Speakers: The Distinguished Speakers of MCONN 2008
Marketing Connections Boasts An Unprecedented Line-Up of Stellar Speakers:
Keynote Speakers
Gian Fulgoni
comScore, Inc.
Gian Fulgoni
Chairman and co-founder
comScore, Inc.
Gian Fulgoni is chairman and co-founder of comScore, Inc. Mr. Fulgoni brings more than 30 years of leadership experience to the comScore team. From 1981 to 1998 he served as president and CEO of Information Resources, Inc., the international market research company, where he grew the firm’s revenues at an annual compound rate of 40 percent to levels in excess of $500 million per year. In 1996, IRI was recognized by Advertising Age as the largest U.S. market research company.
Long involved with the growth of hugely successful technology businesses, Mr. Fulgoni served on the boards of US Robotics and Platinum Technology prior to their respective acquisitions by 3Com and Computer Associates in multi-billion dollar transactions.
Mr. Fulgoni has been the recipient of numerous industry awards: The Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, the Illinois Entrepreneur of the Year and the Wall Street Transcript Award. Educated in the U.K., Mr. Fulgoni holds a master’s degree in Marketing and a B.S. in Physics.
Sessions at MCONN
Pamela Kaufman
Nickelodeon/MTVN
Pamela Kaufman
Chief Marketing Officer
Nickelodeon/MTVN
Pamela Kaufman is the Chief Marketing Officer for Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. A pioneer in the ever-changing kids’ marketing space, she has created new and innovative marketing programs that have helped position the number-one entertainment network for kids for 14 consecutive years. Kaufman is responsible for all of the marketing efforts for the many businesses of Nickelodeon, including: television; digital; consumer products; as well as Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group brands: The N; Nick at Nite; NOGGIN; and Nicktoons Network, and works closely with Nickelodeon International to bring the best marketing practices to the rest of the company on a global basis.
As Nickelodeon’s strategic liaison to all of its marketing partners, Kaufman is constantly finding new ways to bring the Nickelodeon brand to life. Her marketing programs have helped extend Nickelodeon’s relationship and brand awareness to both kids and parents. Kaufman has reconnected kids and families with Nickelodeon’s trademark slime by bringing it across the country and into their backyards with the “Slime Across America” tour. She has been instrumental in growing Nickelodeon’s music brand, helping to broker a partnership with Sony Music Label Group, in which the two companies are co-developing and co-producing television and music projects such as the new dance/variety show, Dance on Sunset; The Naked Brothers Band CD releases; and the iCarly CD.
Kaufman keeps her finger on the pulse of what kids and families want with her top-notch consumer insights group and ratings research teams. She also oversees integrated marketing for The N, Noggin and Nicktoons Network, Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group’s digital brands such as Nick.com and The-N.com, among others, as well as their advertising and multicultural marketing efforts. Kaufman is responsible for the property planning for the networks’ show launches and existing hit shows, including: SpongeBob SquarePants, iCarly, Back at the
Sessions at MCONN
Ross Levinsohn
Velocity Interactive Group
Ross Levinsohn
Partner
Velocity Interactive Group
Over the past 20 years, Ross has been on the forefront of media innovation and transformation. In 2004, he was tapped by News Corporation Chairman Rupert Murdoch to devise the digital strategy for the company and in executing that plan, helped vault the company to create a digital powerhouse. He also oversaw the acquisitions of Askmen.com, Scout.com, Newsroom, KSolo, amongst others. As President of Fox Interactive Media, Ross managed all day-to-day operations for the company from its inception until December 2006. Under his leadership, the FOX Network of sites became one of the largest on the Internet with record-setting growth with more than 140 million monthly users and oversaw a partnership with Google.
Previously, Ross served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Fox Sports Interactive Media, held senior management positions with AltaVista Network, CBS Sportsline, pay cable giant HBO. He also spent time in advertising at Saatchi and Saatchi and in sports management and marketing with ProServ and Lapin and Rose Communications.
