Invited Speakers
Dr. Affendy Abu Hassim
International Business at Universiti Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Dr. Affendy Abu Hassim
International Business at Universiti Kuala LumpurMalaysia
Biography
Dr. Affendy Abu Hassim serves as an Associate Professor of International Business at Universiti Kuala Lumpur specializing in Global Business Management and Information Technology, with a focus on Data Analytics. He is a Certified Business Coach with expertise in Marketing Research and Strategy, Business Transformation, and Product Innovation, supported by strong experience in project business management and start-up planning. He brings over 18 years of university teaching experience and more than 30 years of professional experience across multiple industries. His work includes course design, student assessment, and academic mentoring supported by strong industry engagement
Speech Title
Reconceptualizing Global Business Models in the Era of Artificial Intelligence.
Prof. Marko Kolakovic
University of Zagreb
Croatia
Prof. Marko Kolakovic
University of ZagrebCroatia
Biography
I was born on September 25, 1969 in Zagreb. After elementary school and finishing language high school in 1988, I entered the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb and after completing my military service began studying as a full-time student. I graduated in 1994. I gained my internship and first work experience in the economy in the companies "Gruma" and "Ledo", from 1994 to 1996. From 1996 to 2000, I worked as an assistant at the Department of Political Economy at the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, and from 2001 to 2006, I worked as an assistant professor at the Department of Economic Theory, from 2006 to 2022, as an associate and full-time professor. at the Department of Business Economics at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb. I enrolled in the postgraduate study "Organization and Management" in 1996 at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb. I defended my master's thesis in 1998 on the topic "Research on the competitive ability and strategic effectiveness of Croatian commercial banks". I defended my doctoral dissertation in 2001 under the title "Designing a model for measuring the success of a virtual company". By the decision of the Council of the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb, I was elected to the title of assistant professor in 2003, to the title of associate professor in 2006, full professor in 2011, and full professor to the permanent title in 2016 at the Department of Business Economics. In 2024 I was elected as an academician at MIANU academy of science and arts.
Speech Title
Will be updated soon.
Dr. Sintayehu Assefa Yirga
Hawassa University
Ethiopia
Dr. Sintayehu Assefa Yirga
Hawassa UniversityEthiopia
Biography
Dr. Sintayehu Assefa Yirga is a researcher and lecturer with expertise in entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development at Hawassa University, College of Business and Economics, Department of Management. His work focuses on the intersection of business model innovation, institutional dynamics, and value creation in developing economies, particularly within the African context. He has published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at international conferences, and actively engages in applied research that bridges academic insight with practical solutions for inclusive growth.
Speech Title
Value-Driven Innovation: Sustainable Business Models for Inclusive Growth in Emerging Economies.
Dr. Ioanna Dimitrakaki
South-West University "Neofit Rilski" Blagoevgrad
Bulgaria
Dr. Ioanna Dimitrakaki
South-West University "Neofit Rilski" BlagoevgradBulgaria
Biography
Dr. Ioanna Dimitrakaki is a professor at the International Hellenic University of Greece, specializing in business management and marketing. Her academic background includes a PhD in Marketing from South-West University "Neofit Rilski" in Bulgaria and an MBA from Kingston University in the UK. Her research focuses on topics such as work-life balance, job satisfaction, and organizational culture, with a special interest in its impact on employee well-being and performance
Speech Title
Organizational Innovation: The Case of Netflix.
Prof. Dinko Herman Boikanyo
University of Johannesburg
South Africa
Prof. Dinko Herman Boikanyo
University of JohannesburgSouth Africa
Biography
Professor Dinko Herman Boikanyo is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Business Management at the University of Johannesburg. He also serves as a Director and Board Member in the energy sector, reflecting his strong engagement with both academia and industry. He holds a PhD in Business Administration and has accumulated more than two decades of combined corporate and academic experience. Professor Boikanyo’s research expertise encompasses strategic management, leadership, digital technologies, innovation, strategic intelligence, and entrepreneurship. He has published extensively in IBSS, DOAJ, and Scopus-indexed journals, as well as in international conference proceedings and book chapters. In addition, he contributes opinion pieces to newspapers, where he translates academic insights into accessible reflections on societal and business issues. As a dedicated postgraduate supervisor, he has successfully mentored numerous Master’s and PhD students to completion, underscoring his commitment to producing high-quality scholarship and nurturing future leaders.
Speech Title
Reconceptualising Strategy and Leadership in Dynamic Markets: The Role of AI, Sustainability, and Geopolitical Disruptions.
Miguel Reynolds Brandão
Corkbrick Europe
Portugal
Miguel Reynolds Brandão
Corkbrick EuropePortugal
Biography
Miguel Reynolds Brandão is an innovation strategist and founder of Tutor25, AHP & AI Decision Leaders, and Incorruptus, working at the intersection of business design, artificial intelligence, and human-centered systems. His work focuses on building trust-based networks and emotionally intelligent platforms that enable circular thinking, sustainable value creation, and collective intelligence in the digital age.
