MEET OUR SPEAKERS

​Rania Toukebri is a project manager at Airbus Defense and Space with extensive experience in satellite design and verification. She's also a mentor in the Space4Women program initiated by the United Nations. Rania is a lecturer, delegate, and expert evaluator for various organizations and was the Regional Coordinator for Africa in the Space Generation Advisory Council. She's a TED speaker and was recognized as one of the Top 10 under 30 in the African space market in 2019. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Future of space technology 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Space agencies and the private sector are currently planning several ambitious projects to explore the solar system as well as the other galaxies, others to solve urgent issues related to climate change, socio economic development, disaster management and security. All these projects rely on the technology that is still under development. This session will go through the most urgent missions and will start answering questions related to the needed instruments and strategies.

Alongside her 'side job' as an advisor/consultant, Dr. Hajar is a Senior Director and a member of the Executive Board at NTTData Switzerland. She has been in the IT industry for over 18 years. A proven executive with global experience, she serves as a client leader and change agent. Dr. Hajar’s passion lies in creating inclusive and empathetic work environments where people are encouraged & supported to be the best they can be, embracing their most authentic selves. She was granted the Business Leader Award for Best All-round Female in IT in Europe and the Global Influencer Leader Award. Having experienced the power of recognizing authentic behavior firsthand, she wanted to ensure she paid it forward and gave other women the chance to experience it as well. She is a board member of a Swiss leader, a member of the Advisory Board of MOD-ELLE, and also a member of the Advisory Council of the WINconference. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Culture, transformation, Tech and the Future: A Leader's Sweet Spot 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Most major change initiatives—whether intended to boost quality, improve culture, or reverse a corporate death spiral—generate only lukewarm results. Many fail miserably. Why? Too many managers don’t realize that transformation is a process, not an event. It advances through stages that build on each other, and it takes years. Pressured to accelerate the process, managers often skip stages. However, shortcuts never work. Guiding change may be the ultimate test of a leader—no business survives over the long term if it can’t reinvent itself. Yet, due to human nature, fundamental change is often resisted vehemently by the people it affects most: those in the trenches of the business. Thus, leading change is both essential and incredibly difficult.

Brian leads innovation for Accenture's Communications and Media Industry globally with a focus on the metaverse, Web3 and the future of the internet. He has a passion for technology since receiving his first computer, an Atari 520ST, as a 5 year old and loves that he gets to combine this with solving for human needs, working with clients to ignite change in The Dock, Accenture’s global R&D and Innovation centre in Dublin, which he helped set up in 2016. Brian has extensive international experience and over the past 15 years has helped leading organisations to expand globally, accelerate product development cycles and embed a culture of innovation and is a recognised thought leader with media appearances on CNBC, CNN, Euronews, Al Jazeera and RTE. Outside of Accenture, Brian served as Irish President of Junior Chamber International, the worldwide leadership development organisation and sits on the Governing Authority of his alma mater, Dublin City University. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Hype vs Reality: Gen AI and Metaverse 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: In this thought-provoking presentation, Brian Smyth, Managing Director and Global Comms, Media, and Technology Innovation Lead at Accenture, will deep dive into the realm of Gen AI and the Metaverse separating fact from fiction and will bring to life real examples that create value for businesses and consumers today. Brian will delve into the heart of these ground-breaking technologies, looking beyond the hype cycle and noise in the market at the implications for how we live our lives and how we work today. He will also address some of the most difficult questions (Is the metaverse dead? Will generative AI take my job?) and will share his perspective on how we can all embrace a Tech + Human future to build a better society for all. This session is designed to be electrifying discussion that will challenge your preconceptions and ignite your imagination.

Antonis Kocheilas is the Global CEO of Ogilvy Advertising. In this role, he is serving on the executive leadership team of Ogilvy WW with the sole responsibility to harness Ogilvy's capabilities in branding, advertising, and content creation for the growth of brands and businesses under Ogilvy’s stewardship. Throughout his career, Antonis has worked to foster cultures on both the client and agency side where creativity flourishes and is directed to drive demonstrably better business results. He has seen the effectiveness of this approach through the work that has done with a range of global companies including SC Johnson, Mondelēz, PepsiCo, Unilever, Constellation Brands, CDW, and Pernod Ricard among others. He is a strategist by trade and during his tenure at Ogilvy, led the global Brand Strategy Community, bringing together a diverse team of strategists to successfully shape the future of some of the most valuable brands in the world. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: 9 Habits of the Marketer of the future 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: The future is now and it demands us to think differently. Hear from Antonis Kocheilas, Global CEO, Ogilvy Advertising on the 9 Habits of the Marketer of the Future, including: Why we must reappraise strategy as a mindset and a point of departure. Why in the future, creativity will be the only sustainable business advantage. Why experimentation will be the only safe avenue to growth.

