|
A melting pot of international cultures; a think tank for European decision and policy makers; the headquarters of some of the largest multinational corporations and political organisations in the world; the producer of finest beers, chocolates, laces, and waffles in the world; a kingdom of international arts, fashion and cuisine; Brussels is everything you need to be the host city of EPTDA’s 10 year anniversary.
EPTDA’s 2008 Annual Convention will take place at the breathtaking Dolce La Hulpe Hotel, which is situated in serene natural surroundings of La Hulpe area, one of the most preserved forests in Europe. This location was selected to further demonstrate PTDA’s growing focus on the green policy and socially responsible working ethics.
Creating value together
The 2008 Annual Convention theme " Creating Value Together " perfectly fits our 10 year anniversary celebrations as we look forward to another decade of building entrusting partnerships. This year’s theme will prompt us to think out of the box to find new ways of strengthening relationships by creating value for our customers, suppliers, employees, and other stakeholders. 2008 is all about harmony, working together and sharing best practises - it’s all about removing roadblocks to success - mutual success.
Meet the speakers
Every year, EPTDA strives to bring at its Annual Conventions a carefully selected combo of speakers, who are specialists in their own field and can shake up the delegates to think and act in new ways for effective professional and personal development. EPTDA’s Education & Convention Programme Committee and the EPTDA Bureau have once again tossed a thousand ideas and proposals to put together a sensational programme that is bound to tickle your mind and soul.
KEYNOTE-SESSION -
"CREATING VALUE TOGETHER" BY SIMON WOODROFFE
This year, EPTDA proudly and enthusiastically welcomes one of the most celebrated names in entertainment and one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the world, to be the keynote speaker - Mr. Simon Woodroffe.
Simon Woodroffe has been an icon in the entertainment business for the last 30 years. His name has been synonymous with creativity and innovation ever since the young age of 16 when he entered show business. His most recent gift to the contemporary world is the YO! Family, his exclusive palette of lifestyle brands that include restaurants, hotels, business education and currently in development spas and homes - concepts that are making headlines all over the world for their uniqueness and total consumer experience.
Before the YO! era began, Simon’s production companies, based in London & LA designed stages for legendary artists like Rod Stewart, The Moody Blues and Stevie Wonder; and organised high profile events like Live Aid, Nelson Mandela concerts (rights for TV broadcast), Amnesty International and Prince’s Trust concerts.
The YO! Brands are increasingly gaining popularity in all parts of the world after the initial success with YO! Sushi in England and all eyes are set on Simon’s international development plans for Europe and the United States. Simon’s current projects include YOTEL, the world’s most radical hotel, YO! Zone, a spa concept inspired by Japanese spa & wellness culture) and YO! Home, looking at homes of the future.
Simon has received numerous awards and accolades including the Best Restaurateur, Best Design & Art Direction, Entrepreneur of the Year, Best Website for Hospitality Solutions, and the list continues. In recognition for his contribution to hospitality, Simon was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2006. The Book of YO! , published by Capstone in October 2000 became WH Smith Travel’s best selling business book in the same month and it success has warranted a second edition.
Simon is one of the most sought after names in the list of influential leaders and speakers. His topics of expertise include: *Fostering Entrepreneurial Culture Within Organisations*, *Team Building*, *Internet and Technology*, *Brands*, *Leisure and Entertainment* and *The Spiritual & Business Revolution*.
A chance lunch in 1995 with one of Simon’s business contacts was to give him the directions that literally change his life. "You should open a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant," his friend said. Woodroffe admits he had "never heard those four words used in a row before," but he felt he was on to a great idea but the one big problem when it came to launching conveyor-belt sushi in the UK. He had never worked in the restaurant trade. Simon says: "There was a voice in my head saying: ‘you know nothing about this business’. I found out there were 2,500 of these sushi restaurants in Japan. So then I thought, ‘surely if it’s such a good idea someone who knows about restaurants would have done it years ago?" Simon resisted the "voices" and the result was YO! Sushi and the beginning of a Yo! Brand which has encompassed - or will soon include - hotels, homes and even luxury spas. In his keynote presentation on "Creating Value Together," Simon will describe his role as a trend setter and business inventor. He’ll talk about the importance of spending your time doing what you’re good at and show how this creates value and lets you take your business forward. For Simon, "Creating Value Together" means standing head and shoulders above the crowd by creating outrageousness in every sense. This presentation then leads seamlessly into the following seminars on The Value of Branding and Common Growth.
