Salma Abbasi
Salma Abbasi is chairperson and founder of eWorldwide Group, a consortium of 37 companies and universities focused on providing multiple services and solutions in four key areas: security and resilience, sustainable development and empowerment, alternative energy, recycling and environment, and management consultancy. She was awarded a Senior Research Associate Fellowship in the International Policy Department at King’s College University London in 2002. Ms. Abbasi actively works with multiple governments in an advisory capacity, creating strategies for developing sustainable socioeconomic digital inclusive societies.
Dr. Thomas Andersson
Thomas Andersson is President of Jfnkfping University and Professor of International Economics and Industrial Organisation at Jfnkfping International Business School (JIBS). Dr. Andersson holds many credentials, he is: President of the International Academy of Entrepreneurship (Intentac); Chairman of the International Council of the Global Trust Center (GTC); Chairman of the board for the International Organisation for Knowledge Economy and Enterprise Development (IKED); and member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. Dr. Andersson is a visiting fellow at Harvard University, Bank of Japan, Hitotsubashi University, and the University of Sao Paulo. In 2007, he was awarded the annual lifetime “Distinguished Scholar Award” at Innovations’07, the 4th international conference on Information Technology in Dubai, UAE.
Dr. Abdulmalik A. Aljinaidi
Dean of Research and Consulting Institute (RACI), Dr. Abdulmalik A. Aljinaidi is a professor of mechanical engineering at King Abdulaziz University (KAU). He is also a consultant for a Saudi Arabian oil company, Saudi Aramco. Dr. Aljinaidi’s research activities extend into product design, business development, and renewable energy. In 1995, after earning his Ph.D. from University of Maryland, Dr. Aljinaidi became vice dean of Jeddah Community College (JCC), in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He was later promoted to dean of the Community College. Dr. Aljinaidi has written and published four books, and 80 papers. He holds four U.S. patents.
Rami Al Karmi
Rami Al Karmi has more than 12 years of experience in executive management, strategic consulting, and project management. He is the co-founder and Chairman of @Your Service Group, and the CEO of Shabakat Al Ordon and Shabakat Al Arab, which targets to achieve positive change in the lives of 10 million Arabic beneficiary by the year 2015 by centering its strategies on local youth, who are enabled with technical, professional and facilitation skills in order to empower people, build communities of practice, and incubate initiatives.
H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al-Nahayan
His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al-Nahayan is the UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. He is chancellor of two of the UAE’s three government-sponsored institutions of higher learning: United Arab Emirates University, and the Higher Colleges of Technology; and president of Zayed University. H.H. Al-Nahayan is chairman of the Abu Dhabi Group, Union National Bank, and United Bank Limited. His Highness is the founding chairman of Bank Alfalah Limited and chairman of WARID Telecom International.
Abdullatif Al Sayegh
Abdullatif Al Sayegh, CEO of Arab Media Group is the founder and manager of divergent media subsidiaries under the AMG umbrella, including an events management company (Done Events), an outdoor advertising company (Shoof), a logistics and distribution company (Tawseel), and a printing press house (Masar). In 2006, he was named CEO of the Year for 2006 at the World CEO Forum in Dubai.
Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Shemiri
Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Shemiri is General Manager and Chief Executive of the Abu Dhabi, UAE based Akhbar Al Arab Newspaper since 2002. Dr. Al Shemiri holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration and a PhD in Management & Marketing. Dr. Al Shemiri is an active member in various fields of Media & Press groups like the Arab Publishers Union, and British Association of Journalists.
Emilio Ambasz
Emilio Ambasz, born in 1943 in Argentina, completed college in one semester at Princeton University, and received a Master’s Degree in Architecture the next year. After resigning from the Philip Freneau Professorship in Architecture at Princeton University, he served as Curator at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, where he directed and installed a number of influential architectural and design exhibitions.Renowned for his pioneering architecture integrating nature with architecture, he was the subject of two architectural exhibitions at The Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1989 and 2005, and twice at the Triennale di Milano, in 1995, for his industrial designs, and in 2005, for his architecture.Mr. Ambasz holds a number of industrial and mechanical design patents. He was awarded the coveted Compasso d’Oro prize in 1981 for the Vertebra seating system, in 1991 for his Qualis seating system, and again in 2004 for his street lighting system Saturno. His industrial design and architecture work is included in the design collections of The Museum of Modern Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, both in New York.
Prof. Agni Vlavianos Arvanitis
Professor Agni Vlavianos-Arvanitis is founder and president of the Biopolitics International Organisation (B.I.O.). The organization promotes international cooperation and education for the environment. With Greece as its operating basis, B.I.O. has gained wide acclaim by scholars and decision-makers in 138 countries around the world, and has been granted special Consultative Status with the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). She is also in the Hellenic Chapter of the Club of Rome. A graduate of Columbia University’s Barnard College (B.A.), New York University (M.S.) and the University of Athens (Ph.D.), Prof. Vlavianos-Arvanitis worked as a researcher at the Museum of Natural History, in New York, at the University of California Berkeley, and at the University of Paris.
Stephen Asher
Stephen Asher is a founding partner and head of International Business of Neuwing Energy Ventures, a leading environmental credit business based in the US, Europe, and the Middle East. Prior to joining Neuwing, from 2005 to 2007, Mr. Asher founded Univest Capital, and Univest Brokerage in the UAE, working in partnership with a leading Kuwaiti merchant bank. From 1999 to 2005, he co-founded and was COO of a leading German hedge fund advisory with 12 billion USD under advisory, the key product being, open architecture hedge fund platforms for European Private Banks. He founded and was CEO of an international healthcare business based in Paris with more than 150 employees and operations in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Holland. Mr. Asher holds an M.B.A. from Manchester Business School and was the 1988 Ford Scholar.
