratings ever” Brien Biondi CEO

[expand title=”In detail”] Prior to founding The Table Group, Patrick Lencioni worked at Bain & Company, the Oracle Corporation and Sybase, where he was vice president of organisational development. He also served on the National Board of Directors of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America from 2000-2003.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Patrick Lencioni shares his models for leadership and organisational health and he shows decision makers how to overcome the problems that divide work units and paralyse performance. He offers solutions to key leadership issues designed to enhance workplace effectiveness and increase productivity.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A respected thought leader and insightful speaker, Patrick Lencioni tailors his presentations to precisely meet client needs by incorporating unique and invaluable information based on his comprehensive research. Wall Street Journal cited him as one of America’s 5 Top Speakers (May 2008).[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Starbucks Coffee Company

Howard Schultz is a highly successful businessman and entrepreneur. He is currently chairman, president and chief executive officer of Starbucks Coffee Company, having bought out the two founders in 1987 and taken the company public in 1992. Howard has taken Starbucks from a mere 11 retail stores to in excess of 1,300 stores.

“A world-class business leader”

[expand title=”In detail”] In 1981 Howard was the vice president in charge of U.S. operations for Hammarplast, a Swedish company that makes housewares and kitchen equipment. It was whilst at Hammarplast’s that Howard noted “a strange phenomenon: a little retailer in Seattle was placing unusually large orders for a certain type of drip coffeemaker”. The name of the business was Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice. Howard’s curiosity led him to Seattle where he met Starbucks’ two owners, who acquainted him with the history of their five stores. By 1982, he’d joined Starbucks and was helping it expand its reach to other cities. The rest, as they say, is history. He is also the former owner of the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics. In 2007 he received the FIRST Responsible Capitalism Award.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Howard is recognised as one of the most influential, successful, and visionary business leaders in the world today. Known for having created two landmark programs for Starbucks partners (employees); comprehensive health coverage for part-time partners and equity in the company in the form of stock options, he draws upon his knowledge and expertise to offer audiences advice on achieving their ambitions and sustainable success.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Howard Schultz is a highly professional and passionate keynote speaker whose presentations are guaranteed to leave delegates inspired and motivated.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

American Actor & Director

Kevin Spacey is an Academy Award winning American actor and director. He has recently made good use of his fame and celebrity by taking time to make public appearances in order to raise awareness of global poverty. Kevin Spacey has won Academy Awards for his performances in The Usual Suspects and American Beauty, which also garnered him a BAFTA Award. Additionally, he has been nominated for eight Golden Globe Awards. Kevin Spacey’s illustrious film credits include LA Confidential, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Negotiator, K-Pax, The Shipping News, Beyond the Sea, Shrink, The Men Who Stare at Goats, Horrible Bosses and Margin Call.

“One of America’s favourite actors”

[expand title=”In detail”] Undoubtedly one of America’s best loved actors Kevin Spacey has starred in many internationally renowned films but is most probably best known for his Oscar winning performance in the hugely successful American Beauty. After many years of acting, in 2003 he embarked upon a change in career and left Hollywood to become the artistic director of the Old Vic, one of the London’s oldest theatres. A lifelong artist, Spacey began his acting career in Jr. High School and High School drama classes. He later attended the Juilliard School of Drama and began his professional career on the New York stage, which eventually propelled his career into film.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Kevin talks about his path to success and the philosophy behind his brave change of direction. He inspires audiences with his well prepared presentations and invaluable advice on self-development.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A highly motivating speaker Kevin Spacey demonstrates how you can make opportunity from change.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Actor, Author

Often named the funniest man alive, John Cleese is both a versatile comedic actor and a leading business motivator. John is one of the most influential comic writers and actors of the past 40 years and can show you how elements of creativity in the business world can reap untold dividends, from recruitment, training and retaining employees, to better and more enjoyable customer service, to helping businesses innovate and accommodate change.

“Undoubtedly one of Britain’s best loved comedians”

[expand title=”In detail”] It was during his time at Cambridge that John discovered he could create comedy material. He began to notice certain patterns to his creativity. Subsequently, a good friend who was a professor of psychology at Sussex University showed John all the relevant creativity research. John then realized that current business ethos worked against creativity, and he began to study how people could become more creative within such an un-helpful environment. John started his professional show business career in 1966 when he joined in The Frost Report at the BBC, as both a performer and writer. John played his part in creating such comedy classics as Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, The Meaning of Life, Fawlty Towers and A Fish Called Wanda.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]John helps businesses understand the importance of creativity and its direct relationship to all aspects of the corporate spectrum. His speech is based on his belief that creativity is fundamentally, allied with the ability to play – that is to relinquish intellectual control, so that ideas can emerge from the part of the brain which can supply them – the unconscious. He shares with audiences his comprehensive and specific messages on how to create the conditions in which one’s creativity can best flourish.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]John’s creativity presentations are a unique blend of humour and corporate business acumen. As a speaker he is unrivalled with his exceptional use of humour leaving audiences with a highly memorable and rewarding performance.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Former Chairman of Marks & Spencer

Stuart Rose is the former Chairman and Chief Executive of Marks & Spencer from 2004 until 2011. Since retiring from M&S, Sir Stuart has invested in online group The Hut and has taken an advisory role at private equity firm Bridgepoint. In June 2012, he joined the high street fashion chain Blue Inc. as Chairman. Sir Stuart has a track record for turning around struggling retailers and is credited with reviving the fortunes of fashion group Arcadia.

“My task… is to bring this business back to regain some of its former glory”

[expand title=”In detail”] He started his retail career at Marks & Spencer in 1972. He remained there for 17 years before joining the Burton Group taking senior roles at Debenhams, Evans and Dorothy Perkins becoming Chief Executive of the Multiples Division in 1994. In 1997 he joined Argos plc as Chief Executive to defend the takeover bid from GUS. He then became Chief Executive of Booker plc and during his two years the group was re-focused, re-financed and eventually merged with Iceland plc in May 2000. He joined Arcadia Group plc as chief executive in November 2000 and left in December 2002 following its acquisition by Philip Green/Taveta Investments. He was knighted in 2008 for his services to the retail industry.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]With a well earned and established reputation in Britain’s retail sector Stuart is ideally placed to offer audiences insights into the secrets of his ongoing success.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Confident and professional Stuart presents practical and easy to understand ideas based on his experiences.[/expand]
Continue Reading »