MATT JOHNSON is chairman of Mando Group

CRUISE ships dominate the sprawling waterfront of the most famous city in America’s sunshine state. With good reason, Miami is firmly established as the cruise capital of the world.

Ships arriving and departing there barely turn heads.ŠIn some cities, it is trains and buses that arrive like bananas (in bunches). Off South Beach, it’s multi-million dollar liners. Recently, though, one cruise departure did stir more than passing interest ashore. On board were two of Britain’s most successful entrepreneurs.

And theirs was no millionaires’ cruise to a hideaway retreat.

Quite the opposite, as Sir Richard Branson and Sir Ronald Cohen joined forces to provide the headline double act at a major conference for entrepreneurs. While front-of-house profile and awareness-raising has been at the heart of the Virgin tycoon’s success, Sir Ronald’s successful development of the private equity firm, Apax, has taken a less limelight- lit route.

Despite their different styles, the pair provided sufficient incentive for delegates to clamour for the invitation-only $3,000 a ticket places on board.

The event was the latest from the Summit Series, an organisation set up by four friends in the US who say they have identified the value to be derived from bringing people together in an era increasingly dominated by online communication.

In a sound bite that would not be out of place in a spin doctor’s little black book, one of the organisers opined: “The idea is that there is a voice for young thought leaders, entrepreneurs and people who move the needle.”

Strip away the layers of spin, and a meaningful and useful purpose emerges.

Weigh up the fact that your audience of needle movers is effectively captive on board a bobbing ship heading for the Caribbean, and you begin to get some idea of the potential for those who made it up the gangway to both learn and teach.

What’s especially fascinating is the promoters’ assertion that good, old-fashioned look ’em in the eye communication can still trump all manner of web-based efforts to spread ideas and intellect.

It’s a good example of old and new ideas being brought together. A smart move by those involved, and rich pickings for those on board.