The Leading Speakers Bureau

Formula One Champion, Second Generation Grand Prix Legend

Jacques Villeneuve is a Canadian automobile racing driver, a former F1 pilot who currently competes in the V8 Supercar series. From the Formula One World Championship in 1997 and IndyCar Driver’s title, to winning the Indianapolis 500, Jacques is one of the most trophied and versatile figures in motorsport today. These achievements make him only the third driver to achieve such a feat.

“Jacques’ racing career has seen him achieve some of motorsport’s most coveted and prestigious accolades”

[expand title=”In detail”] Despite losing his father Gilles, who was tragically killed in 1982 at the wheel of his Formula One Ferrari, Jacques’ was determined to pursue a professional racing career in motorsport. Since 2007, Jacques has competed in NASCAR, Le Mans Series, Speedcar, TRV6, notably finished as runner-up in the 2008 Le Mans 24-Hour Race. In addition to his NASCAR commitments, 2010 saw him compete in the inaugural Gold Coast 600 V8 Supercar event in Australia, and the Andros Trophy in Europe.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Drawing upon his successful career as an acclaimed racing driver Jacques offers audiences great insights into the strengths and challenges of an F1 driver. Using parallels from his time spent on and off the track working with prestigious teams, he offers invaluable lessons in teamwork and leadership, to empower individuals achieve their goals.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]His unlimited motivation combined with a captivating leadership charisma and relentless commitment to success will doubtlessly inspire any audience.[/expand]
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Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship

Atul Nerkar is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, and Associate Dean of the Executive MBA Evening and Weekend Programs. His current research examines the drivers of R&D success in the pharmaceutical, chemical and optical disc industries. In particular, he focuses on firms’ patent portfolios and the evolutionary process underlying their development.

“A truly dynamic strategist”

[expand title=”In detail”] Dr. Nerkar previously served on the faculty of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business and as a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He worked with the Unilever Group of Companies in India before he studied at Wharton. He received his PhD in strategic management from Wharton, where he also received an MA in managerial science and applied economics. He has a bachelor of production engineering from the University of Bombay and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Atul Nerkar offers audiences insights into how technology, innovation and entrepreneurship affect business and corporate strategy and speaks about productivity in organisations and the evolution of technological capabilities in the context of the pharmaceutical, chemical and optical disc industries.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]His clear and thought provoking presentations make Dr Nerkar a highly sought after speaker at national and international conferences.[/expand]
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German Expedition Leader & Polar Explorer

Arved Fuchs is a high profile Polar explorer who has led a number of expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions. In 1989, together with the famous mountain climber Reinhold Messner he became the first to reach the South Pole without animal or motorized help, just on skis using kites. He is the first and – to date – only person to have reached both poles on foot within a single year. He set up ICE CLIMATE EDUCATION (I.C.E.), to focus on educating the next generation of scientists and on the related transfer of knowledge from polar research to schools and the general public

“Arved stands for an increasing awareness of climate & environmental issues”

[expand title=”In detail”] Arved Fuchs has been fascinated by polar exploration since his early childhood. After leaving school, he trained with the Merchant Navy. He studied Vessels Operational Technology at the Technical College in Flensburg. He gained experience of traditional ships by sailing with the Clipper, Aphritite, Albatros and Thor Heyerdahl. He evetually bought and renovated the old shark cutter DAGMAR AAEN in 1988 with which he succeeded in being the first and, again, the only person to date to sail completely around the North Pole on the notorious north-west and north-east passages. He also made a successful and authentic reconstruction of one of the most memorable events in the history of seafaring, Shackelton’s odyssey through the south polar Atlantic.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Arved Fuchs is not just an extreme adventurer and polar researcher, but also above all a fascinating personality and an astoundingly normal person. In his powerful keynotes, he describes the sobering truth of the climate and environmental issues, documented by maps of the ice, with vivid images showing the decrease in surface area of the North Pole ice. He has become internationally famous via numerous television documentaries and photographic reports.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Arved Fuchs is an enthusiastic speaker who is capable of motivating and inspiring an audience to greater things. He breaks down barriers and encourages us to achieve the impossible with his stories of overcoming incredible hardship.[/expand]
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Economist & Deputy Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Prof. Dr. Ottmar Edenhofer is professor of the Economics of Climate Change at the Technical University Berlin and Co-Chair of the Working Group III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC which won the Nobel Peace Price in 2007. He is deputy-director and chief economist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and is currently leading Research Domain III – Sustainable Solutions at PIK, which focuses on the research on the Economics of Atmospheric Stabilisation.

