Thought Leaders
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
TAMMY BARTON
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, MYBUDGET
It’s about solving real world problems. It’s about inventing, reinventing and trying new things. Having a solid business plan is one thing, but you won’t necessarily know what people want until you start getting out there and testing the market. To me, innovation is really about coming up with a...
INNOVATE® Blockchain
ANDREW BATEY
FOUNDER AND CO-CEO, BEATDAPP
Vancouver has the potential – and opportunity – to become a significant player in the global tech ecosystem. For emerging tech hubs like Vancouver, companies must prioritize collaboration and cross-functional effort to compete with established cities like Silicon Valley, San Francisco, New York, and Miami. Beatdapp highlights this opportunity and...
VOICES of the Future
LOUBNA IMENCHAL
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY
Loubna Imenchal’s insights are compelling and profound. As VP of Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, and Central Asia at Logitech, her journey is one of resilience, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of dreams. It extends far beyond her corporate success; it is a narrative of ambition and determination with a...
INNOVATE® Milwaukee
Chris Carrillo
CEO of MetroMLS
Milwaukee is rapidly emerging as a technology hub, with real estate tech playing a key role. Leading the way is Metro Multiple Listing Service,which has transformed from a traditional listing database into a tech-driven powerhouse, reshaping how homes are bought and sold in Wisconsin. Founded in 1962 as a printed...
INNOVATE® Austin Volume 2
Martin Martinez
Founder - A-Player Media | Managing Director, Founder - Institute Texas
As a Native Texan, my family has stretched back either 5 or 7 generations (depending on which parent I ask). While the early years of my life were split between San Antonio and Dallas, it wasn’t until I moved to the Texas Capital of Austin where I discovered the meaning...
INNOVATE® South Florida
MICHAEL FOWLER
SOUTH FLORIDA TECH HUB - CURRENT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER
WHERE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE MEETS LOCAL INNOVATION: A SOUTH FLORIDA TECH JOURNEY Just as my camera lens has captured moments across 120 countries, my journey in technology has taught me to see innovation through multiple frames. After nearly four decades in the utility industry, including my role as Business Unit CIO...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
MIKE ABEL
FOUNDING PARTNER: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, M&C SAATCHI GROUP SOUTH AFRICA
Innovation for innovation sake has absolutely no purpose. It requires direction. It needs to convey a message, inspire curiosity, drive real change, shape the future, and influence action. It must have meaning. Combine this with entrepreneurship, and suddenly the world moves forward. Innovation thrives when curious and imaginative people ask...
INNOVATE™ Alberta
AMINAH ROBINSON FAYEK
PHD, PENG VICE-PRESIDENT(RESEARCH AND INNOVATION), UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Universities are distinct environments, ideally suited to fostering innovation and creativity. At a research-intensive university like the University of Alberta, individuals are provided with the tools to identify problems, understand them deeply and work with others to explore new answers and new directions. But breakthroughs don’t happen in a silo....
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
THERESA A LYONS
FOUNDER, LYONS & ASSOCIATES, P.C.
A LEGACY IN THE MAKINGOur clients are the heartbeat of our existence. They remind us why we chose this path. They are the reason we fight, innovate, and care. We carry their battles as if they were our own because, in truth, they are. The discipline of law falls under...
INNOVATION Quebec
LE RÉSEAU DES CCTT
A WORD FROM MICHEL LESAGE, CEO OF THE SYNCHRONEX CCTT NETWORK
Innovating means giving yourself as an organization the ability to lead the pack—a key position that enables you to exert a positive pull in your community. It is a strength that brings together the various players in a given industry towards a common goal, a collaborative strength that is fundamental...
INNOVATE™ Adelaide
PROFESSOR SIMON LUCEY
DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE FOR MACHINE LEARNING (AIML), THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
Not only does Adelaide offer a great lifestyle and work-life balance for families, but in my field—artificial intelligence (AI)— the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) helps position the city as a global leader in research and innovation excellence. I’ve had the privilege of visiting many of the leading AI...
