Field Reports
Sir Bob Geldof Set to Keynote
Response Expo 2010
SANTA ANA, Calif. — Rock star. Humanitarian. Businessman. Actor. Inspirational speaker. Five different people?
No — just one, and he’s keynoting
Response Expo 2010.
Sir Bob Geldof — founder of the
Band Aid Charitable Trust, organizer of the renowned 1985 LiveAid
and 2005 Live8 concerts and a nearly
annual nominee for the Nobel Peace
Prize — will welcome Response Expo
attendees to San Diego at 5: 30 p.m. on
Tuesday, May 11, with what promises
to be a powerful and inspirational message, presented by Euro RSCG Edge.
The event runs through May 13 at the
Hilton San Diego Bayfront.
“Sir Bob Geldof’s background and
renowned speaking skills makes him a
‘can’t miss’ keynote for our attendees,”
says John Yarrington, publisher of Re-
sponse and event director of Response
Expo. “His unique and insightful pres-
entations have wowed crowds across the
world, from the famous TED confer-
ence to Britain’s renowned YIBC event
— and he’s sure to do the same in San
Diego this May.”
Thomas Haire, editor-in-chief
of Response Magazine and content
director of Response Expo, adds,
“Sir Bob Geldof’s resume as a
humanitarian and businessman is
second to none. And, in recent
years, he’s gained further notoriety
for his inspirational, entertaining
and humorous public speaking ap-
pearances. We are thrilled to bring
the direct response marketing busi-
ness its biggest and most important
The 56-year-old Irishman first
hit the public consciousness in the
late 1970s as leader of The Boomtown
Rats, a band that played an integral role
in the punk/new wave explosion in the
British Isles. The band’s timeless hit, “I
Don’t Like Mondays,” is still a staple on
rock radio today. He gained further fame
after starring in the film based on the
classic Pink Floyd album “The Wall.”
But it was in 1984, when Geldof
turned his attention to the dreadful fam-
ine problems of Ethiopia, that he found
his life’s true calling. Organizing Band
Aid with fellow musician Midge Ure,
Geldof gathered a virtual who’s who of
British rock royalty to record one of the
most inspiring and classic holiday songs
ever, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”
The song’s initial proceeds — more
than 8 million British pounds — went
to a new charity, which became the
Band Aid Charitable Trust.
Sir Bob Geldof’s career as a musician and
activist has made him one of the most
sought-after speakers in the world.
Geldof’s 2005 appearance on the
cover of the European edition
of Time noted him as one of the
continent’s heroes.
broadcast on MTV. The show raised
more than 100 million British pounds.
Twenty years later, Geldof organized
the Live8 concerts, which happened in
conjunction with that year’s G8 Summit of world leaders to bring attention
to the continuing poverty of African
nations. The shows in 10 different cities
around the world on July 2, 2005 (and
an 11th just four days later in Edinburgh,
Scotland) were a massive success, as was
the DVD set of the shows, released the
following November.
His initial efforts on behalf of Africa
resulted in gaining knighthood from
Queen Elizabeth II in 1986. And his
efforts continue to this day, including
a BBC1 television series — “Geldof in
Africa” — that was a hit earlier this
decade, and a 2008 trip to Africa with
then U.S. President George W. Bush.
Aside from his humanitarian efforts,
Geldof has continued his music career
as a solo artist throughout the past three
decades. He’s also been involved in
creating a series of successful businesses,
including TV production houses Planet
24 and Ten Alps Communications and
travel Web site Deckchair.com.
Among his many honors, Geldof
was awarded the Nobel Man of Peace
Award, which was presented to him by
Mikhail Gorbachev in Rome in 2005
and was recognized as a “European
Hero” by Time Magazine in 2005.
