Speaker Ideas is run by Eithne Jones, who has over 15 years of experience in providing speaker ideas to corporate and institutional clients since setting up in Tokyo in 1996 as Jones Associates - Sharing the Power of Ideas.

Born in Roscommon, Ireland, Eithne studied Japanese & International Marketing at Dublin City University. After spending her 3rd year in Tokyo as an exchange student she was determined to return to Japan immediately after graduation, and spent two years in the public sector in Kawaguchi City (30 mins north of Tokyo), as a Coordinator of International Relations for its City Hall. She became a link between the local government and the foreign population in that industrial city, as well as an interpreter for visiting dignitaries and cultural groups. It gave her ample opportunity to organize different types of cross-cultural events and to hone her sense of humour. She spent a further two years in Japan with a small consulting & training organisation where she helped develop tailored business communication programs for executives from Japan's top 100 companies. During these years she also gained experience in journalism, covering Japanese events for local and Irish newspapers.

In 1996, Eithne saw an opportunity in Japan for a speaker bureau that would provide not just Japanese but also local and overseas-based foreign guest speakers for Japanese conferences and events. Her clients have included all of Japan's major newspaper groups, the larger Japanese corporations as well as local government institutions throughout Japan and multinationals with branches in that country.

Four years later she moved to the Netherlands and established a base near Amsterdam from where Speaker Ideas has expanded its network of clients and speakers. Since then it has worked with clients in Europe, Asia, North America, the Near East, Latin America and Africa, providing speakers from widely varying backgrounds and areas of expertise. Aside from her being present at events all over Europe, Eithne also still travels regularly to Japan and other parts of Asia on business.  She is also a Board member of the Ireland Netherlands Business Association.

Outside of her business Eithne reads a great deal, loves movies, country living, and according to her husband, Karel van Wolferen, (www.karelvanwolferen.com) she is a very fine cook. She is furthermore known among intimates as a fine interpreter of Irish folk-songs when the occasion calls for them.