Patricia works as IBM Consulting Spatial Computing and Metaverse Lead at IBM. She has been working and leading a Spanish team on the design and development of digital and immersive experiences for 5 years and also, is the co-founder of Big Girls Theory, a community that wants to promote the role of women in technology and share our passion for it. XR enthusiast and Unity certified, Patricia is passionate about 3D Design, sharing industry insights and XR experiments in social media and trying to evangelize people across industries about the benefits and applications of extended reality. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Spatial, the new frontier of experience 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: During the last years we have seen how new technologies such as generative ai, metaverse and extended reality have redefined our expectations for user experiences. We will talk about how to design for these new experiences and how to leverage enterprise-ready platforms for their development.

A former professional athlete turned physical engineer, driven by a deep passion for both hardware technologies and sportswear innovation, embarked on a journey that melded his expertise and enthusiasm. In 2018, he ventured into entrepreneurship, founding his first wearable startup. Over the course of more than five years, he assumed the role of a technology consultant, overseeing the development of over 15 intelligent garment projects related to bio-monitoring for various companies. In 2021, he launched his second startup, H-Cube with a wealth of knowledge and experience accumulated over the years. His new venture is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of smart clothing technology, with a particular emphasis on advancing athletic injury prevention. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Can Smart Clothing Transform Us into Modern-Day Superheroes? 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Designed for protection from the external elements and keeping us warm, clothes have evolved into a powerful medium for expressing our social identity. Now, a new feature is ready to be woven into the fabric of our garments, one that might just transform us into Modern-Day Superheroes? The exponential growth of technology seems to tell us Yes, as it is finding more and more application in the smart clothing industry. In just decade we'll take these technological wonders for granted, Can we truly trust such projections? The truth is, the path to widespread adoption of this technology is deeply intricate and challenging. Yet, history has shown that every major revolution is only a vision before someone works on it to make it happen, and that is exactly what H-Cube tirelessly pursuing each day.

Charlotte leads Global Product Marketing within Generative AI at Booking.com. Charlotte and her team recently developed and launched Booking.com's AI Trip Planner to help make it even easier for travelers to discover their next trip and personalise their trip experience. Prior to joining Booking.com, Charlotte worked across the banking and FMCG industries with a focus on new product development and end-to-end brand and marketing strategies. Originally from New Zealand, Charlotte now lives in Amsterdam. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Personalising your next trip with AI at Booking.com 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Travel is an industry that is often singled out as being vulnerable to disruption. In this session, Charlotte will share how Booking.com have flipped that on it’s head by integrated Generative AI into their products to increase personalisation and engagement. She will address: •Focusing on personalisation and ‘building a connected trip’. •Training LLM’s on first party data to provide a differentiation in experience. •Developing effective security and risk management protocols to avoid data leakage. •Creating guardrails, and leveraging disclaimers, to limit the impact of incorrect information. •Enhancing customer experience through a focus on UX and CX design.

Cosmin Marinescu (born 1976) is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE). He is a professor at the Department of Economics and Economic Policies. Cosmin Marinescu has been teaching since 1998 and holds a PhD in economics (2003). He has founded the first Romanian university course of study on Institutional Economics regarding the role of the institutions in economic development. He gained a postdoctoral scholarship (2011-2012) within the contest run by the National Institute of Economic Research “Costin C. Kirițescu” of the Academy of Romania. Furthermore, he won scientific contests as a project director, on topics regarding the institutions of the market economy, economic freedom and the institutional quality of the business environment. His research activity also materialised in various research opportunities abroad: Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne (June 2012), ESCP Europe Business School (June 2010), Middlesex University and London School of Economics (April 2008), Institut d’Administration des Entreprises, Lille (June 2002), Maison des Sciences Economiques (October 2001). As a founder president, he established the Center for Economics and Liberty – ECOL, an educational and research initiative, that aims to promote a better understanding of the principles behind a free economy and a democratic society. He published several books as a coordinator, author and coauthor, including Education: An Economic Perspective (2001), Liberalisation of Foreign Economic Exchanges (2003), Institutions and Prosperity. From Ethics to Efficiency (2004), Market Economy (2007), Economic Freedom and Property (2011), Transaction Costs and Economic Perfomace (2013). He coordinated the volume Capitalism. The Logic of Liberty (Humanitas, 2013) appreciated by prestigious economists in the international academic field. The Romanian Association of Economic Faculties awarded Cosmin Marinescu in 2008. He was vice-president of the Specialised Commission for Budget and Finances of the National Liberal Party (2013-2014) and contributed to the development of governing policies and programmes. He worked at the Ministry of Economy (2012) and at the Ministry of Public Finance (2013) as adviser to the minister and to the deputy prime minister on economic policy and fiscal-budgetary matters. Between June and December 2014, Cosmin Marinescu was the economic adviser to the President of the National Liberal Party, Klaus Iohannis. Cosmin Marinescu was appointed Presidential Adviser on 22 December 2014. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: The official opening message of The President of Romania, H.E. Klaus Iohannis

