Ivan Levy, Earthchild, South Africa

Ivan Levy is an entrepreneurial leader, well known for successfully launching and expanding The Body Shop in Switzerland. In August 1983, the first store was opened, and from that day on, Mr. Levy was able to expand the brand achieving a leading market position for the company with 50 stores all over Switzerland.

He joined The Body Shop International PLC as Executive Global Retail Director and member of the Board The Body Shop International plc, with its headquarters in Littlehampton, UK. His areas of responsibility included regional management as well as development and implementation of international marketing and retailing concepts.

In addition, Ivan Levy has directed a number of other retail businesses and in the process has been recognized as an astute and exemplary consultant. He successfully launched California Closet, a provider of custom-made storage solutions, in London; as well as advising A.S. Watson Hong Kong and Close Brothers Venture Capital Trust regarding investments in the retail sector. Another more recent example is his work as non-executive Director with Earthchild. He successfully mentored this company to change direction from being manufacturing led to becoming one of the fastest growing retail concepts in South Africa.

Prof. Lluis Martinez - Ribes, ESADE

Fascinated by retail innovation, a specialisation pursued in 24 countries, he combines his work at ESADE as Associate Professor and former Marketing Department Head, with a selective consulting activity.

MBA from ESADE (Barcelona), MBA in Retailing from Stirling Univ. (UK). and Active Learning at Harvard B. S.

Visiting lecturer at SDA Bocconi B.S. (Italy). He has also taught at Edinburgh Univ., Vienna Univ., HEC B.S. (France), Goizueta B.S. (USA), Singapore Management Univ., among others.

Author of books and conference papers, lead Courses such as "Retail innovation" and "Next Practices in Marketing".

He has been consultant to companies like Bayer, Coca-Cola, Havells Sylvania, Goodyear, Danone, Habitat furniture, Intersport, Sara Lee, Mattel, Nestle, Olympic Committee, Prenatal, Unilever, Zara (Inditex), among others.

Three of his projects have been awarded with the Global Marketing Electronic Award (1999), the Best Marketing Strategy for City Marketing in Spain (2004), and "Aqui e" supermarket was one of the six most innovative shops in the world (2009, Retail innovation award).