Key Speakers
We are delighted to present an outstanding line up of key speakers and panellists. Each of our speakers will approach the main theme FORESIGHT from their personal perspective and will lead us through the core sessions with their thought provoking beliefs and ideas.
This year we will introduce two different formats, three key note presentations and two key note interviews on different aspects of Foresight from an individual, a societal and business perspective. We hope you will enjoy listening to such unique panel of experts.
Charles Leadbeater is one the world’s leading authorities on innovation and creativity in organizations. He has advised companies, cities and governments around the world on innovation strategy and is reportedly Tony Blair's favourite corporate thinker. Commenting on his first book, The Weightless Society, Tony Blair said: “Charles Leadbeater is an extraordinarily interesting thinker. His book asks critical questions. I know it will be widely read and debated.” Charles’s speech will set the scene of FORESIGHT.
Sahar Hashemi is co-founder of Coffee Republic, now one of the UK’s most recognised high street brands with a turnover of £30m. Sahar was named one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Britain 2003 by the Daily Mail. She has made the cover of Management Today, Director and Business 550 magazines. Her media appearances include CNN Business Breakfast, BBC2, Radio 4, LBC, Radio 5 and BBC London amongst many others. Through her story, Sahar will reveal an outstanding example of entrepreneurial spirit.
Hugh Aldersey-Williams, Design journalist and science writer interviews Rita Clifton, Interbrand, UK, Julia Hailes MBE, UK and David Bickerton, BP, UK on The future of brands and environmental sustainability
Hugh Aldersey-Williams is a journalist with wide-ranging interests in design and science. He was design critic of the New Statesman, and contributing editor to International Design and Graphis magazines.
He was the curator of the successful exhibitions 'Touch Me: design and sensation' (2005) and 'Zoomorphic: new animal architecture' (2003) at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
His books include World Design (1992), an examination of the conflicting forces of nationalism and globalization in design, and Findings (2005), which revealed the hidden human stories behind the greatest scientific discoveries of the 20th century. He is presently working for Penguin on a feelgood book about the global disasters we face.
Rita Clifton is Chairman of Interbrand.
Rita began her career in advertising, and worked at Saatchi & Saatchi for 12 years, becoming Vice Chairman and Executive Planning Director in 1995.
In 1997 she joined Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy, as Chief Executive in London; in January 2002 she became Chairman. She is in demand as a speaker and media commentator on all areas of brands, reputation, marketing and communications around the world. Her writing has included the book ‘The Future of Brands’, and The Economist book ‘Brands and Branding’.
She is a non-executive director of DSG International plc (formerly Dixons Store Group plc), and Emap plc. She also chairs Populus, the opinion pollster to The Times.
Julia Hailes MBE is a leading opinion former, consultant and speaker on social, environmental and ethical issues. She has worked with a number of blue chip companies including British Airways, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Marks & Spencer. She has written eight books, including the Green Consumer Guide, which sold over 1 million copies worldwide. She is currently writing ‘The New Green Consumer Guide’, which will be published by Simon & Schuster in Spring 2007. Julia co-founded SustainAbility Ltd - the leading environmental consultancy and think tank - with John Elkington. And in 1989 she was elected to the UN ‘Global 500 Roll of Honour’ for her ‘outstanding environmental achievements’.
David Bickerton is the General Manager of the Brand and Group Communications team at BP plc, with responsibility for global brand and advertising activity. Since 2002 he has led the development of BP’s annual report and the re-invention of the non-financial reporting into an integrated sustainability reporting programme. He has also been managing the BP Global Internet Platform which involves the consolidation of BP’s diverse business, brand and country websites onto a single, managed technology platform.
Prior to joining BP David spent 18 years in consulting working in advertising, marketing and corporate communications. David completed his Ph.D in corporate reputation and branding in 2004.
Gary Carter and Marco Bevolo will perform together in what will be a very entertaining session.
Gary trained and worked as an actor before moving to London where he represented writers, producers and directors and independent production companies. After, he ran Planet 24’s Los Angeles office and all the company's oversees business, including the roll-out of Survivor! Gary joined Endemol International in 1997 as Executive Director of Programme Affairs, overseeing the roll-out of Big Brother and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He is currently President of Creative Networks & Chief Creative Officer of FMX Fremantle Media.
Marco is Design Director for Philips Design and responsible for the Cultural Trend Research Programme. He was instrumental in the creation of CultureScan, an ongoing trend forecasting research project investigating cultures, aesthetics and design at regional and global level. Marco’s work has been published in the Italian books “The Art of Advertising” and 'Nuova Enciclopedia della Comunicazione', the renowned Japanese design magazine 'Axis' and the Design Management Review of Boston.
Ian Pearson is BT’s Futurologist. He joined BT Laboratories in 1985 as a performance analyst, and has since worked in network design and evolution, cybernetics, and mobile systems. He now concentrates on mapping the progress of new developments throughout information technology, considering both technological and social implications. As BT’s futurologist and a principal consultant, he lectures extensively on his futures views. In between conferences, current projects include machine consciousness, social trends and advanced computing technology. He has received many awards for his papers, written several books and has made well over 300 TV and radio appearances.
He is a fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science, the Royal Society of Arts and the Institute of Nanotechnology. In 2001 Ian gave a keynote presentation at the ESOMAR Congress in Rome. We will hear Ian’s vision of the future five years later.