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Godfrey Parkin graduated from UCT with a degree in business science and is a popular speaker in his field. His focus is on creating and implementing innovative strategies that build profitable relationships with the online consumer.

He has an enduring passion for exploiting the power of online social networks for both marketing and learning (and dislike the simplistic tag "social media"); and he has particular interests in the marketing of consumer products, high-end luxury goods, financial services, hotels, tourism, and property. His expertise in digital strategy extends beyond marketing to encompass reputation management, internal employee engagement, recruiting, and stakeholder engagement.

He has published two books, Doing Business Digitally: Eight Steps to Online Success in South Africa, and Digital Marketing: Strategies for Online Success, in Europe and the US, and is busy with a third.

He ran the Worldwide Management Services Division of AC Nielsen in Switzerland and then went on to found a series of pioneering web-centric businesses in Zurich, London and Washington DC, where his client list included Global 500 companies eg Unilever, Nomura Bank, American Airlines, Motorola, Ford, DreamWorks, American Express, Honda, Nestlé, academic institutions (eg Georgia Institute of Technology) and government agencies (eg U.S. Library of Congress), as well as smaller organisations and start-ups.

He is on the faculty of the University of Stellenbosch Business School Executive Development (USB-ED), leads the (USB-ED) Programme in Online Marketing Strategy and the Programme in Marketing Wine Online, runs the Social Media Bootcamp for the Digital Marketing association (DMASA) and heads up Britefire's EMP (E-Marketing Professional) certificate programme.

Godfrey has an international reputation in the area of e-learning, where he has pioneered the frontiers and possibilities of distance learning and written extensively on the subject. He moderates the E-learning Forum of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) and is a permanent member of the judging panel for Brandon Hall's annual international "Technology Excellence Awards" and "Learning Excellence Awards."

After being abroad for over 25 years, he returned to South Africa in 2006 and founded Britefire (www.britefire.com; www.bizcommunity.com/Pressoffice/Britefire www.facebook.com/britefire), a digital strategy and training company that, under his leadership, has fast built an enviable reputation as a leader in its fields.

Contact Godfrey via tel +27 (0)21 790 0303, email moc.erifetirb@nikrap.yerfdog, follow @gparkin on Twitter and connect on LinkedIn.