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REACHING FOR THE BEYOND DIGITAL SUMMER TRIP, THE EXPERTS ARE SET TO GATHER TO DEBATE THE ISSUES OF TOMORROW AT THE DIGITAL SKILLS SUMMIT. ANY QUESTIONS?
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ny good festival has to have a fringe, and a buzz of excitement is growing over the Digital Skills Summit. This three-day event will run alongside the main action of Digital Summer Trip and bring together leading tech experts in discussion at a special presentation theatre. These speakers will each give their own take on the future of the digital world, and plot where they think schools, education and young people should be heading on the digital roadmap of 2015. We introduce you to just two of the keynote speakers... set to take centre stage this July.
DIGITAL SKILLS SUMMIT: KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
BRENT HOBERMAN, CO-FOUNDER OF LASTMINUTE.COM, MADE.COM, FOUNDERS FORUM In 1998, Brent Hoberman co-founded lastminute.com, which was sold in 2005 for an incredible $1.1 billion. Since then, he has been very busy. In 2009, he co-founded PROfounders Capital, an early-stage fund for digital entrepreneurs, backed by entrepreneurs. He is also chairman/co-founder of homewares retailer Made.com, on the board of car-sharing site easyCar.com and the UK Government Digital Advisory Board, and co-founded Founders Forum in 2005, among many other titles and accomplishments. Brent will kick off the Digital Skills Summit with a talk sharing his insights as one of the foremost digital entrepreneurs in the UK today, followed by a Q&A session where you can find out anything from how to be successful online to what the next big thing is in the world of digital. In partnership with Speakers for Schools
MICHAEL ACTON SMITH OBE, CEO AND FOUNDER OF MIND CANDY Described by The Daily Telegraph as “a rock-star version of Willy Wonka”, Michael Acton Smith is the CEO, Creative Director and founder of Mind Candy – the company behind Moshi Monsters, which has more than 80 million registered users online. Having expanded into books, toys, music, trading cards, video games and a theatrical movie, Mind Candy recently launched PopJam (formerly JellyChat), which is the subject of our special feature on page 36. Michael also co-founded Firebox.com, Berwickstock, PingPongFightClub.com and weekly London Tech social www.SiliconDrinkabout.com. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to the creative industries.
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