Sana Bagersh
Sana Bagersh is CEO of BrandMoxie, an advertising marketing firm in the UAE. She is also managing director of Synovetics, a training consultancy that organizes conferences and seminars for healthcare professionals. Before setting up BrandMoxie, Ms. Bagersh worked for eight years in Thuraya Satellite -Telecommunications Company as marketing manager where she guided the development of the Thuraya brand. Ms. Bagersh started her career as a newspaper reporter in the UAE and was later appointed Bureau Chief of Gulf News where she led a team of 15 reporters and photographers in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain and wrote her own column.
Dr. Claude Béglé
Dr. Claude Béglé is chairman of Swiss Post, a Swiss company that provides the public and the business community with postal, payment, and passenger transport services. Between 1999 and 2005, Dr. B?gl? was CEO of GeoPost International Management & Development Holding, and at the same time, executive chairman of DPD GmbH. He joined DPWN/DHL in October 2005, as Chairman of the Divisional Board EXPRESS Germany and Managing Director Central Europe. In May 2007, he was made an executive vice president of DPWN. His career has spanned many countries and multinationals such as Nestlé and Phillip Morris.
H.E. Dr. Vincent Biruta
His Excellency Dr. Vincent Biruta a Senate President of the Republic of Rwanda’s Parliament. He has had a long and illustrious career in politics. H.E. Dr. Biruta served as the President of the National Transition Assembly from January 2000 to August 2003. From 1997 to 1999, he was the Minister of Health. He also served as a Minister of Public Works, Transport, and Communication from 1999 to 2000. H.E. Dr. Biruta is a qualified physician. He has furthered his studies in Planning and Management of Health Services in Developing Countries at the Universitaire Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium.
Prof. Uwe R.Brückner – workshop
Born in Hersbruck, Bavaria, Uwe R.Brückner began his career working as an architect, but afterward he dedicated himself to set and costume design. In 1993, he founded Atelier Brückner Studio for architecture, exhibition design and scenograph. His experimental attitude, essential in his work, is expressed crosswise in his interdisciplinary projects: exhibit and fair booths, theatre, art exhibitions and pavilions. Mr. Br?ckner currently teaches at the Basel Academy of Art and Design. He is a member of the Art Directors Club of Germany, Department of Communication in Space, and member of the D&AD London Department of Environmental Design. Mr. Brückner’s portfolio includes projects for BMW Museum in Munich, the German Watch Museum Glashutte, and pavilion of the European and African countries for Expo Zaragoza 2009.
Peter Buffett
Emmy award winning musician Peter Buffett’s career spans over 28 years of success as a professional songwriter, producer, artist, performer, recording engineer, independent label owner and composer for film and television. Peter is also co-chair of NoVo Foundation, a charitable non-profit corporation with over $1-billion pledged by his father Warren Buffett.He is a writer and producer of commercials and logos for MTV, CNN,Coca-Cola and other notable clients. Buffett scored and choreographed the “Fire Dance” in the Academy Award Winning Film Dances with Wolves, composed songs for the Scarlett Letter and released several leading Albums. Currently collaborating with Grammy nominated and international recording artist AkonIn June 2008 Peter and Akon launched the website www.IsThereSomethingICanDo.com to promote social action through social networking. His most recent album, Imaginary Kingdom, was released in the Fall of 2008.
Luciano Calaciura
Luciano Calaciura has more than 20 years of experience with Italy’s Customs Administration. From 2005 to 2008 he managed the Twinning Project between the Jordan customs and Italian customs agencies, where he acted as Resident Twinning Advisor and regional project manager for TACTA within the Balkans. He shared his expertise in IPR related matters, legislation and enforcement. Mr. Calaciura has established strict working relationships with governmental authorities and law enforcement agencies, specifically in Jordan and the Balkans. He is an expert on customs legislation, IPR, unsafe products enforcement, risk analysis and intelligence, law enforcement, investigation techniques, and in developing relationships with the business community at-large.
Peter Carson
Peter Carson is the deputy team leader of the EU TACTA office in Serbia and is also the coordinator for regional initiatives for the customs and tax administrations of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro. His career with Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise spanned more than 27 years, which included time served as a uniformed officer and a senior investigator dealing with drug smuggling, revenue evasion and VAT Fraud. Mr. Carson has worked in EU-funded technical assistance programs in the Western Balkans since 1997.
T.H. Natalina Cea
The Honorable Natalina Cea leads the International Cooperation and Technical Assistance Office of the Italian Customs Agency. She boasts more than 25 years of experience in customs, including more than 15 years in international customs related assistance projects, three of which dealt with the modernization of the Customs Administration of the Western Balkan countries (Albania, Kosovo, Republic of Macedonia). During this period, she led nine EU twinning projects in MEDA (Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Morocco) and PHARE countries, including three in Slovak Republic and Bulgaria.
Dr. Perparim Dervishi
The Honorable Dr. Perparim Dervishi is director-general of the Albanian Customs Agency, where he has worked since 2005. Prior to this position, he was a consultant on de-centralization and local governance for Albania as well as a local expert for the Urban Institute’s office in Tirana. T.H. Dr. Dervishi was a consultant for the Swedish Institute Project’s implementation unit and worked on the development of a regional development strategy for southern Albania in Kor?a. T.H. Dr. Dervishi has an extensive diplomatic career: he was the Ambassador to the Republic of Albania in the Republic of Hungary, and the First Secretary of the Republic of Albania in the Kingdom of Sweden.
