Plenary Speakers
Youness OUAZRI
CEO & Founder Ecodome Maroc
Morocco
Youness OUAZRI
CEO & Founder Ecodome MarocMorocco
Biography
Youness OUAZRI is a passionate earthen construction engineer with a background in civil engineering. He graduated in 2015 from Ecole Hassania des Travaux Publics and worked for two years at a technical studies office as a structural engineer and chief of construction projects. After that, in 2017, he launched Ecodome Maroc, which is an enterprise specialized in ecological construction of houses and infrastructures for rural tourism using local raw materials mainly earth. With his team, they managed to adapt old earthen construction technics to modern norms and technical studies so that they create buildings that are highly performant energetically, highly resilient to natural phenomenon (mainly earthquakes) and solve the problematic of access to infrastructure in isolated areas. Up to date, they have built more than 50 projects all over the Kingdom of Morocco, they have won several prizes nationally and internationally and they are seeking to scale our activities across Africa and the Middle East.
Speech Title
Creating new business models through reviving old ones: Ecodome Maroc experience"
Dr. Abdul Hadi Zulkafli
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Malaysia
Dr. Abdul Hadi Zulkafli
Universiti Sains MalaysiaMalaysia
Biography
Abdul Hadi Zulkafli is an Associate Professor in the Finance and Islamic Finance Section at the School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). He obtained his Ph.D. in Corporate Finance from Universiti Malaya, MBA from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Bachelor of Finance from Universiti Teknologi MARA. Over the years, he has held several leadership roles, including Chairperson of Finance and Islamic Finance and Deputy Dean (Academic, Career, and International). His teaching expertise spans corporate finance, personal finance, entrepreneurial finance, and enterprise risk management.
Speech Title
Will update soon.
Dr. Pierino Puigsubira
Entrepreneur & Business Coach at Stratecrea
Andorra
Dr. Pierino Puigsubira
Entrepreneur & Business Coach at StratecreaAndorra
Biography
I am certified in Marketing and International Business and benefit from an Executive MBA from the IE Business School. I provide 25 years of Professional Experience capitalised in Industrial and Service Environments.
I am a Serial Entrepreneur and have Created and Managed several Companies including co-Founding Innovative Tech-Startups in Different Countries; I have also Developed Projects in highly Competitive Markets in the Building and Green-Tech industries in SME and MNE Structures.
I Help Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders Stand Out with their Projects & Companies for Better Results and a more Meaningful and Satisfying Work Life.
Speech Title
BIOPLACE, Where the Energy Meets: An Innovating Biomass Commerce through an Integrated IoT Marketplace.
Dr. Sharon Simmons
Jackson State University
United States
Dr. Sharon Simmons
Jackson State UniversityUnited States
Biography
Doctor Sharon Simmons is an innovative educator and entrepreneur who is a professional colleague with a collection of vintage works that she engages periodically. Doctor Sharon Simmons is a Caribbean born woman who has worked in many parts of the world, including the USA, Africa, Europe. She has demonstrated the power of social entrepreneurship and small business. Her greatest accomplishment is enabling students with no or limited resources to be competitive on stages previously not accessible and win as a team. She is the first to integrate HBCUs into her level of entrepreneurship and innovation. Her legacy is the mass and diversity of the students she has impacted with her proposition - "Choose to lose, if your win will destroy a life worth saving."
Speech Title
will be update soon.
Dr. Cristina Fernandes
University of Porto
Portugal
Dr. Cristina Fernandes
University of PortoPortugal
Biography
She is an Associate Professor w/Habilitation (in Management) at the Faculty of Economics, University of Porto, Portugal. She holds a PhD in Management from the University of Beira Interior. She is a researcher at CEF.UP (Center for Economics and Finance), Porto. She is part of the editorial board of Management Decision, Review of Managerial Science, Journal of Innovation and Knowledge; has several dozen scientific articles published in international journals including the Journal of Technology Transfer; Journal of Knowledge Management; R&D Management and Journal of Business Research. Actively participates in scientific meetings and international conferences on these topics, having been distinguished several times with awards for best article. Has participated in several international projects.
Speech Title
What impact indicators characterise success in sustainable and circular ecosystems? A Multilevel Approach.
Invited Speakers
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.