"Value of branding - How valuable brands are" by Rita Clifton
EPTDA is also welcoming the trend setter Rita Clifton this year for a unique and insightful session on Value of Branding/ How valuable brands are.
International branding expert and business leader Rita Clifton, a graduate of Cambridge University, is one of the most celebrated names in branding. She joined Saatchi & Saatchi's advertising
team in 1986 and has worked with high profile clients like British Airways, Procter & Gamble, 3i, Campbell's Foods, Visa International, PowerGen, Schweppes and BT.
In 1997, she was invited to join Interbrand, the world's leading brand consultancy and pioneer of Brand Valuation, as CEO in London. In January 2002, she became Chairman.
Rita also features regularly on a wide variety of TV and radio programmes on business, brand, marketing and communication issues, including CNN and the BBC around the world. She has been a columnist for The Observer, Marketing Week and Retail Week and a reviewer for Management Today and the Financial Times. Her writing has included Interbrand's book 'The Future of Brands', the APG'S 'How to Plan Advertising' and most recently The Economist book 'Brands and Branding'. She is a non-executive director of two FTSE companies, and is Chairman of Populus, the opinion pollster to The
Times.
She has been very active in the environment and social issues and has been a member of the Government's Sustainable Development Commission, as well as being a trustee of WWF. She has been voted one of the 75 Women of Achievement in the fields of advertising, media and marketing over the past 75 years, and has been named in the 'Power 100' list by Marketing magazine. Last year, she was nominated for the Credit Suisse 'Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year' award.
Value of branding - How valuable brands are.
Rita Clifton will be talking about how valuable brands really are to companies, and in hard financial terms - and how this is true for businesses of all types, shapes and sizes, for a product, service, retail or corporate business. She will be using insights from the world's most valuable brands to demonstrate how to ensure that your brand is as strong as it could be - and examples of where companies are getting it right and wrong. Rita will also be considering what it will take to be a successful brand in the future.
"Common growth - how to build value through mutual participation and collaboration" by Dr. Isaac Getz
The impressive list of speakers goes on, as EPTDA invites Dr. Isaac Getz, a highly acclaimed professor and thought provoker.
Dr. Getz is Professor of Idea, Involvement and Innovation Management at the ESCP- EAP European School of Management (Paris), ranked N°6 in Europe by Financial Times and was Visiting Professor at Cornell and
Stanford Universities and at the University of Massachusetts. He graduated in Computer Science, and then obtained a M.Sc. in Management Science, and PhDs in Psychology and in
Management. Before becoming a professor, he worked for several years in the area of Information Systems.
He has conducted and published research on diverse topics related to growth, ideas, knowledge, innovation, corporate excellence and vision. In 2000, the leading French business review l'Expansion named him among the best 8 professors of Management in Europe.Dr. Getz is an active speaker on the topics of growth strategy, innovation management, idea and knowledge economy, and corporate strategy and change and has given keynote speeches and seminars for many international organizations (e.g., The Lisbon Council; Aspen Institute) and over 100 companies world-wide.
His last book, co-authored with Alan Robinson, Innovations POWER (in German; also published in French, Italian, Dutch, and Spanish) details the key role of idea and knowledge management in improving corporate performance, innovation, and sustainable growth. It was one of the 3 finalists for the annual Manpower Best Book Award in France.
Dr. Getz's work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Financial Times, and several other reputed publications and broadcasts.
Common Growth - How to build value through mutual participation and collaboration
Growth is much sought by most companies, but how do we make sure that it is continuous and profitable? The usual approach is to have one group of people focusing on business development, strategic marketing, innovation, in short, on creating demand, and another group focusing on satisfying the demand all the while working on cutting costs. This approach--when it works--also generates many frictions. Isaac will show how world-class companies involve everyone in the company, as well as outside partners to both drive growth and take care of costs through collaborative out-of-the-box initiatives and innovation. This not only guarantees a double-digit continuous profitable growth, but also replaces friction by enjoyment at work.
EPTDA’s 10th anniversary celebrations will go hand in hand with an exciting educational programme which will bring the best minds in business on one common platform to share best practices and expertise that will translate directly in our business’ success for tomorrow.
Stay tuned to the next edition of Power in Motion, as EPTDA brings you exciting details on an entertaining social programme on its 10 years anniversary celebrations in extraordinary Brussels.
| 