The Leading Speakers Bureau

Roboticist, Prominent Young Innovator & Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT

Cynthia Breazeal has developed some of the world’s most famous robotic creatures, ranging from small hexapod robots to highly expressive humanoids, including the social robot Kismet and the expressive robot Leonardo. She founded and directs the Personal Robots Group at MIT’s Media Lab. Her eminently charming and huggable creatures appear to have stepped out of Santa’s North Pole workshop.

“I would much rather build something and interact with it than philosophize about it”
Cynthia Breazeal

[expand title=”In detail”] Cynthia Breazeal received her S.B. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She did her graduate work at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab, and received her SM and ScD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At MIT, Cynthia and her team are building robots with social intelligence that communicate and learn the same way people do.

Her robots have also been widely covered in the media including TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, documentaries and films.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Recognized as a prominent young innovator who has developed some of the world’s most famous robotic creatures, Cynthia Breazeal’s recent work investigates the impact of social robots on helping people of all ages to achieve personal goals that contribute to quality of life, in domains such as physical performance, learning and education, health, and family communication. She wants to shift the concept of robots from machines that explore distant places like Mars, to devices that can function in society at large. She has spoken at prestigious events worldwide, including TEDWomen in 2010.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Bringing us closer to the question of “when might a machine be a person”, Cynthia Breazeal, a pioneer of Social Robotics and Human Robot Interaction (HRI), expertly reviews various technological aspects ranging from the biological model to the vision for the future.[/expand]
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New York Times Bestselling Science Writer, Chairman of The International Center for Life

Dr. Matt Ridley is a highly respected, award winning popularizer of science, and a very incisive writer and thinker. He has been a scientist, journalist and science editor, Washington correspondent and American editor of The Economist and Wired magazine columnist. He has written books that give a clear explanation of very complex biology, such as the description of the human genome sequence, and poses debates about the constant scientific and technological implications for human societies.

“Matt Ridley tackles some of today’s most pressing modern problems”

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Matt Ridley received his BA and D. Phil at Oxford, researching the evolution of behaviour. He is the chairman of the International Centre for Life, in Newcastle, England and is also a visiting professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York. He was science editor and American editor of The Economist between 1983 and 1992. He was a columnist for the Sunday Telegraph and Daily Telegraph between 1993 and 2000. He was the founding chairman of the International Centre for Life, a £70 million science park and education project, between 1996 and 2003. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Matt Ridley sweeps the entire arc of human history to powerfully argue that “prosperity comes from everybody working for everybody else”. At TEDGlobal 2010, his stand out presentation showed how, throughout history, the engine of human progress has been the meeting and mating of ideas to make new ideas. It’s not important how clever individuals are, he says; what really matters is how smart the collective brain is. As the mayor of London recently wrote, Matt offers “an elegant and devastating rejoinder to all gloom-merchants everywhere”.[/expand]

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Always a scintillating speaker, Matt Ridley does more than describe how things are getting better. He shows why; and he explains why human beings are the only creatures that experience prosperity or poverty, making his arguments with such brilliance and historical breadth.
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21st Century Indiana Jones, Award-winning International Investigative Reporter & Broadcaster

Oliver Steeds is an explorer and investigative journalist. He’s presented critically acclaimed series in the US, UK and worldwide for Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, BBC World and Channel 4. He’s the youngest of the world’s 50 Most Extraordinary Pioneers alongside living legends like Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Buzz Aldrin. His news reports feature on Channel 4, ABC & al Jazeera. He is regarded as one of the most influential and pioneering explorers of his generation.

“Part Indiana Jones, part Jason Bourne, part Woodward & Bernstein” Discovery Channel

[expand title=”In detail”] Oliver Steeds’ adventures have seen him live with tribes of cannibals, walk 1250 kilometers across the Gobi Desert for his survival, go in search of the Ark of the Covenant, Atlantis and the Lost City of Gold ‘El Dorado’, escape from the People’s Liberation Army after being chased across the Shangtu Grassland, run six consecutive marathons across the Sahara to raise money for Lupus, get jailed on trumped up charges of espionage in a number of different countries, escape from Devil’s Island, try to hunt down the Amber Room (the most valuable piece of missing art in the world), have horses stolen by rustlers, hunt with stoned Mbuti Pygmies in the lawless Congolese Ituri, retrieve video tapes from a kidnapped family in Nicaragua, and even lead a Royal Geographical Society Expedition to research the Grass Silk Road.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Described by the Radio Times as delivering “Hardest hitting reportage” and formerly a producer at ABC News, Olly presents adventure, historical, tribal and scientific programming worldwide. For him, there’s no story that’s off-limits. Regarded highly in his industry, he has chaired numerous conferences and seminars on investigative reporting, broadcast journalism and filming in hostile environments. Having travelled to over 100 countries, he shares his experiences of living with over 15 different tribes, highly charged and full of incredible anecdotes.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]The founder of iNOMAD, Oliver Steeds specializes in investigating the under-reported. He is a representative of the new generation modern, media savvy, high tech, digital adventurer. With With humility, openness and humour, Oliver combines his unique life experience with his award winning communication skills to wake up and shake audiences around the world, ensuring they can empathise whilst being both entertained and inspired.[/expand]
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Former Editor of TIME Magazine’s European & Asian Editions & Author

