The Leading Speakers Bureau

Record Breaking Eleventh Everest Summiteer & One of the World’s Greatest High Altitude Guides

Kenton Cool is one of the world’s leading alpine climbers with 11 Everest Summits under his belt amongst other incredible feats of human achievement. He is Britain’s most successful Everest mountaineer and the second-most successful Western Mountaineer of all-time on Everest. In his latest expedition, May 2013 Ken has summited the three mountains of the Everest horseshoe – Everest (8,848m), Nuptse (7,861m) & Lhotse (8,516m) in one climb – completing the ultimate ‘Three Peaks’ challenge, becoming the first Mountaineer to summit the three mountains of the Western Cwm in one continuous climb. Kenton claimed an historic three peaks record for Britain in Everest’s 60th anniversary year.

“The Best Mountain Guide in the World” Sir Ranulph Fiennes Bt OBE

[expand title=”In detail”] In 2012 Kenton fulfilled the Samsung Olympic Games Pledge by taking an Olympic Gold medal awarded to the 1922 Everest Expedition at the 1924 Winter Olympics by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, to the top of Mount Everest, thus fulfilling a 90 year old Pledge to see one of the medals successfully reach the summit. In 2011 Kenton became the focus of the world’s media after proving that 3G was now accessible on the summit of Mount Everest. He then went on to enter the record books for sending the first and only Tweet from the summit and making many lists of the most epic tweets of all time.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]In his presentations Kenton explores the direct comparisons between summit expeditions and business, focusing on the themes of teambuilding, leadership, motivation and facing personal fears in adverse situations. His years in the mountains have taught him how to face and overcome challenges, whilst bringing out the best in those around him. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Kenton is an experienced motivational speaker who delivers popular keynote speeches about his passion for his sport. His presentations are entertaining, high energy and filled with humour, yet press some serious points. Each session is complemented with an awe-inspiring collection of photographs and video footage from his expeditions around the world.[/expand]
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Lean & System Thinking Expert

KeivanZokaei is a lean and system thinking expert, management consultant and well published author.He is currently the Head of Lean and Green Practice at SA Partners. Keivan has years of experience at the cutting edge of leanthinking specialising in operations management and supply chain optimisation.Previously Keivan was a Director at the Lean Enterprise Research Centre and before that he was a Manager in the Oil & Gas

“Things that are good for the planet are also good for business”

[expand title=”In detail”] Keivan has also been an advisor to the Auditor General in Wales on how to improve public services and has advised different European governments on the principles of lean and systems thinking as well as publishing a number of key reports commissioned by governmental or industrial bodies. He is a regular speaker at different international conferences and engages with both lean professionals and general business executives through public media including appearances on BBC.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Keivan draws from his vast expertise and in-depth experience in the area of environmental issues and sustainable development. He is a leading expert in showing decision makers how to make their businesses more sustainable.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A sought-after speaker at international events,Keivan’s messages are powerful and effective, delivered in his personal, yet highly professional style.[/expand]
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Leading Edge Strategist & Bestselling Author

Jeff Thull is a leading-edge strategist and valued advisor for executive teams of major companies worldwide. As President and CEO of Prime Resource Group, he has designed and implemented business transformation and professional development programs for companies like Shell, Siemens, HP, Honeywell, 3M, Microsoft, Siemens, Citicorp, IBM, Raymond James, and Georgia-Pacific, as well as many fast-track, start-up companies.

“Jeff motivates people to take action and lets them have fun doing it.”

[expand title=”In detail”] Jeff has gained the reputation for being a thought-leader in the arena of sales and marketing strategies for companies involved in complex sales. He is the author of the best-selling books ‘Mastering the Complex Sale: How to Compete and Win When the Stakes are High’, ‘The Prime Solution: Close the Value Gap, Increase Margins’, and ‘Win the Complex Sale’, and his latest release… ‘Exceptional Selling: How the Best Connect and Win in High Stakes Sales’. Jeff is also a columnist with Inc.com and his articles are published in hundreds of business and trade publications.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Jeff motivates people to take action and lets them have fun doing it. He combines the best of street-smart selling and strategy execution, with the best of university-level learning.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Jeff is a compelling, entertaining and thought-provoking keynote speaker who has delivers speeches and seminars to corporations and professional associations worldwide.[/expand]
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Pioneer in the Field of Visual Programming, Computer Scientist, Composer, Visual Artist & Author

Jaron Lanier is many things — composer, performer, computer scientist, philosopher — but one thing he is not is a machine. He is probably best known for his work in Virtual Reality having himself coined and popularized the term ‘Virtual Reality’. He has proposed and implemented a variety of technologies that have since spawned industries in their own right. He is also a pianist, a specialist in unusual musical instruments and a visual artist.

