Financial Times Holds Its Annual Business of Luxury Summit in Beverly Hills

NEW YORK, May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The Financial Times will host its sixth annual Business of Luxury Summit on June 13-15, 2010, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, CA.  Chaired by Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times, the event will bring together business leaders of the world's luxury industry and senior financiers to debate key issues facing the global luxury sector.  Previous Summits have been held in Las Vegas, Shanghai, Venice, Tokyo and Monte Carlo.

The theme for this year's Summit is 'The Medium and The Message.' Lively debate is expected on the effects the economic crisis has had on the luxury sector, how it has changed the way companies do business, which new media channels are worth investing in, which companies are in the best position to understand the new geography of communication and the role of celebrity.

Distinguished speakers will include:

• Tyler Brule, Editor-in-Chief and Chairman, Monocle
• Dov Charney, Founder & CEO, American Apparel
• Robert A. Iger, President & CEO, The Walt Disney Company
• Leonard Lauder, Chairman Emeritus, Estee Lauder Companies Inc.
• Bryan Lourd, Managing Partner, Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
• Tamara Mellon, Co-Founder & President, Jimmy Choo
• Jonathan Newhouse, Chairman, Conde Nast International
• Marissa Mayer, Vice President, Search Products & User Experience, Google Inc.
• Sebastian Suhl, COO, Prada Group
• Diane Von Furstenberg, CEO & Founder, DVF Studio and President, CFDA

Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times, said: "This is an important moment for the luxury industry as it emerges from the financial crisis and faces the challenges of consolidation, dilution of brand and a rapid shift of focus to emerging markets. This Summit will explore new business models and effective communication strategies for companies trying to successfully navigate the new terrain."

The FT is renowned for its coverage and analysis of the luxury world, and this Summit is the premier event for evaluating the business issues facing the industry. The Summit attracts senior executives from global luxury brands, luxury consultants, brand experts, fund managers, M&A specialists and securities and retail analysts.  

More information on the 2010 FT Business of Luxury Summit is available online at www.ftbusinessofluxury.com.  

About the Financial Times:

The Financial Times, one of the world's leading business news organisations, is recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. Providing essential news, comment, data and analysis for the global business community, the newspaper, printed at 23 print sites across the globe, has a daily circulation of 401,286 (ABC figures March 2010), while FT.com has over 2 million registered users and 126,281 digital subscribers. The FT has a combined print and online average daily readership of 1.9 million people worldwide (PwC audited figures, November 2009).

SOURCE Financial Times