Richard North is a leading authority on the benefits that capitalism and globalisation bring to societies, rich and poor. He is an author, journalist and Media Fellow of the Institute of Economic Affairs and has appeared on a number of television programmes recently as diverse as "Newsnight" and "The Ali G Show".

Richard argues strongly that business has failed to "sell" the benefits it brings and he uses his presentations to explain his strategies to put this right. He also explains concisely to decision-makers how to handle difficult customers and how firms should handle effectively the problem of risk management.

Richard, who describes himself as "a pretty ordinary English bloke", left his public school in the 1960s and became a campervandriving vegan hippy who was, as his website proudly informs us, "the first person to wear a poncho in Surbiton". Inspired by the "limitations to growth" ideas of the late 1970's he began his career writing about environmental and animal rights issues before becoming the first environment correspondent of the Independent.

Richard North has come full circle and now extols the virtues of big business, capitalism and globalisation, indeed much of the research for his book "Life On a Modern Planet" was paid for by multinational companies.

Richard North is extremely versatile; his presentations can be detailed, quiet and evidence-led for seminars and private meetings or dramatic, funny and vividly illustrated for large conferences. An excellent interlocutor who is now in big demand as a speaker at major events around the globe.