The Leading Speakers Bureau

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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Former CE of the Centre for Excellence in Leadership

Lynne Sedgmore holds a portfolio of interim Chief Executive roles and high-level policy briefs for Whitehall at Ministerial levels. She has a unique blend of senior leadership experience combined with extensive success as a leadership and business talent developer from junior management to board level. She was Chief Executive of the Centre for Excellence in Leadership. She is also, currently, a non-executive on 4 boards having held 12 non-executive posts over the past 15 years. She has sat on numerous national Public Sector Committees.

“Leadership resides at all levels in an organisation”

[expand title=”In detail”] Lynne’s previous roles include Principal of Guildford College, Head of Croydon Business School, and a range of full-time Leadership, Marketing and Curriculum posts in the Higher Education. Lynne was awarded the CBE in 2004, is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a fellow of the Institute of Directors and a Chartered Marketer. She has an MSc in Change Agent Skills and Strategies and is a senior fellow of the University of Surrey. Under her leadership her organisations have won awards including The British Diversity Award, Vision 100, and the IIP, Stonewall and Business Excellence kite marks.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Lynne has a strong track record of high-level UK governmental relationships and significant achievements in developing successful businesses and outstanding leaders, driving cultural change and improving financial performance. Lynne can advise on authentic leadership, talent and succession strategies, co-creating integrated culture change that works – and lasts. She is an experienced, inspirational leader who has an outstanding track record of high performance to back her business advice.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Lynne is an inspirational, charismatic no nonsense, humorous and inviting speaker who engages and challenges her audience to reach new levels of leadership/business thinking and practice. She has motivated audiences in twelve countries across the globe.[/expand]
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Manager of Social Innovation, Twitter

Claire Diaz Ortiz leads social innovation at Twitter, where she has worked since 2009. She is known for developing the TWEET model — a framework to help organizations and individual’s best excel on Twitter. Claire manages Twitter’s philanthropic, social good, and cause marketing initiatives, including the Twitter for Nonprofits and Twitter Ads for Good programs.

“One of the 100 most creative people in business 2012”
Fast Company

[expand title=”In detail”] Claire holds an MBA from Oxford University, where she was a Skoll Foundation Scholar for Social Entrepreneurship. She also holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Anthropology from Stanford University. She is the co-founder of Hope Runs, a non-profit organization operating in AIDS orphanages in East Africa. Claire got her start in the non-profit world while working as an anthropology consultant with international volunteer organizations to encourage programming that improves volunteer experiences in the field. She is a writer and blogger on topics as diverse as saving money, natural living and Generation Y.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Claire shows international audiences exactly how to connect with people and by using Twitter how anyone can become a potential partner a collaborator and an inspiration. She explains how social media is changing the way we communicate and do business and helps organizations and individuals to profit the benefits of social media.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Claire’s tailored presentations are highly insightful and eloquently delivered. She inspires audiences worldwide.[/expand]
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The World’s Greatest Female Footballer

Birgit Prinz has been elected FIFA Women’s World Football Player of the Year three times (in 2003, 2004, and 2006) and was voted Germany’s “Women’s Footballer of the Year” each year consecutively from 2001 to 2008. She scored seven goals for Germany in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2003 as a centre forward and played for the German women’s football team at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics winning a bronze medal at each.

“A female sporting icon and German football superstar”

[expand title=”In detail”] Birgit Prinz was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and after leaving school she trained to become a physiotherapist. She has since played professional football with 1. FFC Frankfurt (1st Frankfurt Women’s Football Club) since July 1994. Her impressive international career includes being a member of the UEFA Cup winning team as well as winning the World and European championships.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Using the lessons learned on the football pitch, Birgit Prinz shows audiences around the world the characteristics and skills she has learned to become one of the most successful female footballers of all time. She shows how anybody can apply these skills to achieve their own personal goals in their private and business lives.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]A charismatic and inspirational individual, Birgit’s presentations are filled with anecdotes and motivational messages from her professional football career perfectly crafted to suit each individual event.[/expand]
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Former Chairman of Interbrand

Rita Clifton has been called ‘The Doyenne of Branding’ by Campaign magazine, ‘Brand Guru’ by the Financial Times, and the Daily Telegraph described her as “The Brand Leading the Brands”. Rita is the former London Chief Executive and Chairman at Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy, and Vice Chairman and Strategic Director at Saatchi & Saatchi. Rita now has a portfolio of chairing and non-executive directorships, including Bupa, Nationwide, Dixons retail plc and Populus.