“Jaron Lanier is a recognised thinker, listed in The 2010 TIME 100”

[expand title=”In detail”] Among Jaron Lanier’s line-up of “firsts” are the first “avatar” for network communications, the first moving camera virtual set for TV production and the first performance animation for 3D computer graphics. His company, VPL Research, was also the first to introduce immersive virtual reality products, such as the first commercial interface gloves and head mounted displays. The founding contributing editor of Wired magazine, he has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harpers Magazine, Wired Magazine and Scientific American. He is currently the co-director of Project GUMBO, based on Caltech. He has edited special “future” issues of SPIN and Civilization magazines. He has served in various research groups concerned with the future and has been appointed a fellow at Cap Gemini/Ernst & Young, the World Economic Forum and the MacArthur Foundation Roundtables.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]With an expertise earned through decades of work in the field, Jaron Lanier challenges us to express our essential humanity via 21st century technology instead of disappearing in it. As he has either initiated or predicted many of the most dramatic recent developments in IT, his keynotes have the quality of a sneak preview of the future. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Jaron Lanier is often described as “mesmerising” and “one of the best speakers we have ever heard”. He brings humour and depth to his presentations and, on request, intersperses them with virtual reality music performances.[/expand]
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Leading Customer Services & Service Culture Expert and Customer Service Speaker

Ron Kaufman is the world’s leading educator and motivator for uplifting customer service and building service cultures. He is the founder of UP! Your Service, a company that enables organizations to build Uplifting Service cultures and enjoy a sustainable advantage. Rated one of the “Top 25 Who’s Hot” speakers by Speaker Magazine, Ron presents powerful insights and global best practices from working with clients for more than twenty years.

When company morale needs a shot in the arm, Ron Kaufman provides the medicine.”
The Wall Street Journal

[expand title=”In detail”] Ron is author of the New York Times, USA Today and Amazon.com bestseller, ‘Uplifting Service! A Proven Path to Delighting Your Customers, Colleagues and Everyone Else You Meet’ along with 14 other books on service, business and inspiration. Ron was first invited to Asia in 1990 by Singapore Airlines and the Government of Singapore to create and launch a national service quality training organisation. He is a graduate of Brown University, USA with studies in France, London and Berkeley, California. He is a professional member of the Author’s Guild, Global Speakers Federation and Association of Learning Providers.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Ron’s obsession with results and practical action, and his extensive experience across industries, are distilled into proven methodologies to help clients consistently upgrade service performance and improve service culture[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]His energetic keynote speeches and workshops have inspired millions. Ron customizes each presentation with relevant examples and ideas, citing best practices inside and outside your industry, leading to practical action steps that deliver valuable service results.[/expand]
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Professor of Information Systems, Department of Management, London School of Economics

Ian Angell is an expert in the Management of Information Systems. An accomplished author he has applied his research to archaeology, crystallography, medicine, management, physics and social sciences. Originally known for his work on computer graphics, including their commercial application, he is now better known as a futurologist, particularly his predictions for the Enterprise of the Future.

“To see the many benefits of computerization, you must first confront the dark side, and the complexity that arises when information systems interact with human activity systems.”

[expand title=”In detail”] Angell advises numerous national and international companies, and institutions, on the design, implementation and management of Information Systems (in particular using the Internet) in businesses, both large and small. He writes a quarterly column for CIO Connect. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Be challenged by the radical ideas of this systems specialistand profit from both the research and application of his work across many disciplines. For the past twenty years, he has concentrated on strategic information systems, and organisational IT policies. A particular speciality is the study of Systemic Risk and Complexity. On his initiative the LSE created a Research Centre for the study of Computer Security.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]An excellent teacher and communicator Ian is very well known on the International Lecture Circuit for his biting wit when describing ill-conceived computer applications.[/expand]
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Expert on Environmental, Sustainability & Social Issues in Business

Alan Knight OBE has nearly 20 years’ experience of working with global and national organisations advising them at board level on global sustainable development issues which affect business, society and individuals. He is the independent advisor to the Virgin Group, ensuring a single co-ordinated approach to Sustainable Development. He has also worked for SAB Miller, the Kingfisher Group and B&Q and currently consults for companies as diverse as Coca-Cola, Prudential and Calgary City.

