Richard was part of the team that changed the fresh food operations in Tesco during the 80s and early 90s, specifically accountable for the development of their convenience food business and the opening of their first Metro store in Covent Garden.

Following a brief spell in retail operations running stores Richard became the UK Marketing Director responsible for the development of the Clubcard scheme, data insight and the customer strategy. In 2000 he took on the role of transforming Tesco’s non food business which has seen Tesco become the largest non food operator in the UK with one of the most developed international direct sourcing models in the marketplace.

In 2004 Richard joined the Tesco Board and is now the CEO of the UK and Irish business.

Vodafone is the world’s largest mobile network operator and the 7th most valuable global brand with 370m customers. Prior to joining Vodafone he was Sales & Marketing Director at RAC leading a major turnaround of the brand and the business.

Prior to this he spent 10 years at American Express in 3 major global marketing roles include leading enterprise product development, setting up the digital channel globally & establishing a global CRM programme.

This was preceded by a 7 year stint at Visa Europe in a variety of product management, product development and marketing roles.

Prior to joining IHG, Nina spent close to 9 years at Diageo in a variety of marketing roles, both in-market and global, working on brands such as Baileys, Pimms and Johnnie Walker. Before Diageo, Nina worked in consultancy for both Gemini Consulting and The Henley Centre.

Nina is a member of WACL (Women in Advertising and Communications London) and sits on the Executive Committee of the Insead Alumni Association’s Women’s Network.

She has a BS in International Economics from Georgetown University and an MBA from INSEAD.

He began his own marketing career as a Unilever trainee at Birds Eye Foods and progressed via the Manchester Business School to Collett Dickenson Pearce. He spent the next thirty years in advertising, founding the agency Burkitt Weinreich Bryant Clients and Company in 1986, and leaving in 2002 as Chairman of Burkitt DDB.

Successes during this period included the successful launch of Piat d’Or, Malibu, Archers, and Coors; the re-launch of Baileys Irish Cream; gaining market leadership in the dry dog food market for Nestle Purina’s Bakers Complete; and being the first advertising agency to demonstrate to John Lewis that advertising works.

He has served on the Council of the Advertising Association and the Advertising Standards Authority, and is a trustee of Barnardo’s.

He has judged the Society’s Awards for the past eight years and has edited two editions of the book: Marketing Excellence: Award-winning companies reveal the secrets of their success. The latest edition contains 34 case histories chosen as the best examples of marketing excellence from the last four years of the Awards.

Sally is also responsible for setting the marketing agenda, overseeing the brand’s strategy and delivering through the line campaigns for all customer segments. Under Sally’s leadership have been delivered sponsorships such as The O2 and the O2 Academies, which have helped O2 to become one of the most successful consumer brands in the UK.

Through her role as Marketing & Consumer Director, Sally is committed to differentiating O2 through generating emotional loyalty, building on a brand that O2 customers can feel proud to be a part of.

Prior to joining Kraft Foods Daryl was commercial director for UK newspapers The Independent and The Independent on Sunday for 18 months, during arguably the most difficult economic climate for newspapers history has seen.

Before her period in the newspaper business Daryl spent 25 years working for advertising agencies. Most recently she worked for Ogilvy, where she was the architect of the outstandingly successful global campaign for Dove, which was revolutionary in being using real women of all ages, shapes and sizes as models for products.

Daryl began her career in consumer advertising at Chetwynd Haddons, having earned her BSc in Physiology from the University of London. She has lived and worked in the UK and Switzerland.

What are your ingredients for excellence in marketing?

A: “Any marketing that moves from good to great has to have a breakthrough in thinking: a paradigm shift. This takes enormous curiosity and courage from marketers. They have to challenge the status quo and tackle entrenched thinking. There may be things that marketers believe to be true that aren’t, perhaps because we have said them to ourselves so often and for so long. Perhaps the consumer has changed and we haven’t noticed. Perhaps we are policing outdated equities. But making the big shift necessary to move from good to great takes guts. Courage is the most critical ingredient of excellent marketing.”

Jan is currently responsible for the Aviva Group brand’s business and sponsorship strategy across 28 countries in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. She is also responsible for building marketing capability through the ‘Aviva World’ programme.

Holds an MA in Economics from Cambridge University and is a business leader member of the Marketing Society.