Donald Morrison is an author, lecturer and Editorial Consultant at Donald Morrison LLP. He writes for TIME, The New York Times, The Financial Times, The International Herald Tribune, Corporate Board Member and Smithsonian magazines, as well as Port, a London-based monthly for which he is European Editor. He has written and edited in every department of TIME’s U.S. edition in New York City.

“Donald Morrison is an insightful speaker & highly skilled moderator”

[expand title=”In detail”] Donald Morrison holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and the London School of Economics, as well as an advanced certificate in wines and spirits from the U.K. Wine & Spirit Education Trust. A Visiting Fellow at Tsinghua University, he has taught at New York University in London and at Tsinghua University in Beijing. His book on the Obama presidency is scheduled for publication in late 2011 or early 2012. In a long career at TIME Magazine, he was Editor of the weekly’s Asian edition in Hong Kong and Co-editor, with his wife Ann Morrison, of its European edition in London.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Donald Morrison has been a speaker and moderator at conferences for such organizations as the World Economic Forum and UNESCO. He entreats us to think about the meaning of culture and universalism in the 21st century and also offers a delicious glimpse into a relationship that never ceases to fascinate, that between the US and France.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Donald Morrison is a respected speaker and moderator, who has skillfully addressed prestigious events worldwide.[/expand]
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Author & Hacker Extraordinaire

Joshua Klein is a fervent hacker of all things – he will hack anything that moves. His list includes “social systems, computer networks, institutions, consumer hardware and animal behavior.” His latest project, though charmingly low-tech, has amazing implications for the human-animal interface. Right now, he is working at Frog Design as a Principle Technologist, while developing mobile / social applications, health care-related systems and other tools that improve people’s lives. When he’s not taking things apart or putting them back together again he speaks, writes, and consults on new and emerging technologies that improve people’s lives – and has tremendous fun doing it.

“Joshua hacks…everything….”

[expand title=”In detail”] Joshua Klein has practiced, both formally and informally, the fine art of hacking across many fields – social systems, computer networks, institutions, consumer hardware, animal behaviour, and, most recently, the publishing industry. The unusual, the unexpected, and the effective pepper Klein’s work. He has come up with an elegant machine that may form a new bond between animal and human. He also spends a significant amount of time consulting to companies large and small, such as Microsoft, Oracle, Frog Design, Nokia, Johns Hopkins, Bankinter, The United States Office of the Director of National Intelligence and others.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Joshua Klein helps his global audiences discover how common opinion has shortsighted the impact and opportunity of the biggest trends we’ve all misunderstood. He has been described as “a cross-disciplinary, pattern recognising polymath who takes his greatest joy from combining the unexpected and seeing the result work in new and better ways”. Most of his time is spent speaking to companies and at conferences such as World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Gadgetoff, TED, SICS, LA-IP, BIF, and Serious Play, and he has appeared on the Sundance Channel, Nova, and other programs.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Joshua Klein is the quintessential hacker – someone who takes his greatest joy from combining the unexpected and seeing the result work in new and better ways. His innovative, entertaining and yet highly informative talks give you an insight into this mentality, from his unique viewpoint.[/expand]
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Award-winning English Film, Television & Stage Actor

Colin Firth is a world renowned star of stage and screen who first gained wide public attention for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 TV adaption of Pride and Prejudice. He subsequently achieved film stardom with the international box-office success of Bridget Jones’s Diary. It was his leading role in fashion designer Tom Ford’s directorial debut, A Single Man, that garnered him awards attention like he had never received previously. His next work is in the 2012 adaptation of the John le Carré novel ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’.

“Colin has performed songs in many of his films, including the worldwide hit, Mamma Mia!”

[expand title=”In detail”] Colin Firth’s first acting experience came in infant’s school when he played “Jack Frost” in a Christmas pantomime. He spent two years at the Drama Centre in Chalk Farm where he was “discovered” while playing “Hamlet” during his final term. His first professional role was as “Bennet” in the West End production of Another Country. From this performance, he was chosen to play the character of “Judd” in the movie of the play. He went on to play a variety of character parts in both film and television. He’s had massive successes in Shakespeare in Love, A Christmas Carol, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Love Actually, Blackadder: Back & Forth, Fever Pitch and Conspiracy to name but a few.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Perhaps one of the most recognised English actors today, Colin Firth is a convincing speaker whose strengths lie in his precise thinking, careful craftsmanship and mastery of technical skills. He is a highly talented actor who has carried his adolescent sense of rebellion around with him to great effect.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Well grounded and pragmatic, Colin Firth is an exacting perfectionist with a clear, logical, analytical mind and an aptitude for hard work and an ability to talk candidly about his professional experiences as a globally recognised actor.[/expand]
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Rock-star Physicist

Prof. Brian Cox has two jobs: working with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and explaining big science to the general public. He is a particle physicist, a Royal Society research fellow, and a professor at the University of Manchester. He is a member of the High Energy Physics group at the University of Manchester. He is best known to the public as the presenter of a number of science programmes for the BBC.

