The Leading Speakers Bureau

Doctor & Scientific Explorer

Alexander Kumar is a British born part Indian medical doctor who has lived, worked and travelled through over 80 countries on all 7 continents and is an experienced expedition medic to remote areas of the world. Fascinated by life in the Polar Regions from a young age, he followed his heart to the Canadian Arctic, where he completed his dissertation conducting the first piece of research on HIV among Inuit. Later, Alex travelled to Antarctica and spent around one year living at Concordia, a joint French-Italian inland Antarctic research station as the Human Spaceflight Research MD to conduct research for the European Space Agency in an attempt to understand how far human physiology and psychology can be pushed towards a future manned mission to Mars.

“Realising knowledge and a sense humour weigh nothing; Alex travels light, armed only with a stethoscope and curiosity for life”

[expand title=”In detail”] He graduated with a Medical Degree from Guy’s, King’s & St. Thomas’ in London, following numerous medical placements including in India, Israel, Shetland, the Amazon and Arctic. He also holds a first class honours degree in International Health. Drawing attention to Global Health inequality, Alex helps raise awareness about issues, including indigenous population health. Aside to his extensive polar experience, after training in anaesthetics in Oxford, he is specialising in severe and fatal tropical infectious diseases. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]He delivers serious and humorous educational, inspirational, scientific and medical presentations sharing his unique first hand personal experience and anecdotes from his extensive travels in extreme environments, observing and treating human psychology and physiology at their very limits.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]You won’t find another doctor like him, with captivating, high-energy style and power-packed presentations Alexander has built his reputation as a speaker who really delivers.[/expand]

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Swiss Pilot, Inventor & Aviation Enthusiast, nicknamed Jet Man & Fusion Man

Yves Rossy realized Icarus’ dream by designing a special jet powered wing to enable him to fly like a bird. The Swiss inventor, whose lifetime passion is flying, has created and developed wings which allow him to actually fly, successfully flying across the English Channel in 2008 in under 10 mins., reaching a speed of 125 mph during the crossing. In May 2011 he made a successful flight over the Grand Canyon in a custom-made, winged jet pack.

“The first jet-powered flying man in the history of aviation”

[expand title=”In detail”] After seven years of designing, building and testing his wings, Yves Rossy achieved sustained solo flight in 2004. With his latest design he can fly at over 200km/hr at great height. During the flight, Yves’s body becomes like a bird and unlike an aeroplane Yves does not ride his wings, but truly flies them, using various light body movements that he has learned to handle with perfection. He has served as a fighter pilot in the Swiss Air Force, flying Dassault Mirage IIIs, Northrop F-5 Tiger IIs and Hawker Hunters. He also flew Boeing 747s for Swissair and now pilots an Airbus A320 for Swiss International Air Lines. Later in 2008 he made a flight over the Alps reaching a top speed of 189mph[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]With boundless energy Yves Rossy inspires audiences towards achieving their individual and business goals by applying the lessons he learned on his way to becoming “Jet Man”, the first person to achieve sustained human flight using a jet-powered fixed wing strapped to his back. In his presentations he talks about his unique journey and how with a “can-do” attitude anything can be achieved.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Backing up his presentations with dramatic footage from his aerial exploits, Yves leaves audiences spell bound and awe-inspired as he tells the story of his dream to one day fly like a bird.[/expand]

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Author of Freakonomics

Steve Levitt is a much-heralded young scholar, who studies the riddles of everyday life – from cheating and crime to sports and child-rearing. His conclusions regularly turn conventional wisdom on its head. He is the author of the best-seller, ‘Freakonomics’, and appears regularly on television and in the media talking about his economic theories and revolutionary ideas.

“The most influential economist in America under the age of 40”

[expand title=”In detail”] Steve is a 37-year old self-effacing Midwestern father of four who has an enormous curiosity and is set on course by personal experiences and the incongruities he sees in everyday life. He is an intuitionist. He sifts through a pile of data to find a story that no one else has found and devises ways to measure an effect that veteran economists have declared immeasurable. He has shown other economists just how well their tools can make sense of the real world. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]In his presentations he sets out to explore the hidden side of…well, everything – the inner-workings of a crack gang, the truth about real-estate agents, the myths of campaign finance, the tell-tale marks of a cheating schoolteacher, the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan and much more.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Engaging, witty and unconventional, Steve is a truly inspirational speaker and always leaves audiences charged and invigorated.[/expand]

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Leadership Expert and Author

Simon Sinek is described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect”. The author is best known for discovering and popularising his theory of the “Golden Circle,” a naturally occurring pattern grounded in the biology of human decision making and motivation. He leads the movement to inspire people to do the things that inspire them. He writes, consults and speaks all over the world about the power of Why – the purpose that drives every one of us.

