Aiyana has 16 years’ experience in the strategic planning function in the advertising industry (at Ogilvy and JWT, and as head of the planning function at Mudra, Bates and Dentsu). Her core strength lies in a consumer-centric approach to brand planning. She has worked with a wide range of global and local brands across product categories. She has also tracked the changing face of the Indian consumer, post liberalisation. She views semiotics as the ‘3D of research’ and has worked as an independent semiotician for several international projects. Art, culture and travel are her passions.
New Delhi, India
Charles Leech is a partner at ABM Research (www.abm-research.com). Since his PhD in Applied Semiotics from QUT, he’s been an active commercial semiotician for over 13 years, working on projects for clients from AB-InBev to Nestlé to Unilever. Charles has helped ABM deliver profound, penetrating analyses on everything from tampons in Sao Paolo to light beer in Xiamen. He’s also worked tirelessly on commercial semiotics evangelism to clients, marketing and research organizations, and pretty much anyone else who’ll listen.
Toronto, Canada
Edina is a performance artist, curator and researcher, born in Bosnia and living between the UK and the Balkans. In her multidisciplinary art practice she addresses trauma and memory, and has exhibited internationally. Recently she has shown her performance piece Holy Jolie in London, Bosnia and Serbia to wide acclaim. She is a PhD candidate at Reading University, researching belly dance as a hybrid form and social practice in postcolonial and trans-national context.
UK, Balkans