Thought Leaders

VOICES of the Future

ALEXANDER ALEGRIA-SEIF

THE INTENTIONAL INVESTOR

Alexander Alegria-Seif stands at the crossroads of passion, purpose, and impact, embodying what it means to dream and act with intention. “I’m an impact investor and passionate about creating impact in the world,” he states, heralding a dialogue transcending the mundane. As friends and Harvard Business School alums, our connection...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

TAURIQ KERAAN

TAURIQ KERAAN

CEO, TYMEBANK

One of the questions I’m often asked as TymeBank CEO is “How can digital banks enable people to improve their financial wellbeing?” In other words, how can we remake the banking system, so it works for the people we serve, and not just for banks? In my experience there are...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

WARD KENNES

WARD KENNES

MAYOR OF KASTERLEE

In October 2019, together with the Regional Platform Kempen, we organized a two-day “Future Forum” on the future of our region Kempen. The Regional Platform Kempen is a socio-economic consultative body of Kempen MPs, provincial and local administrators together with social partners. During this Future Forum, some 80 people brainstormed...

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

Christine Schyvinck

Christine Schyvinck

President And CEO, Shure Incorporated

Business leaders choose different paths that eventually lead them to their present positions. Each individual journey can provide unique perspectives for unlocking success at their organizations. I’m proud of the path I chose, because it enabled me to immerse myself in the vision established by our Company’s founder, S.N. Shure,...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

KEVIN MCGINNIS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT KEYSTONE INNOVATION DISTRICT (KEYSTONE COMMUNITY CORPORATION)

Keystone Innovation District was born out of a fundamental question: How can we cultivate organic and sustainable collaboration in Kansas City? This question serves as the driving force behind the establishment of a space where diverse individuals and organizations can converge, exchange knowledge, and collaborate to propel innovation in our...

AI Québec

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

EAST MARKET LEADER, EY CANADA

Québec is renowned for its vibrant artificial intelligence (AI) innovation ecosystem for three primary reasons: a phenomenal talent pool, collaborative partnerships and a strong commitment to building ethics into design. In fact, the region is home to the Montreal Declaration for a Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence, which is globally...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

Gordon Nameni, PhD

Managing Partner at August Brown

Innovation alone does not guarantee market success. Many promising technologies fail to gain traction because companies struggle to translate technical breakthroughs into commercially viable products. This is where Tech Translation—a structured framework for bridging the gap between technology development and market adoption—becomes essential. The Tech Translation Framework Tech Translation integrates...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

JAMES BARROOD

INNOVATION+ | TECH COUNCIL VENTURES

I’ve spent over 25 years evangelizing New Jersey as a truly remarkable (if occasionally under-appreciated) center of innovation. It’s been my responsibility and pleasure – to show leaders the powerful advantages of plugging into our regional innovation ecosystem, in markets ranging from internet to biotech. Today, I’m more excited about...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

ERIC VAN RYSWYK

CHIEF STRATEGIC OFFICER, CODIUM

In the world of business, technology has long been a driving force behind innovation and progress. Advancements in frameworks, computing power, data analytics, and artificial intelligence have led to significant improvements in efficiency, productivity, and profitability. However, as technology continues to advance, it is becoming increasingly clear that the true...

INNOVATE® Georgia

JEFF UPHUES

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT DC BLOX INC.

My journey in the technology and data center industry has been shaped by a relentless commitment to tenacity, teamwork, and trust. At DC BLOX, these principles are the driving force behind our approach to the industry. Tenacity has been the cornerstone of our success at DC BLOX. We started as...

INNOVATE® Blockchain

JASON ENGLISH

JASON ENGLISH

CHIEF ECOSYSTEM OFFICER, CG TECH

Governments worldwide are stepping up and playing a crucial role in enabling innovation in their parts of the world. Our leaders can and should do as much as possible to help small businesses, start ups and innovators succeed. These entrepreneurs are the life blood of our future economy. South Africa...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

BRONWYN RUTH WILLIAMS

TREND TRANSLATOR: FUTURE FINANCE SPECIALIST, FLUX TRENDS

From my perspective, one of the biggest challenges facing South Africa is a double-edged sword: our ability to cope, even in the midst of crisis and chaos. South Africans are good at dealing with crises. We’ve had practice. For as long as anyone alive can remember, South Africa has leapt...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

CHARLES RADCLYFFE

PARTNER, ETHICS GRADE

“WE ARE CONCERNED FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WILL LOSE JOBS AS A RESULT OF AUTOMATION”.– CHARLES RADCLYFFE, PARTNER We are worried. Some of the things we worry about are the same as everyone else who is trying to imagine the impact of technology on our lives. We worry about how...

INNOVATE® Detroit

MICHAEL HEALANDER

AIRSPACE LINK, INC - PRESIDENT AND CEO

As we look to the skies, we’re witnessing a revolution in mobility that will transform our communities for the better. Drones are no longer just cool gadgets or military tools – they’re becoming powerful forces for good that can make our lives safer, easier, and more eco-friendly. At Airspace Link,...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

CLEMENT TSANG

CLEMENT TSANG

MANAGING DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIA

As of the writing of this article in October 2021, the Twitch Influencer payment hack was making its way through the metaverse, enabling a comparison between the compensation that influencers and broadcast anchors enjoy, and the relative engagement they have with theiraudiences and the business models that underpin their ecosystems...

