I am looking for suggestions for input into the your preferred option for a second speaker for the 2010 eCampaigning Forum.

I was originally looking for a campaigning-savvy NGO managing director (ceo/executive director in US speak). As the theme of ECF 2010 is "making business case for e-campaigning" and this is partly about

Yet I also received some excellent suggestions for highly experienced senior managers who would also make excellent speakers on this topic. So, before I continue searching for a campaigning-savvy managing director as a speaker, let me know what you want.

Speaker Criteria

In general, the speaker criteria I use each year is:

• they must contribute to the theme (for 2010 this is "making business case for e-campaigning")
• their experience/presentation relates directly to e-campaigning
• it must be useful for most of the ECF participants
• it must challenge ECF participants to think beyond their current activities
• they should have recent/current examples thay can use to demonstrate their points (in last 6-12 months)
• speakers should be different from each other (e.g. not both from the same type of organisation / country / sector)
• what they share is not likely to be available elsewhere (e.g. other events, articles/videos)

Options for Feedback

Option 1: Continue with looking for a campaigning-savvy managing director

I originally though a campaigning-savvy managing director would be good to speak around "making business case for e-campaigning" because:

1. They are a key stakeholder and influencer
2. They don't directly deal with campaigning or e-campaigning so can offer a different perspective
3. Having someone of this role speak will get the attention and authority of their peers and other senior managers
4. They could tell us what they think needs to be done to make and strengthen the case for e-campaigning (e.g. what it needs to deliver, what it needs to demonstrate)

The idea is to get someone from just beyond the normal campaigning/e-campaigning circle to give a reality check, perspective and vision on e-campaigning and how it fits into larger organisations in 2010.

Option 2: Having an experienced person operating at senior manager/director level

All the suggested people so far have fit this profile. The benefit could be:

1. They know campaigning and e-campaigning very well
2. They deal with other senior managers who need to be convinced and thus need to make the case themselves
3. They are a key stakeholder and influencer
4. Having someone of this role speak can act as an example of what other organisations need to have at senior levels

Option 3: Having some other 'profile' you suggest

A few of you have suggested having someone from the big internet/mobile companies (Google/YouTube Facebook, etc.). While this is possible, I'd think it unlikely they contribute to the theme and they are unlikely to tell us something we can't find out about through peers, by searching around. However make your case if you disagree and things could change if lots of others agree :-)

So - what option do you think sounds most interesting for a second speaker at ECF 2010 on the theme of "making business case for e-campaigning"?