The Leading Speakers Bureau

Founder of Social Bite and Social Entrepreneur

Alice Thompson is the founder of Social Bite and one of Scotland’s leading entrepreneurs. Alice tells the story of her journey to Social Bite & explains how she took the idea of Social Business and has used it to transform the lives of the formerly homeless staff, addressing many of the social challenges that are traditionally the responsibility of the public services.

“Inspiring, important, emotive and thought provoking”

[expand title=”In detail”] Having started out in the events business at the tender age of 19, Alice travelled to Bangladesh in 2011 to meet Nobel Peace Prize Winner Prof Muhammad Yunus to convince him to speak at the first ever Scottish Business Awards. What she got instead was a different direction in life. She sold the events business and ploughed every penny into opening the first Social Bite shop in Edinburgh. In the last 4 years Social Bite went from one small shop to eight operating units and from 10 staff to 100 staff. All while continuing to run The Scottish Business Awards, which has in the last 5 years seen speakers such as President Bill Clinton, Sir Richard Branson, George Clooney and the 2016 speaker Leonardo DiCaprio.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Alice has had the unique experience of being able to harness the power of business and direct it towards society’s toughest problems, from homelessness to addiction, abuse, discrimination and mental health. By telling her emotional and sometimes hilarious story, Alice gives a fresh, unique and honest look into her experience of entrepreneurship, and raises your awareness to the power we and the council have to make a real difference, if we want to.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]A heart felt, emotional and commanding speaker who can bring the audience to tears and always leave them wanting to create a better world, for everyone, either through the immense power of business or by what we can do on a local or individual basis.[/expand]

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Motivational Speaker, Entrepreneur and Adventurer

Marc Hauser is a successful speaker, adventurer and entrepreneur. He is an exceptional motivator with first-hand experience. He has the ability to empower people to make unbelievable things possible because he did it himself.His motivational speeches are around the topics of courage, endurance and making dreams tangible. Marc reveals the background for his experience, substantiated with scientific insights. He depicts experiences in-depth and intensely.

“The world belongs to the creatives”

[expand title=”In detail”] Although afraid of heights, Marc set the world record for the fastest horizontal free fall in speed tracking, a form of skydiving in 2012. As a conceptual artist he sold the second most expensive picture at his first exhibition, without really being able to paint.As an entrepreneur, he established the naming agency erfolgswelle® Ltd. as a leading agency in Europe within just six months. For Marc, a name is definitely a success factor. A name is a proof of existence. He is convinced that as soon as we are able to shout our big dreams out loud, we become their designer.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Marc Hauser has the unique ability to understand, implement and realize desires and dream. He facilitates the path from idea to action and inspires his audience to do the same. When Marc enters a room and begins a speech, he brings fresh motivation and new courage with a long-term effect: Successful self-management becomes tangible.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Marc combines information and emotion as infotainment with a good portion of humor. He inspires people to perform their own heroic deeds. [/expand]

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Chief Data Officer at Telefónica

Chema Alonso is the CDO – Chief Data Officer – at Telefónica. In this position he heads the company’s Big Data strategy, Advertising and the Fourth Platform. As part of the work to define the Fourth Platform, he also leads the Personal Data Bank team and is the main internal promoter of the Data Transparency Lab. He is also responsible for global cybersecurity and data security, having created the new Global Security Unit with the Information Security Global Business in B2B & B2C and Eleven Paths.

A world-renowned security expert

[expand title=”In detail”] Chema was previously the founder and CEO of Eleven Paths, a subsidiary of Telefónica Digital focusing on innovation in security products, and General Manager of Global Security Business in the B2B unit of Telefónica Business Solutions. Before joining Telefónica in 2013, he spent 14 years working for and directing Informática 64, a company focusing on computer security and training. He obtained doctorates in Computer Security at the King Juan Carlos University of Madrid, Computer Engineering at the same university and IT Systems Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, an institution which appointed him Honorary Ambassador of the University School of Computer Science in 2012. He has also directed the Master’s Degree in Information Security at the European University of Madrid.Chema is the author of several books and other works specializing in cybersecurity.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Chema Alonso regularly presents his experience and skills at the most prestigious conferences the world over offering an in-depth insights, recommendations and comments on technology security, big data and digital risk.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A passionate and engaging speaker, Chema’s presentations are a veritable wealth of new ideas delivered in a unique and highly creative way.[/expand]

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Author of Lean Analytics and Solve for Everything

Alistair Croll is an entrepreneur with a background in web performance, analytics, cloud computing and business strategy. In 2001, he cofounded Coradiant, an early pioneer in User Experience Management acquired by BCM in 2011, and has since helped launch Rednod, CloudOps, Bitcurrent, Year One Labs and several other early-stage companies. He works with start-ups on business acceleration and advises larger companies on innovation and technology.