Dr. Hisham El Sherif
Dr. Hisham El Sherif is the chairman of RITSEC. He is a regionally recognized leader in software engineering, multimedia, education, training, cultureware, and the information highway. Dr. El Sherif also serves as the chairman and CEO of IT Investments, Cairo. He is the co-founder and chair of the Advisory Board for the Cabinet Information and Decision Support Centre IDSC. From 1985-1999, under his leadership, IDSC was selected as one of the top 100 IT organizations in the world.
Dr. Halah El-Sokari
Dr. Halah El-Sokari is the director of Strategy and Planning for the Khalifa Fund. The Fund works in parallel with Abu Dhabi’s strategic economic development to promote entrepreneurship and develop SMEs within the UAE; this includes establishing venture capital and industrial development funds, as well as business incubators to catalyze smaller enterprises. Dr. El-Sokari has more than 25 years of domestic and international experience in diverse industries, specializing in strategic and tactical business planning development, investment banking, asset portfolio management, financial planning/analysis, marketing management, P&L management, international economic development, SME development, corporate social responsibility, and consultancy. In 2005, Dr. El-Sokari initiated the “Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, “a not-for-profit consortium that conducts research on entrepreneurial activity in 42 countries. In 1995, Dr. El-Sokari worked as a senior consultant and advisor to the United Nations Development Programme, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Egyptian Ministry of International Cooperation, to evaluate, and recommend the most effective administration of development assistance in Egypt. She holds a Ph.D., M.B.A., and B.Sc. in Business Administration with honors from the University of Notre Dame and Syracuse University, a CFM, and US Exchange Licenses: Series 7, Series 63, and Series 65.
Mark Erhart
Mark Erhart is the Executive Director of Mubadala Healthcare, a division of Mubadala Development Company, and CEO of Medical Holding Company LLC, Mubadala’s wholly owned healthcare investment vehicle. Mark is responsible for overseeing strategy and developing viable investment opportunities in the healthcare sector for Mubadala, with a focus on achieving sustainable returns and contributing to the overall social and economic development of Abu Dhabi. Before joining Mubadala in 2006, Mark was responsible for corporate development at Singapore-based Parkway Health. Mark serves on the Boards of Directors of the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre and the Abu Dhabi Knee & Sports Medicine Centre.
Daniel Evans
Daniel Evans is the founder and marketing director of the ei-group. He has been quoted as saying,”Commerce is best served rigorously applying the principles of ethics, empathy, and transparency. These three cornerstones are fundamental to the activities of every company within the Group.” It is this point of view that signifies Mr. Evans’ deep commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). He said this vision led him to form a new Dubai-based company, Istidama, Arabic for “sustainable,” which aims to benchmark, not only the CSR programs of entities within the ei-group, but those of other businesses
Gordon Falconer
Gordon Falconer is department manager of Strategy and Real Estate at Masdar, a future energy company in Abu Dhabi. He has more than 20 years of experience in property development, project valuations, property feasibility, property structuring, appraising, residential/commercial property management, retail centre management and portfolio asset management. Prior to Masdar, Mr. Falconer was vice president of Real Estate at The National Investor, one of the UAE’s leading investment banks. While at the National Investor, he was responsible for acquisitions and development work throughout the MENA region. Additionally, he was involved with financial real estate structuring and various investment banking real estate advisory work. Mr. Falconer was senior asset manager at MCS Centro Property, now Australia’s largest Private Placement Property Fund Manager, where he was responsible for the asset management of a portfolio of residential, retail, commercial and industrial properties across Australia. He is an associate member of the Australian Property Institute, a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and a licensed practising valuer.
Camillo Fornasieri
Camillo Fornasieri is the director of the Centro Culturale di Milano. He is president of the foundation Stelline, a renowned institution for contemporary art exhibitions. The programs of the Centro Culturale di Milano and its activities were awarded in 2000 with the merits of the Civic Gold Medal of the City of Milan, and in 2008 for the Year of Intercultural Dialogue of the European Parliament. At Stelline Foundation, along with Jean Clair, Elena Pontiggia, and Claudia Gian Ferrari, Mr. Fornasieri has facilitated exhibitions and presentations on twentieth century artists of international acclaim such as: Arturo Martini, Chagall, Picasso, Roualt, Cragg, Sironi, Schifano, Carr?. With experience as a chairman and co-lecturer, he also leads the school of creative writing Flannery O’Connor in Milan. Fornasieri is a photography exhibition designer and curator of literature and history exhibitions. He is also a member of the drafting of the Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples Foundation and of the Italian Cultural Center Association.
Dr. Manuel Fradinho
Dr. Manuel Fradinho is the research director of Cyntelix. He has more than 18 years of ICT experience. In his position as research director, Dr. Fradinho is responsible for its research programme focused on the exploitation of research results into sustainable businesses based on semantic technologies. His research interests include: serious games for competence development, innovation management, semantic intelligence, social networks, ubiquitous work environments, widgets, and virtual environments. Dr. Fradinho has published numerous papers and reports.
Robert A. Freling
Robert Freling has been executive director of the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) since 1997. During his stewardship, SELF has completed solar energy projects in more than 15 countries, making SELF the leader among non-governmental organizations in realizing practical and cost-effective alternative energy solutions for rural villagers. A native of Dallas, Texas, Mr. Freling collaborated with SELF as a Chinese translator and interpreter to coordinate a 1000-house solar electrification project in rural Gansu, China in 1995. He was soon appointed SELF’s Director of International Programs. In that role, he facilitated negotiations between the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture to expand the Gansu Province solar electrification project.
