The Leading Speakers Bureau

Former President & CEO of Olympus

Michael Woodford MBE is a British businessman who was formerly President and CEO of Olympus Corporation, making him the first non-Japanese person to be appointed as the company’s CEO. However, he was dismissed after just four months in the position when he uncovered explosive financial irregularities.

“Exposing the Olympus scandal”

[expand title=”In detail”] Michael discovered that hundreds of millions of dollars had been transferred to mysterious accounts and when he brought it to the attention of his Chairman and board he was instantly sacked. Told that he should fear for his safety, he returned to London and briefed the Serious Fraud Office, starting a series of enquiries involving the FBI, SFO and the Toyko Police. The scale of fraud was estimated to be $1.7billion, over twenty years. Michael began his career as a management trainee at Lucas Aerospace. After some time with Cadbury Schweppes, he joined KeyMed, the UK medical equipment division of Olympus. He made his way up the ladder over the next three decades, running their American and Russian businesses before becoming Executive MD of Olympus Europe. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Michael offers audiences his own insight into this dramatic story. He speaks about risk management, corporate morality and social responsibility providing audience members with real world solutions to real business problems.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Michael’s well delivered speeches are riveting, he is an outstanding storyteller with raconteur timing and invaluable business insight which make him a highly sought after speaker.[/expand]

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Businessman & Former British Consul General in L.A.

Bob Peirce is a Los Angeles businessman with a long career in the British Diplomatic Service. Bob served as British Consul General in Los Angeles from 2005 until 2009, when he retired from the British Diplomatic Service after three decades of distinguished posts in China, Hong Kong, Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He was Private Secretary to three British Foreign Secretaries (equivalent of the US Secretary of State): Sir Geoffrey Howe, Sir John Major and Lord Douglas Hurd.

“A highly experienced speaker on Hong Kong & China”

[expand title=”In detail”] Twice a member of the Hong Kong Government (in the 1980s and again in the 1990s), from 1993 to 1997 Bob was the Secretary responsible for Hong Kong’s external affairs under Governor Chris Patten. For most of the period from 1979 to 1997, he was directly involved in the negotiations with China that culminated in the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. Bob Peirce was the Chief Executive of the 1998 Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland. He drafted the 1999 report, which formed the basis of policing reforms in Northern Ireland following the 1998 peace agreement. In 1999, Bob became head of Political and Public Affairs at the British Embassy in Washington, DC. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Drawing from his experience, Bob Peirce is able to offer audiences tremendous insights into the political and public affairs within Asia. He also has an immense wealth of expertise in global politics and economics. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Bob Peirce has a charming, commonsense speaking style and numerous stories from his many years in governmental and business positions give his presentations tremendous practical value.[/expand]

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Expert on Global Business Strategy & Globalisation

Jeffrey Garten is widely recognised as an expert on global business strategy, finance and trade. He became the Juan Trippe Professor in the Practice of International Trade, Finance and Business at Yale School of Management in July 2005 and is also chairman of Garten Rothkopf, a global consulting firm which works with corporations on long-term global strategies.

“Jeffrey Garten is an expert on Global Business Strategy”

[expand title=”In detail”] Jeffrey E. Garten was the dean of the Yale School of Management and William S. Beinecke Professor in the Practice of International Trade and Finance from 1995 to 2005. Prior to that he was undersecretary of commerce for international trade. Before government service he spent 13 years on Wall Street. As a managing director of Lehman Brothers, he specialized in debt restructuring in Latin America, built up Lehman’s investment banking business in Asia, and restructured some of the world’s largest shipping companies in Hong Kong. He wrote a monthly column for BusinessWeek on major challenges facing global business leaders, and he now writes a monthly column for Newsweek International. He currently serves on the boards of directors of a variety of companies including Aetna Corporation, CarMax Inc.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Jeffrey Garten explores the challenges business leaders will face in the decade ahead: responding to emerging markets, aggressively pursuing innovation, investing in design and coping with the changing political and social environment. As one of the nation’s foremost experts on globalization, Jeffrey Garten provides audiences with the skills they need to navigate the ever-shifting, borderless global economy.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Jeffrey Garten is a highly professional and informative speaker. He educates audiences with his presentations on leading global economic concepts and developments.[/expand]

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International Business Lawyer & One of the Leading German Experts on Asia

With more than 20 years of intense professional and personal dealings with the history, culture and economy of Asia, Dr. Karl Pilny is recognized as one of the leading German experts and advisers on this region. He is an International Business Lawyer with the International firm Salans LLP, based in Berlin. He focuses his practice on private equity and real estate transaction with regard to the German and Asian markets.