Mr. Bogdan-Gruia Ivan is the Minister of Research, Innovation and Digitalization. Mr. Ivan is the youngest minister in the Romanian Government. Minister Ivan was elected in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies in 2020. He was the vice-president of the Committee for Information and Communications Technology in the Chamber. Mr. Ivan was also a member of the parliamentary committees for Public Administration and for Automation and the Future of Work. Minister Ivan was a co-initiator of the laws that laid the foundation for Romania's digital transformation, the most important being the Law on the Interoperability of Public Sector Databases. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Official Opening Ceremony

Dumitru Alaiba is a Moldovan politician and economist, currently serving as the Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization in the Government of the Republic of Moldova. He started his career in international consulting. He worked in different countries such as Finland, Latvia, Romania, and Austria. In 2009, he decided to return home and join the government team. He founded the Prime Minister's Economic Council and led the business climate reforms. At the end of 2015, he decided that he no longer wanted to be part of an increasingly corrupt and authoritarian government, and thus resigned and joined the civil society. Between 2016 and 2019, he founded and led CPR Moldova - an NGO that promotes human rights transparency and defends Moldovan democracy by fighting against the oligarchic system and corruption. In 2019, Maia Sandu, current President of the Republic of Moldova, invited him to take part in the Parliamentary elections. He was elected as a Member of the Parliament from Party Action and Solidarity (PAS) and chaired the Parliamentary Committee for Economy, Budget, and Finance. After two years, in November 2022, he was appointed Minister of Economy in the Gavrilița Cabinet. In February 2023, Recean Cabinet took over and Dumitru Alaiba has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Economic Development and Digitalization. In addition to his political activities, Dumitru Alaiba is married and has two children. He speaks fluently English and Romanian, and is interested in the development of the technology and innovation sector in the Republic of Moldova. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Official Opening Ceremony

𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Official Opening Ceremony

Throughout his professional career, Sabin Sărmas has been actively engaged in both public and private organizations within the digital sector, with a focus on the governance of the information and knowledge society. Presently, he holds the position of Member of the Romanian Parliament and serves as the Chairman of the IT&C Commission within the Chamber of Deputies. Additionally, he recently served as the President of the Plenipotentiary Conference 2022 of The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), held in Bucharest. Prior to these roles, he held the position of President of the National Authority for Digitalization from 2019 to 2021, where he was responsible for coordinating and implementing national policies, strategies, and projects related to information technology, communications, and the digitalization of public services. In addition to his public sector experience, Sărmas has also worked in the private sector as a software engineer and business developer for various companies located in the city of Cluj-Napoca. Through these experiences, he has gained a comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing the sector from a multi-stakeholder perspective. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Official Opening Ceremony

Andrei Niculae has been serving as Vice-president of the Authority for the Digitalization of Romania since January 2023. As the youngest member of the Romanian Government, Andrei is a strong advocate for digital-first public policies. His strongest belief is that Romania has a once-in-a-generation opportunity: digital transformation. This implies the chance to rethink bureaucracy and the processes behind any public services offered to citizens. Andrei is a graduate of the Political Science Faculty @ the University of Bucharest and has fulfilled roles in strategic and crisis communication for the Romanian Gov. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Official Opening Ceremony

Florin Popa, with over 20 years of experience in the telecom sector, has been serving as the Business to Business Director at Orange Romania since 2013. As the representative of Orange Business in the local market, Florin brings extensive knowledge and expertise in both telecommunications and ICT solutions domains. This dual experience positions Orange Business uniquely, delivering fixed-mobile and IT&C services that support companies and public authorities in their digital transformation journey. Under Florin's leadership, Orange's revenues from IT&C solutions have become a significant growth engine. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Official Opening Ceremony

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: Octavian Palade is the Video SEO Manager for Upswing, the most innovative SEO agency in Romania. A former journalist, with almost 13 years of experience in writing about innovation, business and startups, Octavian is also the host of a radio show about technology, broadcasted at TANANANA Radio. Passionate about all things tech, he follows the industry closely, keeping a keen eye on the advancements of AI and its uses in the fields of digital marketing & business transformation.