Prof. Harriet Fulbright
Harriet Mayor Fulbright is President of the J. William & Harriet Fulbright Center, a non-profit organization which serves to advance the work of Ms. Fulbright’s late husband, Senator J. William Fulbright, and to continue her own lifework. The purpose of the Fulbright Center is to promote world peace and nonviolent means of resolving conflicts through international collaborations and education programs. The Fulbright Center partners with higher education institutions and interested individuals – students, teachers, scholars, and leaders – throughout the world in a range of services from assisting in building enriched study abroad programs to actively engaging higher education institutions in international peace making.
Prof. Giuseppe Furlanis
Giuseppe Furlanis is director of the National Council for Artistic and Musical Education (AFAM), a body of the Italian Ministry of University and Research. Since becoming director, Mr. Furlanis collaborates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coordinating the Art and Design Centre of Malta and taking part in the scientific board of Montevideo Industrial Design Centre. Mr. Furlanis was the former director of ISIA in Florence. In 1983, he served as curator for numerous design and architecture exhibition, working closely with companies, institutions, R&D and business support centers. In 2008, he was curator of the exhibition “The Legend of Speed” in Rome.
Dr. John Gathright
Dr. Gathright, founder of Growing Villages is an avid ecologist and naturalist. He is also the founder of Tree Climbing Japan and a keynote speaker for the Japanese Ministry of Parks and Education. Dr. Gathright was also awarded Ecology Design Prize GOOD DESIGN AWARD from Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO) Ministry of International Trade and Industry for his growing village project.
H.E. Armen Gevorgyan
Armen Gevorgyan is the Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister of Territorial Administration to the Republic of Armenia. He began his career in public office shortly after graduating from the University of Twente, Netherlands, in 1998, with a MS in Planning of Education and Training Systems. Mr. Gevorgyan was the Chief of Staff to Former President Robert Kocharyan in 2006. The following year, he served as Secretary to the National Security Council until he reached his current position.
Dr. Dino Giuli
Professor Dino Giuli is full professor of the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications (DET) at the University of Florence. There he is also the director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. School in Telematics and Information Society. Prof. Giuli is currently devoted fulltime to research the several domains of telematics, environmental monitoring, and infomobility systems. He has been a strategic advisor on innovative developments in the field of regional information society throughout Italy. Prof. Giuli is the author of more than two hundred articles, published in international scientific journals, and conference proceedings.
Prof. Lizbeth Goodman
Professor Lizbeth Goodman is the founder and director of the SMARTlab Digital Media Institute and MAGIC Multimedia and Games Innovation Centre and Gamelab, currently based at the University of East London, UK, where she also holds the Chair of Creative Technology Innovation. She has just been appointed as director of research for Futurelab, the UK’s leading innovator in learning and teaching methods and models for 21st Century schools and learning spaces. Prof. Goodman also directs the International Research Programme for RITSEC, Cairo, and founder and President of safespaces.net ltd: a charity dedicated to stopping violence against women and children internationally. In 2008, she won the BlackBerry Rim Women in Technology Awards for ‘Outstanding Woman in Technology’ and ‘Best Woman in the Public Sector and Academia’.
Mounir D. Haidar
Mounir D. Haidar is CEO of Sorouh Real Estate PJSC. He has held this position since the company’s inception in 2005. Mr. Haidar boasts more than 27 years of experience in the fields of engineering, real estate, and business development; as well as program and construction management throughout the U.S., Europe and the Middle East. Mr. Haidar was the executive vice president and head of the technical department for Nakheel and served as vice president and regional manager responsible for the aviation division’s operational and business development activities in Europe and the Middle East for Parsons Corporation. He earned his bachelor’s degree in structural and civil engineering, and completed his master’s in the same field at Bradley University in Illinois. In recognition of his accomplishments, Mr. Haidar was selected as one of the Top 100 business executives in the Gulf Cooperation Council in 2007 by CEO Middle East magazine.
Phil Harrington
Phil Harrington is CEO and founder of YouBloom.com, an Internet site that enables music artists to showcase their talent, build relationships with fans, and earn income. Mr. Harrington has spent the past fifteen years immersed in the world of e-Commerce and Internet technology. He contributed to the early growth of Earthlink, now one of the largest Internet service providers in the US. Prior to his arrival in the US, he founded and grew the largest independent consumer electronics sales and marketing company in Ireland. Mr. Harrington is founder and CEO of the Human Health Project.
Prof. Dr. Mark Harris
Dr. Mark Harris is director of the Intel Higher Education & Research Programs for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. He is responsible for advancing innovation in key areas of Intel, collaborating with top universities in the EMEA region to expand university curricula, by engaging in focused research, and encouraging students to pursue a range of opportunities for technical study, research, and entrepreneurship. The Intel® Higher Education & Research Programs is run in more than 150 universities in 25 EMEA countries. Dr. Harris joined Intel in 1983, holding a number of engineering, managerial, and director positions before 2003.
H.R.H. Princess Heide von Hohenzollern
Her Royal Highness Princess Heide von Hohenzollern manages the “Burg Namedy” in the Rhineland. She has converted the historic family estate into an international culture centre, where both theater and contemporary art exhibits take place. Burg Namedy is also known for hosting international music concerts and the works of famous artists. H.R.H. Princess Heide is currently planning a project at the estate that will draw nearly 100 students from five international universities to work together on the project “Erinnerungsrdume” (Places of Remembrance). Princess Heide’s official charity project titles are, Patroness of the Hospitz Society Koblenz, and chair of the Cancer Foundation in Rhineland-Pfalz.
