Matthew Astill, Chief Executive Officer, Cavendish Group

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After a short career as a strategy management consultant at Accenture, Matthew set up his first publishing business, Media Fit Ltd, in 1997. In December 1998, he co-founded Simply Internet Ltd.

In July 2002 he bought Cavendish Group Ltd and has transformed it into the foremost business technology publisher for the BRIC countries. He launched bric.com in 2007 to enable western suppliers to do business with BRIC buyers.

In 2008, he launched the International Capital Conference, which is now in its third and most successful edition.

Matthew Astill was presented with the Great Wall Friendship award by Beijing's Deputy Mayor Ji Lin in February 2009 in recognition of his role in bringing foreign technology content to China and, specifically, creating an Olympic infrastructure partnership.