The Financial Times will host its eighth annual Business of Luxury Summit on 30 May – 1 June 2012, at the Four Seasons, Marrakech, Morocco. Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times, will chair what has become the must-attend annual global gathering for luxury executives, corporate decision-makers and financiers.

This year’s Summit is themed ‘The Lifestyle Revolution’ and will explore the increased intermingling of luxury and lifestyle. Speakers include chairmen, founders and chief executives from some of the world’s most successful luxury businesses, who will discuss the macro-economic factors influencing consumer decisions; what it means when a luxury brand calls itself a lifestyle brand; and how to manage risks associated with brand extension and diversifying from core expertise.

Speakers include:

  • François-Henri Pinault, Chairman & CEO, PPR
  • Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, Chairman , Ferrari S.p.A
  • Sidney Toledano, President & CEO, Christian Dior Couture
  • Chris Blackwell, Founder, Island Records and Founder, Island Outpost Hotels & Resorts
  • Aerin Lauder, Chairman & Creative Director, Aerin and Style & Image Director, Estée Lauder
  • Ron Johnson, CEO , JC Penney
  • Martha Stewart, Founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
  • Remo Ruffini, Chairman , Moncler
  • Gian Giacomo Ferraris, Chief Executive, Gianni Versace SpA
  • Tory Burch, CEO & Designer, Tory Burch
  • Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Editor, Financial Times

Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times, said: “The luxury industry as a whole has proved robust during the global economic downturn when many sectors suffered. Now the challenge for many luxury brands is to continue to build on that momentum in an increasingly global and complex market, where growth requires boldness and the ability to operate under different rules. I look forward to hearing from the stellar line up of speakers at this year’s FT Business of Luxury Summit.”
The FT Business of Luxury Summit attracts senior executives from global luxury brands, luxury consultants, brand experts, fund managers, M&A specialists and securities and retail analysts.

Previous Summits have been held in Lausanne, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Shanghai, Venice, Tokyo and Monte Carlo.

For more information about the 2012 FT Business of Luxury Summit and a full list of speakers, visit http://www.ftconferences.com/luxury2012.  Further news about the Summit will be available via @FTLiveTweets and #ftluxury12.

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For further information please contact:

UK/EMEA:
Emma Gilpin-Jacobs
Global Director of CommunicationsT: +44 (0) 20 7 873 4447
E: emma.gilpin-jacobs@ft.com

US:
Ryann Gastwirth
Communications Coordinator, The Americas
T: +1 212 641-6360
E. ryann.gastwirth@ft.com

Asia:
Azmar Sukandar
Head of Communications, Asia Pacific
T: +852 2905 5519
E: Azmar.Sukandar@ft.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 FT has a combined paid print and digital circulation of 604,856 (Deloitte assured, 2 January to 1 April 2012) and a combined print and online average daily readership of 2.2 million people worldwide (PwC assured, November 2011). FT.com has more than 4.3 million registered users and 285,475 paying digital subscribers. The newspaper, printed at 22 print sites across the globe, has a global print circulation of 319,381 (ABC, March 2012).

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