The Leading Speakers Bureau

Founder, Gaia Smart Cities, Urbanpreneur, Business Leader

Sumit Chowdhury is a global thought leader and CXO in the field of Smart Cities, Telecom, Information analytics and an Urban Design enthusiast. He is the Founder and CEO of Gaia Smart Cities. He is now focused on sustainable solutions for Smart Cities and Internet of Things.

“Sumit is passionate about developing the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

[expand title=”In detail”] Sumit D. Chowdhury is a multifaceted business and technical leader, having worked in leadership roles in Reliance Industries, IBM, Reliance ADAG, BearingPoint and KPMG in US, Australia and India. An M.S. and Ph.D. in Management from Carnegie Mellon and B.Tech from IIT Kanpur, he brings a wealth of practical experience from his personal life and career. Sumit was on the Board of Directors of TeleManagement Forum (TMF) and also the founder of Digital Bridge Foundation. He is an angel investor and mentor for several technology and services start-up companies in India. He also supports various philanthropic causes involving education and children.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Sumit’s global experience has provided depth and breadth of roles to manage people, processes, finances, projects, technology, relationships and governance.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A charming speaker Sumit speaks on developing management principles to lead and influence a networked work force, innovation, leadership and whole-brain thinking.[/expand]

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President, IndiGo Airlines

Aditya Ghosh heads the largest private airline in India, An inspiring leader, consistently growing his business in a challenging industry. Aditya focuses on the basics instead of the frills and has risen to become a business leader everyone wants to learn from.

“The high-flying lawyer”

[expand title=”In detail”] Aditya started out as a corporate law executive at JSA Lawyers and Solicitors, giving astute legal counsel over the years to organisations like InterGlobe, Glaxo Smithkline Beecham, PepsiCo and the World Bank. It was at its General Counsel that Aditya joined InterGlobe Enterprises, and rose meteorically to lead the expansion of the group into several new areas, including IndiGo Airlines. For the last five years, Aditya has been at the helm of the airlines.While passionate about his business, Aditya continues to be well regarded for his expertise on legal and policy issues. At a recent World Bank conference, he presented a paper on the Legal and Policy Framework of Private Sector Participation in Urban Infrastructure in India.

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[expand title=”What he offers you”]Aditya is uniquely placed to tell the incredible success story of the airline IndiGo. He deploys a winning mix of professional and personal skills.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A versatile and engaging speaker, Aditya has spoken at corporate events and conferences around the world.[/expand]

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Writer, Speaker & Reluctant Futurist

Richard Watson is a cutting-edge writer, speaker and thinker advising organisations on what the future holds, with a particular focus on strategic foresight and scenario planning. He is the publisher of the What’s Next report, an online magazine offering clear and concise commentary on trends in society, business, science & technology, government and the environment.

“The Reluctant Futurist”

[expand title=”In detail”] Richard is also co-founder of a specialist scenario-planning consultancy and has written for various publications worldwide including Fast Company, Retail Banking Review and Future Orientation. Richard has also authored a number of critically acclaimed books. In ‘Future Files: A History of the Next 50 Years’, he lays out what he believes will be the five most enduring drivers of change over the next decades: population ageing, the eastward shift of power, global connectivity, advances in technology and environmental change.Richard has been an expert blogger on Innovation for Fast Company magazine and has written for McKinsey & Company.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Richard has wide ranging experience in advising organisations on what the future holds and how to think more creatively about the future to achieve higher performance. He considers some of the drivers of change within the macro-environment and speculates about future risks and opportunities. His topics range from global trends, futures thinking, scenario planning and creativity & innovation.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Richard is a highly seasoned and popular speaker. His talks are always energetic, entertaining, thought-provoking and insightful. To date, Richard has given over 200 talks to organisations throughout the world.[/expand]

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Teen Prodigy of Pancreatic Cancer, American Inventor & Scientist

Jack Andraka is a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and Teen Prodigy of Pancreatic Cancer. Jack’s groundbreaking results have earned him international recognition, most notably a 2014 Jefferson Award, White House Champion of Change in Open Science, Time Magazines 30 under 30 and a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeeper.