“One of the leading experts in Asian Business”

[expand title=”In detail”] Dr Pilny studied and received his Doctorate in Munich, Germany. In 1985, Dr Pilny worked for the German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, based in Tokyo. He has written extensively about the global economy and alternative approaches to economic development that can be seen in newly industrialised countries of Asia. He has advised numerous Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indian companies on several merger & acquisition projects in Europe and Germany.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Using the lessons learned in Asia, Karl Pilny is able to offer audiences tremendous insights into dealing with the Asian markets. He has a wealth of expertise in Asian and European global politics and economics. In addition to corporate and property finance, he has substantial experience in IT, media, telecoms and energy sectors.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Karl Pilny is an eloquent speaker with a wealth of experience. This, together with his expansive knowledge of international economics, provides an excellent source for his dynamic and engaging presentations.[/expand]

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Entrepreneur& Lead Founder of the Alibaba Group

Jack Ma is the lead founder of Alibaba Group. After the company’s debut in 1999, he served as Group chairman and chief executive officer for more than a decade, with responsibility for overall strategy and focus. On May 10, 2013, he stepped down as Chief Executive Officer but remains executive chairman and continues to shape the Group’s business strategy and management development.

“One of the most successful Chinese Internet entrepreneurs”

[expand title=”In detail”] Jack Ma graduated from Hangzhou Teacher’s Institute with a major in English. He currently serves on the board of SoftBank Corp., a leading digital information company that is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. He is also a director of Huayi Brothers Media Corporation, a company listed on The Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Jack became a trustee of The Nature Conservancy’s China program in 2009; joined the global board of directors of the organization in 2010; and has served as chair of The Nature Conservancy’s China board of directors since May 11, 2013. In September 2013, he joined the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation as a director.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Jack Ma draws on his considerable expertise as a successful business leader, offering audiences a wealth of useful insights into creating successful businesses and generating wealth based on his first hand experiences.
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[expand title=”How he presents”]Jack Ma is as an enthralling speaker with a penchant for puns and slogans who is renowned for speaking at conferences around the globe.[/expand]

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Founder and Managing Director of JoJo Maman Bébé

A very successful entrepreneur, Laura Tenison launched JoJo Maman Bébé in 1993. The maternity, baby and nursery retailer is now one of the leading retailers in its sector in the UK. She has organically grown the company from a start-up to its current size of over 240 employees and a turnover of around £17m.

“I am committed to providing 1st class service through honest, ethical trading, integrity and respect for our customers’ point of view”

[expand title=”In detail”] Laura showed entrepreneurial spirit from a young age and started her first company whilst still at school. She was inspired to start a mail order baby product business by a bed ridden mother during a spell in hospital following a car crash. Laura’s has set up a company policy based on strong codes of ethical business practice, both in product manufacturing and buying. Laura has received many awards including Harpers & Queen Entrepreneur of the year 2005, the Welsh Entrepreneur of the Year 2003 and she received an MBE for services to business in the Queen’s 2004 New Year’s Honours List. JoJo Maman Bébé has won numerous awards.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Laura shares the invaluable experience as an entrepreneur and the secrets of her success, insisting that all managers should lead by example. Laura is happy to give her time to inspire others and is often found talking to those who ask her advice when setting up a new business. Audiences are provided with actionable insights into Laura’s proven methods. Her enthusiasm for the product and the brand are the foundation of her tremendous success. [/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Laura is a passionate, honest and fascinating speaker with a strong belief in Customer Service and Ethical Business.
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Pioneering Co-founder of Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate

Jo Fairley is co-founder of the pioneering organic chocolate company Green & Black’s, which has gone from a niche organic and Fairtrade brand to a global chocolate name. Recently, Green & Black’s was voted ‘Coolest Food Brand in the UK’ for the fifth year running, by Coolbrands.

‘If you don’t do it, you’ll never know what would have happened if you had done it.’

