Speakers
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Stephen FryActor, Writer, Journalist, Comedian,
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With a long and noted career as a popular entertainer and informer via film, books, radio, and television, Stephen Fry been described as a "national treasure," a phenomenon and "an epitome of the Renaissance man." He considers himself "deeply dippy for all things digital" and claims to have owned the second Macintosh computer sold in the UK (the first going to Douglas Adams). He wields considerable influence through his use of Twitter, with more than one million followers, and often inadvertently crashes host websites for causes he promotes. Fry has a long interest in Internet production, including his own website since 1997. His current site, The New Adventures of Mr Stephen Fry, has existed since 2002 and has attracted many visitors following his first blog in September 2007, which comprised a 6,500 word "blessay" on smartphones. In February 2008, Fry launched his private podcast series, Stephen Fry's Podgrams, and a forum, including discussions on depression and activities in which Fry is involved. The website content is created by Stephen Fry and produced by Andrew Sampson. Fry is also a supporter of GNU and the Free Software Foundation. For the 25th anniversary of the GNU operating system, Fry appeared in a video explaining some of the philosophy behind GNU by likening it to the sharing found in science. |
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Peter FitzgeraldIndustry Leader – Retail
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Peter is the Industry Leader for Google UK's Retail Vertical and has the responsibility to develop and execute the strategy for delivering growth in Google UK's Retail advertising sales revenues. This involves the management of sales and account management teams that share the benefits of Google advertising solutions and other products directly to senior-level executives and their agencies. Previously, Peter worked for more than eight years with Amazon.com. As Director of Business Development, Peter was responsible for UK sales and account management of multi-channel retail accounts, such as Marks and Spencer and Mothercare, within Amazon Enterprise Solutions Europe, which develops and maintains e-commerce solutions for retailers that leverage the technical platform, operational capabilities, professional services and online retailing expertise of Amazon.com. Prior to that, Peter also drove the launch of the Apparel store on Amazon.com, which was the fastest growing store in the history of Amazon.com and was recently ranked #1 in customer experience by Women's Wear Daily Survey. The launch partnered with Nordstrom, Target, Lands' End, Eddie Bauer, Old Navy, Marshall Field's, Foot Locker and other leading apparel companies to offer more than 400 popular brands. Lastly, Peter launched the patented feature Search Inside!™ (formerly know as 'Look Inside The Book') on Amazon.com, which was an entirely new way for customers to find and discover books by searching the full text inside them which scaled to over 120,000 books - more than 33 million pages of searchable text. |
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Patti Freeman EvansVP, Research Director
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Based in New York, Patti serves e-Business & Channel Strategy professionals. She is a leading expert on multichannel retail strategy with 19 years of diversified experience, expertise in creating customer-centric e-commerce sites, integrating channels effectively, developing innovative marketing initiatives, and ensuring high-standard customer service and order fulfillment operations. Patti was formerly a research director at JupiterResearch. Before joining JupiterResearch, she held leadership positions with leading internationally known companies like Bloomingdale's and Godiva Chocolatier. Most recently, she was director of shopping services with bloomingdales.com, where she touched on all aspects of the multichannel retail business. Brought on board to create and launch Bloomingdale's Bridal Registry Web site with WeddingChannel.com, Patti directed all aspects of the business from concept to implementation, including back-end customer service and store integration issues. In her previous capacities at Bloomingdale's, she led the international marketing department and implemented award-winning multiple-media marketing and retention programs. Further, Patti has done project work to develop interactive educational products for adults and children. Patti has been quoted in major media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, and Business 2.0, as well as in industry publications such as Internet Retailer and Executive Technology. Patti has also appeared on NBC Nightly News, CNBC, BBC, CNN, NPR, PBS, Fox Business News Network, and BNN. She has taught eCommerce at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and is also the vice chairman of the board of directors for Shop.org, a membership organisation that serves the online and multichannel retail community and a division of the National Retail Federation. Patti earned a B.A. in business management and studio art from Franklin and Marshall College. |
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David TarbuckMulti-Channel Program and
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David Tarbuck heads up the Multi-Channel Program and Operations team for Argos, responsible for the development and operation of Argos.co.uk and Argos.ie as well as the reservation channels “Ring and Reserve” and “Text and Take Home.” He has worked in the Argos Group for over ten years and has seen the company transition from the original catalogue and stores model to become the Multi-Channel retailer it is today. Prior to his current Multi-Channel role David has worked in a variety of IT Project and Program roles for both Argos and Great Universal Stores (GUS). |
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Gregg SpiridellisFounder & CEO
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Gregg Spiridellis co-founded JibJab Media Inc. with his brother Evan in 1999. JibJab, a digital entertainment company, enables consumers to create their own videos and jokes and easily spread them virally. In addition to his role as CEO, Gregg is also JibJab's head writer. In 2004, his lyrics helped spark an international sensation with the release of JibJab's election parody, "This Land." The two-minute short and its follow-up, "Good To Be In DC!" were viewed more than eighty million times online on every continent, including Antarctica. NASA even contacted the brothers for permission to send a copy of the animation to the International Space Station! JibJab's productions have screened at the top industry festivals including Sundance, the Palm Springs International Film Festival, SXSW and many others. They have also won awards at the Ottawa International Film Festival, the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, and D&AD. Gregg has also assembled a client list that includes the world's biggest entertainment and consumer product companies including Anheuser Busch, Disney, Cartoon Network, USA Networks, Sony, Kraft, Revlon and many others. Gregg has appeared on major U.S. broadcast and cable news channels, and has also been featured in articles in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and Time magazine. Prior to JibJab, Gregg was an investment banker with Bear Stearns and Goldman Sachs in New York. He graduated with distinction from the MBA program at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 1999 and received his BS, magna cum laude, from Rutgers University. |
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Dmitri SiegelExecutive Director of Marketing
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Dmitri Siegel is currently the Executive Director of Marketing for Urban Outfitters. He oversees all North American marketing of the Urban Outfitters brand including CRM, PR, and E-Commerce. He provides strategic vision for customer acquisition, social media and emerging technologies like mobile. He brings his experience as a creative director and his passion for blending creativity, technology, and commerce. Dmitri is widely published on the topics of design, technology and digital culture. He is a contributing writer for Design Observer and his writing has been featured in Dot Dot Dot, Émigré, Creative Review, Utne Reader, Design Issues, Adbusters, and The Morning News. Dmitri’s work has been recognized by the AIGA, Promax and BDA, and the International Biennale of Graphic Design. He has lectured at RISD, Maryland Institue College of Art, Art Center Center College of Design in Pasadena, USC, and University of the Arts in Philadelphia, among others and is currently a thesis adivsor in the RISD graduate program in graphic design. He earned his MFA in Graphic Design from Yale University. |
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