“This kid is the Edison of our times.”
Dr. AnirbanMaitra,
John Hopkins University

[expand title=”In detail”] Jack’s journey began at age fifteen when, after losing a close family friend to pancreatic cancer, he invented an inexpensive early detection method for pancreatic, ovarian, and lung cancer that costs 3 cents and takes 5 minutes to run. Now studying electrical engineering and anthropology at Stanford, Andraka conducts research on nanorobots, inexpensive biosensors, disease diagnostics, and global health interventions while serving as faculty at the Stanford Anesthesiology Summer Institute. Outside of research, Jack has worked on combining anthropology, engineering, and big data to address pressing global health challenges, particularly in the monitoring of environmental contaminants and disease outbreaks.
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[expand title=”What he offers you”]Jack Andrakas peaks to audiences of youths and adults all across the globe about his personal story, research, and his ideas for STEM education reform and fostering innovation and creativity.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Jack Andraka is an enthusiastic speaker, full of energy and positivity;he inspires and motivates audiences around the globe offering an added-value experience to each event.[/expand]

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Social Psychologist

Adam Galinsky is a social psychologist known for his research on leadership, power, negotiations, decision-making, diversity, and ethics. He is Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Business and Chair of the Management Division at Columbia Business School.

“A renowned social psychologist and trained negotiator”

[expand title=”In detail”] Professor Galinsky’s research has received numerous national and international awards from the scientific community. In 2016, he was selected as Career Trajectory Award recipient from the Society of ExperimentalSocial Psychology; this award is given to one researcher each year for “uniquely creative and influential scholarly productivity at or near the peak of one’s scientific career.” Thinkers50 selected him as one of the Best Thinkers on Talent in 2015. Poets and Quants selected Professor Galinsky as one of the World’s 50 Best B-School Professors (2012). He has received teaching awards at the Kellogg School of Management and Princeton University. He has consulted with and conducted executive workshops for hundreds of clients across the globe, including Fortune 100 firms, non-profits, and local and national governments.

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[expand title=”What he offers you”]Adam Galinsky teaches people all over the world how to inspire others, speak up effectively, lead teams and negotiate successfully.In his presentations, he shares his expertise in power dynamics.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Preparing each presentation to ideally match the brief, Galinsky entertains and inspires audiences with his tailored, high-content speeches.[/expand]

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M.I.T. Professor, Researcher and Author

Yossi Sheffi is the Elisha Gray II Prof. of Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he serves as Director of the Center for Transportation & Logistics. He is an expert in systems optimization, risk analysis and supply chain management.

“Communication is key- resilient companies communicate obsessively”

[expand title=”In detail”] ProfessorSheffi is a faculty member of the MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, as well as the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.Under his leadership as the Director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, he has launched many new educational, research, and industry/government outreach programs, expanding the global reach of the centre.He is the author of dozens of scientific publications and three books. Outside the university, Professor Sheffi is an active entrepreneur, having founded five successful companies, and a sought-after speaker in corporate and professional events. He obtained his B.Sc. from the Technion in Israel, his S.M. from MIT and Ph.D. from MIT. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]ProfessorSheffi delves into the importance of leadership that is necessary for any business hardship, should it arise, with sound and logical planning. He explains the value of maintaining preparedness to have business and organisational behaviour factors run smoothly despite potential obstacles that may arise in the workplace and business world. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]ProfessorSheffi provides extensive knowledge in the field of business innovation; his keynotes are informational and captivating.[/expand]

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Europe’s No 1 Ethical Hacker

Jamie Woodruff is a Certified Ethical Hacker and Certified Penetration Testing Engineer.He is the Technical Director at Metrix Cloud LTD which is a cyber security consultancy built on years of behavioural research and projects combined with the latest cyber security insights.

“One of the world’s leading authorities on hacking and cyber security”

[expand title=”In detail”] Jamie entered the public eye when he hacked Facebook as part of a student competition at Bangor University where he was studying computer information systems. He has since uncovered security holes in numerous high-profile operations. Jamie started his hacking career at nine years old, after being kicked out of school and college and almost deciding university wasn’t for him. He ended up at a hackathon where a company called IT Security Experts saw his potential and gave him the opportunity to sit his certifications and exams to become an ethical hacker. He specialises in social engineeringand he has recently joined the advisory team of Cybersmile as a Cyber-Safety advisor and will be helping to develop learning tools and educational resources.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Jamie speaks about the importance of system and network security and is extremely well known for disclosing world-wide exploits and vulnerabilities within leading security applications (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Apple, Google).[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Jamie is a fantastic, interactive speaker, involving the audience to understand how we can be manipulated, and how we can guard against it.
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Senior Media Sector Leader (ITV, MTV)& Stand Up Comedian

Caroline Beaton has led a hugely successful, not to mention gloriously unorthodox, double-life as both business leader and stand-up comedian. By day heading up a multi-million dollar global business and by night taking her intelligent and subversive material to UK comedy venues and further afield.

