The Confederation of Indian Industry, Eastern Region is organizing the eighth edition of Brand Conclave, the biggest brand management symposium in India. Leading international speakers like Al Ries, Laura Ries, Jean-Noel Kapferer, Lynn Upshaw, Clyde Fessler, Kevin Lane Keller, Erich Joachimsthaler and Bernd Schmitt have addressed the earlier editions.

The eighth edition of the Brand Conclave is scheduled on 16 - 17 July 2009 at The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata. Prof. John Philip Jones, advertising guru and international expert on brand management will address the Conclave. He would speak on: "Brands: Safeguards during Recession, Springboards during Recovery".

John Philip Jones spent 25 years in European operations at J. Walter Thompson before he started his career in academia at Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University; he was also an adjunct professor at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia; and is a visiting professor at the Copenhagen Business School, Denmark. He is the author of international bestsellers like "How to Turn Advertising Expenses Into Investments", "Behind Powerful Brands: From Strategy to Campaign" & "What's In a Brand? Building Brand Equity Through Advertising".