Ross currently serves on the board of music leader Napster.com, storage and media management leader Fabrik, Inc., Virtual World innovator VSIDE, and one of the leading Internet holding companies in India, Fuse+Media.
Sessions at MCONN
General Session Speakers
Yoav Arnstein
General Manager, North American Operations
Eyeblaster
Yoav Arnstein was named General Manager of North America in 2006. In this role, he is responsible for Eyeblaster's sales, product support and office operations throughout Eyeblaster North America. Mr. Arnstein previously served as GM of the company’s international operations.
Before joining Eyeblaster, Mr. Arnstein co-established the Nordic operations for Seebeyond Inc. as regional Professional Services Manager, and developed software for VCON. Mr. Arnstein holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering from Denmark Technical University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Tel-Aviv University.
Mr. Arnstein has been a major contributor to Eyeblaster's stellar growth in market acceptance and overall revenues.
Sessions at MCONN
Dave Balter
BzzAgent, Inc.
Dave Balter
Founder and CEO
BzzAgent, Inc.
Dave Balter is the founder and CEO of BzzAgent, Inc., the advertising industry’s only cross-continental word-of-mouth media channel. He launched BzzAgent in 2002, and today more than 400,000 consumers have joined the company’s network, which spans North America and the United Kingdom. Since its launch, BzzAgent has been featured everywhere from the CBS Evening News to the BBC to The New York Times Sunday Magazine.
Balter co-founded the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), and he currently serves as Chair of the Association’s International Committee. The author of Grapevine: The New Art of Word of Mouth Marketing and Word of Mouth: Manual II, Balter lectures around the world on trends in word of mouth and social media.
BzzAgent is the subject of two Harvard Business School cases, and in 2007 the university dubbed Balter one of Boston’s “Hottest Technology CEOs.” In 2008, Balter was recognized as a Future Legend by the AdClub and he was named to the “40 under 40” list by The Boston Business Journal and Advertising Specialty Institute.
Sessions at MCONN
Gerry Bavaro
Executive Vice President
DidIt
Gerry Bavaro is responsible for translating Didit’s vision of unparalleled results for clients from real-time search and online marketing platforms, into operational best practices. Prior to his post as Executive Vice President, Gerry led the evolution of Didit from technology provider to full-service SEM agency as Vice President, Client Services. He grew the Client Services department from 15 employees to over 45.
Prior to joining the company in August 2004, Gerry was an Account Director at AGENCY.COM, responsible for leading online strategy for British Airways, Sprint, MetLife and Blue Cross & Blue Shield. He began his career with ADD Marketing managing viral and social marketing campaigns for clients including Sony Play Station. Gerry is a writer for MediaPost as a bi-weekly contributor to the Search Insider column. Gerry earned his BBA in Marketing from Hofstra University, and currently resides in Long Beach, Long Island with his wife.
Sessions at MCONN
Christine Beardsell
Digitas
Christine Beardsell
Vice President
Digitas
Coming Soon!
Sessions at MCONN
Rohit Bhargava
Ogilvy 360 Digital Influence
Rohit Bhargava
Senior Vice President
Ogilvy 360 Digital Influence
Rohit is a marketer, blogger, speaker and author of the anticipated new book, Personality not Included – a guide for companies on understanding and using their personality to better connect with customers in the social media era. A founding member of the pioneering 360 Digital Influence team at Ogilvy, he writes the Influential Marketing blog (now ranked among the top 50 marketing blogs in the world) and is often featured as an expert in media including The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and Fast Company. His new book, published internationally by McGraw-Hill, has received significant early praise and features a forward by bestselling author and entrepreneur, Guy Kawasaki.
Sessions at MCONN
Peter Boland
Barclays Global Investors
Peter Boland
Head of Brand Strategy
Barclays Global Investors
Pete Boland brings a wealth of global brand management and marketing expertise, with extensive experience establishing and growing global brands worldwide across a number of industries, including internet media, consumer products, and financial services. As Head of Brand Strategy at Barclays Global Investors, Pete is responsible for driving the strategic direction and day to day management of the iShares and iPath exchange-traded product brands, two of the fastest growing businesses