Let the show begin

zoom

Piers Morgan.

zoom

Thomas Lundgren.

As the region's biggest ever media and marketing conference gets underway, Arabian Business runs through the conference programme and profiles its stars.

Sunday 14.00

Piers Morgan
Author, former editor

The event kicks off with the controversial former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan taking the stage.

Morgan was born in 1965. He studied journalism at Harlow College, beginning his career in local south London newspapers before being spotted by Kelvin MacKenzie of The Sun and given his own showbiz column, Bizarre. Rupert Murdoch made him Editor of News of The World in January 1994; he was headhunted two years later to edit the Mirror where he stayed until May 2004 when he was sacked following the decision to publish photos of British soldiers apparently abusing Iraqi prisoners of war.

He has presented two series of Tabloid Tales for BBC1 and has co-hosted the current affairs show Morgan & Platell on Channel 4. Most recently Piers has presented You Can't Fire Me, I'm Famous for BBC1, recommissioned by the BBC for a second year which sees him interviewing famous faces that have been at the centre of a high-profile sacking or walk-out.

Piers is currently making a name for himself out in the States as Simon Cowell's loathsome Brit mate, playing a mean judge on a new talent show created by Simon called America's Got Talent for NBC; which rated number one in the USA. The second series is airing summer 2007. Piers appeared in the UK alongside Simon Cowell as a judge on Britain's Got Talent for ITV in June, which was a huge success.

His book, The Insider, Private Diaries of a Scandalous Decade, became an instant number one bestseller. The sequel, Don't You Know Who I Am? Insider Diaries of Fame, Power and Naked Ambition is out now. He lives in London and East Sussex and is a devoted Arsenal fan.

"I'm really looking forward to coming to Dubai again - I was there two years ago and thought the place had a real buzz about it, so I can't wait to be there again," Morgan tells Arabian Business.

He will be addressing the conference on how to raise circulation in newspapers and magazines. He explains: "For 11 years my job was to get up every morning and think of new ways to sell several million newspapers, so I think I know a thing or two about what to do - and just as importantly, what not to do."

Sunday 15.15

Thomas Lundgren
Chairman, The One

If you want a pat on the back and to be told how great the media industry is, then we suggest you leave at this point.

"I don't have a great regard for advertising or advertising agencies," says the founder of the furniture giant The One.

The eccentric Lundgren - who describes himself as "Chief Emotional Officer" of his company - likes to do things differently. Last year he invited all Dubai's advertising agencies to come and "do anything they wanted - sing a song about The One if need be" - before he chose which advertising agency to go for. Needless to say a few months after choosing the right one, he choose another one.

"I really think that the way the industry is going, PR will be far more important than advertising in a few years time. That is where all the money will go," he says.

Lundgren's speech promises to be fast, exciting and controversial - not to be missed!

Print | Email | Discuss this article |

READERS' COMMENTS

View all comments (0)

Have your say

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Security Code *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM