Marcus Bicknell

With an M.A. in Physical Anthropology from Cambridge University (1969), Marcus Bicknell managed Genesis, worked for CBS Records in European artist marketing before running A&M Records' European operations, maximising record sales of new artists like Supertramp, Police and Chris de Burgh. From late 1983 as Head of Marketing in London for Thorn EMI's Cable Programming he concentrated on achieving immediate distribution via satellite into 4.5 million homes in 13 countries for Music Box, Europe's all-day music television channel (which later became NBC SuperChannel). From 1986 to 1990 Marcus Bicknell was Commercial Director of Société Européenne des Satellites, the Luxembourg company which brought successful direct-to-home satellite television to Europe with ASTRA in 1988 and the co-location of others since. He handled with a small team all commercial aspects of the company including product-positioning, strategy, the programming bouquet, reception equipment, marketing in the U.K. and on the continent, publicity, clients and new investors. Marcus Bicknell set up Vision Industries S.A. in early 1991 in France's high tech site Sophia Antipolis and consulted to top media companies round Europe such as BSkyB, Central TV, Channel 4, the European Commission, the Department of Trade and Industry (UK), Deutsche Telekom, BBC, British Telecom ADSL VOD, Columbia Pictures International, Discovery Channel, Eurosport, FilmNet, France Télécom, The Luxembourg Government, The Italian Government, Maxat, NetHold, Pearson, The Red Cross, Schlumberger Smart Cards, Scientific Atlanta, Travel Channel, VISION 1250, and the VideoPlus+® instant video programmer. From 1995 to 1997 Marcus Bicknell was Managing Director of European Channel Management Ltd in London, the joint venture of BBC Worldwide, Pearson Television and Cox of Atlanta for the distribution of the television channels BBC World and BBC Prime in continental Europe. When he left, BBC World was in 30 million homes in Germany, Scandinavia, France and the Mediterranean and many of the pan-European blue-chip advertisers and sponsors associated their brands with that of the BBC for the first time. BBC Prime doubled its number of paying viewers to 5 million homes by September 1997 and was in profit by 1999. From 1997 to 2001 Marcus Bicknell was President, Europe, of Boston-based CMGI Inc. investor in, and integrator of, Lycos, GeoCities, AltaVista, Engage and 60 others. Marcus worked for Nokia-backed Oplayo, the world's first driverless video streaming engine for internet and mobile. In 2004/5 he was sales director of mTrack Services Ltd (whose KidsOK and i-Kids products enable parents to locate their children by mobile phone). In May 2005 he was appointed to the board of SES Global (Astra) in Luxembourg, the world's biggest operator of television satellites, where he continues to serve. His New Media Foundry Ltd develops new ventures in internet, TV and sustainable consumer technologies (such as with Apple Computer and Testronic Labs). He is a founder partner and executive of RainWaterHarvesting.co.uk a British market leader and innovator in tanks, filters, pumps and rain management systems for using rainwater to flush toilets and wash clothes in new buildings. Marcus Bicknell was born in a suburb of Washington D.C. in the USA in 1948, is a British national, has lived in 7 countries and speaks English, German and French. He lives with his wife Susie, 2 children, 4 dogs, 4 horses and 20 acres in the Chilterns. He is a member of the Institute of Directors and of the Garrick Club, is a race driver and cross-country horse rider and undertakes corporate speaking engagements. He is a Patron of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, a Governor of Thorpe House School in Gerrards Cross, a Volunteer Forest Warden for the Forestry Commission in Hodgemoor Wood and, as Chairman of the Hodgemoor Riding Association, he is joint winner of the British Horse Society's 2004 Access Award.

What he presents:

The Internet
E-Commerce
New Media Technologies Convergence
Investment Opportunities in New Media
The Future of Satellite Operations