Visitors to Spring Fair International, taking place at the Birmingham NEC between 1st-5th February, are invited to attend a wide range of in-depth business seminars, trend presentations, merchandise demonstrations and other educational events as part of the show’s extensive free content programme. The keynote speaker of this year’s show is technology entrepreneur Michael Acton Smith, OBE, founder of online retailer Firebox, entertainment company Mind Candy and creator of the global online brand Moshi Monsters.
On Sunday 1st February from 12.15–12.45 at the eCommerce Theatre in hall 2, Michael will be advising the UK market on how to achieve international growth as well as how to succeed in online retail. His advice will form part of the UK Trade & Investment partnership with Spring Fair, designed to support British businesses looking towards international expansion.
Determined to “build the largest entertainment brand in the world for the new digital generation”, Michael has been described as “a rock star version of Willy Wonka” by the Daily Telegraph, and a “polite version of Bob Geldof” by The Guardian. His journey through the web began in 1998 when he co-founded the online gadget and gift retailer Firebox.com, which became the UK’s 13th fastest-growing private business and was listed in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100.
He then went onto found Mind Candy in 2004, and, from a sketch on a napkin in a London coffee shop, the Moshi Monsters phenomenon was born. The brand has over 80 million registered users and has expanded offline into books, magazines, toys, music albums, trading cards and even a movie. Mind Candy, valued at £200m, also produced the award-winning Perplex City, a global hunt for a buried stash of £100,000 with players searching for clues across various online media and real world locations.
Michael was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to the creative industries.
To view the full schedule of seminars and other events taking place during Spring Fair, visit the website.
