Speakers

31/10/2007 - Guy Browning, Innovation and Creativity – at the Heart of Competitive Success

Guy Browning is one of Britain’s top humorous writers. His long standing How To column in The Guardian applies advanced business techniques to everyday life and shows that they don’t work there either. He is a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4 and writes ‘Weak at the Top’ starring Alexander Armstrong.

Guy combines the two elements essential for a great business communicator; a firm grasp of commercial issues and an industrial-strength sense of humour. He set up his own company Smokehouse in 1997, a small agency specialising in idea generation. He is also author of a selection of humour and business books including: 

• Double Your Salary, Bonk Your Boss, Go Home Early
• Weak at the Top; the Uncensored Diary of the Last Cavemanager
• Innervation: Redesigning yourself for a Smarter Future

19/09/2007 - Rob Brown, How to be a Professional Networker

One of the UK’s leading speakers on Business Relationships, Rob Brown is the author of ‘How To Build Your Reputation’. He founded the TRIP System® that helps business professionals Turn Relationships Into Profits. He says that all business is personal. Even the biggest deals, orders, projects, funds, sales and contracts come down to two or more people making a connection. If your ‘profit’ is more influence, respect, clients, support, challenge, reputation or excitement, you must go through other people to get it. Rob’s dynamic presentations, deep content and energetic style will both motivate and equip you to do exactly that!

25/07/2007 - Bob Ferguson, Speak Out for Better Business

Bob Ferguson is a Hertfordshire based Verbal Communication Coach. In 2002 he was the Toastmasters International, UK and Ireland International Speech Champion, taking a well-earned place at the San Antonio World Public Speaking Championships. He combines his 30 years of business and engineering experience with 15 years of public speaking, to help professionals become better communicators and improve their value to their business.

15/11/2006 - Andrew Merritt-Morling, The Six Pillars Philosophy

Andrew is a business angel and runs a highly successful management consultancy practice. In the last three years it has helped clients achieve year on year net profit growth of on average 34.9% compounded. Underpinning this success is the Six Pillars Philosophy, established by Andrew through setting up and growing, or turning around already established businesses, over a period of 22 years, and through his experience of serving four successive Secretaries of State for Trade and Industry at the DTI.

04/10/2006 - Candace Johnson, How Entrepreneurs Can Change the World

Candace Johnson Candace Johnson is an international telecommunications expert and entrepreneur, and was voted one of the 50 most powerful businesswomen in Europe today by Time and Fortune. She is co-initiator of the Astra satellite system and SES Global, the largest satellite system in the world. She is also founding President of Europe Online, the world's first and largest Internet via Satellite network, and founder of Loral Cyberstar-Teleport Europe, Europe's first independent private trans-border satellite communications network. Candace has been honoured for her contributions to advances in telecommunications across Europe and America.

14/09/2006 - Doug Richard, Tales from the Dragons’ Den

Doug Richard is one of the stars of BBC2’s TV show Dragons' Den. Renowned for his razor-sharp business acumen and acerbic style, Doug is also amiable and good-humoured, and will be happy to share his considerable experience with us. He recently won one of The Queen's Awards for Enterprise - the Lifetime Achievement Award - which recognise individuals who have played an outstanding and significant role in promoting the growth of enterprise and/or entrepreneurial skills and attitudes in others. Doug is the founder and Chairman of Library House, and Founder and Vice-Chairman of the Cambridge Angels. Doug is a successful entrepreneur with 20 years' experience in the development and leadership of technology and software ventures, both in the US and in the UK. Between 1996 and 2000 he was President and CEO of Micrografx, a US publicly quoted Software Company which he sold to Corel Corp. in 2000. Prior to that he also founded and subsequently sold two other companies: Visual Software and ITAL Computers. Doug holds a BA in Psychology from University of California at Berkeley and a Juris Doctor at the school of Law, University of California at Los Angeles.

19/07/2006 - Grant Leboff, Why Selling Doesn’t Work Anymore

Frustrated at the way the traditional methods of selling are being taught and conducted within the workplace Grant Leboff formalised his own highly successful sales philosophy and in 2002 copyrighted Sales Therapy® a new sales methodology for the 21st Century. Grant’s unique approach challenges the traditional wisdom. He says • Never give a sales presentation • Open and Closed Questions-the model is wrong • Never sell the Benefits • Don’t handle objections • Never try to close a deal This talk will give people an understanding of the way business has changed and why the traditional techniques for making sales are no longer relevant. We will explore how to make sales in today’s business environment. We will examine the approach to take and how to get clarity into the messages you convey, in order to be as effective as possible. We will see how the approach changes the entire relationship you have with your customer and look at techniques which enhance this relationship and make an impact.

21/06/2006 - Charles Hampden-Turner, Dealing with Dilemmas in Business

Dr. Charles Hampden-Turner is one of the most famous names in the world of study and analysis of Culture in Business. His books are classics. In this talk, drawing on his extensive international experience of working with companies large and small, Charles will remind us all that life may be seen, especially business life, as a sequence of Dilemmas. Every day we have choices and have to make judgements when there is often no factual base on which to do so, and no right or wrong - at least no perceived right or wrong at the time we confront the challenge. Charles will explore with us real life Business Dilemmas he has encountered and share his experience of ways some business people have managed to handle and deal with Dilemmas more successfully. He will also speak about the role of innovation, creativity and artistry in business. He will raise questions such as 'How destructive is innovation?' and 'Is there a Creative Class arising?', and he will consider why larger firms can often not 'change gear'.

06/12/2005 - David Hall, Releasing and Managing Creativity within the Business Setting

HFL Ltd is the UK's pre-eminent sports drug surveillance and pharmaceutical contract research organisation. David joined HFL Ltd in 2001 as Chief Executive. Graduating as a scientist, he worked for a range of instrument companies, holding senior scientific management positions at Cambridge Instruments Ltd and Vacuum Generators Ltd. David moved on to hold management positions in a number of manufacturing companies, including Manufacturing Director of ICS plc and Managing Director of Keltek Ltd. David founded the Thames Gateway Technology Centre in London and joined HFL to expand its commercial activities. Today it is recognised as one of the top companies to work for after its staff voted it into the Sunday Times 2005 100 Best SMEs to Work For.