Ellis Watson has turned-around, rebranded, overhauled, reinvigorated and expanded global businesses from entertainment to transport.

Ellis Watson, the latest speaker confirmed for the 2025 All Industry Conference in June, is a disrupter. 

In his varied executive career, he has turned-around, rebranded, overhauled, reinvigorated and expanded global businesses from entertainment to transport.

As CEO of TV producer Celador International, Watson took Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? to over 100 countries. He led distribution and logistics business John Menzies before joining the board of FirstGroup to turn-around the fortunes of iconic transport behemoths like Greyhound across the Americas.

As global CEO of Simon Cowell’s Syco Corporation, Watson took an array of record labels and programme formats, including X-Factor, to international success. Later, as Chief Business Advisor to the First Minister of Scotland he helped shape the government’s strategy for the private sector.

Watson challenges, motivates, and advises with an original insight, enthusiasm, frankness and humour that is rare among senior business figures. Whether it’s the wrecking-ball nature of digital or shifts in the economic environment, he argues that external shocks and disruption should be a springboard for positive change.

BMF CEO, John Newcomb, said: “There is only a handful of people who have been asked to do multiple TED Talks and Ellis is one of them. He is known as one of the most inspiring, intelligent and entertaining speakers around. I can’t wait to hear him at our Conference in June.”

The 2025 BMF All Industry Conference is fully booked. For merchants or suppliers that haven’t secured a place, the BMF has opened a waiting list for the event. Please email June.Upton@bmf.org.uk to be added to the waiting list.

The BMF thanks headline sponsor, ACO, and key sponsors BMN, Breedon, Intact, Kerridge Commercial Systems, Knauf, Knauf Insulation, Marsh, Polypipe, Unilin and Velux. For full information on the Conference, please visit www.bmfconference2025.co.uk