NICOLAS DE SANTIS

Nicolas De Santis is Director of Eligo international and simultaneously Chief Executive of its sister company Twelve Stars Communications. Mr De Santis advises corporate and government clients on all aspects of positioning and marketing strategy for corporate and consumer brands, brand valuation, licensing strategies and communications strategies. Clients include: VIVENDI UNIVERSAL, HOUGHTON MIFFLIN, PIRELLI, CNBC SPORTS, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE INDUSTRIA, CAMPOFRIO, ROTHMAN’S OF PALL MALL, CAMPOFRIO, ARGENTARIA, BANESTO, EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, PHILIP MORRIS AND IBERDROLA.

Before joining Eligo, Nicolas has previously been adviser to EUROPEAN UNION institutions on issues relating to European identity as well as the branding and introduction of the EURO currency. In addition, he has been Marketing Director of OPODO LTD - the Online Travel Portal owned by BRITISH AIRWAYS, LUFTHANSA, AIR FRANCE, ALITALIA, IBERIA, KLM, AER LINGUS, FINNAIR AND AUSTRIAN AIRLINES.

Appointed as Marketing Director by the executive board of Opodo in December 2000 and in charge of a $400m marketing budget, Mr De Santis directed the sales, marketing and strategy for Opodo’s network of portals throughout the United Kingdom, Germany and France. Under his marketing tenure, Opodo has become one of Europe’s most successful online business launches becoming the first travel portal in Germany only after one month of its launch, and one of the top five most visited portals in the UK and France.

Nicolas De Santis was also one of the founder members of BEENZ.COM, the internet currency. He has served as Chief Marketing Officer and was part of a team that raised US$125m in capital from institutions and individuals such as: Pinault Primtemps Redoute PPR, Vivendi, Larry Ellison from Oracle, Carlo de Benedetti and Hickary Tzushin of Japan. Beenz inc. was sold to U.S. based Carlzon Marketing Group in 2001.

Before joining beenz.com, Mr De Santis was Vice President of San Francisco-based LANDOR ASSOCIATES (YOUNG & RUBICAM/WPP GROUP), where he was instrumental in developing its London based European operations.
His corporate, consumer and service brand experience includes the development of global brands and projects such as: ALITALIA AIRLINES, FERRUZZI, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, PHILLIP MORRIS, COCA COLA, IBM, ELF, GE, BANCO SANTANDER, BRITISH AIRWAYS, COCA COLA, SMITHKLINE BEECHAM (MERGER), CAMPSA PETROL RETAILER, REPSOL PETROL GROUP, LA CAIXA SAVINGS BANK, WWF, EUROPEAN MOVEMENT and many more.

Mr de Santis is also Secretary General of GOLD MERCURY INTERNATIONAL, an independent global think-tank organisation and international Award founded in 1961 and committed to promoting peace, understanding and co-operation throughout the world. Past recipients of the Gold Mercury Peace Award include US President Gerald Ford, USSR leader Leonid Breznev of Russia, President Anwar El Sadat of Egypt, King Juan Carlos of Spain and US President Ronald Reagan and many more.