VOICES of the Future
DR. MARIAM MATAR
A LEGACY OF HEALING
Connecting with hearts and humanity is the motivation behind ‘Voices of the Future.’ When meeting people as authentic, deep, insightful, and purposeful as Dr. Mariam Matar, our conversation can project her voice into the future – and the hearts of many more people. While she describes herself as a proud...
INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition
SEEMA ALEXANDER
PRESIDENT & CO-FOUNDER, VIRGENT AI
We are amid society’s most unprecedented era of technological innovation – the next industrial revolution driven by the mainstream adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). For CEOs, founders, and organization leaders, this period surpasses the advent and rise of the internet. New business categories will emerge, while many companies that resist...
INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports
KWAMÉ BABB
PRINCIPAL VFX ARTIST & MANAGER-Schell Games
Each morning from my desk at Schell Games (pre-pandemic, obviously), I can look through the Station Square windows at the Monongahela River and the skyline of the city of Pittsburgh, which if you’ve never visited is probably one of the most beautiful in America that not everyone knows about. On...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
Carole Lamarque
CEO, Founding Partner Of Duval Union Innovative Marketing
Strategic Marketing, launching innovations and new technologies are my passions. I worked as a marketing leader for various companies in competitive markets. It was a privilege to work in these sectors. I look back on my very pleasant and extremely smart colleagues. Many of them supported me and made me...
INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2
CLAUDIA DE MOOR
HR & FINANCE MANAGER, VOSSCHEMIE BENELUX & V-SURE
HR & FINANCE MANAGER, VOSSCHEMIE BENELUX & V-SURE Get to know your neighbour – entrepreneur and get out. I’ m active in Voka Lokaal Netland, Lier4business, JOL (youth entrepreneurship Lier) and I also do voluntary work. The region of Lier supports entrepreneurship and we like to support this with interesting...
INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2
Robert J. Bardusch
Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer - Valley National Bank
Valley Bank is built on a foundation of more than 90 years of history, strengthened by a legacy of local relationship building, exceptional risk management and meticulous credit underwriting. This has afforded us with a reputation of trust and reliability in the communities we serve. But for an organization with...
INNOVATE™ South Africa
DI WILSON
CEO INTEGER/HOTSPOT
I have always connected with people. I love their inherent curiosity; I love the idea of collective thought, and I thrive on the energy I get from engaging with people across all facets of life. From my early days at Grey Advertising, through my founding role at Pod Communications, and...
INNOVATE® Nashville
HARRY ALLEN
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF RELATIONSHIP OFFICER, STUDIO BANK
A NATIVE’S PERSPECTIVEI love Nashville. As a fifth-generation native, Nashville is the only place I’ve ever called home. And while it’s not the town I grew up in, today’s Nashville has certainly kept me engaged and excited. So I’ve continued to choose Nashville as the place to build my family,...
Virginia Grant
Executive Director - Gainesville Black Professionals
INNOVATE is a verb and it means to make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. It is often thought of as it relates to technology, inventions, manufacturing, and business development. It is less often thought of as it relates to culture, social development, diversity,...
INNOVATE® Philadelphia
Sue Daugherty
CEO Of Manna
But often overlooked is the talent drawn to the region’s well-established and innovative nonprofit sector, which continually adapts to meet the growing needs of a city that sadly tops the charts in rates of chronic disease and poverty. As the CEO of MANNA, a community-based organization delivering medically tailored meals...
Sylvain Coulombe
Associate Vice-Principal, Innovation And Partnerships - McGill University
English: At a time when local and global challenges demand discoveries at the intersections of diverse disciplines, fostering an adaptable, agile and multi-sectorial innovation ecosystem enables universities to lead as social and economic accelerators. To set this vision in motion, McGill has established a dedicated unit, Innovation, and Partnerships (I+P),...
INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath
Paul O’Collins
Head Of Innovation, Business West
Innovation means different things to different people. For me it’s not about petri dishes and lab coats, it’s about the process through which great ideas are turned into tangible, measurable value. It’s an iterative process. It’s not just about having the idea, but about taking the necessary practical steps to...
TAMMY BARTON
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, MYBUDGET
It’s about solving real world problems. It’s about inventing, reinventing and trying new things. Having a solid business plan is one thing, but you won’t necessarily know what people want until you start getting out there and testing the market. To me, innovation is really about coming up with a...
ANDREW BATEY
FOUNDER AND CO-CEO, BEATDAPP
Vancouver has the potential – and opportunity – to become a significant player in the global tech ecosystem. For emerging tech hubs like Vancouver, companies must prioritize collaboration and cross-functional effort to compete with established cities like Silicon Valley, San Francisco, New York, and Miami. Beatdapp highlights this opportunity and...
LOUBNA IMENCHAL
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY
Loubna Imenchal’s insights are compelling and profound. As VP of Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, and Central Asia at Logitech, her journey is one of resilience, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of dreams. It extends far beyond her corporate success; it is a narrative of ambition and determination with a...
Chris Carrillo
CEO of MetroMLS
Milwaukee is rapidly emerging as a technology hub, with real estate tech playing a key role. Leading the way is Metro Multiple Listing Service,which has transformed from a traditional listing database into a tech-driven powerhouse, reshaping how homes are bought and sold in Wisconsin. Founded in 1962 as a printed...
Martin Martinez
Founder - A-Player Media | Managing Director, Founder - Institute Texas
As a Native Texan, my family has stretched back either 5 or 7 generations (depending on which parent I ask). While the early years of my life were split between San Antonio and Dallas, it wasn’t until I moved to the Texas Capital of Austin where I discovered the meaning...
MICHAEL FOWLER
SOUTH FLORIDA TECH HUB - CURRENT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER
WHERE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE MEETS LOCAL INNOVATION: A SOUTH FLORIDA TECH JOURNEY Just as my camera lens has captured moments across 120 countries, my journey in technology has taught me to see innovation through multiple frames. After nearly four decades in the utility industry, including my role as Business Unit CIO...
MIKE ABEL
FOUNDING PARTNER: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, M&C SAATCHI GROUP SOUTH AFRICA
Innovation for innovation sake has absolutely no purpose. It requires direction. It needs to convey a message, inspire curiosity, drive real change, shape the future, and influence action. It must have meaning. Combine this with entrepreneurship, and suddenly the world moves forward. Innovation thrives when curious and imaginative people ask...
AMINAH ROBINSON FAYEK
PHD, PENG VICE-PRESIDENT(RESEARCH AND INNOVATION), UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Universities are distinct environments, ideally suited to fostering innovation and creativity. At a research-intensive university like the University of Alberta, individuals are provided with the tools to identify problems, understand them deeply and work with others to explore new answers and new directions. But breakthroughs don’t happen in a silo....
THERESA A LYONS
FOUNDER, LYONS & ASSOCIATES, P.C.
A LEGACY IN THE MAKINGOur clients are the heartbeat of our existence. They remind us why we chose this path. They are the reason we fight, innovate, and care. We carry their battles as if they were our own because, in truth, they are. The discipline of law falls under...
LE RÉSEAU DES CCTT
A WORD FROM MICHEL LESAGE, CEO OF THE SYNCHRONEX CCTT NETWORK
Innovating means giving yourself as an organization the ability to lead the pack—a key position that enables you to exert a positive pull in your community. It is a strength that brings together the various players in a given industry towards a common goal, a collaborative strength that is fundamental...
PROFESSOR SIMON LUCEY
DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE FOR MACHINE LEARNING (AIML), THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
Not only does Adelaide offer a great lifestyle and work-life balance for families, but in my field—artificial intelligence (AI)— the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) helps position the city as a global leader in research and innovation excellence. I’ve had the privilege of visiting many of the leading AI...