Dr. Aldo Iacomelli
Dr. Aldo Iacomelli is a professor at the University of Rome and an expert on renewable and clean energy. Dr. Iacomelli is the deputy chairman of Renewable Energy Technology Deployment Implementing Agreement at the International Energy Agency (IEA) (OECD) in Paris. Dr. Iacomelli directs the task force for Strategy Development and Planning on behalf of the Italian government. He was chosen as IPPC Commission Member by the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea (IMETS), under the Integrated Pollution Prevention Control Commission in 2004
Lindy Joubert
Lindy Joubert is director of the UNESCO Observatory on Multi-Disciplinary Research in the Arts for the Asia-Pacific and other regions. The Observatory’s role is to facilitate greater research, information-gathering, and knowledge-sharing in the arts. Ms. Joubert worked as a consultant at the UNESCO Headquarters. She is director of the Asia Pacific Confederation for Arts Education and leads teams for the Community Arts Development Scheme Evaluation for VicHealth, Arts Health Strategy, and the Healing Arts Project across Children’s Cancer Centers in Victoria.
Tunde Kallai
Tunde Kallai is an expert on open innovation. She has been a project evaluator for European research and innovation projects since 2003. Mrs. Kallai was one of the founders of the European Network of Living Labs (EnoLL) in 2004, where she served as a Leadership Policy Group member. Mrs. Kallai assisted and initiated the set-up of seven Living Labs in Hungary, Malta, and Switzerland from 2006 to 2008. She is active in NESSI European Technology Platform and the European Enterprise Platform. She is the co-author of “The European Living Labs.” Her PhD in 2009 will be related to open innovation in Living Labs.
Geoff Lawton
Geoff Lawton (Jamal Al Deen) is the founding director of the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia, having been requested to establish the institute by Permaculture movements founder Bill Mollison. Mr. Lawton has worked for clients that include communities, governments, aid organizations, non-government organizations, and multi-national companies. He has consulted and taught for clients in more than 30 different countries, repairing, restoring, and reforesting damaged landscapes into fertile productive ones with the ecology design science of permaculture.
Robert Levin
Robert Levin is an internationally recognized expert on new economy trends in finance and technology. Transclick is the leading patented mobile messaging company that offers real-time language translation of instant messaging, email, SMS and text to/from 20 languages including contracts with the US Army, IBM-NATO, the USDA and the US House of Representatives and was nominated by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer 2008. Transclick awards include RIM BlackBerry’s award for Best Business Productivity Application and CTIA Wireless Association’s 1st place e-tech award for emerging technology in Enterprise Solutions. Mr. Levin was a Professor of Finance at the Columbia Business School, received an MBA in Finance from NYU Stern School of Business, and a Masters in International Affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He wrote 2 books, including a best selling biography of Bill Clinton. He has given expert testimony before VP Al Gore’s hearings on the Global Information Infrastructure.
H.E. Fatmir Limaj
His Excellency Fatmir Limaj is the Minister of Transport and Communications and also serves as a Member of Parliament and Deputy President of the Democratic Party of Kosovo. From 1999 to 2000, he served as a Deputy Minister of Defense. From 1999 to 2002, he was appointed Secretary for Public Relations of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (DPK). H.E. Minister Limaj has also served as a member of the Transitional Council of Kosovo. Between 2001 and 2003, he was elected as a member of Parliament, and appointed as the Chief of Parliamentary Group of DPK.
Dr. Mäkinen Tapani
Dr. Tapani Mäkinen is developing manager of the Technical Research Centre (VTT) in Finland. He leads a number of international research projects in the road transport sector. Dr. Mäkinen has worked in the transport sector throughout his career, specializing in driver behavior, and the development of traffic safety research measurement methodology and transport safety telematics. Dr. Mäkinen was the Integrated Project Advisor for the largest European Commission funded automotive project “PReVent”. In 2006, he was responsible for coordinating the stakeholder document “Intelligent Vehicle Systems” for the European Union 7 Framework Programme. He has been an actively engaged in EU Framework Programmes since 1995.
Carlo Masseroli
Carlo Masseroli heads Milan’s Territory Development Department. In 2001, he was elected Municipal Councilor of Milan and soon after became president of the Privatization and Budget & Municipal Participation Business Commission. Mr. Masseroli is considered one of the leading experts in planning, control, and decision support systems. He is also a charter member of the Steering-Systems Executive, an Oracle Certified Solution Partner. Since 1994, his advice has helped the growth of various sectors of private areas and public administration, as he has worked in management control, organizational consulting, analysis of information needs, and DSS application development and training. He also provided the applications for budgeting and reporting at Gruppo Intesa, Sylea, Negroni, Fratelli Bolla, Group Chiari & Forti, Brico, Auchan, Clivet, Morsetec, Italian Naval Registry, CEDBORSA, University of Florence, and University of Trento.
Ridas Matonis
Ridas Matonis is the director and founder of Timelinks. Timelinks was established in order to enhance and share the development of innovative designs and architectural solutions for renewable energy and sustainable buildings. It takes a new approach towards harmonizing architecture and technology without harming the environment, whilst aiming to fulfil the needs of the individual. Ridas Matonis has now patented 10 technological inventions which have led to the possibility of creating fully sustainable cities
H.E. Mario Mauro
Mario Mauro is the Vice President of the European Parliament. He teaches human fundamental rights in natural law and history at the European University of Rome. Mr. Mauro has more than 23 years of experience in education and politics. He graduated from Universit? Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy, in 1985. From 1997-1999, Mr. Mauro was the national vice-president of DIESSE, the teachers’ association of Compagnia delle Opere (CDO), a business that joins more than 30,000 businesses, and 1,000 non-profit organizations. While serving as VP, he co-founded the Public Social Services University Research Center with academic institutions: Universit? Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan; Universit? degli Studi, Milan; Universit? Commerciale “L. Bocconi”, Milan; and Universit? degli Studi, Bologna.Mr. Mauro is the national official of Forza Italia, responsible for schools and universities. He is an expert author with articles and books published on topics regarding school systems, welfare, and the non-profit sector.