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® Nashville

DR. DAN BOONE

DR. DAN BOONE

PRESIDENT, TREVECCA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY

Composure. It’s a quality we look for in any leader, from political candidates to CEOs to college presidents. To assess a person’s leadership ability, composure is one of the main things we try to measure – how rattle-able they are under pressure and in crisis. Composure is about an inner...

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® Blockchain

NAMIR ANANI

NAMIR ANANI

PRESIDENT & CEO, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

We live in an era of rapid disruption where global forces are now demanding our full attention. Emerging economies, geopolitical inflections, health risks, cyber threats, and changing employment prospects are now top of mind. Against this backdrop are digital technologies that are accelerating innovations and transforming industries faster than economies...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

JO CLOSE

DIRECTOR OF THE ADELAIDE INTERMEDIARY PROGRAM, MTPCONNECT

Innovation – turning a great idea into a new, accessible product or service – never occurs in isolation. It needs collaboration which is sparked by connection. In health and medical innovation, we talk about the globally connected ecosystem because ours is a global endeavour that requires collegial bright minds, significant...

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

KEN POLOTAN

Leadership matters. That’s an undeniable truth — the quality and type of leadership we cultivate and practice are paramount. From my journey in big consulting fi rms to my own innovation advisory practice, from startups to Global 500 companies, the critical success factor remains: leadership is the foundation of open...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

JEFF HARRIS

VICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY PROPERTIES GROUP

To me, innovation is more than process and action – it’s a mindset. Innovation exists to break limits and barriers and turn new ideas and concepts into everyday activities. It’s the engine that will address the needs and gaps in our city to drive economic diversification and growth. Innovation is...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

Manik Arora

Manik Arora - Arora Engineers

Arora Engineers, inc

Philadelphia is the birthplace of our country and home to an eclectic mix of historical and modern infrastructure. However, with its rapid development over the years, the number of users is quickly exceeding the original capacity of its built environment. In response to this roadblock, two of our major transportation...

INNOVATE® Tampa Bay Vol.3

ERIC CARTER

ERIC CARTER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT FAST PATHWAY INC

As practicing physicians and frontline workers, my business partner and I were amazed to discover communications between surgical teams and the patient’s family members were not as frequent as they should be. While it can be difficult to communicate with the patient’s family during surgery, because the surgical team is...

ALEXANDER ALEGRIA-SEIF

THE INTENTIONAL INVESTOR

Alexander Alegria-Seif stands at the crossroads of passion, purpose, and impact, embodying what it means to dream and act with intention. “I’m an impact investor and passionate about creating impact in the world,” he states, heralding a dialogue transcending the mundane. As friends and Harvard Business School alums, our connection...

TAURIQ KERAAN

TAURIQ KERAAN

CEO, TYMEBANK

One of the questions I’m often asked as TymeBank CEO is “How can digital banks enable people to improve their financial wellbeing?” In other words, how can we remake the banking system, so it works for the people we serve, and not just for banks? In my experience there are...

WARD KENNES

WARD KENNES

MAYOR OF KASTERLEE

In October 2019, together with the Regional Platform Kempen, we organized a two-day “Future Forum” on the future of our region Kempen. The Regional Platform Kempen is a socio-economic consultative body of Kempen MPs, provincial and local administrators together with social partners. During this Future Forum, some 80 people brainstormed...

Christine Schyvinck

Christine Schyvinck

President And CEO, Shure Incorporated

Business leaders choose different paths that eventually lead them to their present positions. Each individual journey can provide unique perspectives for unlocking success at their organizations. I’m proud of the path I chose, because it enabled me to immerse myself in the vision established by our Company’s founder, S.N. Shure,...

KEVIN MCGINNIS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT KEYSTONE INNOVATION DISTRICT (KEYSTONE COMMUNITY CORPORATION)

Keystone Innovation District was born out of a fundamental question: How can we cultivate organic and sustainable collaboration in Kansas City? This question serves as the driving force behind the establishment of a space where diverse individuals and organizations can converge, exchange knowledge, and collaborate to propel innovation in our...

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

ANNE-MARIE HUBERT

EAST MARKET LEADER, EY CANADA

Québec is renowned for its vibrant artificial intelligence (AI) innovation ecosystem for three primary reasons: a phenomenal talent pool, collaborative partnerships and a strong commitment to building ethics into design. In fact, the region is home to the Montreal Declaration for a Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence, which is globally...

Gordon Nameni, PhD

Managing Partner at August Brown

Innovation alone does not guarantee market success. Many promising technologies fail to gain traction because companies struggle to translate technical breakthroughs into commercially viable products. This is where Tech Translation—a structured framework for bridging the gap between technology development and market adoption—becomes essential. The Tech Translation Framework Tech Translation integrates...