[expand title=”In detail”] Formerly Britain’s youngest-ever magazine editor, Jo has translated her skills as a journalist into marketing, PR and brand-building. Through her presentations, Jo now takes audiences through every aspect of growing a business – from the bravery required to taking that first step, through to the practical and emotional aspects of an ‘exit’ strategy – and achieving that all-important (and elusive) work-life balance en route. Jo continues to juggle her work as a journalist and author with being a brand ambassador for Green & Black’s, as well as running an organic bakery and one-stop local food store and an 11-room ‘boutique’ wellbeing centre, in her up-and-coming home town of Hastings.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Jo’s story is fascinating to entrepreneurs, women’s networking groups and to wider business or educational audiences both in the UK and internationally. Her brand-building experience is inspirational to anyone on a ‘business journey’ of their own. [/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Engaging and passionate, Jo never fails to inspire – and is always happy to network with attendees, offering more direct input to individuals.[/expand]

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Former CEO of Mothercare and LoveFilm

Simon Calver is currently Chairman of award winning online printing giant moo.com. and he is on the board of online pharmacy ChemistDirect. With an entrepreneurial spirit and exemplary success as CEO of some of the UK’s most innovative and preeminent businesses, including pioneering a new way of watching movies with LOVEFilm and turning Mothercare around, Simon Calver’s management style is natural and pragmatic.

“Renowned branding and marketing guru”

[expand title=”In detail”] Simon began his career as a graduate in Unilever and as a strategy consultant at Deloitte. He was a winner of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 for London and the South East and representing the region in the National finals. He is a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute and is a fellow of the IoD. He regularly speaks across the country on management, leadership and entrepreneurship and was a keynote speaker at the IoD National Congress at the Royal Albert Hall in 2010. Simon has also been International VP of Sales Operations for PepsiCola, based in the US and General Manager and VP of PepsiCola UK where he launched Pepsi Max, Pepsi Blue and development of the Pepsi Music activity. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]From cutting-edge business practice to personal leadership tips to marketing in a digital era, Simon brings the subjects to life and offers real detailed, practical insights. His combination of corporate and entrepreneurial experience is rare and valuable. Acknowledging that every organisation has its own rhythm, Simon shows how to make change happen, how to revolutionise culture and how to disrupt the markets.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Combined with the genuine knowledge and wealth of experience he has amassed, Simon is an impressive, down to earth and accessible speaker. He has the unique ability as a speaker to both inspire and educate an audience.
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Technology Analyst and Global Business Advisor

Sangeet Choudary is a widely renowned technology industry analyst, C-level advisor and former head of corporate innovation. He is founder and CEO of Platform Thinking Labs, is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at INSEAD Business School and an advisor at 500Startups, the leading start-ups accelerator in Silicon Valley. Sangeet has worked with executives, entrepreneurs and innovators in fields as healthcare, defense, civic planning, agriculture, entertainment, education and many more, using the lens of Platform Thinking to reframe and reimagine solutions.

“I believe that networked platforms will reconfigure society and business forever”

[expand title=”In detail”] Sangeet was head of innovation and new ventures for Intuit Asia-Pacific, a founding member of TxtWeb and was responsible for managing Yahoo’s largest M&A investment in South Asia. He is the co-chair of the MIT Platform Strategy Summit and industry advisor to the Global Platform Data Project at Stanford University, the first large-scale effort to quantify the business impact of platforms globally. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]In the age of Airbnb, Uber and Coursera, platforms are rapidly disrupting traditional industries. In a connected world, the platform approach is increasingly more important, and yet, poorly understood. In his presentations Sangeet advises decision makers from a wide range of businesses how networks transform every industry and social systems. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Passionate about technology and networks, Sangeet’s theoretical depth and storytelling is well received by audiences around the globe.[/expand]

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Innovation and Creativity Motivational Business Speaker

Chris Baréz–Brown is the founder of Upping your Elvis, a business whose sole focus is to release the genius of organisation by helping their people shine more brightly. Chris is determined to inject more humanity back into business which is why he founded Upping Your Elvis in 2009. He specialises in helping people reconnect with their inner genius and once again become confident in being who they truly are. Although that may seem rather hippy to some, his results produce tangible returns on investment for companies such as Unilever, Coca-Cola, Nike, Roche, Diageo and WPP, who come back time and again for his unique and energetic approach to transforming their people and their businesses.

“A renowned innovation and creativity guru”

[expand title=”In detail”] Chris started his career as a soldier, and then he proceeded to work with some of the world’s most successful brands. This led him to setting up ‘What If’s’ Capability Practice, helping the biggest and best companies become even better.
Much of Chris’s skill lies in generating the energy and instilling the confidence in delegates to go forward as creative champions.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Chris offers an injection of creative energy, helps businesses change by giving people the creativity, energy and flexibility to improve everything around them every day. Chris is a master at bringing out the creative spark in people to turn dust into something that matters. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Chris loves to shake things up with lots of interaction, energy and yet hard hitting messages that can easily be used. Human, simple, entertaining and yet provocative; a sure fire hit for any event. [/expand]

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