Dr. Gianluigi Me
Professor Gianluigi Me is an adjunct professor of Computer System Security in the Universit? di Roma “Tor Vergata” Computer Science Engineering Department. He holds patents in the area of computer security and a wealth of experience in managing research projects. Prof. Me is co-editor of the “Handbook of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics,” published by Worldscience, and more than 50 scientific publications. He has been a consultant for the European Commission’s Safer Internet Plus program since 2005. His research interests include: mobile computing applications, security, digital forensics, electronic/mobile payments, and game theory.
Patricia Smith Melton
Patricia Smith is the founder, first executive director, and board chair of Peace X Peace (“Peace by Peace”), the international nonprofit organization that multiplies the power of women by the power of the internet, connecting women across all cultures for mutual support and concerted action. The heart of Peace X Peace, the Global Network, includes women’s circles in more than 100 countries. Ms. Smith was executive producer of the award-winning 2003 documentary “Peace by Peace: Women on the Frontlines,” highlighting the work of women in building the components of sustainable peace. In 1990, Smith co-founded the Melton International Education Foundation, which brings together university students globally to use the internet to establish cross-cultural understanding and personal and professional connections.
T.H. Leopoldo Lopez Mendoza
The Honorable Leopoldo Lspez Mendoza is serving his second term as mayor of the Municipality of Chacao in Caracas, Venezuela. In 2004, T.H. Mayor Lspez was re-elected with 81% of the vote. He won awards two years in a row (2007 and 2008) for leading the most transparent municipality in Venezuela. He has been described as one of the country’s most notable leaders of the opposition to Chavez, and as the best mayor of the metropolitan area of Caracas. In October 2008, T.H. Mayor Lspez was named the third best mayor in the world, after the Mayors of Cape Town and Zurich, by the World Mayor and City Mayors projects.
Mohsen Moazami
Mohsen Moazami is the vice president of Cisco’s Emerging Markets and Globalization Center Internet Business Solutions Group. He is responsible for its efforts in emerging markets (Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Russia, CIS countries, and Africa) and for the Cisco Globalization Center in Bangalore, India, where the company is investing $1.1 billion to capture talent, innovation, and growth originating in the emerging markets. Mr. Moazami works with senior government leaders to help drive each country’s transformation process, improve national competitiveness, and advance the lives of citizens. Mr. Moazami has a track record of extensive experience in business leadership and technology-enabled business transformation. He earned a master’s degree from Stanford University and has served on the advisory boards for both the Coca-Cola Corporation and Procter & Gamble.
Fadi Nahas
Fadi Nahas is Consul General of Ecuador in Turkey. He is the co-founder and secretary-general of Pan Arab Cultural Icons/ WAYYAK, a NGO with a mission to build bridges within disadvantaged neighborhoods through the commitment efforts and exposure of Arab celebrities. Mr. Nahas is the recipient of the 2005 Inter-American Economic Council, “Excellence in Leadership Award.” He initiated, “The Fadi Nahas Scholarship for Inter-cultural Understanding,” and founded, “Act for Lebanon,” a foundation that promotes education, talents, and events in Lebanon. Mr. Nahas is the recipient of, “The Humanitarian Rose Award,” by the People’s Princess Charitable Foundation, Inc. This year, he was nominated for, “Prix Baudouin pour le Developpement du Sud,” an award that is intended to honor the work of people whose projects have helped improve the quality of life in developing countries.
Paolo Neri
Paolo Neri is senior vice president of Large System Architecture, a division of Selex SI, a Finmeccanica company. Prior to his current position, he worked for Selenia, Elettronica, Fincantieri, Orizzonte, and finally in Selex-SI, dealing with different systems of varying complexities. He is skilled in system architectural analysis in the field of command and control systems involving radar, communications, electronic warfare, IR, management control systems, and weapons systems.
Dr. Donald M. Norris
Dr. Norris is president of Strategic Initiatives, Inc., a management consultancy enabling global enterprises to compete. Dr. Norris is widely recognized as a leader and seasoned practitioner in 21st century learning, competence-building, and competitiveness. He is author of nearly 20 books and monographs, including “Transforming Higher Education: A Vision for Learning in the 21st Century,” “A Guide to Planning for Change,” and “Competence 2.0: What, How & Why.”
Ron Perkinson
Ron Perkinson is president of the Putera Sampoerna Foundation, a professional philanthropy organization that assists socially and economically disadvantaged families across Indonesia. The foundation is also engaged in a variety of projects to improve the standards and quality at all levels of education across Indonesia. Mr. Perkinson has previously held positions at chief executive and director levels in large multinational service industries in New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. His recent positions include, global responsibility for International Finance Corporation, and The World Bank Group.
Remo Perna
Remo Perna is founder and manager of CPM (Centro Progettazione Moda) in Molise, Italy. His plant has been defined as a jewel of architecture, and has been studied and published in many international magazines, where brands Helmut Lang, Joice & jo, Rero Design and Mozzillo have been seen. Today, CPM’s focus is on innovation, style, research, training, and marketing for all the most popular international fashion brands.
Chris Rainier
Chris Rainier is a National Geographic Society Fellow and photojournalist, who has captured the world in his photographs for many publications. Mr. Rainier’s work has appeared in: Life, TIME, National Geographic Publications, Smithsonian magazine, Cond? Nast Traveler, Outside magazine, The New Yorker, GEO magazine (published in German, Russian, and French), Men’s Journal, The New York Times, and the publications of The United Nations, The International Red Cross, and Amnesty International.