“One of the real heroes of the corporate responsibility movement in this country” – David Cameron, Leader of the Conservative Party

[expand title=”In detail”] Alan has served on the UK Sustainable Development Commission, authoring ‘I will if you will’ and ‘you are what you sell’. He co-chaired the UK Government’s Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and was chair of the Ethical Trading Champions Group of the UK Government’s Food Industry Sustainability Strategy. He was for six years chair of the Government’s Advisory Committee on Consumer Products and the Environment (ACCPE). In 2006, Alan founded Single Planet Living. Previously, he was Head of Corporate Sustainability at SABMiller, Head of Social Responsibility for the Kingfisher Group, where he co-ordinated social and environmental policies for over 590 stores and Head of Sustainability at B&Q plc.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]With 20 years’ experience of working on the interface between everyday products and global environmental and social issues, Alan Knight has spent the vast proportion of his working life leading the debate on a number of environmental and social issues. He helps top level management and policy makers involved in the global retail and consumer products arena develop the confidence, tools and inspiration to embed Sustainable Development within their corporate strategies product range and brand. His specialty is to work with businesses and policy makers to ensure they are profitable in business, but within our planetary means.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Working with Alan is never dull. His style is refreshing and occasionally irreverent, and can provide a welcome jolt to organisations that think they have got it right. He delivers powerful and thought-provoking messages.[/expand]
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Expert on the Connected Society

Thomas Köhler is an internationally recognized expert on technological change and the connected society. He is the founder and initiator of various IT companies and author of several books on information technology and society. He advises leading companies in the automotive industry, the financial service sector, retail and telecommunication.

“Thomas R. Köhler is one of the most sought after experts in Europe”

[expand title=”In detail”] After graduating from University, he was research assistant of Business Administration and Computer Science at the University Würzburg. Following that he founded his first Internet startup. Since 1995 he has held leading positions in various multimedia, internet and e-logistics companies. Under his leadership his team developed a number of solutions that pioneered the market in the fields of eCommerce, M2M and data analysis. During recent years Thomas R. Köhler has moderated some of the most important global IT and automotive conference. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]In his presentations Thomas R. Köhler motivates the audience and helps them to discover the potentials technological change offers to companies from all sectors. He also underlines the importance ‘being connected’ for organisations and society.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Thomas R. Köhler is not only a brilliant sought-after speaker, he is also an excellent moderator and presenter at conferences around the globe.[/expand]
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Entrepreneur, Founder of eyeOS

Pau García-Milà is the founder of eyeOS which he founded at the age of 17. The company was founded at the start of the Cloud Computing and Social Networking era. Pau is also the founder of Bananity, a social networking company. As an entrepreneur, Pau has achieved significant recognition and won several awards as the Innovator of the Year for 2011 by MIT (TR-35), the Prince of Asturias & Girona award “IMPULSA Empresa 2010” and the National Communications Award 2009 (Spain). A frequent speaker, Pau is also the youngest professor of ESADE (in Digital Business Master).

“Success is a question of statistics. If one of twenty things is successful, do twenty one”

[expand title=”In detail”] In the audiovisual field, Pau has contributed to a number of radio programmes (Catalunya Radio, RAC1) and is the presenter of Empenta, the only radio program dedicated 100% to entrepreneurs. On television, Pau appears on a weekly programme, Catalunya Divendres about entrepreneurship. Pau also co-directed a mini-series in the summer of 2012 with Andreu Buenafuente called Verano Amarillo.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Pau is a dynamic entrepreneur surfing the wave of new technologies changing the way we do business around the world. He offers audiences wide reaching insights into the value that can be created and maintained through his proven Digital Business strategies which can be applied to companies in all areas. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Pau’s tailored presentations are filled with a veritable wealth of useful information delivered in an engaging and well thought out style guaranteed to inspire audiences. [/expand]
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