Inspiring Women Series - 3 December 2008 - SPEAKERS    


Speakers at this event include:

KATARINA SKOBERNE

Co-founder, OpenAd


At OpenAd.net, Katarina is enacting real change in the world of advertising by leading the world’s first company to sell advertising ideas online.  This year, as she launches OpenAd in the US, she is poised to further revolutionise the way that marketers seek out and develop marketing solutions.

The service offers marketers, access to an online community of 11,000 creatives in 125 countries.  It’s a new model for the ad industry and Katarina is finding success with an innovative approach that provides marketers with the choice of ideas from around the world.

Katarina was recently cited by the Daily Telegraph in the top 100 most powerful people in technology and telcoms in British business.

In her early years, prior to OpenAd, Katrina launched successful ad agency the Vision Factory in Ljubljana in 1993. There, she ran the Fiat/Alfa Romeo account and the Seita-owned Gauloises and Gitanes brands.

In 1996, she left to create her own primetime TV show on advertising for the public broadcaster, TV Slovenia. This saw her interviewing many of the world’s top ad people, including filmmaker Wim Wenders, actor and director Dennis Hopper and Italian Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.



LULU PHONGMANY

Business Development and Marketing, iVillage


Lulu is responsible for planning, creating and executing all media partnerships for iVillage.co.uk, UK’s largest women’s website.  She has worked with many of the biggest fmcg brands to integrate their campaigns into iVillage.co.uk’s award winning editorial content as well as collaborating with Diva TV to run the site’s first TV sponsorship campaign.  Lulu recently set up a major deal with Fremantle Media, for a new online docudrama series, Parentshood, launching in January 2008.

Lulu has eight years of experience in the digital market.  Prior to joining iVillage.co.uk, Lulu was at Sympatico/MSN in Toronto, Canada where she was Content Integration Manager, responsible for planning and developing channel sponsorship opportunities for Lifestyle, Health and Fitness, Travel and Real Estate Channels, working with well known global brands such as L’Oreal, Nestle, Kraft and publishers such as Random House and Harper Collins.

Lulu studied Communication and Publishing at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby.



SIMONE BRUMMELHUIS

Director, The NextWomen


Simone Brummelhuis worked as a successful lawyer before becoming an entrepreneur setting up her own B2B publishing company Brummsbooks.

Thereafter, as co-owner and managing director IENS, she developed this start-up into the no. 1 user generated content database publisher of restaurant guides in The Netherlands.  With the Europeanmuseumguide.com, she intends to do the same.  

She is in the jury of the Accenture Media Innovation Awards 2008 and she presents the internet program SHE (interviews with business women) on Blueshotstv, launced in October 2008.  


Other speakers, contributors and judging panel include:

JENNY FIELDING

UK Advisory Board member, Astia


Jenny is an advisor with Astia, this is a programme for women-led high-growth start-ups and has been launched in London by its UK-based Advisory Board.

For start-ups at all stages, the Astia programme provides entrepreneurs access to capital and expertise for achieving and sustaining high growth.  Its US counterpart has consistently delivered results for the clients it serves, with greater than 60% achieving funding or an exit within 1 year of engaging in the services.



POLLY GOWERS

Founder, Everyclick.com


Polly founded Everyclick.com, the website that enables consumers to give to any UK charity in the way that they want.

Everyclick.com is a search engine that gives half of its revenue to charity. It's technology has been specifically created to provide a sustainable, no cost fundraising tool for all charities.  It provides any internet user with a free and hassle-free way to raise money for the charity of their choice.

Polly was voted WEBA Ethical Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 and a Blackberry Woman in Technology Award winner in 2008.



ANDREA COCKERTON

Founder, Mudhut


Andrea is founder of Mudhut, the Cambridge-based venture market consultancy that has worked alongside almost 300 entrepreneurs on pitching for venture funding and for business critical commercial deals.

Previously a director of the Great Eastern Investment Forum, one of the leading business angel networks in the UK, and prior to that one of the original management team behind Virtual Business Network, some of Andrea’s recent projects include recurring projects with Microsoft on the global Imagine Cup competition, pitch workshops for around 50 entrepreneurs as part of Running the Gauntlet, working closely with various fast growing SMEs in sectors including telecoms, games, biotech and the events industry on both commercial & investor pitches, working with a UK university on a pitch to Richard Branson for project funding, and helping three young entrepreneurs pitch directly to Bill Gates in Seattle.

Andrea is a frequent public speaker on the subject of investor pitches and communicating business critical information under pressure.

The evening will also include:

Contributions on pitching your business for finance and 4 x 3 minute pitches from pre-selected businesses to a panel of judges.  The pitches include:

Julia Macmillan, CEO www.toyboywarehouse.com

Sue Guerrieri, Founder of SugaPlum Shop

Anna Colclough, Founder of Tourdust.com

Alicia Navarro, Founder of Skimbit


Exhibitors at the event will include:

Paula Wynne, Founder - Remote Employment

Laura Vale, Founder - The Language Of...

Gemma Trebble, Web Design & Production - MintTwist

Michelle Peers, Founder - Socialite London

Cherie Lehman, Founder - Blu Bangle