Refuel

This year refuel 05 once again brings together some of the most high profile business minds in Britain, to give their words of wisdom to the delegates in attendance. Refuel 05 will be presented by TV comedian and host Jimmy Carr, who will introduce a variety of speakers from all walks of the marketing and media spectrum, all giving their words of wisdom on producing good and effective business skills in their key areas.

Here, Adline introduces the speakers for the main event:

Jimmy Carr

One of the most original and distinctive new stars on television, Jimmy Carr is Channel 4’s face of comedy. Jimmy hosts the prime time game show Distraction and co-hosted both series of the successful hit game show Your Face Or Mine. He can also be seen as presenter of Channel 4’s 100 Worst Pop Records, following his appearance as host of 100 Worst Britons and 100 Scary Moments. He is the host of new Channel 4 comedy show The Friday Night Project which features bands, interviews and comedy. A quarter-life crisis prompted him to quit marketing and train as a psychotherapist before taking to the comedy circuit. Described as England’s answer to Emo Philips, his lovingly-crafted material deconstructs modern living and produces more one-liners per minute than should be humanly possible.

Jimmy has stood in as guest presenter on Have I Got News For You?, and is fast becoming a face on US television. He has performed three times within five months on Tonight With Jay Leno, and twice on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Jimmy can be heard on 104.9 XFM every Sunday morning where he presents the breakfast show from 10am to midday. He is also a regular guest and interviewer on Loose Ends and The Fred MacAulay Show.

Russ Cohn

Google, Director of Business Vertical Markets

Russ is responsible for the expansion and development of business to business markets for Google in the UK. Providing education and in-depth market analysis of specific sectors including Telecoms, Healthcare, Business Services and Industrial markets, Russ gives added value to the Google advertiser base. He has extensive experience in search advertising having been head of sales for Overture UK and, prior to that, head of sales and affiliate programs for Espotting Media. With over 5 years’ experience in search marketing, Russ has worked to develop major advertisers including: Amazon, T-Mobile, PWC and Reed Business Information.

Ellis Watson

Mirror Newspapers, Managing Director

Ellis Watson is managing director of Mirror Newspapers, charged with turning around five national and 240 regional titles. He was previously MD at Celador International, with responsibility for commercial sales of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? The phenomenally successful show has been licensed in more than 100 countries with over 130 consumer products.

Ellis was originally marketing director for the Sun and News of the World, reporting directly to Rupert Murdoch. He helped reverse a decline in sales and launched a number of cutting-edge initiatives, from Books for Schools to interactive games and brand extensions. He also conceived CurrantBun.com, which became the UK’s fifth largest ISP within six months.

Barry McIlheney

Emap Consumer Media, editor-in-chief, New Product Development

Barry McIlheney is editor-in-chief of New Product Development at Emap Consumer Media, and was most recently responsible for the successful launch of Zoo magazine. After a spell in local newspapers and the now-defunct Melody Maker, Barry joined emap in 1986 as editor of Smash Hits, before launching Empire, now the UK’s biggest-selling movie magazine, in 1989. After this and a period as publisher of a number of Emap titles, he moved on to become managing director of Emap Metro from 1994-99, during which time he oversaw the growth of FHM and the launch of heat. Following this, Barry moved to Paris to work on the launch of FHM France, before returning to London as chief executive of Emap Elan.

In 2002, he moved back into editorial as editor-in-chief of new product development and, following on from the success of Zoo, is now working on a host of prospective launches for emap consumer media. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin and City University School of Journalism, Barry has twice been voted Emap Editor Of The Year, and was editor of Empire when it won the PPA Magazine Of The Year in 1992.

Sahar Hashemi

Co-founder of Coffee Republic and author of best-selling book, Anyone Can Do It

In 1995 Sahar Hashemi, together with her brother Bobby, founded Coffee Republic, and built it into one of the UK’s most recognised high street brands with a turnover of £30million. Giving up highly professional jobs, she a lawyer in London and he an investment banker in New York, they staked everything on a dream – and made Coffee Republic one of the main players in the coffee revolution that transformed a nation of tea drinkers into one obsessed with triple decaf half-fat lattes.

Neither had any previous knowledge about retail or indeed coffee. But Sahar had developed a passion for the skinny lattes and fat-free muffins she had seen in New York. How they came to build a nationwide coffee chain is a fascinating and inspirational tale of the ups and downs of following your dream. From the first conversation when the seed of the idea was planted, to getting a DTI Small Firms Loan Guarantee, finding a name and opening the first store, it’s a personal story about two people who stopped thinking about it and did it.

Sahar left the day-to-day management of Coffee Republic in 2001 and has written a book called Anyone Can Do It – Building Coffee Republic from our Kitchen Table‚ which tackles some of the fears and answers some of the elusive questions about what it really takes to become an entrepreneur.

Published in January 2003, Anyone Can Do It has reached Number 1 on the Amazon business chart. It is suggested reading for the London Business School entrepreneurship course and Chapter 1 has been included as part of the syllabus of the Entrepreneurship summer school. The book has also been endorsed by the DTI, Prince’s Trust and IoD and has received wide press coverage. It is now one of the Top 10 best-selling business books in the UK.

As well as high profile speakers, the event also offers businesses the opportunity to exhibit their wares to delegates and potential clients. Businesses already confirmed include: Yorkshire Post, Leeds Council and Pro Co.

The exhibition area will be located in the Main Hall at the Royal Armouries, directly adjacent to the main conference auditorium. Delegates will have the opportunity to visit stands during coffee breaks throughout the day and at other specially allocated times.

This year refuel 05 has created an extensive networking area where exhibitors and delegates can talk in private and develop important relationships. Entry for day visitors to the exhibition does not need to be pre-booked and is available free from 10am.

Book your refuel 05 delegate places online or visit the refuel 05 exhibition and talk to some of the UK’s leading media, marketing and e-business service providers. Bookings can be made online at www.refuel05.co.uk/conference/bookings. For more information on the event contact Leeds Media.