“The brand is the most important and sustainable asset any organisation has – and it needs to be the central organising principle”

[expand title=”In detail”] Rita has featured on a wide variety of TV and radio programmes, including CNN, BBC, SKY, BBC World Service, Radio 4 Today and Radio 5 Live. The Bottom Line with Evan Davies, BBC2’s ‘Business Nightmares’, the Steve Jobs documentary Billion Dollar Hippy, and Any Questions? with Jonathan Dimbleby. She has been voted one of the 75 Women of Achievement in the fields of advertising, media and marketing, and is closely affiliated with the RSA, Marketing Society, Marketing Group, Account Planning Group, Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and is a member of the Government’s Sustainable Development Commission and the Assurance and Advisory Board for BP’s carbon offset programme.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Rita shares her vision and insights on how organisations can use their brand as a key wealth generator, and make it their most important single asset, making up the most valuable part of modern business.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Rita’s style is informal and relaxed yet dynamic and challenging. She will guide audiences through the forces at work and stimulate discussion on brands and customer experience. Her presentations are inspirational and highly motivating.[/expand]
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Turkish Novelist

Elif Shafak was born in Strasbourg, France, in 1971. She is an award-winning novelist and the most widely read woman writer in Turkey. Critics have named her as “one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Turkish and world literature”. Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages and she was awarded the honorary distinction of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. Shafak has published eleven books, eight of which are novels. She writes fiction in both Turkish and English. Shafak blends Western and Eastern traditions of storytelling, bringing out the myriad stories of women, minorities, immigrants, subcultures, youth and global souls. Her work draws on diverse cultures and literary traditions, as well as deep interest in history, philosophy, Sufism, oral culture, and cultural politics. Shafak’s writing breaks down categories, clichés, and cultural ghettoes. She also has a keen eye for black humor. Shafak’s first novel, Pinhan (The Mystic) was awarded the “Rumi Prize” in 1998, which is given to the best work in mystical literature in Turkey. Her second novel, Şehrin Aynaları (Mirrors of the City), brings together Jewish and Islamic mysticism against a historical setting in the 17th century Mediterranean.

[expand title=”In detail”] Shafak greatly increased her readership with her novel Mahrem (The Gaze), which earned her the “Best Novel-Turkish Writers’ Union Prize” in 2000. Her next novel, Bit Palas (The Flea Palace), has been a bestseller in Turkey and was shortlisted for the independent Best Fiction Award. Shafak’ wrote her next novel in English. The Saint of Incipient Insanities was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Her second novel written in English is The Bastard of Istanbul, which was the bestselling book of 2006 in Turkey and was longlisted for the Orange prize. The novel, which tells the story of an Armenian and a Turkish family through the eyes of women, brought Shafak under prosecution but the charges were ultimately dismissed. Following the birth of her daughter in 2006 she suffered from post-natal depression, an experience she addressed in her first autobiographical book, Black Milk. In this book Shafak explored the beauties and difficulties of being a writer and a mother. The book was received with great interest and acclaim by critics and readers alike, being an instant bestseller. Shafak’s next novel focused on Love and love –East & West, past & present, spiritual & mundane, all in the light of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz. The Forty Rules of Love sold more than 600 000 copies, becoming an all time best-seller in Turkey and in France awarded with the Prix ALEF – Mention Spéciale Littérature Etrangère. Her next novel, Iskender (Honor), released in Turkey in July 2011, has topped the best-seller lists. Her latest novel Şemspare, was published in June 2012.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]In addition to writing fiction, Shafak is also a political scientist, having graduated from the program in International Relations at Middle East Technical University. She holds a Masters degree in Gender and Women’s Studies and a Ph.D. in Political Science. Her thesis on “Islamic Mysticism and the Circular Understanding of Time” was awarded by the Social Scientists Institute. Today Shafak continues to write for Haberturk, a major newspaper in Turkey, as well as several international daily & weekly publications, including The Guardian website. She has been featured in major newspapers and periodicals, including the Washington Times, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, The Economist and The Guardian. Her nonfiction covers a wide range of topics, including belonging, identity, gender, mental ghettoes, daily life politics, multicultural literature and the art of coexistence. These essays have been collected in two books, Med-Cezir (2005) and Firarperest (2010). She also writes lyrics for rock musicians in her country.[/expand]
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2010 Australian Keynote Speaker of the Year

Catherine DeVrye is an inspirational communicator with proven hands-on international management experience in the private and public sectors – as both a corporate business woman and small business owner. Combining Gen Y energy with Baby-boomer experience, she has the ‘street cred’ to deliver the results you’re after. Her business name sums up her philosophy.