“Ottmar Edenhofer regularly features in international media”

[expand title=”In detail”] Ottmar Edenhofer has a degree in economics (Honours degree) and in philosophy (summa cum laude) from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich. He currently writes in the German national newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. He was a lead author for the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC from 2004 until 2007. His research interests are the Economics of Atmospheric Stabilization, Social Cost-Benefit Analysis, Sustainability Theory, Economic Growth Theory, Environmental Economics, Welfare Theory and General Intertemporal Equilibrium Theory. Until 2009 he was key climate change advisor to federal foreign minister and deputy-chancellor, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Ottmar Edenhofer explores the impact of induced technological change on mitigation costs and mitigation strategies. The design of instruments for climate and energy policy is another focus. In addition to his teaching and research, he is actively involved in public policy and in the public debate in Germany and at EU level and his input is much sought-after at prestigious events worldwide.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Ottmar Edenhofer is a highly experienced orator and his presentations are rich in content and expertly delivered.[/expand]
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Political Theorist, Author

Benjamin Barber is an internationally-renowned political theorist, consulting regularly with political and civic leaders in the U.S. (President Clinton, Howard Dean) and around the world. He is the current President and founder of the Interdependence Movement and the NGO “CivWorld”. His current work focuses on global democratic governance and the relationship between the arts and democracy. In 2012, he became a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at the CUNY Graduate Center

“Autonomy is not condition of democracy; democracy is the condition of autonomy”

[expand title=”In detail”] From 2007 – 2012, he has been a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Demos. In addition to his international work Dr. Barber is a professor of Political Science Emeritus at Rutgers University and a former Kekst Professor of Civil Society at the University of Maryland. He is a frequent commentator in the news/media. As a political theorist, he argues for a renewed focus on civil society and engaged citizenship as tools for building effective democracy, particularly in the post-Cold War world. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Dr. Barber is the ideal authority to address the issues of global citizenship. He brings an abiding concern for democracy and citizenship to issues of politics, culture and education. He writes and speaks on a wide variety of questions connected to democracy and citizenship, including the arts, education, globalization, terrorism, and the new politics of the Middle East and North Africa.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Drawing on anecdotes from his own experience as a widely travelled, progressively educated fellow, he enthrals audiences with his entertaining presentations which showcase his impressive political insight.[/expand]
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Chairman and CEO of “Brandinsider GmbH”

Dr Peter Littmann is Chairman and CEO of Brandinsider GmbH, a strategic brand-consulting firm in Germany. From 1997 until 1999, he was Chairman and CEO of Wünsche AG, which at that time were holding brands like Joop! and Cinque. From 1993 to 1997, he was Chairman and CEO of Hugo Boss AG, a global men’s fashion design company. He is also currently Professor of Marketing at the University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany.

[expand title=”In detail”] Previously Dr Littmann spent 12 years with Vorwerk & Co., holding various positions, including Member of the Executive Board, General Partner and President. From 1978 to 1981 he was Executive Director at Rosenthal AG, Germany’s finest China producers. Prior to that, he served as President of the Carpet Division at Girmes Ltd. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Dr Littmann offers audiences fascinating insights into what it takes to become a global brand leader. He talks in great detail about market opportunities, how innovation and creativity can drive brand recognition and how lifestyle factors affect brand perception world-wide.

Dr Littmann’s high content innovative and engaging presentations clearly show audiences how to link strategy with innovation to create the winning formula necessary to develop markets world-wide.[/expand]
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Renowned Strategy Thought Leader, Business Professor, Author

Rumelt has been described as the “strategist’s strategist.” He has authored or co-authored numerous business publications. Best known for his work on corporate strategy, his research has covered corporate diversification strategy and sustainable competitive advantage, and more recently industry transitions and the evolution of complex industries. Richard Rumelt is currently the Harry and Elsa Kunin Chair in Business and Society at the University of California-Los Angeles.

[expand title=”In detail”] Professor Rumelt received his doctorate from the Harvard Business School in 1972, having previously earned a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from UC Berkeley. He worked as a systems engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories and served on the faculty of the Harvard Business School. He joined the UCLA faculty in 1976. During 1993-96 he was on long-term leave from UCLA, serving on the faculty at INSEAD, France. At INSEAD, Professor Rumelt headed the Corporate Renewal Initiative, a research-intervention center devoted to the study and practice of corporate transformation.

