BJ Cunningham is a serial Entrepreneur and ‘Brand Guru’ who infamously created DEATH™ Cigarettes, with his Enlightened Tobacco Company PLC.
This culminated after five years in a spectacular tax arbitrage scheme, threatening to overturn the tobacco industry and truly open up Europe for the consumer.
BJ's verve and irreverent reputation led him on to establish an Integrated Brand Marketing agency built upon his business experience of building brands and the philosophy of ‘Corporate Religion’, an international business best seller that he co-authored.
Having sold the Agency he became a Visiting Professor at Brighton University, a member of the Super Brands Council and a Board Level Brand Marketing Consultant to global brands including McDonalds, Microsoft, Diageo and Turkish Glass producing giant Sisecam.
BJ also applies his left-field thinking to niche brands such as, Bowers & Wilkins, Orlebar Brown and British startups; Maeving, Slip and Hybr.
Concurrently, he established and sold the luxury designer Women’s shoe brand Georgina Goodman, the bamboo cotton SocksoSimple and reincarnated his DEATH™ Cigarettes as a streetwear brand.
BJ travels internationally as a highly acclaimed keynote speaker and moderator.
TESTIMONIALS
“BJ Cunningham is the heart of the International MARKA Conference, Türkiye's leading ideas platform. Since day one, he's hosted with warmth, insight, and confidence. His humility and charisma make everyone feel at ease. BJ's wit and charm create an ambiance where others shine. We love him. BJ is the essence of MARKA.”
Aysegul Yurekli. Founder & CEO. International MARKA Conference.
“Influencers are a tough audience; they aren’t impressed by much. BJ smashes it everytime. The audience in the room stay captivated, involved and engaged. The audience online stay online (bit of a miracle). I’ve never heard so much laughter in a hall at a Summit event. Fabulous.”
Afşın Avcı. CEO. INFLOW Global Summit
“BJ Cunningham was a true pleasure to have with us. His inspiring presentation added immense value to our program, elevating the experience for all. BJ's charm and insight are like Lisbon itself, "full of enchantment and beauty," always smiling and charming. In the words of Fado, BJ is "made of gold and silver”. Thank you, BJ, for embodying the spirit of "eternally playing and singing of happiness."
Lisbon Convention Bureau
“Having BJ recount his life experiences felt like an energising spark showing you the door to your dreams saying ‘go for it."
Richmond Events
“I’ve never written to a speaker I’ve seen at a conference before. I f**king loved what you said and how you said it. I’m totally buzzing. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I think you might have genuinely changed my life.”
Delegate. HULT Business School.
"BJ was excellent...funny, passionate & very engaging".
Dorchester Hotel Group
“BJ was masterful. The perfect balance between serious messages, life lessons, provocative thinking and straightforward humour. It was our pleasure to put him on stage. We loved him. He made our event better.”
Euroheat&Power
“The audience were captivated by BJ’s story – he was extremely interesting and inspiring”.
Best Western & Consort Hotels Group
“Simply Brilliant. Stimulating, Engaging, Credible, Thought Provoking, Encouraging, Off-Piste, and Funny. Great Conference speaker”.
Mechline
“BJ was fantastic. He weaved his messages and learning points into a personal, engaging story that gave insight to his decision-making and attitude to life and leadership. Very charming - engaged my whole audience and had the whole room laughing”.
Royal Mail
“BJ was spot on – the presentation resonated with the salespeople and business owners in the audience. The audience loved him. They found it entertaining and motivational”.
Westcon Convergence