The Virtual Worlds Forum Europe 2007, to be held October 24-25 in London, has announced an expanded list of speakers and exhibitors and a growing list of exhibitors. Workshops are scheduled for October 23 and 26.

Speakers include keynotes from Paul Ledak, vice president of development, Digital Convergence, IBM and Lord Puttnam of Queensgate, and presentations from industry leaders including Dr. Richard Bartle, Raph Koster at AreaE, Jessica Mulligan at Sunflowers, Alice Taylor at Channel 4 Television, Rob Seaver at Vivox, and Thomas Bidaux at NCSoft, among many others.

“First year conferences in any discipline usually start very small, and grow significantly in years two and three, but the immediate popularity of VWF Europe has exceeded our expectations,” says conference director Sasha Frieze. “Key players in the virtual worlds space, including developers, analysts, and investors, have recognized the future of this rapidly expanding market in Europe , and have generously supported the show in enthusiastic numbers.”

Frieze noted that 15 major exhibitors from five countries are on board including IBM, River Runs Red, and There, and that number is growing.

"IBM, as a founding sponsor, is investing in the Virtual Worlds Forum because of its leadership position as the first virtual worlds conference in Europe , and for the importance of cultivating a collaborative virtual world community," said Paul Ledak, vice president of development, Digital Convergence, IBM. “As the 3D Internet evolves, we will see a transformation in how businesses use these environments to realize business value. The Virtual Worlds Forum will be an excellent venue to collaborate with the community and discuss shaping the future of virtual worlds."

Workshops include Virtual Worlds 101 on October 23rd, Enterprise Virtual Worlds on October 24th, Risk, Reputation, and Virtual Worlds on October 26th