“Prof. Brian Cox has become a vital voice in the UK media for explaining physics to the public”

[expand title=”In detail”] Prof. Brian Cox gained a First Class Honours degree in Physics from Manchester University and a PhD in High Energy Particle Physics at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg. He also had some fame in the early 1990s as keyboard player in the UK pop band D:Ream. He recently worked as the scientific consultant for the film Sunshine. He was elected a fellow of The Explorers Club in 2002 and in 2006; he received the prestigious British Association Lord Kelvin award for his work in promoting science to the public.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]With his rockstar hair and accessible manner, Prof. Brian Cox is the go-to physicist for explaining heady concepts on British TV and radio. Brian, television presenter & radio broadcaster, has received many awards for his work in publicising science. He has given talks for varied organizations including TED (USA 2008 & 2009), World Economic Forum, Cisco Networkers among many others.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Brian’s ability to present science in an engaging, exciting and interesting way makes him a highly popular speaker.[/expand]
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Campaign Manager, Obama for America

After winning the election in 2008, President Obama called his campaign manager, David Plouffe, “the unsung hero” who built the best political campaign in the history of the United States. He has an extensive campaign leadership background, having served on a variety of high profile presidential, U.S. Senate and congressional campaigns.

“David Plouffe shares his innovative insights on achieving strategic results in the 21st century”

[expand title=”In detail”] Averse to publicity himself, David Plouffe has spent much of his career working for Democratic leader Dick Gephardt, especially orchestrating Gephardt’s effort to reclaim Congress in 2000. In 1999-2000, he led a national campaign that raised a record US $ 95 million for House races across the US. He began his political career working for Senator Tom Harkin’s 1990 re-election campaign. In 1992 he successfully managed Congressman John Olver’s first re-election bid in Western Massachusetts. He also worked as campaign director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 1995. In 1996 Plouffe managed Bob Torricelli’s successful campaign for the New Jersey seat in the US Senate.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]David Plouffe provides insights into his expertise with social networking, volunteer mobilization and the sophisticated use of research to drive productivity. He shares his extensive experiences in successfully leading large teams, inspiring creativity and motivating innovative solutions that produce effective results that set new records for fund-raising and grassroots mobilization due to a bold use of technology and faith in the power of volunteers.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]With humour, passion and intelligence David Plouffe shares the inside story about how Obama was elected president, how success hinged on a fundamental belief in the candidate and the strategy. His fascinating presentations look ahead to the administration’s next steps and the movement the campaign created.[/expand]
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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]
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Physicist, Philosopher, Environmental Activist, Eco Feminist & Author

Vandana Shiva is a world-renowned environmental leader and thinker. She is a councillor of the World Future Council. Intellectual property rights, biodiversity, biotechnology, bioethics, genetic engineering are among the fields where Shiva has contributed intellectually and through activist campaigns. She has served as an adviser to governments in India and abroad as well as non governmental organisations, including the International Forum on Globalization, the Women’s Environment & Development Organization and the Third World Network.

“Vandana Shiva is author of over 300 papers in leading scientific and technical journals”

[expand title=”In detail”] Vandana Shiva received her Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. She has assisted grassroots organizations of the Green movement in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Ireland, Switzerland and Austria with campaigns against genetic engineering. Before becoming an activist, Shiva was one of India’s leading physicists. The founder of Navdanya “nine seeds”, a movement promoting diversity and use of native seeds, she also set up the Research Foundation for Science, Technology, and Ecology in her mother’s cowshed in 1997. Its studies have validated the ecological value of traditional farming and been instrumental in fighting destructive development projects in India.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]One of the world’s most prominent radical scientists and a leader in the International Forum on Globalization, Vandana Shiva has been recognised by Time magazine as an environmental hero, and Asia Week called her one of the five most powerful communicators in Asia. Director of the Research Foundation on Science, Technology, and Ecology and a prolific author, she illustrates to audiences the undeniable connection between industrial agriculture and climate change, acting as your bridge to understanding how we can feed the planet in a socially just, environmentally sound way.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]In her trademark style, Vandana Shiva is inspiring, gripping, compassionate and unflinching with a fierce intellect and her disarmingly friendly, accessible manner. She is a truly compelling and powerful speaker who has devoted her life to fighting for the rights of the ordinary people of India and who draws solutions to our world’s most pressing problems.[/expand]
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