Regional marketing conference attracts over 30 leading industry experts

Notes and media contacts

For more information, please contact:
Selina Kleinwort
PR Media Relations & Events Manager
O2 Public Relations
Tel: +971-4-3122732
Fax: +971-4-3122788

About Marketing 08
Marketing 08 will be different from all regional marketing conferences that came before it, not just focusing on the traditional marketing stalwarts of media and advertising but reflecting the extremely broad nature of professional marketing today, delving into key areas of both regional and international marketing. Marketing 08 is the beginning of a new platform for real debate and dialogue amongst marketing professionals and business leaders from across the Middle East. It will undoubtedly be the beginning of a new standard in marketing conferences in the new age of marketing.

From the creators of Leaders in Dubai, Marketing 08 brings you practical and creative solutions, not just theory, in an intimate, relaxed environment. Hear up-to-date international and regional marketing trends, and fact based practical ideas to solve the specific marketing challenges that you face today. Plus, exchange ideas and past successful campaigns with your peers in facilitated networking sessions.
Website: www.leaderspresents.com/marketing

About Leaders
Leaders Presents is a new division designed to provide the IIR delegate a new level of conference experience. Born from the success of the Annual Leaders in Dubai Business Forum, Leaders events stand out from the rest with superior levels of speakers, up to date topics and an all round level of excellence within the execution of the events. The flagship event- Leaders in Dubai is a meeting of over 1,500 of the regions most eminent business leaders from across all industries who come together to network, learn and debate on the future of business and share experiences from some of the most popular business, economic and political leaders across the globe. Leaders Presents have launched a number of other highly successful events recently including the acclaimed Management Innovation Forum which launched in 2007 and was met with rave reviews, and the Middle East Business Achievement Awards; honouring regional business leaders for their excellence and contribution to business. 2008 now sees the launch of a variety of new Leaders Presents event- all of which promise to evoke thought and creativity and give real value to the delegates who attend.

Speakers- current and past at Leaders Presents events include Colin Powell, Jack Welch, Bill Clinton, Richard Branson, Kofi Annan, Michael Porter, Her Majesty Queen Noor, Tom Peters, Malcolm Gladwell and Thomas Friedman.

Website: www.leaderspresents.com

About CIM
The Chartered Institute of Marketing is the leading international professional marketing body with some 50,000 members worldwide. First established in 1911 it defines the marketing standards that operate in the UK and is the global champion of best marketing practice. The Institute exists to develop the marketing profession, maintain professional standards and improve the skills of marketing practitioners, enabling them to deliver exceptional results for their organisations. It does this by providing membership, qualifications and training to marketing professionals around the world.
Website: www.cim.co.uk

About the Speakers
For the complete speaker's biographies, please visit: www.leaderspresents.com/marketing

Speakers mentioned in this press release:
Paul Gostick B.Sc.(Hons), DipM, FCIM, FRSA, MCMI and Former International Chairman,
The Chartered Institute of Marketing is an a experienced business and marketing professional with significant management and channel experience gained with major US and European high technology multinationals and in not-for-profit organisations. Paul was elected International Chairman of The Chartered Institute of Marketing in May 2004 with responsibility for leading, setting and maintaining the strategic direction of the world's largest professional body for marketing. He has worked in high technology industries for 29 years, holds an Honours Degree in Electronic Engineering, the Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, and is a Chartered Marketer. Paul has broad experience of marketing and management in IT and high technology across many vertical markets - finance, telecommunications, retail, manufacturing, energy and public sector. He specialises in services, B2B marketing and branding. He is an accomplished presenter and has spoken at conferences on various business topics in the UK, USA, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Middle East and Africa. Paul gained the Institute's Diploma in Marketing 1989 and became a full member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing in 1990 and was elected Fellow in 1999. He is also a member of the Institute of Management and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. As a keen supporter of Continuing Professional Development he was amongst the first marketers in the world to achieve individual Chartered Status in October 1998. Paul has worked for a number of multinationals - Sun Microsystems, Digital, Tektronix, Bull HN and Brown Broveri Kent in various Technical, Marketing and Managerial positions

Malcolm Gladwell has an incomparable gift for generating value by interpreting groundbreaking research in psychology, sociology and neurology and applying it to business.In 2005, Time Magazine named Malcolm one of the 100 Most Influential People. He is the author of two New York Times #1 bestsellers, 'The Tipping Point' and 'Blink'. Malcolm's first book embedded the concept of 'The Tipping Point' in our everyday vocabulary and gave organisations new tools for understanding how and why change happens, and how to create positive epidemics of ideas and behaviour. In 'Blink' he analyses first impressions - the judgments we make unconsciously and instinctively - and he explores how we can master this important aspect of successful decision-making. He is currently a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine and previously, he was a reporter for the Washington Post.

Patrick Crane heads up LinkedIn's marketing, pr and advertising sales business. He is responsible for growing the LinkedIn audience and the company's ad sales revenue. Prior to LinkedIn, Patrick served as Vice President of Marketing for the Yahoo! Network Division. At Yahoo! he was responsible for taking Yahoo! Answers to market in 2005 and for marketing the product to its position today as the #1 Q&A site on the web. Patrick also led the marketing of Yahoo! Mail, helping it become the world's top web mail provider in 2006 as measured by comScore. Prior to Yahoo!, Patrick worked for Vodafone in the UK, Australia and the U.S. and his contributions included the launch of Australia and New Zealand's first wireless internet portal, extending some of the services into the Japanese market. He attended the University of Huddersfield and Henley Management College, both located in the United Kingdom.

Antony Lawrence joined Jumeirah in September 2005 in the capacity of Group Director of Marketing. An art college graduate of St Martin's School of Art, London, Antony started his career in advertising. He moved on to roles in branding of luxury hotels and then went out to set up his own design and communication company River Design, London. Antony has brought a lot of energy and creativity to Jumeirah. His experience working on both sides of the business gives him a clear idea of what is achievable and how much it needs to cost. His track record and ability to generate fresh ideas have proven to be an asset to his department right from his onset. Antony loves to push himself and cannot resist any challenge that comes his way. This very quality compels him and his team to 'Stay Different'.

Patrick Jephson was born and raised in Ireland. He has a Master's Degree in Political Science from Cambridge University. After ten years as an officer in the Royal Navy he was selected to join the Royal Household, serving for eight years as Equerry and as the first and only Private Secretary (Chief of Staff) to Diana, Princess of Wales. He was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) for personal service to the Sovereign. His work for Princess Diana involved daily working contact with British and foreign officials at all levels up to and including head of state. He also organised Diana's international visits and journeyed with her to destinations such as the USA, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Some of these experiences are recalled in his book Portraits of a Princess: Travels with Diana. Patrick also managed the Princess's relations with a wide range of British institutions including Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, Parliament, the City of London, police and security services, the news media and the film and entertainment industries. In addition he controlled the Princess's links with the voluntary sector and wrote the majority of her speeches, messages, forewords and public correspondence. He then spent eighteen months as a senior consultant at Lowe Bell Communications before writing, on Princess Diana's death, his account of life in royal service. His first book Shadows of A Princess (a New York Times and Sunday Times of London bestseller) was reviewed as "the most indelible and authentic portrait of the people's princess." As writer and presenter of television documentaries, a contributor to current affairs programmes worldwide and a discriminating writer on royal affairs, he has a unique ability to decode the messages hidden in official communiqués and in tabloid gossip.