Tony Ball is acknowledged internationally as one of Britain's top marketeers & most popular public speakers.

A brilliant motivator, humorist & raconteur, Tony started his career as an apprentice on the shop floor of the Austin Motor Company & rose to become its youngest ever Sales Director. He's the man who actually launched the legendary Mini in the swinging 60s.

Tony's highly successful career includes the practical experience as Chief Executive, covering the entire spectrum of industry & commerce including work for Ford, Mercedes Benz & General Motors as well as board appointments for major insurance, advertising, retailing & production companies world-wide.

As Chairman & Managing Director of British Leyland Europe & Overseas, as well as World Sales Chief of BL, Rover & Jaguar Cars, Tony was involved in resolving the massive industrial relation problems & the restructuring of the motor industry in a cauldron of change.

Tony's vast experience includes his appointment as Marketing Advisor to three Secretaries of State, including appropriately the Secretary of State for Energy.

In addition to Tony's active business life & his enormous popularity as an After Dinner & Conference speaker, his numerous broadcasts include frequent guest appearances on radio & TV celebrity chat shows, documentaries & as a panellist on BBC's Any Questions.

Noted for his irrepressible humour as well as his profound practical experience of marketing & management at the highest level, Tony's speeches are always forward thinking & tailor-made individually to suit each different occasion. He always leaves his audience highly entertained as well as enlightened & motivated.

As an acknowledged master of producing major international events, Tony's accomplishments include devising & staging the hugely successful Opening & Closing Ceremonies of the Rugby World Cup at the new Millennium Stadium in Cardiff as well as the Cricket World Cup & the brilliant European Cup ceremonies at Wembley Stadium for the Football Association.

Tony also staged the British International Motor Show for the SMMT; the Scottish Motor Show; the Centenary celebrations for the world's Motor Industry in Britain; the Lloyds Bank Playwright of the Year Awards; the ceremonies for numerous FA Cup Finals, the 125th Anniversary Celebrations of the RFU, the Five Nations Championships & major Internationals at Twickenham as well as the Ceremony for the Opening Game at the new Stade de France in Paris for the FFR.

Tony is a Freeman of the City of London, a Lords Taverner & was awarded the Prince Philip Medal for his remarkable lifestyle achievements, as well as being honoured with the MBE from Her Majesty The Queen for his outstanding services to industry.

Even after such a distinguished career, friends say that Tony's real claim to fame is that he's the father of Britain's internationally famous musical & recording star Michael Ball.