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Conference Chair

Andrew Muir
Managing Director
Vocus International

Andrew Muir’s career spans across 30 years, from building international software companies to developing sustainable businesses through partnerships and direct sales. Andrew currently heads up the international arm of Vocus, the global leader in on-demand software helping public relations departments quickly and easily plan, execute, monitor and evaluate the success of all of their communications programs.

Andrew is a software engineer turned businessman with more than 20 years of executive and general management experience in the computer software and services sector. He has held numerous high-profile business roles that have focused on spearheading major international sales and marketing initiatives for US-based corporations, as well as the development of global strategic partnerships. Prior to joining Vocus, as Managing Director, Andrew set up and ran the international operations for Cyveillance Inc. In the early 90's Muir founded and spent five years running his own software business in the Far East, supplying logistics and distribution software and services to some of the largest trading and retail companies.

As a frequent speaker at industry events speaking on issues ranging from new media and the internet to brand management, Andrew is widely quoted in the national, trade and business press, including BBC, The London Times, FT, New Media Age and CNN.

Andrew is an alumnus of the Coventry University with a degree in Computer Science, and speaks several languages.

Conference speakers

Katy Howell
Managing Director
Immediate Future

Katy’s experience in public relations spans both traditional organisations and new media businesses. She is passionate about integrated marketing and getting the right mix of traditional and online PR, but also champions the newer influencer channels of blog, SEO PR and advocacy networks.

With recognised success in strategic marketing communications, from planning B2B tactical campaigns, to providing a long-term multi-stranded audience strategy, Katy’s ‘feet firmly on the ground’ approach means immediate effective results on everything from national media coverage to blogging.

Founder of Public Relations Online (www.publicrelationsonline.com) Katy networks with leading bloggers, podcasters and SEO experts and participates in key roundtables and seminars. She is an advisor to reputable industry bodies such as e-consultancy, netimperative and BIMA (British Interactive Media Association), and runs the UK’s only online PR training course.

Passionate about knowledge sharing, Katy is known in the industry for delivering straightforward, no nonsense advice on how to improve public relations and tackle online PR.

Judi Goodwin MCIPR
Freelance Trainer

Judi comes from a background of journalism and radio broadcasting. She began her career in advertising and public relations and now works as a trainer and freelance feature writer.

She has regularly contributed to The Daily Telegraph, Radio Times, Manchester Evening News and many lifestyle magazines including House Beautiful and Period Living. For four years she was consultant commissioning editor for Ideal Home and she spent five years as a freelance reporter for BBC Radio. She has run in-house writing and creativity courses for IPC magazines, the Post Office, and The Royal Mint.

Judi is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a Member and Approved Trainer for the CIPR.

Howard Kosky
Managing Director
markettiers4DC

Howard has been in broadcast PR for over 15 years. Managing Director of markettiers4DC, the market leader in broadcast consultancy, he has constantly driven the broadcast remit forward, providing new and innovative ways to place content in this arena. His brainchild, markettiers4DC, at inception consisted of three people working out of one room in Parson’s Green. It now boasts 80 people in the city and comes complete with its own TV, webchat and radio studios.

With five sister companies born from the markettiers4DC brand, Howard’s company is leading the way in areas that prove difficult to infiltrate using traditional PR methods. Converging media, podcasting, web TV shows, research and advertorials all fall within his area of expertise. He advises on many of the UK’s top 100 brands and is regularly called upon to advise on broadcast strategies for Government agencies and the military. At only 38, Howard leads the broadcast market with his forward thinking, creativity and fresh approach to what can be achieved by maximising this type of PR.

Dave Smith
Public Relations Manager
Co-operative Group

Dave works within the Corporate Affairs and Social Goal Department of the Co-operative Group. For many years Public Relations Manager at The Co-operative Bank, he helped to promote the bank’s now famous ethical stance. Last year he was responsible for the launch of the Co-operative’s new membership scheme, which included the return of the famous Co-operative “divi”.

A former journalist, Dave has more than 25 years’ experience of managing the press and promoting various aspects of the Co-operative Movement.

Rob Brown FCIPR
PR Director
McCann Erickson

Rob joined McCann Erickson in January 2001 to set up the PR operation which provides integrated PR programmes and issues management consultancy for clients that range from the NHS to Peugeot. In addition to working full time in public relations, Rob is a visiting lecturer in PR at Manchester Metropolitan University, a Fellow of the CIPR and an elected member of the CIPR council.

Rob set up his own media PR business in the 1990s with Granada Television, Channel Four and Endemol amongst the clients. When he sold his business to Leedex Public Relations four years later he took on the role of Managing Director of Leedex’s Manchester office. When Leedex merged with Euro RSCG owned agency Greenwood Tighe, Rob was appointed Manchester MD of the enlarged agency. During this time he was also Chairman of the Institute of Public Relations in the North West.

Stephen Davies
Social Media Manager
webitpr (and creator of prblogger.com)

Stephen rose to prominence with his blog, prblogger.com while studying a PR degree at the University of Sunderland. His profile among the blogging community and passion for social media led to a job at the world's largest independent public relations agency, Edelman, and then Frank PR in London where he specialised in online communications.

He has contributed to a global blogging whitepaper and account managed the world's first PR agency mobile website. He currently works for online press release and monitoring company, webitpr, focusing specifically in social media.

Alex Brown
Communications Manager
Fast Track Communications

Alex has many years’ experience in all areas of Sports Marketing and has extensive PR expertise, having worked on many high-profile sport sponsorships and brands. At Fast Track, he delivers extensive national coverage on both sports and consumer pages across a number of high profile clients including Heineken, Sainsbury’s and the Paralympic World Cup.

During his career, Alex has also leveraged media coverage on behalf of a host of leading brands such as Aviva (sailing), Coca-Cola (football), RBS (rugby and golf), Benson and Hedges (snooker and motorsports), Canon (motorsports), Samsung (2004 Athens Olympics) and Whitbread (Book Awards).

Neville Hobson, ABC
Communicator, blogger, podcaster.
Principal, NevilleHobson.com

Neville Hobson, ABC, is an accredited communication practitioner with over 25 years’ experience in public and media relations, marketing communication, employee, compensation and benefits communication as well as investor and financial relations. He helps companies use effective communication to achieve their business goals. His activities in researching emerging communication technologies include engaging with companies, journalists, industry analysts, business bloggers and other influencers throughout Europe, North America and Asia. Neville blogs at NevilleHobson.com, at the intersection of business, communication and technology. He is co-presenter with Shel Holtz of the twice-weekly “For Immediate Release: The Hobson & Holtz Report,” the communication profession’s first business podcast started in January 2005.