“I try to find, celebrate and teach leaders how to build platforms that will inspire others”

[expand title=”In detail”] A trained ethnographer, Simon has a curiosity for why people and organisations do the things they do. Fascinated by the leaders and companies that make the greatest impact in the world, he has discovered some remarkable patterns of how they think, act and communicate. Simon is a member of the RAND Corporation; one of the most highly regarded Think Tanks in the world and teaches Strategic Communication at Columbia University. He frequently writes for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek amongst others. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]In his presentations Simon shares his unconventional and innovative views on business and leadership. He shares the remarkable patterns of some unique leaders with his audiences in order to inspire positive and effective actions in organisations. His thoughts have attracted international attention and have earned him invitations to meet with business leaders and organisations around the globe. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]His real-live stories and out of the box thinking make Simon Sinek a highly sought after speaker at conferences worldwide. [/expand]

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Leading Authority on Behavioural Finance

Prof. Shlomo Benartzi is a leading authority on behavioural finance with a special interest in personal finance and participant behavior in defined contribution plans. He is currently co-chair of the Behavioral Decision-Making Group at UCLA Anderson and is also co-founder of the Behavioral Finance Forum, which is a collective of 40 prominent academics and 40 major financial institutions from around the globe.

Jointly recognized by Money as one of 2004’s “Class Acts” for SMarT’s success

[expand title=”In detail”] Shlomo Benartzi received his Ph.D. from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management. Perhaps his most significant research contribution is the development of Save More Tomorrow™ (SMarT), a behavioural prescription designed to help employees increase their savings rates gradually over time. He has supplemented his academic research with practical experience, serving on the advisory boards of the Alaska State Pension, Fuller and Thaler Asset Management, Guggenheim Partners, Morningstar and the U.S. Department of Labor.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Voted the 4th most influential person in the industry by the 401kWire, Shlomo Benartzi’s high content presentations are ideal for plan sponsors, financial planners, broker dealers, high-net-worth clients, among others curious to learn more about the practical applications of behavioural finance. He applies research findings to actual consumer situations to show how better designed products can lead to satisfied customers and higher profits.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Shlomo Benartzi’s presentations are dynamic, entertaining and most importantly, provide real takeaways that will change the way you think. He has the unique talent of taking complicated research findings and turning them into a lively, thought-provoking discussion of investor behaviour.[/expand]

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Best-selling Author, Entrepreneur and Agent of Change

Seth Godin is a best-selling author, entrepreneur and agent of change. He is the author of eight books that have been bestsellers around the world and changed the way people think about marketing, change and work. He has been featured extensively in Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com, Wired, and Advertising Age and appears regularly on television across the globe.

“The Ultimate Entrepreneur for the Information Age” Business Week

[expand title=”In detail”] Seth was founder and CEO of Yoyodyne, the industry’s leading interactive direct marketing company, which Yahoo! acquired in late 1998. Seth was recently chosen as one of 21 Speakers for the Next Century by Successful Meetings and is consistently rated among the very best speakers by the audiences he addresses.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]In his enlightening presentations Seth focuses on the creative thinking necessary for a business to create “a purple cow” – an offering that stands out from the crowd and causes customers to take notice. He was ranked in the Thinkers 50 2007, the global ranking business thinkers.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Using extremely successful real-world examples from companies such as the United States Postal Service and Otis Elevator Company, he skilfully reveals the benefits of using creative, remarkable thinking to transform business ideas and practices.
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TV Personality and Leadership Facilitator

After three decades working on stage, TV and radio, Ruby Wax has changed direction. Having completed an MSc in Psychotherapy, Ruby now provides workshops to corporate leaders enabling them to come to a deeper and more direct level of communication with their clients and colleagues. The workshops combine humour with scientific and theoretical learning and practical exercises. Participants leave with a set of tools to help create a climate of positivity, creating more effective teams of people, directly impacting their organisation.

“Often provocative & sometimes controversial Ruby has become one of the most recognised TV personalities”

[expand title=”In detail”] After arriving in Britain in 1977 and training as an actress, Ruby began her career acting with the Royal Shakespeare Company before developing her own brand of highly amusing “attitude TV”. In addition to performing and presenting Ruby has contributed, written and edited numerous scripts for TV shows such as French and Saunders, Happy Families and Absolutely Fabulous. With her outrageous show, Ruby Wax Meets, she has broken all the rules and conventions and created some of TV’s most memorable moments.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]Ruby is upfront, sassy and with a reputation for posing questions no one else would think to ask. Having performed stand-up comedy and toured extensively, her TV shows get under the skin of celebrity and seek out the wackier side of life. She is in demand, not only for dinner speaking and entertainment, but also moderating conferences, where a sharp brain, wittiness and humour is of essence.[/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Ruby is amusing, engaging and open. Her brash style has been described as refreshing, charming, endearing and very funny.[/expand]

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Author of ‘When China Rules the World’, Senior Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics IDEAS

Martin Jacques is a writer, columnist, broadcaster and visiting senior fellow at the London School of Economics, IDEAS, a centre for the study of international affairs, diplomacy and grand strategy, and a visiting research fellow at the LSE’s Asia Research Centre. He is a columnist for the Guardian and the New Statesman.