“Exciting and hilarious talent – she’s got it” Time Out

[expand title=”In detail”] Cally spent over 25 years working in high profile roles in the international Media. She has operated at senior management level in media companies including ITV, MTV and Comedy Central and most recently as Senior Vice President, Viacom International Media Networks. She has held consultancy roles advising on change and business growth helping release potential and equipping employees with decision-making as well as creative tools. She is a BAFTA voting member and holds a seat on the Development Board of MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation. Her debut solo show, Super Cally Fragile Lipstick, was a sell-out hit at Edinburgh, receiving 4**** reviews.[/expand]

[expand title=”What she offers you”]A naturally gifted speaker with rare insight combined with a distinctive voice and comedy bones. Cally is an experienced comedian, MC and after-dinner speaker in the corporate, education and charity sectors. [/expand]

[expand title=”How she presents”]Cally is a natural storyteller full of intelligent, distinctive and punch line-rich material.Cally relishes engaging with live audiences and turning gender stereotypes on their head.[/expand]

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Traveller, Adventurer & Film Producer

Rexa Pakravan is a British-Iranian filmmaker who transformed himself from a City worker on a six-figure salary to a global explorer-adventurer (winning a Guinness World Record in the process). He explores the fundamentals of the adventuring mind-set and how taking managed risks can enhance your working life and personal growth.

“Listed amongst the top 20 world most seasoned travellers by Men’s Fitness magazine”

[expand title=”In detail”] Reza Pakravan is an explorer, filmmaker and author. His documentaries and books combine epic journeys with social and environmental issues, and they have taken him to some of the most beautiful, dangerous and remote regions of the world. His TV series have been broadcast in 14 countries worldwide. Originally from Iran, his City financier’s thirst for living life on the edge has earned Reza the Guinness World Record for crossing the Sahara Desert by bicycle. His most recent TV series, TRANSAMAZONICA, saw Reza travel the length of the Amazon rainforest, highlighting the environmental destruction so prevalent in the area, and how it has affected the lives of the indigenous people and uncontacted tribes who call it home. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Reza focuses on the true value and unforeseen opportunities that often come from taking risks and adopting the attitude of an adventurer-entrepreneur. He also talks about the fundamentals of thinking and behaving that enabled him to overcome self-doubt, adversity and conflict by making quick and confident decisions, and following through on his plans.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Reza’s inspiring human story focuses on the true value and the unforeseen opportunities that often come from, taking risks. He is an engaging and inspiring speaker who is popular at events worldwide.[/expand]

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Chief Technical Officer (CTO) and co-founder of Tesla Motors

JB Straubel is the Chief Technical Officer and Co-founder of Tesla, Inc., “the #1 Most Innovative Company in the World,” according to Forbes. In addition to his work at Tesla, JB has also served on the Board of Directors for Solar City, the leading US residential solar company, since their founding.

“The best speaker on industrial innovation”

[expand title=”In detail”] At Tesla, JB manages the technical direction and engineering design of the Tesla products including battery technology, power electronics, motors, software, firmware and controls.In 2017, he also co-founded Redwood Materials, a circular economy start-up focusing on advanced technology and process development for materials recycling, remanufacturing, and reuse.In 2008 the MIT Technology Review chose JB as “#1 Innovator of 35 under 35 for the year”. In 2009 DesignNews named him “Engineer of the Year” and in 2015 he was listed as #2 on Fortune’s 40 under 40 most influential business and innovation leaders. JB is an inventor on over 30 patents covering most areas of Tesla’s core battery, motor and controls systems.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]JB Straubel is a popular keynote speaker who can deliver illuminating, thought provoking talks on the future of the automotive sector and of energy generation. He has a unique perspective on hybrid and electric vehicles technologies, having been involved in the company that has done more than any other. He can also provide an in-depth case for the need to move to lower carbon energy generation. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]In his conferences, JB shares his passion for electric vehicles in an educational andinformal way. He tailors each presentation to the needs of his audience. [/expand]

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