The New York Times Adds More Eminent Names to the International Luxury Conference Speaker Lineup

More leading figures in the luxury, fashion, art and technology worlds have been added to The New York Times International Luxury Conference speaker lineup. From December 1st to December 3rd 2014, creative directors, luxury executives, academic experts and tech and financial gurus, will gather at the Mandarin Oriental Miami hotel to discuss the array of business opportunities that arise at the intersection of fashion, art and technology.

This conference has been tailored to highlight the value of the interdisciplinary collaboration that drives today’s luxury world. The agenda unveils how by working together, and merging craftsmanship with technology and luxury with philanthropy, artists and businesses can achieve outstanding results.

New speakers added to the lineup include:

• Diego Della Valle, President and CEO, Tod's S.p.A.
• Brian Krzanich, CEO, Intel Corporation
• Karen Katz, President and CEO, Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC
• François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO, Audemars Piguet
• Frida Giannini, Creative Director, Gucci
• Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director, LACMA
• J. Allen Smith, President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
• Tom Sachs, Artist
• Francesco Bonami, Curator
• Dan Porter, Head of Digital, William Morris Endeavor
• Johannes Torpe, Creative Director, Bang & Olufsen
• Carlos Jereissati, CEO, Iguatemi
• Iris Apfel, Design Entrepreneur
• Livia Firth, Creative Director, Eco-Age Ltd
• John Maeda, Design Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
• Massimiliano Fuksas, Architect
• Stefano Rosso, CEO, OTB Group

Deborah Needleman, T Magazine editor-in-chief, said: “I am incredibly excited about the innovation, partnerships and change that will come from the creative exchange between these leaders sharing ideas.”

Vanessa Friedman, New York Times fashion director, said: “These new speakers reflect the cross-fertilization of ideas and experience that defines The New York Times International Luxury conference, and should lead to the kind of exciting and unpredictable revelations that really create value for delegates.”

The conference will take place on the eve of Art Basel Miami Beach when the city transforms into a vibrant mix of creative minds from different sectors and lines of work. In celebration of this event, traditional panel discussions will be interspersed with artistic demonstrations and performances, as well as rapid-fire “Next Big Thing” presentations from groundbreaking innovators. Inventors and creators from the colliding worlds of luxury, fashion and technology will present what they believe to be the new products and trends that will influence how we work and create together.

The conference’s “Next Big Thing” speakers include:

• Dr. Mitchell Joachim, Associate Professor of Practice, NYU; Co-Founder of Terreform ONE
• Francis Bitonti, President and Founding Director, Francis Bitonti Studio
• Christina Mercando, Founder and CEO, Ringly
• Suzanne Lee, Founder and CEO, Biocouture
• Dan Steingart, PhD, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
• Skylar Tibbits, Director, Self-Assembly Lab, MIT Department of Architecture

Art will be a focus both in the conference program and the event space itself, with renowned curator Francesco Bonami inviting artists to present their work as pop-up performances that will function as surprising and entertaining intermissions at key points during the conference.

The 2014 New York Times International Luxury conference is supported by principal sponsor Mercedes-Benz.

The 2014 Luxury conference is presented in association with Perez Art Museum Miami and Miami Design District Associates.

The New York Times International Luxury conference is also sponsored by Pernod Ricard, Fincantieri, Essec Business School, Dentons, Iguatemi, Almax, Elite Traveler, Getty Images, Ohana & Co. and International Fur Federation.

Keep up to date with further speaker announcements and the fashion stories making the headlines on Twitter by following @INYTLuxury, @debbieneedles and @VVFriedman.

Notes to editors

Now in its 14th year the Luxury Conference is one of the world’s most prestigious annual forums for the global luxury business, bringing together over 500 of the most senior business and creative leaders from the top echelons of the industry to gain insights, share ideas and expand their international networks.

The 2013 conference took place in Singapore and examined the growing influence of Southeast Asia in the luxury market - as both creator and consumer. Speakers included: Ermenegildo Zegna; Domenico De Sole, President, Tom Ford International; Angelica Cheung, Editor in Chief, Vogue China.

The award-winning 2012 conference took place in Rome and analyzed the potential of Africa and the power of the Mediterranean with contributions from major names such as Bono, Donatella Versace, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood.

The luxury conference has been convened in many cities including Paris, Hong Kong, Dubai, Istanbul, Moscow, New Delhi and Rome. The event’s past speakers have included Angela Ahrendts, Giorgio Armani, Bernard Arnault, Victoria Beckham, Sarah Burton, Alber Elbaz, Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, Rosita Missoni, Sir Paul Smith and Mario Testino, among many others.

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