“Culture is the key for understanding China” Martin Jacques


[expand title=”In detail”] Martin Jacques was editor of the highly respected journal Marxism Today from 1977 until its closure in 1991. He was founder of the UK think-tank Demos, has been a columnist for The Times and the Sunday Times and was deputy editor of the Independent. He has made many television programmes for the BBC including writing and presenting Italy on Trial (1993), The Incredible Shrinking Politicians (1993), a two-part series on The End of the Western World (1996) and Proud to be Chinese (1998). He was co-presenter of the Knowledge on Channel Four. He has recently been a visiting professor at Remnin University, Beijing, the International Centre for Chinese Studies, Aichi University and at Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, and was a senior visiting Research Fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore.
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[expand title=”What he offers you”]Having written extensively for many newspapers and magazines in the UK and elsewhere (he has also been a regular contributor on BBC Newsnight, Channel Four News, Week in Politics, Westminster Programme, Any Questions, Today Programme, The World Tonight et al) and having travelled extensively in East Asia over the past fifteen years, Martin Jacques is a leading authority on Asian who offers deeply considered, influential political commentary on numerous Asian and global issues. His presentations are full of historical understanding and realism and are about more than China.
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[expand title=”How he presents”]The author of one of the best and most serious studies of China, Martin Jacques’ highly sought after presentations open our eyes to matters in Asia, from a unique and studied viewpoint.[/expand]

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Virtual Magician and Techno Illusionist

Adventurer, Scientist, Showman, Dreamer and Hero… there is no one quite like Virtual Magician and High Tech Poet, Marco Tempest. His imaginative combination of computer-generated imagery, video, music and stagecraft with his unique vision of future life is creatively unique and unequalled within the performing arts. For years, Marco’s masterful blend of digital media and magic has enabled audiences to glimpse the future before technology gets there.

“Always out there exploring new frontiers, one step ahead of the rest of us”

[expand title=”In detail”] Marco began performing when he was very young. At the age of 22 he had captured the prestigious New York World Cup of Magic, launching him into international prominence and following that he has been featured in his own theatrical shows and as part of numerous television specials around the world. Marco’s’ award winning TV series The Virtual Magician is currently airing in more than 48 countries. His talent has been recognised with a number of prestigious international awards. He is the winner of the 2009 World Magic Award for Best Contemporary Magic and he has been invited as a visionary presenter to the Seoul Digital Forum and the TEDxTokyo conference.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]No one else combines the incredible technical savvy with the showmanship, the physical skills and the charisma of Marco Tempest. In the business world, leaders from all industries have found Marco’s work to be the perfect way to present their newest products and innovations. His work is also constantly changing: as new technologies envolve, he finds captivating ways of turning those advances into compelling illusions. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Marco Tempest seems to have an uncanny sense of what would be just right for a given situation. Always working to stay just a bit ahead of the curve himself, he has a particularly winning way of taking his audiences with him on his magical excursions into the land of tomorrow. It is always wise to expect the unexpected.[/expand]

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Online Pioneer and Veteran Philanthropist

Larry Brilliant is executive director of google.org, an online pioneer and a veteran philanthropist. A self-described social change “addict”, Larry recently won the prestigious TEDPrize. Board-certified in preventive medicine and public health, he helped lead the successful WHO smallpox-eradication program and later founded the Seva Foundation, an international health non-profit that’s restored sight to more than two million blind people. Larry spends most of his time travelling to remote areas of the globe to evaluate current Google.org initiatives and identify potential opportunities and partnerships.

“If Larry Brilliant’s life were a film, critics would pan the plot as implausible.” WIRED

[expand title=”In detail”] Trained as a doctor, Larry lived in India for 10 years — first at a Himalayan monastery, and later as a diplomat working for the UN. Time and Wired magazines called Larry a “technology visionary.” He received an honorary Doctor of Science from Knox College and has been awarded numerous other honours including “International Public Health Hero” from University of California.
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[expand title=”What he offers you”]Dr. Brilliant has spent his career solving the ills of today and building technologies of the future. In his presentations, he delivers multiple perspectives: those of a physician, a former CEO, a technologist, and now as executive director of Google.org, he’s redefining how we solve the world’s biggest problems.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Energy and dynamism combine effortlessly with his compelling messages. His audiences are left both challenged and enthused.[/expand]

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