The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) has unveiled an impressive range of keynote speakers for its Global Education Conference in Paris, France (2nd- 4th October 2011). Headline speakers include Dr. Jacques Attali, former special advisor to Francois Mitterand and Pascal Cagni, Apple’s General Manager and Vice President for Europe, Middle-East, India and Africa. Other keynote speakers at the Conference are leading thinkers and authors on the subjects of collaborative innovation, data visualisation, and talent recruitment and retention.

“ACTE specifically choose keynote presenters relevant to changes taking place within the business travel industry,” stated Chris Crowley, ACTE President. “They will focus on how technology, globalisation, and the next generation of business travellers are impacting the way we do business.”

The conference opens on 2nd October with a presentation entitled “Data Visualisation: Changing the Way We See the World” by award winning writer and designer David McCandless. In his presentation, McCandless shows how complex data sets can be transformed into simple diagrams that tease out unseen patterns and connections in a world of information overload.

Pascal Cagni, General Manager and Vice President Europe, Middle East & Africa for technology giant Apple, kicks off the main business sessions on Monday 3rd October when he will deliver an insightful talk on the consumerisation of business technology and the role that companies such as Apple are playing in the revolution of mobile technology.

The rise of collaborative innovation and its impact on the world of work will be examined by Charlie Leadbeater during his keynote presentation on Monday afternoon. Leadbeater is a former advisor to UK Premier Tony Blair and a best selling author on innovation and strategy.

Tuesday 4th October, starts off with a keynote presentation by Dr. Jacques Attali, professor, writer, former special advisor to Francois Mitterand, founder and first president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and current chairman of an international consulting firm based in Paris. Attali will provide a geo-political analysis of globalisation.

Finally, on Tuesday 4th October, Charles Donker, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, will unveil the findings from a joint survey with ACTE and World Tourism Forum Lucerne on the industry’s “war on talent” for recruitment and retention of travel professionals.