Speech Title
Circular Thinking for Digital Economies: Reimagining Value Creation in the Age of AI A philosophical and practical dive into how circular principles can reshape not just materials, but relationships, data, and decision-making—especially in SaaS and community design.
Hugo Almeida
H.BAlm consulting
Portugal
Hugo Almeida
H.BAlm consultingPortugal
Biography
Hugo is a corporate and business strategist with 15 years of career experience in global and local teams in Executive Management, Strategic Partnerships, Business Development, Portfolio and Pipeline Management, Operations, and R&D. Covering from drug screening till commercialization (NCE's, 505b2, Complex Gx, Biosimilars and Plain Gx) including translating new disease targets into drug molecules. Hugo has a background in Pharmaceutical Sciences, holds an executive MBA degree and two post-graduation degrees. Main mission purpose: improving the patients' lives through bringing in innovation to market, and by increasing patient access to medicines by being at the forefront of pharma/ biotech.
Speech Title
The mosaic of global collaboration to scaling and diffusing pharma innovation.
Albin Kaelin
CEO, epeaswitzerland gmbh
Switzerland
Albin Kaelin
CEO, epeaswitzerland gmbhSwitzerland
Biography
Albin Kaelin, founder and CEO of epeaswitzerland gmbh since 2009, is a pioneer in advancing the Cradle to Cradle® design philosophy. He began this journey in 1993 with the development of the world’s first Cradle to Cradle® products under the Climatex® line. His work focuses on creating recyclable products that retain material quality across multiple life cycles, promoting true circularity. Recognized for his visionary leadership, Kaelin has received over 30 awards since 2022, including the IE 100 Award and the title “Most Innovative CEO of the Year.” He is also the author of From Rebel to Radical Innovator: Leading the Transformation through Circularity.
Speech Title
Cradle to Cradle Design Innovations.
Jitka Novotova
Technical University of Liberec
Czechia
Jitka Novotova
Technical University of LiberecCzechia
Biography
Jitka Novotová is an assistant professor at the Department of Marketing and Business at the Faculty of Economics of the Technical University of Liberec. In 2019, she defended her doctoral thesis, Building Customer Loyalty to Clothing Brands on Facebook. Since then, she has been actively publishing on these two topics and guarantees the subjects of Online Marketing, Social Networks and Brand Marketing in her follow-up studies. In 2020, she was awarded a project by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic entitled School-age Children and Their Perception of Online Marketing Communication as a researcher. As part of the project, she created worksheets for elementary school students, the aim of which is to increase children's awareness of online marketing.
Speech Title
Online marketing/influencer marketing targeting children.
Prof. Agnieszka Rzepka
Lublin University of Technology
Poland
Prof. Agnieszka Rzepka
Lublin University of TechnologyPoland
Biography
Agnieszka Rzepka is a Professor at the Faculty of Management, Lublin University of Technology, Poland. She heads the Department of Economics, Innovations, and Social Studies and serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Board for the discipline of Management. Additionally, she chairs the Publishing Board at LUT. Professor Rzepka specialises in inter-organizational management, leadership, self-management, and SMEs. She has authored and co-authored more than 140 academic works, including eight monographs.
Speech Title
Evolution of Management in a Post-Pandemic World – The Chameleon Paradigm.
Dr. Jay Daniel
CILT (UK)
United Kingdom
Dr. Jay Daniel
CILT (UK)United Kingdom
Biography
Dr. Jay Daniel is an Associate Professor of Digital Supply Chains and Lead of the Technology Innovation Research Cluster at the Centre for Supply Chain Improvement, University of Derby, UK. Prior to joining Derby Business School, he was a lecturer in supply chain and information systems at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia. Before entering academia, Dr. Daniel held senior roles with DB Schenker (Australia) and Alliance International Registrar (Asia Pacific), where he worked as a senior management consultant, supply chain solution analyst, Project Manager, Industry Trainer, and Lead Auditor. Dr Daniel has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles in leading international journals and conferences, including IEEE Transactions on Fuzzy Systems, International Journal of Information Management, Journal of Service Research, and Innovation, among others. He serves on the editorial boards of several respected journals, including the Australasian Journal of Information Systems (ERA Rank A), Quality Management Journal, and Operations Management Research, and is an active member of numerous international scientific and program committees. His research is supported by major funding bodies such as the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), InterAct, and Made Smarter Innovation, alongside global industry partners. Dr. Daniel is a frequent keynote and invited speaker at international academic and industry forums worldwide, including the Oracle Modern Business Experience Conference (Australia) and global sustainability and supply chain events across the USA, Europe, and Asia. He is honored to be recognized among the Top 50 Thought Leaders and Influencers in Supply Chain by Thinkers360.
Speech Title
Digital Supply Chain and Blockchain Technology: How to Unblock the Chain!