Between 1972 and 1976 Professor Rumelt was on the faculty of the Harvard Business School, with two of those years spent on assignment to found the Harvard-sponsored Iran Center for Management Studies (ICMS). Richard Rumelt was a founding member of the Strategic Management Society and served as its president in 1995-98. In 1997, he was appointed Telecom Italia Strategy Fellow, a position he held until April 2000. He has won teaching awards at UCLA.

In addition to his academic work, Richard has been a consultant to numerous firms, non-profit organizations, the Department of Defense, and several governments on competitive advantage, how to strengthen it, how to exploit inertia and riding waves of change.[/expand]
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Explorer, International Speaker, Author

Rona Cant is an adventurer, author and inspirational communicator and her very diverse adventures enable her to work with organisations across the world empowering their staff to have the right attitude to achieve their goals. She has worked with very diverse organisations from SME’s, CEO Groups to FTSE 100 Companies and she has inspired audiences at many Conferences to get out of their comfort zone to achieve their goals in the UK, Middle East and Australasia.

“The basis of success is belief that you can do it “ Rona Cant

[expand title=”In detail”] Rona’s journey has taken her from being a stay-at-home ‘Mum’ to business owner to single Mum to round-the-world yachtswoman, author, explorer and now inspirational Keynote Speaker – a journey beset by obstacles and challenges. She has conquered some of the most challenging expeditions in the world. Having taken part in the BT Global Challenge Round the World Yacht Race, the toughest yacht race in the world, two days later she embarked on the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, encountering bears and cougars. She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Rona shares clear business strategies that can be utilised immediately. Her audiences are fully engaged, they understand that action is what counts not intent and they leave believing that they too can get out of their comfort zone and achieve.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Rona uses first-hand experience to pass on the lessons she has learnt on her very diverse expeditions, so her talks and master-classes are thought-provoking and the impact is longer lasting. Rona’s talks are dramatically illustrated with images and video clips from her expeditions.[/expand]
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Founder, CEO & Creative Director of Mind Candy

Michael Acton-Smith is the CEO, Creative Director and founder of online games studio Mind Candy. The company created the online hit Moshi Monsters which has over 65m players online and is now expanding offline into books, toys, music, trading cards, TV and film. Mind Candy’s first project was a global treasure hunt called Perplex City that played out across different media including websites, text messages, magazines, live events, skywriting and multiple helicopters.

“One of the UK’s most successful web entrepreneurs”

[expand title=”In detail”] In the late nineties Michael co-founded the online retailer Firebox.com and designed the ultimate thinking man’s drinking game, ‘Shot Glass Chess’.. Within five years the company rose to No.13 in the Sunday Times’ list of the UK’s fastest growing, privately owned businesses. Aside from creating Moshi Monsters, Michael has founded networking events such as Silicon Drinkabout and Second Chance Tuesday, as well as Berwickstock, a secret music festival.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Michael shares his insights and perspectives about what it takes to be successful in business. He believes in helping business and specially in advancing the entrepreneurial spirit.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Charismatic, ultra cool and an outstanding storyteller, Michael’s speeches are full of invaluable business insights which make him a highly sought after speaker.[/expand]
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Editor at Wired Magazine

David Rowan is editor of the UK edition of WIRED magazine, which won 2009 Launch of the Year at the British Society of Magazine Editors Awards. He writes a monthly technology column for GQ Magazine, and has written tech and trend-watching columns for The Times. David has edited The Guardian’s websites, made TV films for Channel 4 News and produced long features for The Telegraph Magazine, Sunday Times Magazine and The Observer.

“An Inspiring & Engaging Speaker”

[expand title=”In detail”] Trained at The Times, David edited The Guardian’s op-ed, education, analysis and Saturday features sections. Most recently he edited The Jewish Chronicle. He curated an exhibition of British creative talent for the UK Government’s Cabinet Forum conference in 2009, where he was a speaker. David often chairs and gives keynote speeches at conferences. He was a judge in the 2010 Brit Insurance Design Awards and the 2010 Conde Nast Traveller design awards. Recent television appearances have included BBC Newsnight, BBC Breakfast News and Channel 4 News; radio appearances include Radio 4’s The Today Programme and The Media Show.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]David demonstrates innovative concepts and ideas for commercial success. He provides an invaluable source of social and technological trends for decision makers around the globe. He is also a very experienced conference host.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]David is renowned for his clear and fluent speaking style. His presentations are inspirational and fresh and he continues to be in great demand by corporate clients the world over.
As a moderator, David brings industry knowledge, fluency and his journalist flair.[/expand]
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