The Leading Speakers Bureau

The World’s Preeminent Authority on the Economic & Technological Impact of Virtual Worlds

Cory Ondrejka is the co-creator of the Digital World, Second Life. In life after Linden Lab and Second Life, he was a visiting professor at University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Communication. He is currently the Executive Vice President of Digital Strategy for EMI Recorded Music. He is an expert on the interrelation between innovation and learning, as well as the technological and social requirements of product development.

“A relentless innovator”

[expand title=”In detail”] Cory Ondrejka received his BS in Weapons and Systems Engineering from the United States Naval Academy, graduated from the Navy Nuclear Power School, and served as an officer in the United States Navy. As co-founder and CTO of Linden Lab, Cory Ondrejka has long been an evangelist for the power of virtual worlds. He constructed the core code and built the multinational team that created the award-winning Second Life. He has also driven Linden Lab’s unique distributed culture for geographically-diverse software development, establishing tools and practices for building the right internal teams for specific tasks, independent of the geographic location of the people.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Cory Ondrejka offers an exciting look at what’s ahead in Virtual Worlds and how it will affect business and society. He conveys the excitement about this new frontier where entrepreneurs are already exploring ways to generate real-world profits. He is passionate about showing how virtual worlds can be used to create a more connected workplace, the deep connection between learning and innovation, their impact on national power and much more.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A skilled and exciting speaker, Cory Ondrejka expertly brings unique experience and current insight to the business challenges and opportunities inherent to these new technologies.[/expand]
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Former Senior Director of Trends & Strategy at Philips Design, Recognized Authority on Social & Cultural Change

Josephine Green is an internationally aclaimed speaker in the field of social and cultural change and innovation having been Senior Director of Trends and Strategy at Philips Design from 1997 to 2009, responsible for research into Society, Cultures and People and its implementation into the Strategic Futures Programme. She pioneered the Strategic Futures Program that helps companies and organizations think about and implement a human focused approach to innovation and growth. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the European Futurists Conference Lucerne and has worked both in international sales and marketing and in futures and social research for advanced strategy.

“Josephine promotes new thinking & new knowledge in the specific field of Social Foresight for Strategy & Innovation”

[expand title=”In detail”] Josephine Green studied History and Politics at Warwick University, England. She has consistently worked with customers to introduce new thinking and sustainable development into their culture and processes. She has given many international presentations, and lectures at a number of universities’ masters and executive courses.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]A consultant for a number of European Futures programmes and advisory boards, Josephine Green promotes working in emerging social space both as an opportunity and as a necessity and sees design and the new technologies as important enablers towards more social and sustainable solutions for the 21st century. Her main focus is on the critical transformation we are experiencing as we journey from one way of thinking, of being and of doing (the techno-industrial era) to another (the socio-ecological era).[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]An inspiring speaker, Josephine Green’s passion is now in promoting new thinking and new knowledge in the specific field of Social Foresight and Innovation which she does in a clear and frank manner.[/expand]
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Inspirational Business Author, Consultant and Entrepreneur

Peter Fisk is an inspirational business author, consultant and entrepreneur. His bestselling ‘Marketing Genius’ is currently being translated into 25 languages. He is an accomplished international speaker on all aspects of strategy, innovation, customers and marketing. Business Strategy Review describe him as “One of the best new business thinkers”.

“Peter was inspirational. He combined deep insight into our changing world, with practical and innovative ideas for application” The Coca Cola Company

[expand title=”In detail”] Peter Fisk is founder and CEO of the Genius Works, working with business leaders to adopt a more inspired approach to strategy and innovation, in particular through The Fast Track executive development programme. He was previously CEO of The Chartered Institute of Marketing, MD of Brand Finance, partner of The Foundation, and led the global marketing consulting practice of PA Consulting Group. He spent years working with the likes of British Airways, Coca Cola, Marks & Spencer, Microsoft, Virgin and Vodafone.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]He is thoughtful and considered, provocative and entertaining – capturing what’s hot, what works, and what’s next. He speaks on a wide range of topics – from strategy and marketing, to customers, brands and innovation – which can be tailored to the specific issues and interests of your audience. He is also an innovative conference chair, helping you to structure your conference theme, bring it all together on the day with energy and empathy, and ensure that your audience has a great experience.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Peter Fisk’s presentations are inspirational, engaging and full of “yin yang” insights into the business world, showing how to achieve extraordinary results.[/expand]
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Activist, Businessman, Musician

Bob Geldof KBE is best known for organising the 2005 Live 8 and 1985 Live Aid benefit concerts. A self-styled campaigner he is tremendously well informed on a broad range of global and national issues. Currently, he is heavily involved in the Make Poverty History Campaign, a campaign against third world poverty. In addition to his equally successful if diverse campaigning and musical achievements, he is also a proven businessman and is co-founder of Ten Alps a very successful production company. Bob was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 2005 European Hero’s and made the front cover of their European Edition on 10th October 2005.