DR. MARIAM MATAR
A LEGACY OF HEALING
Connecting with hearts and humanity is the motivation behind ‘Voices of the Future.’ When meeting people as authentic, deep, insightful, and purposeful as Dr. Mariam Matar, our conversation can project her voice into the future – and the hearts of many more people. While she describes herself as a proud...
SEEMA ALEXANDER
PRESIDENT & CO-FOUNDER, VIRGENT AI
We are amid society’s most unprecedented era of technological innovation – the next industrial revolution driven by the mainstream adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). For CEOs, founders, and organization leaders, this period surpasses the advent and rise of the internet. New business categories will emerge, while many companies that resist...
KWAMÉ BABB
PRINCIPAL VFX ARTIST & MANAGER-Schell Games
Each morning from my desk at Schell Games (pre-pandemic, obviously), I can look through the Station Square windows at the Monongahela River and the skyline of the city of Pittsburgh, which if you’ve never visited is probably one of the most beautiful in America that not everyone knows about. On...
Carole Lamarque
CEO, Founding Partner Of Duval Union Innovative Marketing
Strategic Marketing, launching innovations and new technologies are my passions. I worked as a marketing leader for various companies in competitive markets. It was a privilege to work in these sectors. I look back on my very pleasant and extremely smart colleagues. Many of them supported me and made me...
CLAUDIA DE MOOR
HR & FINANCE MANAGER, VOSSCHEMIE BENELUX & V-SURE
HR & FINANCE MANAGER, VOSSCHEMIE BENELUX & V-SURE Get to know your neighbour – entrepreneur and get out. I’ m active in Voka Lokaal Netland, Lier4business, JOL (youth entrepreneurship Lier) and I also do voluntary work. The region of Lier supports entrepreneurship and we like to support this with interesting...
Robert J. Bardusch
Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer - Valley National Bank
Valley Bank is built on a foundation of more than 90 years of history, strengthened by a legacy of local relationship building, exceptional risk management and meticulous credit underwriting. This has afforded us with a reputation of trust and reliability in the communities we serve. But for an organization with...
DI WILSON
CEO INTEGER/HOTSPOT
I have always connected with people. I love their inherent curiosity; I love the idea of collective thought, and I thrive on the energy I get from engaging with people across all facets of life. From my early days at Grey Advertising, through my founding role at Pod Communications, and...
HARRY ALLEN
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF RELATIONSHIP OFFICER, STUDIO BANK
A NATIVE’S PERSPECTIVEI love Nashville. As a fifth-generation native, Nashville is the only place I’ve ever called home. And while it’s not the town I grew up in, today’s Nashville has certainly kept me engaged and excited. So I’ve continued to choose Nashville as the place to build my family,...
Virginia Grant
Executive Director - Gainesville Black Professionals
INNOVATE is a verb and it means to make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. It is often thought of as it relates to technology, inventions, manufacturing, and business development. It is less often thought of as it relates to culture, social development, diversity,...
Sue Daugherty
CEO Of Manna
But often overlooked is the talent drawn to the region’s well-established and innovative nonprofit sector, which continually adapts to meet the growing needs of a city that sadly tops the charts in rates of chronic disease and poverty. As the CEO of MANNA, a community-based organization delivering medically tailored meals...
Sylvain Coulombe
Associate Vice-Principal, Innovation And Partnerships - McGill University
English: At a time when local and global challenges demand discoveries at the intersections of diverse disciplines, fostering an adaptable, agile and multi-sectorial innovation ecosystem enables universities to lead as social and economic accelerators. To set this vision in motion, McGill has established a dedicated unit, Innovation, and Partnerships (I+P),...
Paul O’Collins
Head Of Innovation, Business West
Innovation means different things to different people. For me it’s not about petri dishes and lab coats, it’s about the process through which great ideas are turned into tangible, measurable value. It’s an iterative process. It’s not just about having the idea, but about taking the necessary practical steps to...