“Solve For Interesting. Otherwise Life Is Dull”

[expand title=”In detail”] Alistair has founded and run a variety of conferences, including Interop’s cloud content, Cloud Connect and the Enterprise Cloud Summit. He is the chair O’Reilly’s Strata + Hadoop World conference, the International Startup Festival and O’Reilly’s Findata content. He has also written several books on technology and business, including the best-selling ‘Lean Analystics’. Alistair tries to mitigate chronic ADD by writing about far too many things at “Solve For Interesting” and on Medium. He graduated from Dalhousie University with a B.Com (Honours) and an advanced major in Strategic Marketing.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]A sought-after speaker on data-driven innovation and the impact of technology on society, Alistair helps decision makers understand how a connected world is changing business as well as society and ethics. His presentations are tailored to each client giving a meaningful theory along with practical applications. Alistair is also an experienced conference host.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]His high-level knowledge delivered in a fun, easy to understand, passionate and insightful way make Alistair a sought after commentator at a wide range of conferences world-wide. [/expand]

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Innovation & Technology Expert, Head of ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme

Frank Salzgeber is a leading expert on innovation, entrepreneurship, technology and trends. He is Head of the European Space Agency’s Technology Transfer Programme Office being responsible for innovation management, the defining of the overall approach and strategy for the transfer of space technologies, including the incubation of start-up companies and a related venture fund. From 2015, under his leadership, more than 100 new start-ups will be supported in 11 ESA Business Incubation Centers across Europe.

“ A global authority on the topic of innovation and industry 4.0”

[expand title=”In detail”] Frank is an advisory board member of the Triangle Venture Capital Group, was founding chairman of the EIROforum (CERN, EFDA-JET, EMBL, ESA, ESO, ESRF, European XFEL, ILL) working group on Innovation Management, Knowledge and Technology Transfer and was Strategy Audit Advisor to Fraunhofer IIS. He also held management positions at Apple covering Central Europe and was COO and CFO at a German IT start-up. Frank holds a degree in Graduated Industrial Engineering.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]With an extensive international experience gained from many years of working with leading research organisations, Frank communicates the importance and fascination of science to a wide audience. He shows decision makers from all industries the importance to foster innovation and to stimulate the transfer of technology.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]An inspiring and charismatic speaker, Frank delivers a powerful message on how innovation and technology will shape our future.[/expand]

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Economist, Strategic Leadership, Businessman

Christopher Rodrigues was appointed Chair of the British Council in May 2016. He divides his time between the British Council, VisitBritain, the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association, Openwork Holdings Ltd and the Port of London Authority, all of which he is also Chair. He is pro-bono Chairman of The Almeida Theatre and is a Vice Chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council.

“A great ambassador for British tourism”

[expand title=”In detail”] His previous career includes terms as President and CEO of Visa International; Group Chief Executive of Bradford and Bingley, Group Chief Executive at Thomas Cook and various senior positions at American Express. He stepped down as Chairman of International Personal Finance and Windsor Leadership at the end of April 2015, following a period of 8 years as Chairman of both organisations. Christopher was also on the Council and a Trustee of the National Trust until he stepped down in July 2016. Christopher is a graduate of Cambridge University and the Harvard Business School. Christopher was made a Commander of the British Empire in the 2007 New Year Honours list for services to British business interests and charitable works in the UK and USA.
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[expand title=”What he offers you”]Christopher works alongside the private and public sector partners in England, Scotland and Wales to strengthen the marketing of Britain as a tourist destination overseas. Christopher has a vast knowledge of international cultural and educational topics and with many years’ experience in tourism; he is knowledgeable and passionate about his subject.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Christopher is a highly successful businessman who speaks with an incisive understanding and enlightened capacity to explain and discuss invaluable business insights to his audience.[/expand]

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Author & Chief Misfit

Alexa Clay is a writer, public speaker and researcher with a focus on subculture, informal economy and new economic thinking. She is the co-author of ‘The Misfit Economy’, a book that examines the role of creative thinking and ingenuity among society’s “misfits.” The Economist called the book “a paean to the quirkier members of society.” It was named a top business book by The Telegraph and the World Economic Forum. Alexa has appeared in Dazed Digital, on NPR’s Marketplace, The Takeaway, Australia’s morning show Weekend Sunrise and the Laura Flanders Show. ‘The Misfit Economy’ loosely inspired the NatGeo show Underworld Inc, for which Alexa was a consulting producer.

“Amid the characteristics that make a successful entrepreneur, one stood out: juvenile delinquency.”

[expand title=”In detail”] Alexa Clay was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the daughter of two anthropologists. She has been active in the fields of social business, technology studies, and social change. She has been an advocate for “inclusive innovation,” examining the ways in which entrepreneurs in the black market and informal economy are given access to economic opportunity. Formerly, Alexa led work focused on scaling social innovation at Ashoka and co-founded the League of Intrapreneurs, a network focused on scaling the movement of social intrapreneurship.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Alexa’s projects tend to utilize “misfit approaches” or philosophies – inspired by Nigerian spammers, performance artists, wise hermits, and tempered radicals working to transform our institutions from the inside. Alexa hacks, hustles and provokes systems in need of change. Some of her work is romantic, ephemeral and “pop-up,” while some is more systemic and long-term.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Alexa Clay is a fresh voice and fast-rising star with an edgy and thought-provoking message from the front lines of the often invisible creative economy.[/expand]

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