Outspoken and celebrated global activist

[expand title=”In detail”] Now a truly global figure, his career began in journalism before forming the rock band Boomtown Rats. The course of his work changed when he set about the huge challenge of arranging Live Aid. In 2004 he returned to Ethiopia with UNICEF reviving media and public interest in the country’s economic state. Most recently he was honoured with the 2005 Nobel Man Of Peace Award and the MTV Free Your Mind Award which he received at the European Music Awards. He was also a Nobel Prize Nominee in 2005.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]The breadth and depth of his knowledge and experience is unique and hard to replicate. He is highly entertaining and has great insight into the socio-political arena as well as leadership, communications, marketing in the global village, motivation and self-development.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Passion is undisputedly one of his strengths, but so is validity of message. His inspirational presentations are both well researched and convincing.[/expand]
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Web 2.0 Strategist, New Media Expert, Co-author of ‘Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom’

Dr. Matthew Fraser is a recognized Web 2.0 strategist and new media expert who speaks insightfully about the impact of Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube on business, politics and society. He has long experience as a business journalist/author, academic and technology policy adviser. He was Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s national daily newspaper, National Post, and co-hosted a prime-time national television show, Inside Media, on Canada’s public all-news network, CBC Newsworld.

“A recognized Web 2.0 strategy new media industries expert”

[expand title=”In detail”] Matthew Fraser is professor at American University of Paris, a lecturer at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and a former Senior Fellow at INSEAD. He completed graduate studies at the London School of Economics, Oxford University, Université de Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne) and Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris, where he earned a doctorate in political science. He is the author of several books, including ‘Weapons of Mass Distraction: Soft Power and American Empire’ (2005) and ‘Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom: How Online Social Networking Will Transform Your Life, Work and World’ (2008).[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Matthew Fraser offers compelling insights into how Web 2.0 social networks like Facebook and Twitter present both opportunities and challenges to business and government as the “millennial” generation enters the workforce. The implications of these powerful changes, extending far beyond marketing and political campaigning, are rapidly changing organizational dynamics in areas such as health care, human resources, knowledge management, and leadership models. Dr Fraser has written extensively and travels the globe speaking about these powerful trends and how they are reshaping the way we interact socially, behave in organizations, manage corporations, and organize the political systems that govern society.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Matthew Fraser’s presentations are both enlightening and inspiring in the clear message he conveys about how to make the most of the changing social and business trends.[/expand]
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Peppers and Rogers Group

Don Peppers is a founding partner of the Peppers and Rogers Group, the world’s leading customer-focused management consulting firm. Accenture’s Institute for Strategic Change ranked him as a top thinker and writer on management topics. He was also selected as a member of the International Direct Marketing’s Hall of Fame.

“The innovator most likely to create visionary ripple effects” World Technology Network

[expand title=”In detail”] He capped his advertising career as the CEO of Perkins/Butler Direct Marketing, a top twenty US direct marketing agency. A popular voice among editors and the media, he is co-author of a series of international best sellers that have collectively sold over a million copies.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]By facilitating the identification of your most valuable customers, he sets the foundations for you to model effective customer focussed strategies. With a comprehensive path to increasing customer satisfaction you will have a crucial ingredient for developing a successful business strategy.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Clarity is the name of his game; he strips out the jargon and gives you a tailored overview of the latest thinking.[/expand]
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Global Entrepreneur, Strategic Marketing & Media Consultant

Christina Vlahova is a Strategic Marketing and Media consultant, Global entrepreneur and Marketing speaker. She is networking her business between India, Eastern Europe and Italy. Owner of Intellecta Srl – Strategic Marketing and Media consultancy, Christina has an extensive marketing experience having been marketing director of Coca-Cola and Western Union in Europe. She utilizes a lot of the online media and social networking sites to challenge our concepts of geographical distances, what is possible in the business world and how to establish new businesses.

“Anything that is of value in life only multiplies when it is given” Deepak Chopra

[expand title=”In detail”] Bulgarian born Christina Vlahova graduated from high school in India and had her Master’s in Advertising in the US. She has lived and worked in different countries, which contributes to her understanding that the world is as distant as we make it in our own minds. Christina is a jury member of the Bulgaria Effie Awards in Bulgaria and the Moscow International Advertising Festival. One of her latest ventures includes the representation of Bollywood in Europe.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]As a marekting speaker Christina offers you a creative approach to new media and challenges your understanding of what is possible in terms of consumer reach. She empowers small and medium businesses to become big with low-cost online techniques and ideas. In her work and presentations, she applies the traditional marketing techniques and marries that with the opportunities offered by the new media. Very creative, she has fascination for the possibility, which the online media offer to individuals and small businesses to grow.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Christina is very practical and creative marketing speaker, providing vivid examples and generating creative ideas through her interaction with the audiences. A natural presenter, she has a calm and warm demeanor, with a clear and professional style. She is also part of our Top Women keynote speakers. [/expand]
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Leading Figure in the Fields of Product, Interior, Fashion, Furniture, Lighting Design, Art

Karim Rashid is a leading figure in the fields of product, interior, fashion, furniture, lighting design and art. He is best known for bringing his democratic design sensibility to the masses. He has had some 2500 objects put into production to date. His work is in the permanent collections of 14 Museums worldwide including MoMA and SFMoMA and he exhibits art in various galleries.

“Karim Rashid is one of the most gifted industrial designer’s today”

[expand title=”In detail”] Designing for an impressive array of clients from Alessi to Dirt Devil, Umbra to Prada, Miyake to Method, Karim is radically changing the aesthetics of product design and the very nature of the consumer culture. His designs of the Morimoto restaurant in Philadelphia and the award-winning Semiramis Hotel in Athens have successfully expanded Karim’s scope to include the realm of architecture and interior design. He edited the International Design Yearbook 18 in 2003 and has released two CD’s.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Karim Rashid was an associate Professor of Industrial Design for 10 years and is now a frequent guest lecturer at universities and conferences globally showing great passion in all his achievements.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]An unconventional personality, Karim Rashid delivers entertaining and captivating addresses to a wide range of audiences.[/expand]
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