It will fly in senior delegates from the UK to the conference in Shanghai on June 8 to 9.
Chris Humphrey, Virgin Atlantic's country manager for China, said: "Virgin Atlantic recognises that China is a world economic and cultural leader and is extremely committed to developing links between the UK and China. We are therefore very proud to announce the move to a daily service to Shanghai from November and daily service to Beijing in the very near future."
The event promises to be the ultimate gathering of top-level decision makers from Chinese and International brands, agencies and rights holders who all have a desire to maximise their stake in the Chinese sports industry.
There will be case study speakers from some of China's major investors in sports sponsorship.
Experts in law, research, brand marketing, media, PR, experiential marketing and BTL (below-the-line) advertising will explain how best to activate brands through sports via their respective functions in China and how best to use the links between these functions.
Speakers include Michael Payne, special advisor to Bernie Ecclestone Formula One Management (Ex-International Olympic Committee marketing director), Michael Birkin, vice chairman Omnicom Group & president & CEO Asia Pacific, Wayne Cattach, CEO, Australian Vee Eight Supercar Company Limited (AVESCO), a senior representative from BOCOG (Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad), Anthony Laver, director, Olympic Marketing, Volkswagen Group, Gonzalo De Aristegui, marketing director, Coca-Cola, Shen-Mei Beverage Co Ltd, Jeremy M Lee, Siemens COM MD, head of retail activation & sponsorship NAP.
Other partners for C-Zone include The Tennis Masters Cup, which is returning to Shanghai for 2005. Michael Luevano, marketing and sales director, Tennis Masters Cup, will present on ‘From Ground Zero to Tennis World Championship in Five Years: Secrets of Success’.
ISPO, the global sports network and leading sports goods trade show, is also partnering C-Zone.
For further information contact Pru Ashby in China on +86 21 5489 1100 x216 or at pru.ashby@c-zonechina.com (or Charlotte Provan in the UK on +44 (0) 7887 874 428 or at charlotte@racingmanagement.co.uk
