Richard Branson Coming to Montreal: C2-MTL 2013

Above: Sir Richard Branson with his mother Eve Branson, enjoying a game at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships last July 2, 2012 in London. Ian Gavan / Getty Images

It's official. Billionaire businessman and philantropist Sir Richard Branson is coming to Montreal this May 2013 in time for C2-MTL's second edition, an international conference designed to inspire businesses to spur commercial ventures using creative solutions. Serving as guest speaker, it's not yet confirmed what the subject of Branson's talk will be, though I do savor the idea of him addressing his crippling shyness as a child, a behavioral state his mother Eve Branson cleverly (and creatively) taught him to outgrow.

Other announced C2-MTL 2013 headliners include rock star architect, product and interior designer Philippe Starck as well as former supermodel, business success story and Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model executive producer and host Elle MacPherson. More on both of them here.

Promising to be an even bigger showstopper than in its freshman year, C2-MTL is a Montreal-based initiative that debuted in 2012 with Francis Ford Coppolla and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner -- bet you didn't know Eisner's mentor is (or at least was) About.com's parent company head honcho Barry Diller -- as main draws.

For its sophomore edition, C2-MTL runs May 21 to May 23, 2013. Admission for the entire conference ranges from $2448 to $3600. First early bird rates available until December 21, 2012. Second early bird rates available until March 29, 2013. Buy tickets.

More on:

• C2-MTL 2013: Elle MacPherson, Philippe Starck Announced as Speakers

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