The Leading Speakers Bureau

One of the World’s Leading Wine Authors and Oeonologists

Hugh Johnson is considered worldwide as the leading wine author. The two exceptional successes of his amazing career are ‘The World Atlas of Wine’ which is celebrating its quarter century and the annually updated ‘Pocket Encyclopedia of Wine’ now in its second decade.

With his extensive knowledge and his outstanding talent Hugh’s strength is taking the incredibly complex subject of wine and making it accessible to any audience.

International Wine & Spirit Competition 1998 Communicator of the Year.

[expand title=”In detail”] Hugh Johnson began acquiring his knowledge of wine as a member of the Wine and Food Society at Cambridge University. In 1963 he succeeded André Simon as editor of ‘Wine and Food’. With the publication of his first book ‘Wine’ he established himself, at the age of 27, as one of the subject’s foremost writers. Hugh regularly publishes articles in the most prestigious magazines worldwide. He was feature writer for Condé Nast Magazines, Editor of the Wine and Food Magazine, Wine Correspondent for the Sunday Times and Wine Editor of the New York Cuisine Magazine. Currently Hugh is President of The Sunday Times Wine Club and The Hugh Johnson Collection Ltd.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]A highly respected author, editor and broadcaster, Hugh is a brilliant communicator and experienced speaker who inspires his audiences with his sensibility and expertise.

He has appeared in several TV series including ‘Wine – A User’s Guide’. ‘Vintage – A History of Wine’ and ‘Return Voyage’.

Acknowledged as a leading authority he won numerous awards including the contested Literature prize from the Academy of Bordeaux, 1987, in 1998 he won the highest decoration from the German Gastronomic Academy (GAD) and 1998 he was chosen as the Communicator of the Year from the International Wine and Spirit Competition.[/expand]
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Fund Management Guru

Nicola Horlick is a senior fund manager and the CEO of Bramdean Asset Management LLP. Nicola has worked in the fund management industry for over twenty-five years and has participated in the growth of some of the UK’s premier asset management businesses.

“A leading fund management guru”

[expand title=”In detail”] Nicola joined SG Warburg as a graduate trainee in 1983, which became Mercury Asset Management. In 1991, she joined Morgan Grenfell Asset Management as Director and became Managing Director of the fund management division of the UK business in 1992. Over the next four years, funds under her management rose from £4 billion to £22 billion. After leaving Morgan Grenfell, Nicola took six weeks out to write her autobiographical account of her daughter’s traumatic treatment for leukaemia, revealing the real woman behind the headlines. The book was called ‘Can You Have It All?’ and the proceeds went to Great Ormond Street Hospital. In 1997, Nicola co-founded the UK arm of Société Générale Asset Management (SGAM), pulled in £7 billion worth of investments for SGAM and also took time off to have her sixth child.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Nicola is highly respected for having survived an extensive array of challenging experiences in her life both personally and professionally and under the intense gaze of the national media. Drawing from these experiences, Nicola provides her audiences with practical insights into the drive and energy needed to succeed in today’s world. She shares invaluable advice on leadership and the work-life balance and is immensely popular with a variety of audiences.[/expand]
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Director, screenwriter, composer and actor,

Pedro Almodovar is the most celebrated Spanish diretor since Luis Bunuel and Carlos Saura. He was born in La Mancha, Spain in 1951.

At the age of 16, he moved to Madrid, alone without either his family or any money in his pocket. He had decided to study and make films. It was impossible to enter the Official film School as Franco had recently closed it. He worked in multiple and sporadic jobs but he couldn’t afford to buy his first Super-8 camera until he took a “serious” job with the National Telephone Company where he worked for 12 years as an administrative assistant. These years were in a sense, his real education. He was in touch with a social class which he would probably not have mixed with in other circumstances; the middle class Spanish family at the beginning of the age consumerism. He joined the independent theatre group “Loss Gollardos” and made Super 8 movies. He wrote for several underground magazines and also short stories, some of which were published. His luck was that the opening of his first feature film coinicided with the birth of Spanish democracy in Spain.

[expand title=”In detail”] In 1980 he launched his first feature “Pepi, Lunci, Bom … “. Since then, the world of film has become second nature to him. He writes, directs and invents stories which are alive – his films are shown all over the world.

His films include “Labyrinth of Passion”, “Dark Habits”, “What Have I Done to Deserve This?”, “Matador”, “Law of Desire” , “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” (which was nominated for an Academy Award as best Foreign Language Film), “Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!”

