With the Outdoors Future Camp & ISPO ACADEMY taking place on 5^th and 6^th September in Ecclesall, Sheffield, the Outdoors Industries Association (OIA) is pleased to announce the line-up of outstanding and inspirational keynote speakers and workshops for the new must-attend event in the outdoor trade calendar.

Learn, network and be inspired! This is a fantastic opportunity for the next generation of outdoor leaders and anyone interested in the outdoor industry, as well as senior management and company directors. Book your place  HERE. You can download the full timetable HERE.

Keynote speakers include:

Matthias Gebhard: For the past five years Matthias has led the online retailer Bergfreunde. Since being purchased in 2013 by Backcountry.com it has gone on to become one of the largest and most innovative international trading platforms in our industry. Matthias will be presenting: Growth is fun! Learnings from building a leading European outdoor speciality e-tailer. In his keynote speech Matthias will be sharing his insights into how he has developed one of the European Outdoor Industry’s fastest growing retail businesses, the lessons he has learnt along the way and why the future holds such exciting prospects for outdoor retail. Following a long spell at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants as a senior consultant, Matthias moved into the start-up sector and the area of social entrepreneurship. There, he was able to use and increase his know-how in the field of commerce (including at The Grameen Creative Lab). Since 2012 Matthias has taken Bergfreunde into new markets right across Europe.  In 2014 Bergfreunde launched what is now Alpinetrek.co.uk which has rapidly become one of the UK’s leading outdoor retailers.

Colin Bradshaw: CCO at data company TwentyCi, Colin is a ‘big data’ specialist and a very popular speaker at previous OIA and EOS events. His presentation, Data and Innovation in Outdoor Retail, will look at how big data and tech is changing the landscape and what customers want today. Colin’s previous roles have included Director of Data Strategy at Royal Mail, MD of the data and digital division of RAPP (Omnicom)and Professor in Management Practice at the University of Bedfordshire.

Pau Molinas: A very popular keynote speaker at ISPO Academy in Europe, Pau will talk about the importance for any brand or retailer, in understanding their customer and having an insight into their behavior, likes and dislikes. Chief Operating Officer and Partner of Exipple Studio in Spain, Pau talks about software platforms, which are designed to understand human movement and behavior and how they can help businesses by providing an analysis of their habits.

Caroline White: Former CEO of the Youth Hotel Association (YHA) and OIA board member, Caroline has been a CEO since her early thirties and was nominated in the Women’s First top 100 most influential women in tourism and hospitality in 2013. She now sits on the board of the Sport & Recreation Alliance. Her presentation, Authentic Leadership – lessons from a lifetime of trying, will look at leadership from her own perspective and from observing others; her candid account of her learnings over the years will impart some of the valuable things she wished she had known before she started her career.

Workshops at the Outdoors Future Camp will cover a range of relevant topics designed to inform and stimulate discussion and debate; they include:

• The Future Outdoor Consumer: Supported by in-depth market research from ISPO, learn how to identify, approach and connect with the future outdoor consumer.

• Social Media for Business: Look beyond everyday social media use to focus on how it can be successfully used in a business context and how to evaluate the returns of an active social media campaign.

• ‘Old Meets New’: See a panel of industry veterans face off the newer generation! Delegates can put both camps to the test by asking the questions that need answering.
• Brand Marketing: Learn how three modern, disruptive brands have evolved their brand and marketing strategies to stay ahead of the game in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

• ‘How Did I Get Here’: All at different stages in their careers, a panel of outdoor professionals talk about how they got to where they are and give their top tips and advice for anyone wanting to climb the ladder or break into the industry.

The Outdoors Future Camp costs just £149 for OIA members (£199 for non-members).
See more information at www.outdoorindustriesassociation.co.uk/OutdoorsFutureCamp