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Talk I: Monday 15 September: Creative cities

This subject is particularly relevant for London as many see the capital as the world’s most creative city. The advantages of such a status are multi fold - a fact that is increasingly being recognised by other world cities eager to enjoy the same benefits. But how much of this is down to organic growth and how much can be stimulated by planned interventions? What is the value of reputations and how much do we really understand the creative city? And could creativity one day become the most important issue for a city’s success?

The speakers are Ken Livingstone, Philip Dodd and Saskia Sassen. Ken is a former Mayor of London and remains passionate about the city. Philip was the director of the ICA and is co-founder of Made in China, an agency which develops cultural and commercial projects between the UK and China. Saskia is professor of sociology at Columbia University and London School of Economics. The session will be chaired by Tyler Brule, an FT columnist and chairman of Winkreative.

Talk II: Tuesday 16 September: Intellectual property

A critical subject for the design and creative industries. Yet intellectual property protection is patchy, misunderstood and expensive. In design, few bother to chase the copiers and the music industry has been severely hit by illegal downloads. In film, protection is stronger and better enforced. So what should be done to harmonise IP protection? Do investors shy aware from creative businesses because of IP issues? Should industry bodies be more proactive in their members interest?

The speakers are Peter Mandelson, John Enser, Peter Wheeler and Fergal Sharkey. Peter is the European commissioner for trade and has a broad responsibility for trade issues including intellectual property across Europe. John is the senior partner at Olswang responsible for intellectual property issues in the creative sector. Peter [Wheeler] is a former partner at Goldman Sachs and chairman of IPValue. Fergal was the lead singer with The Undertones and is now chief executive of British Music Rights. The session will be chaired by Michael Peel, FT legal correspondent.

Talk III: September 17: Can you teach it?

Increasing criticism of art and design education is being offset by a broader interest in creative thinking both in business and among the public. Yet not all creative people have are formal trained and, anyway, how do you teach creative thinking? Is it for everyone? If we had an idea literate society would we be more competitive? The UK trains a third of Europe’s designers, but are we capable of producing the stars of the future? Or should we be looking elsewhere? China perhaps.

The speakers are Michael Craig Martin, Paul Bennett, Nick Leon and Ilse Crawford. Michael is an artist who taught Damien Hirst at Goldsmiths College in London. Paul is creative director of design business IDEO. Nick is director of Design London and a former business development director at IBM. Ilse is a designer and visiting professor at the Design Academy Eindhoven. The session will be chaired by Peter Aspden, FT arts correspondent.

Talk IV: September 18: Creative brands

London has a global reputation for design creativity. Meanwhile, more and more businesses are trying to market their products or services as design-led or creatively inspired. But how many can genuinely be described as creative? What are the benefits and are audiences receptive to such claims? In the future, will creative businesses have an edge in actual products or markets?

The speakers are Marek Reichman, BJ Cunningham, Martin Raymond and Roberto Selva. Marek is design director at Aston Martin while BJ is founder and director of footwear company Georgina Goodman. Martin is the director of Future Laboratory, the trend prediction agency, and Roberto is a director of Versace Home. The session will be chaired by Tyler Brule, an FT columnist and chairman of Winkreative.

Talk V: September 19: Sustainability

No business, social or political discussion can avoid the issue of environmental sustainability. The emergence of climate change as a mainstream issue and the rise of the social entrepreneur have forced green innovation onto the agenda. How do you design a building, city or product in a way that does not cause long-term damage to the environment or to the community? And what role does design play in creating a world that is increasingly concerned with sustainability?

The speakers are Max Fordham, Nick Shattock and Bill Dunster. Max is an engineer and founding partner of Max Fordham Consulting Engineers, Nick is deputy chief executive of Quintain, the property developer, and Bill is an eco-architect and founder of The ZEDfactory, which specialises in zero-carbon design. The session will be chaired by Edwin Heathcote, FT architecture critic.