Pedro Almodovar is the recipient of numerous awards including the Glauber Rocha Award for Best Director, Rio Film Festival and LA Film Critics Association “New Generation” Award. However, this year he has taken the industry by storm with the Goya winning movie “All About My Mother”. The film also took two awards at the European Film Awards in 1999 – best European Film of the Year and best European Director in addition to best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival.[/expand]
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Entrepreneur, Model and Media Personality

Caprice became a household name around the world through her modeling and media appearances. Arriving in England from Southern California she became one of the most photographed women in the world appearing on over 300 magazine covers. Following her success as a model she added a variety of television appearances to her media portfolio. Voted GQ Magazine’s Woman of the Year and Maxim’s International Woman of the Year 3 years running she appeared in a documentary for Channel 4 “ Being Caprice “ and featured in many other prime time shows.

Caprice is an Ambassador for the Princes Trust

[expand title=”In detail”] Following her success as a Model and Media Personality Caprice moved into roles on the West End stage and received rave reviews, later she produced her own version of a popular musical in which she also starred. Recently she has become a business entrepreneur developing and financing her own range of lingerie and swimwear which achieved instant success in Debenhams stores, Next and Littlewoods plus many countries around the world. Her future objective is to achieve continuing global success with the By Caprice brand and as she develops further product ranges her determination is to be “ hands on“ in every respect of the business. [/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Caprice has developed a successful business through a close examination of the market for ladies lingerie and swimwear and the success of the business has much to do with her close attention to detail in all departments including design, distribution and finance. Her entrepreneurial attributes have convinced her to avoid licensing arrangements and continue to expand the business and the brand by continuing an innovative and creative approach to product and the efficiency of merchandising and distribution[/expand]
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Former Director of Communications & Strategy for Tony Blair

Alastair Campbell is a writer, communicator and strategist best known for his role as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spokesman, press secretary and director of communications and strategy. Still active in Labour politics, he now splits his time between writing, speaking, charitable fundraising, politics and campaigns.

“Controversial, thought-provoking and highly entertaining.”

[expand title=”In detail”] After writing for Forum magazine Alastair joined the Mirror Group, where he became the Mirror’s chief political economist. He then worked as news editor for the Today newspaper. When Tony Blair became leader of the Labour Party he asked alastair to became his press secretary. For three years, he played a key role helping to create New Labour and return the Party to power. After the 1997 election he became the Prime Minister’s Chief Press Secretary and Official Spokesman during Labour’s first term. After helping New Labour win a second landslide election victory, he became Director of Communications and Strategy until 2003.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Drawing on his experience of ten years alongside Tony Blair, and his considerable understanding of the modern media, he specialises in strategy, making change, dealing with the media and crisis management – often at the same time.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]He is an engaging and innovative speaker able to apply his insights and experience to the work of others with wit and passion.[/expand]
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Musician and Co-organiser of Band Aid and Live Aid and Live

November 25, 1984 was an historic day for Midge Ure and all of pop music, as 36 artists by the collective name Band Aid gathered at SARM Studios in West London under Midge’s production. They recorded Do They Know It’s Christmas?, a song he had just written with Bob Geldof as the industry’s heartfelt and eloquent contribution to Ethiopian famine relief. The unstoppable emotion engendered by the project led to Live Aid, the summer 1985 global concert that, all exaggeration aside, spoke for a generation.

“An artist who has received Ivor Novello, Grammy, BASCAP awards along with a flotilla of gold and platinum records, needs very little introduction”

[expand title=”In detail”] Midge organised the Live 8 concerts with Bob Geldof, with the aim of pressuring G8 leaders into following his recipe for ending world poverty. In 2005 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to music and charity.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Midge Ure talks candidly about his career and what Live Aid and the Live 8 concerts mean to him. He explains how the musicians aimed to convince the eight world leaders to focus on fighting poverty in the third world.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A charismatic and affable personality, Midge speaks emotionally and openly in his moving presentations. He is also a fantastic storyteller, leaving audiences well and truly inspired and entertained.[/expand]
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Humanitarian, Super-model, Actress, Entrepreneur

Elle MacPherson is one of the most recognizable super models in the world. Perhaps best known for her record of six covers of Sport’s Illustrated’s highly anticipated Annual Swimsuit issue. Time magazine ran a cover story on her career entitled The Big Elle in 1986. In addition to making her mark in the world of business, Elle is also a successful actress having starred in Sirens, Batman & Robin and The Edge and also guest starred in sitcom Friends. She enjoyed worldwide success with her own sell out calendars in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and the Your Personal Best The Body workout video that was voted the year’s best by Billboard magazine in 1995.

Throughout her 25 year career, Elle has been a prominent figure in fashion, film, television and business.

