The Mission

To boldly go where no media event has ever gone before.

It's the Plannertarium. An overnight voyage led by the industry's brightest stars to find out where exactly we are all heading.

Tess Alps, Mark Cranmer, Andy Barnes, Mike Parker, Laurence Munday and Simon George have already signed up. But the crew isn't complete. We still need to recruit some more of the best and brightest planners from across the industry to join them.

Of course, there'll be insight, discussion and entertainment. But this is no ordinary conference.

To genuinely understand what the future holds, planners and media owners (like astronauts and cosmonauts) need to work together. That's why Channel 4 is taking you somewhere special, a place with five of its own stars, where you can tell us what you're thinking. In return for your most innovative, far-reaching thoughts and ideas, we'll tell you all of ours.

Lift-off is July 3rd. But the closing date for applications is May 2nd. So if you want to be part of this voyage of discovery, sign up now...

Where

The perfect place for a spot of stargazing...

Just an hour from London, The Vineyard at Stockross is a 5-star hotel set in the heart of the picturesque Berkshire countryside. With its 2-starred Michelin restaurant overseen by Chef John Campbell, this luxurious hotel brings together the very best in delectable food, fine art and rare wines in an environment of utter decadence and gastronomy. www.the-vineyard.co.uk

Media Week

Check back here in the coming weeks to download Media Week interviews with all of our speakers.

Who

Mark Cranmer

Presentation: Planning in the New Age of TV

How can planners express their creativity when planning television?

Mark has spent more than 30 years on the agency side of the marketing industry where he has worked across the advertising, media and market research disciplines.

After working in the media departments of several established agencies, Mark joined the newly formed, creatively-driven agency Lowe Howard-Spink in 1982. He stayed for more than eight years, becoming media director and assistant managing director.

In the 1990s, Mark joined Bartle Bogle Hegarty as strategic development director. Here, he was part of themanagement team that directed the companys internationalexpansion, the formation of media company Motive, the merger with Starcom MediaVest, and the companys eventual sale to Publicis Groupe. By this point, Marks role had evolved to chief executive of Starcom MediaVest Group EMEA.

In 2006, Mark broadened his experience with the role of worldwide chief executive of WPPs market research arm, Research International. He left at the end of 2007 to pursue a portfolio of interests both within and outside the communications industry.

Tess Alps

Presentation: TV.com

Broadcast TV and TV Online - taking advantage of complimentary viewing experiences

Tess is the chief executive of Thinkbox, the central marketing body for commercial TV, funded by Channel 4, Five, GMTV, ITV, Sky Media, Turner Media Innovations and Viacom Brand Solutions. She took up the challenge of becoming the bodys first chief executive and setting up the organisation in July 2006.

Immediately prior to Thinkbox, Tess was chairman of the PHD Group in the UK. In her 13 years with PHD, Tess played a variety of roles, joining as broadcast director and ending up as group chairman in 2003

Before joining PHD, Tess worked on the media owner side at ITV, where she rose to the position of ITV sales director - despite starting in TV sales by accident.

She is on the board of the Media Guardian Edinburgh International TV Festival and is a Fellow of the Royal Television Society and a member of BAFTA. In 2007, Tess won the Outstanding Achievement award from Women in Film and Television.

In 2007, Tess won the Outstanding Achievement award from Women in Film and Television.

Mike Parker

Presentation: Commercial Break Innovation

2.2 billion commercials are seen everyday in the UK - how can different ad breaks help advertisers engage viewers?

Mike is head of strategic sales and commercial marketing at Channel 4, heading a department responsible for building relationships with both advertisers and media agency planners.

The strategic sales department works to maximise revenue across Channel 4, E4, More 4 and FilmFour, from airtime, sponsorship and interactive properties. A major focus is on growing the number of brands using television. The department is also responsible for Channel 4s commercial marketing activities and commercial website.

Mike, who started his career as a cameraman with Yorkshire Television a role from which he was sacked for incompetence - has been with Channel 4 since 1992, when its sales department was formed. He has held a number of senior positions in the agency sales department prior to his current role.

Before working for Channel 4, Mike worked at ITV, where he was a member of the LWT sales department for eight years.

Laurence Munday

Presentation: Content is King: Using broadcast content to engage the consumer

Laurence co-founded dazzleship as part of the Aegis UK Group in November 2007 to develop and manage entertainment content projects for brands. He has more than 25 years experience in the UK media business.

Laurence started his career in the media department of Lintas, followed by 12 years with Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. He was initially a TV buyer, before becoming a media planner and subsequently a director.

In 1993, together with Simon George, Laurence co-founded Drum: a firm specialising in the development of media partnerships and branded content in broadcast markets.

His achievements at Drum include working with O2 on the Big Brother sponsorship project. This work led to Drum PHD becoming the first media company to win an IPA Effectiveness Award in 2002.

Simon George

Presentation: Content is King: Using broadcast content to engage the consumer

Simon co-founded dazzleship with Laurence Munday as part of the Aegis UK Group in November 2007. He has more than 25 years experience of the strategic and creative positioning of brands, gained from both the client and agency sides of the industry.

Throughout the 80s and into the early 90s, Simon managed high-profile accounts for some of the UKs leading advertising agencies, including Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, Bartle Bogle Hegarty and McCann Erickson.

In 1993, he co-founded Drum with Laurence Munday. There, he was instrumental in developing pioneering and award-winning broadcast projects across all market sectors for brands including BT, COI, Mars, O2, Pepsi and Wella.

Andy Barnes

On completing his Business Studies degree, Andy travelled all around Australia and took his first appointment in a sales environment as a clerk at the Amev Life Insurance Company in Sydney, a job he describes as "the most boring in the world".

On returning to the UK in 1979, he joined Southern Television as a sales trainee. Over the next seven years, he progressed to deputy sales director of TVS, which had by then taken over the franchise from Southern Television. He also took up the position of director of Laser Sales when the company was formed in 1989 - a position he retained until leaving in 1991 to join Channel 4 as head of advertising sales.

In July 1997, Andy was appointed to the board of C4 as sales director. Andy also sits on the board of Barb, is chairman of the Broadcasting Advertising Clearance Centre, is a member of the Advertising Association's Council, and is chairman of Thinkbox.

Outside work, Andy's favourite pastime is football and his proudest achievements are being father to his three children and completing the London Marathon twice.