Prof. Carlo F. Ratti
Prof. Carlo F. Ratti is an Italian architect and engineer who practices in Torino, Italy, and teaches at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he directs the SENSEable City Laboratory. In 2000, Dr. Ratti moved to MIT and worked with Hiroshi Ishii at the MIT Media Lab. In 2002, Ratti established the design office Carlo Ratti Associati. The office was selected at the 2004 Venice Biennale as one of the top Italian practices. In May 2007, the office presented a design for a pavilion featuring walls made of “digital water” at the entrance to the 2008 International Exhibition in Spain. Their Digital Water Pavilion was chosen by TIME Magazine as one of the Best Inventions of 2007.
Dr. Caterina Berbenni-Rehm
Caterina Berbenni-Rehm is the CEO of PROMIS@Service, a company based in Luxembourg, which provides European SME’s and consultants with internet tailored business services and e-Training in the fields of environment, health, safety and quality. The consultancy and service is being marketed in a first phase in three countries: Italy, Germany, United Kingdom. Dr. Berbenni-Rehm is the former CEO of FUTUREtec GmbH, a leading innovation consultancy based in Germany which collaborates with research institutes in: England, Finland, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Sweden. She led a team of experts in the fields of information technology, technology transfer, market research and development, marketing strategies, and project management. Dr. Berbenni-Rehm specializes in internet services, e-Business, e-Learning, technology transfer, international strategic marketing, dissemination, deployment plans and activities, as well as inter-cultural and cross-cultural issues. She is an active member in high-level advisory groups: Vice-Chairman of the European Commission DG Research for SMEs and AI& Society – Artificial Intelligence and Society and the Ethical Review. She is chair of the board of the association Quali4EU, and founding member of the European Entrepreneurial Regions Initiative as well as the InGentibus Foundation.
Sheila Robinson
Sheila Robinson focuses on developing strategies, contracts, and technologies, which enable sustainable business growth nationally and internationally. She is director of Solvebrand and has served as a commercial manager across EMEA within blue chip corporate organizations, such as Plessey Telecoms (now Siemens), GEC Gas Turbines & a Monsanto subsidiary. Mrs. Robinson also serves as a business consultant, trainer, and mentor for business start up and growth. This has included mentoring for the Banff New Media Centre, Interactive Project Lab in Canada, and as presenter and chair of a panel on business incubation for infoDEV, in the Middle East and North Africa.
T.H. Roberto Ronza
The Honorable Roberto Ronza is the deputy president of Lombardy region in northern Italy. He has been international relations and institutional problems consultant since Roberto Formigoni became president of the region in 1995. T.H. Mr. Ronza is also a journalist as well as an acclaimed writer and essayist. He began his journalism career in 1967, drafting the weekly magazine Epoca. He was a founder of the publishing house Jaca Book, which between the late ’70s and early ’80s was famed for its careful examination of Italian society. From 1978 to 2000, he dedicated himself full-time to journalism as a special envoy, and became chief editor of the national newspaper Il Giornale, while also actively contributing to a wide range of Italian and foreign newspapers. In 1980, he was among the founders of the Meeting of Rimini. From 2000 to 2006, T.H. Mr. Ronza was the director of the company for publishing and editorial services staff. He has been the undersecretary to the presidency of Regione Lombardia with a special responsibility for development and consolidation of international relations since 2005.
Rodrigo Rodriguez
Rodrigo Rodriguez is the president of the Higher Institute for Artistic Studies (ISIA) in Florence. He has held a variety of management positions in design companies, commissions, and institutions. In 1973, he was the managing director of Cassina S.p.A., a company specializing in the manufacturing of high-end designer furniture. Rodriguez later became deputy chairman and president of the company, serving there until 1991. He was the senior deputy chairman of Fondazione Fiera Milanese Salone del Mobile. As a member of the board of directors for COSMIT, the world’s most well-attended international furniture exhibition, he was involved in the development of the Milanese Salone del Mobile. He serves as deputy chairman of Flos S.p.A., Honorary President of Union Europeenne de l’Ameublement, deputy president of Associazione Italiana Produzione (A.I.P.) and is a member of di Arbitration Board of Confindustria.
Dr. Hector de J. Ruiz
Dr. Hector de Jesus Ruiz is the executive chairman and former CEO of semiconductor company, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD). He worked at Texas Instruments for six years and Motorola for 22 years, rising to become president of Motorola’s Semiconductor Products Sector before being recruited in 2000 by AMD founder Jerry Sanders to serve as AMD’s president and chief operating officer. Ruiz succeeded Sanders in the CEO’s seat in 2002, and was named chairman of the board in 2004. Dr. Ruiz earned a B.S. and M.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Texas in 1968, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Rice University in 1973.
Alfredo Scarfone
Alfredo Scarfone is president of Centro Culturale di Milano, a title he has held since September 2004. In 1962, he worked in the computer division of Olivetti and afterward in General Electric Information Systems Italia as a specialized technician and, later, as an instructor. He worked for one year in the USA in Phoenix, Arizona, for General Electric in the technicians training branch. Mr. Scarfone began working with Hewlett Packard in 1970 in Ginevra as European Specialist of Communications in the services of time-sharing. From 1978 to 1983, he was the director of staff for HP Italy. In that period, the staff of the society grew from 300 to 700 people. In January 1986, he was appointed general manager and commercial director, positions that he held for more than 17 years. In 2000, he founded a society of managing advisors (ALPAS S.r.l.) and served as the sole manager. Mr. Scarfone was awarded the Rosa Camuna Prize in 2003 for his work in Lombardy. He constituted small commercial enterprises in Kazakhstan and Lithuania in order to train young, local entrepreneurs. Mr. Scarfone founded the Banco Informatico, of which today he is the assistant director. He has cooperated with the “Fraternit? dei Missionari di S. Carlo Borromeo” as an advisor for the missionaries’ works in the world since 2004.