[expand title=”In detail”] Transcending the traditional career path of the super model, in 1989 Elle established her own company, Elle Macpherson Intimates in Australia. As Chairperson, she has piloted the company and today Elle Macpherson Intimates is considered one of the most highly recognizable fashion lingerie brands in all markets. More recently Elle was appointed on the Board of Directors of Hot Tuna Surf overseeing design, management and strategy. [/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Testament to her success are the various awards Elle has won including the Fig Leaves Entrepreneur of the Year Award (UK) 2005, Glamour magazine Style Icon Award (UK) 2006 and Elle magazine International Style Icon Award (Spain) 2006. Understandably, she is incredibly popular in her home country of Australia having been made the first living Australian entertainer to be put on a postage stamp in 1999.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Elle is a mother of two and a hugely successful businesswoman who talks with charm, wit and ability on her incredible life story, business success and motivation.[/expand]
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Expert in Strategic Marketing, e-Business, Innovation

Professor Mohanbir Sawhney is a globally recognized scholar, teacher, consultant and speaker.

He is currently the McCormick Tribune Professor of Technology and the Director of the Center for Research in Technology & Innovation at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.

“A globally recognized thought leader”

[expand title=”In detail”] Professor Sawhney is the co-author of three books and his research has been published in leading journals like California Management Review, Harvard Business Review, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Management Science, Marketing Science, MIT Sloan Management Review, and Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. He advises Global 2000 firms and governments worldwide and has won several awards for his teaching and research. These include the 2001 Accenture Award for the best paper published in California Management Review in 2000 and the Outstanding Professor of the Year at Kellogg in 1998.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Professor Mohanbir Sawhney offers audiences his views on collaborative marketing with customers, IT and business agility, customer-centric organization design, organic growth and business innovation.[/expand]
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Practitioner, Scientific Advisor, Technology Intelligence Expert

Prof. Andrea Aparo is a practitioner, scientific advisor and technology intelligence expert.

Having joined Finmeccanica Spa., the major Italian Aerospace and Defence Industrial Group, in 2002 he currently holds the position of Scientific Advisor and Responsible for Technology Intelligence.

From 1999 to 2000, he was Assistant to Professor Ferrante Pierantoni, Board Member of AIPA, the Information Technology Authority of the Italian Prime Minister’s Office.

“A leader in technology”

[expand title=”In detail”] Andrea Aparo holds a Doctorate degree “summa cum laude” in Physics. He started work in experimental physics and then became a researcher at the International Patent Office in Den Haag, Netherlands. In 1995, he founded com.e srl, an Internet company based in Rome. In 1999 he was appointed Director General of the City of Barletta, Italy. Since 1973, Andrea has edited and written science articles and books published by numerous newspapers and magazines. From 1998 to 1999 he was Executive Coordinator at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Andrea Aparo offers vast experience in the technological sector and has taught/lectured in high schools, academic institutions, private companies in Italy and abroad. He is in an enviable position of being able to explain to worldwide audiences the far reaching ramifications of new developments of key technologies, showing the complex ways in which they will interact, and explore the economic, political, social and ethical challenges they bring.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Highly engaging and fluid, his style is nonetheless very well punctuated allowing time to absorb his powerful messages. He is a stimulating and engaging speaker whose qualities are endorsed by his international audiences.[/expand]
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Former CEO of Ferrari in North America

Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni is currently the CEO of Goal.com a new Media company, providing the best international football coverage on the web and mobile.

He has led some of the world’s most prestigious consumer products companies and has a remarkable ability to transform products like Ferrari into irresistible brands.

“He is a charismatic personality, and socially at home with any group of people”
MIT

[expand title=”In detail”] He is well known for his great success at Ferrari North America, where he was CEO from 1992 to 2000. During that time Ferrari sales in North America increased by 80%. He saw Ferrari as “the ultimate factory of dreams” and after a far-ranging analysis of high-end marketing and business trends, he developed the concept of “DreamMarketing.” Prior to joining Ferrari, he was an executive in his family’s European company, Industrie Buitoni Perugina (makers of Buitoni brand foods and Perugina luxury chocolates).

He was also CEO of Polo Europe, a division of Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation form 2000 to 2003. He was appointed for his broad base of experience in luxury goods and branded products.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]he art of successful “DreamMarketing” is the wave of the future to sustain and maintain customer loyalty. Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni teaches audiences how to tap into those dreams to make them successful realities in business and in life.

His comprehensive international perspective, allows him to show companies how to accelerate their growth.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Gian Luigi is a charismatic speaker who delivers compelling presentations.[/expand]
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