JAMES BARROOD

INNOVATION+ | TECH COUNCIL VENTURES

I’ve spent over 25 years evangelizing New Jersey as a truly remarkable (if occasionally under-appreciated) center of innovation. It’s been my responsibility and pleasure – to show leaders the powerful advantages of plugging into our regional innovation ecosystem, in markets ranging from internet to biotech. Today, I’m more excited about...

ERIC VAN RYSWYK

CHIEF STRATEGIC OFFICER, CODIUM

In the world of business, technology has long been a driving force behind innovation and progress. Advancements in frameworks, computing power, data analytics, and artificial intelligence have led to significant improvements in efficiency, productivity, and profitability. However, as technology continues to advance, it is becoming increasingly clear that the true...

JEFF UPHUES

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT DC BLOX INC.

My journey in the technology and data center industry has been shaped by a relentless commitment to tenacity, teamwork, and trust. At DC BLOX, these principles are the driving force behind our approach to the industry. Tenacity has been the cornerstone of our success at DC BLOX. We started as...

JASON ENGLISH

JASON ENGLISH

CHIEF ECOSYSTEM OFFICER, CG TECH

Governments worldwide are stepping up and playing a crucial role in enabling innovation in their parts of the world. Our leaders can and should do as much as possible to help small businesses, start ups and innovators succeed. These entrepreneurs are the life blood of our future economy. South Africa...

BRONWYN RUTH WILLIAMS

TREND TRANSLATOR: FUTURE FINANCE SPECIALIST, FLUX TRENDS

From my perspective, one of the biggest challenges facing South Africa is a double-edged sword: our ability to cope, even in the midst of crisis and chaos. South Africans are good at dealing with crises. We’ve had practice. For as long as anyone alive can remember, South Africa has leapt...

CHARLES RADCLYFFE

PARTNER, ETHICS GRADE

“WE ARE CONCERNED FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WILL LOSE JOBS AS A RESULT OF AUTOMATION”.– CHARLES RADCLYFFE, PARTNER We are worried. Some of the things we worry about are the same as everyone else who is trying to imagine the impact of technology on our lives. We worry about how...

MICHAEL HEALANDER

AIRSPACE LINK, INC - PRESIDENT AND CEO

As we look to the skies, we’re witnessing a revolution in mobility that will transform our communities for the better. Drones are no longer just cool gadgets or military tools – they’re becoming powerful forces for good that can make our lives safer, easier, and more eco-friendly. At Airspace Link,...

CLEMENT TSANG

CLEMENT TSANG

MANAGING DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIA

As of the writing of this article in October 2021, the Twitch Influencer payment hack was making its way through the metaverse, enabling a comparison between the compensation that influencers and broadcast anchors enjoy, and the relative engagement they have with theiraudiences and the business models that underpin their ecosystems...

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...

DR. DAN BOONE

DR. DAN BOONE

PRESIDENT, TREVECCA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY

Composure. It’s a quality we look for in any leader, from political candidates to CEOs to college presidents. To assess a person’s leadership ability, composure is one of the main things we try to measure – how rattle-able they are under pressure and in crisis. Composure is about an inner...

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...

NAMIR ANANI

NAMIR ANANI

PRESIDENT & CEO, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

We live in an era of rapid disruption where global forces are now demanding our full attention. Emerging economies, geopolitical inflections, health risks, cyber threats, and changing employment prospects are now top of mind. Against this backdrop are digital technologies that are accelerating innovations and transforming industries faster than economies...

JO CLOSE

DIRECTOR OF THE ADELAIDE INTERMEDIARY PROGRAM, MTPCONNECT

Innovation – turning a great idea into a new, accessible product or service – never occurs in isolation. It needs collaboration which is sparked by connection. In health and medical innovation, we talk about the globally connected ecosystem because ours is a global endeavour that requires collegial bright minds, significant...

KEN POLOTAN

Leadership matters. That’s an undeniable truth — the quality and type of leadership we cultivate and practice are paramount. From my journey in big consulting fi rms to my own innovation advisory practice, from startups to Global 500 companies, the critical success factor remains: leadership is the foundation of open...

JEFF HARRIS

VICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY PROPERTIES GROUP

To me, innovation is more than process and action – it’s a mindset. Innovation exists to break limits and barriers and turn new ideas and concepts into everyday activities. It’s the engine that will address the needs and gaps in our city to drive economic diversification and growth. Innovation is...

Manik Arora

Manik Arora - Arora Engineers

Arora Engineers, inc

Philadelphia is the birthplace of our country and home to an eclectic mix of historical and modern infrastructure. However, with its rapid development over the years, the number of users is quickly exceeding the original capacity of its built environment. In response to this roadblock, two of our major transportation...

ERIC CARTER

ERIC CARTER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT FAST PATHWAY INC

As practicing physicians and frontline workers, my business partner and I were amazed to discover communications between surgical teams and the patient’s family members were not as frequent as they should be. While it can be difficult to communicate with the patient’s family during surgery, because the surgical team is...

INNOVATE® Ecosystems