“DeVrye….Develops ideas, Designs Content, Delivers Results & Delights Audiences”

[expand title=”In detail”] A former IBM executive, Catherine held roles in sales, marketing, communication and management/leadership development; and spent 2 years in Tokyo as Asia Pacific Headquarter’s Human Resource Manager. Honoured as an Australia Day Ambassador – and National Speaker’s Association of Australia Keynote Speaker of the Year in 2010 she was a former board member of the 3rd largest police service in the world, past CEO of Junior Achievement Australia and worked for Ministers of Consumer Affairs, Education and Sport, where she was involved in the establishment of the Life. A keen sportswoman and adventurer, she’s cycled over the Andes, scaled peaks in the Antarctic and climbed to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Catherine brings the latest theory and research to life through practical, common sense examples. She motivates and inspires audiences around the world with her insights honed through an extensive career in the public and private sectors[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Catherine is an inspirational presenter who combines substance with humour to inspire, motivate and serve as a catalyst for others to strive to achieve the best in themselves and their organisations.[/expand]
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Filmmaker & Founder of the Webby Awards

Tiffany Shlain is an American filmmaker and founder of the Webby Awards. Recognized by Newsweek as “one of the women shaping the 21st century, Tiffany founded The Webby Awards in 1996 and guided it’s growth for nearly a decade. Under her leadership, The Webby Awards have become a global institution and industry bellwether, attracting 12,000 entries annually from more than 40 countries and all 50 states

“An inspirational and creative thinker”

[expand title=”In detail”] As a director for both theatre and film, she has worked with Harrison Ford, Peter Coyote, and Alan Cumming and was selected as an Artist-in-Residence at the Headland Center for the Arts, as well as for a film residency at the San Francisco Film Society. Tiffany’s films and discussion programs have been used in many diverse settings to spark dialogues about social issues. She has been singled out by The New York Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Sundance Institute for her cutting-edge work using documentaries and internet distribution in unique ways to engage audiences.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Tiffany has been presenting ideas and films to audiences around the world for the past 20 years. The subjects she speaks about include: the Internet and its effect on business and society, interdependence in the 21st century, the creative process, and subjects that her films cover.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Tiffany is known for her ability to illuminate complex ideas in culture, science, technology, and life through her dynamic presentations.[/expand]
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Leading HR Thinker

Dr. Mee-Yan Cheung-Judge is the creator and driving force behind Quality & Equality. She founded the company in 1987 after a distinguished career in academia and in the marketplace. Her areas of expertise are organisation development, big system change, equality and diversity. In June 2008 she was voted one of the 25 most influential thinkers in HR by the HR Magazine.

“One of the most influential HR experts”

[expand title=”In detail”] Mee-Yan is the author of several OD articles, she frequently teaches on the National School of Government and other major corporate Top Management Programmes and is a Visiting Fellow of Roffey Park Institute. Mee-Yan worked with more than 300 clients from all sectors, including multinational blue chip companies, higher education, government agencies, public sector organisations and charities. She has committed to facilitate and support major change programmes and to ensure that change is synonymous with development.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]With an extensive theoretical and practical knowledge of organisation development, Mee-Yan explains how organisations work. She gives an understanding of the role senior managers play and also her own strong commitment to organisation development approaches and values. She has direct experience in delivering culture change within organisations and has improved organisational effectiveness and performance. [/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Her powerful presentations and successful working experience make Mee-Yan a highly sought-after speaker at prestigious conferences worldwide.[/expand]
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Author

Asha Miró is a highly respected and influential author. She was born in India where she lived for the first six years of her life, until in 1974 when she was adopted and she has lived in Barcelona since then. Asha currently works in the Communication and Promotion Department of the Universal Forum of Cultures Barcelona, work which she combines with the promotion of her books including ‘The Daughter of the Ganges’ a bestseller which has been translated into English, Dutch, French and Italian.

“Asha Miró transmits energy and happiness”

[expand title=”In detail”] Asha graduated in Educational Sciences and has studied music and piano. Her interest in co-operation has led to volunteer work camps in India, Rwanda and Mexico. She has also collaborated in the organisation of acts of solidarity, peace concerts and days of work and reflection with young people from all backgrounds. Since 2000 she has hosted several public events and has worked in radio and television.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Drawing from her vast experience Asha demonstrates the importance of willpower and focus in overcoming obstacles and achieving goals. Asha talks candidly about her childhood and gives audiences an in-depth look at the life changing experiences which have influenced her prolific writing career.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Asha is an exceptionally talented communicator who wows audiences with her natural abundance of passion and eternal optimism which shine forth in her moving presentations.[/expand]
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