Dr. Florian Schloderer
Dr. Florian Schloderer, a Research Fellow at INSEAD, is affiliated with both the Centre for Advanced Learning Technologies (CALT) and the Abu Dhabi Centre for Executive Education and Research. His research covers innovation management, collaboration and social networks. He has experience in the development of interactive multi-media learning experiences in training for innovation management and collaboration competences. Currently, he is working alongside Professor Albert A. Angehrn on the project “Change Masters Middle East” with the expected output being a new change management simulation for Middle Eastern organizations.
Dr. Juoko Suokas
Jouko Suokas is the executive vice president of Business Solutions at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. VTT’s objective is to develop new technologies and innovations, accordingly increasing customers’ competencies, and new business. VTT produces technology and market forecast services, as well as R&D and innovation services to enterprises and public organizations throughout the world. VTT’s turnover is 232 -million euros, one-third of that amount is from business solutions.
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H.E. Omar Shdeifat
His Excellency Dr. Omar Shdeifat is Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He was the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, before he was appointed to this position in 2007. H.E. Dr. Shdeifat served as president of Hashemite University from 2004 to 2007. He served on the University’s Board of Trustees, as well as on the Board of Trustees for the “King Abdullah II Prize for Creative Writing.” H.E. Dr. Shdeifat is a member of the National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA), and The Council of Higher Education. He has authored more than thirty research papers and published books in the field of academic research, higher education, and university affairs.
Mirko Tattarini
Mirko Tattarini is the founder and director of Lagos Design Studios, with subsidiaries in Sofia and Rome. He has taught courses at ISIA in Florence since 1998. Mr. Tattarini is an expert in European Commission-funded projects in Malta, Syria and the Balkan region. He has been awarded for his designs; the most notable being in 2006, when he won the concept competition for the Burgas skyscraper in Bulgaria. His work has been published in several magazines worldwide, some include: Domus, Modo, Professione Architetto, Pluriverso, Experimenta, Hi-Art, Capital Weekly, Nash-Dom, Random Magazine, Mood Magazine, WMT, C-Theory, Design Radar, Domut, Idealen and Dom. He frequently travels for lectures and symposiums throughout the world. Mr. Tattarini is a graduate of ISIA, Florence, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and Hochschule der Bildenden Kunste in Saarbrucken, Germany.
Eithne Treanor
Eithne Treanor is a professional media trainer, conference moderator, and founder of www.ETreanor.com, which is based in Dubai and London. Ms. Treanor has 20 years experience as an international journalist; the last ten of which she covered business, energy, and finance. She is currently CNBC Europe’s special correspondent in the Middle East. She is a regular contributor to many trade publications including, Investor Relations Magazine, CorpComms, Forbes Media, Energy Risk, and www.oilbarrel.com.
Prof. Tapio Varis
Media scholar for the European Union and Finland’s Ministry of Education, Professor Tapio Varis teaches Media Education at the University of Tampere, Finland. His current focus as Chair of UNESECO’s Global e-Learning programme and Principal Research Associate to UNESCO-UNEVOC is global learning environments and digital literacy. Prof. Varis has held various posts throughout his career, some include: Former Rector of the University for Peace in Costa Rica; Professor of Media Studies in the University of Lapland, Finland; Director of Tampere Peace Research Institute; and Director of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. Prof. Varis has authored approximately 200 scientific articles. He is an active contributor to various scholarly publications.
Alexander Von Vegesack
Alexander von Vegesack was only 15 when he made his first acquisitions, at a Cairo bazaar: a Turkish coffeepot and an African spear, among other things. But throughout his career as a design historian and the director of the Vitra Design Museum, von Vegesack never lost his fascination with everyday things. It’s the glue that holds together the 2,000 objects and furnishings he’s collected over the past four decades, and also a new exhibition at the Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli in Turin, Italy. “Adventures With Objects” celebrates the collector’s life and travels, and his obsession with the relationship between industry and traditional crafts. The usual suspects are here – Achille Castiglioni, Charlotte Perriand, Gerrit Rietveld. But so are leather saddles and a Navajo blanket. “To understand the connection of all these different things is to understand my biography,” von Vegesack says.
Nicola Villa
Nicola Villa is a senior director in the Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) and global director of the Connected Urban Development Program at Cisco. The program is part of the commitment Cisco provided to the Clinton Global Initiative, and it is aimed at developing innovative ICT and broadband solutions in large metropolitan areas to stimulate CO2 emissions reductions. Prior to this, Villa worked as the director of Local Government and Broadband within Cisco’s IBSG. Villa has placed a strong focus on innovation policy and is collaborating with central government agencies in supporting the creation of national innovation and ICT strategies.
Alan Wilson
Alan Wilson is team leader for the European Commission-funded (EC) Technical Assistance to Customs and Tax Administrations (EU TACTA) projects to Montenegro. EU TACTA also provides customs and tax technical assistance to Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia. Mr. Wilson was contracted to the EU Customs & Fiscal Assistance Office as regional head of Integrated Border Management and head of Mission Montenegro in 1999. A Senior Customs Officer with Her Majesty’s Customs & Excise with approximately 30 years experience, primarily in enforcement (anti-smuggling, intelligence and investigation), Mr. Wilson was selected by the EC to review the EU Guidelines on IBM to the Western Balkans and to evaluate the SECI Regional Center for Combating Trans-Border Crime in Bucharest.
