Thought Leaders

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

IGNACIO ALVAREZ

PRESIDENT AND CEO OF POPULAR INC.

Technological advances, changing customer expectations and a rapidly evolving competitive landscape have made innovation not a choice, but a requirement to remain competitive at every level. Countries, companies and individuals must constantly question the present and aspire to make the future better. Because innovation is not an end in itself;...

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...

Global Innovation Spotlight

FRANK LEYHAUSEN

CEO AF1 GMBH, COLOGNE, GERMANY

In almost all countries of the developed world, the labor market is under pressure. The reason: Demographic change has shrunk the number of people of working age. Seriously? I don’t think so! In Western society, age is and always has been associated with the loss of skills and abilities. For...

INNOVATIONS in Pharmaceutical Development®

Bob Kain

Bob Kain

Co-Founder and CEO - LunaPBC

Bob Kain Co-Founder And CEO – LunaPBC I’ve been fortunate enough to live a life distinguished by constant progression, from understanding to impacting, particularly in my career. Trained as a physicist, I was fueled by a deep drive to understand some of the most complex “whys” of our world. Quickly...

INNOVATE™ Alberta

JEFF LAFRENZ

JEFF LAFRENZ

CEO, VIZWORX

Innovation is a way of looking at the world around us. It has no geographic limits. It has no age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or culture limits. It applies to every industry, every profession. It is about being curious and not accepting the status quo. It is about asking why...

INNOVATE® Georgia

MATHEW WITTE

ORTEC AMERICAS - CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Innovation. Optimization. Transformation. Those three words describe my unwavering passion for driving change at some of the biggest manufacturers and distributors across the globe. At ORTEC, we are not just in the business of providing advanced analytics and optimization – we are in the business of shaping the future, empowering...

INNOVATE® Minnesota

Keith Tanski

Keith Tanski

CTO - Optum

Innovation to me is working to never settle… and to continually be obsessive over creating a continued better experience and product. This means that status quos need to continually obsess over all spectrums and that we need to realize that the greatness that got us to this point will not...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

JOHN HARRY

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CITY OF SALISBURY

Key benefits of locating in the City of Salisbury include: In Salisbury new thinking is being applied to the transformation of individual firms and whole industry sectors. Adopting this entrepreneurial mindset within our organisation has underpinned the establishment of several commercial opportunities unique in the local government sector: An innovative...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

JINPIN YING

PRESIDENT CYBERMED

The future of healthcare is undergoing a transformative revolution, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and an increasing commitment to greater equity across patient populations. From the time that CyberMed was established, one of the prevailing issues that we are focusing on is how the technology can address...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

DR. SIZAKELE MARUTLULLE

CMO-SIZAKELE MARUTLULLE

I think it was the mighty Einstein who said ‘imagination is more important than knowledge’. Whilst he was not deriding education per se – I think he was advocating for an explosion of ideas – which (in my view) is the fuel that drives innovation. The ubiquity of the term...

INNOVATE™ Estonia

TAAVI KOTKA

ESTONIA’S FIRST CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

Before stepping into government, Taavi had already made his mark in the tech sector. He co-founded and led the software company Webmedia (later Nortal), growing it into one of the region’s largest IT firms. His background as a developer and entrepreneur gave him a rare mix of technical skill and...

VOICES of the Future

JOSE CORDEIRO

THE DEATH OF DEATH

José Cordeiro passionately advocates for a future where aging is not an inevitability but a curable condition. His journey, marked by a relentless pursuit of scientific understanding and technological innovation, is a beacon of inspiration in an era increasingly focused on health and longevity. Our conversation illuminatingly delves into longevity,...

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...

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

GEERT VERACHTERT

GEERT VERACHTERT

DIRECTOR STRATEGY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, GROEP VAN ROEY

“Our Iceberg is Melting”, the book by John Kotter on change management was given to me as a present from my mentor at Philips. I’ve always associated myself with the mindset of Fred the penguin: someone who creates a feeling of urgency by helping others realise why change is necessary...

INNOVATION Quebec

RÉMI QUIRION

SCIENTIFIQUE EN CHEF DU QUÉBEC

RÉMI QUIRION, SCIENTIFIQUE EN CHEF DU QUÉBEC, LUC SIROIS, INNOVATEUR EN CHEF DU QUÉBEC, SYLVIE PINSONNAULT, PREMIÈRE VICE-PRÉSIDENTE, STRATÉGIES, INNOVATION ET DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE. En ouverture du Sommet des accélérateurs, organisé par le Mouvement des accélérateurs d’innovation du Québec, Rémi Quirion, scientifique en chef du Québec, Luc Sirois, Innovateur en chef...

INNOVATE™ Montréal

Carl Baillargeon

Carl Baillargeon

Communications and Marketing Director - Technoparc Montréal

  English: It’s a park. It’s techno. The Technoparc is relaxed and peaceful. The site is also green. Very green. With a huge proportion of green space and protected zones, located between areas of concrete omnipresence, the feel of nature is flagrant and fragrant. A perfect setting for companies and...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

BRETT A MCCALL

BRETT A MCCALL

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, USA, PLANET EARTH

My passion for the virtual world began when I was just a boy. I grew up in the ‘80s when classics such as Namco’s Pac-Man and Activision’s Pitfall! were just beginning to inch their way into the public sphere. These video games enraptured the young me. I was diagnosed with...

INNOVATE® Georgia

DAVID HESS

MCG DEAN, AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY

The statistics are startling. Georgia routinely ranks in the top 10 states in the country in terms of population size and growth, yet we continue to rank near the bottom in the number of physicians per capita, at a dismal 41st. Recent data show that roughly 185 Georgians die from...

INNOVATE® New Jersey Vol.2

MICHAEL J. AVALTRONI

PH.D. PRESIDENT FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY

COMBATING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISISIn my two decades in higher education, I have witnessed seismic political, social and economic shifts that have had major effects on college communities throughout the nation. But today we are facing our greatest crisis because I see a generation of students crying out for mental...

INNOVATION Quebec

GILLES DÉRY

PRÉSIDENT-DIRECTOR GENERAL, CQRDA

The idea of contributing to Quebec’s development is why I’m involved in the fast-paced world of innovation. It’s also the way to ensure an essential approach to our collective ambitions, in order to become a hub in several cutting-edge innovation sectors, notably aluminum. To this end, I am a fierce...

INNOVATE® Puerto Rico

SOFIA STOLBERG

SOFIA STOLBERG-CEO PILOTO 151

CEO PILOTO 151

THE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION OF PUERTO RICO’S ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM AND WHAT’S NEEDED TO CHARGE AHEADFew people know that in 2010 Puerto Rico pioneered the first multistakeholder entrepreneurship ecosystem project in the world. Led by the Island’s most successful entrepreneurs in partnership with the Department of Economic Development, the Puerto Rico...

INNOVATE® Nashville

MARIA F. MCLENDON

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AT FIRST SOUTH FINANCIAL

Every day, I’m reminded that the world of financial services is both exciting and challenging. We live in a time when consumers are flooded with options, yet too often, they’re still unsure where to turn for real guidance and personal connection. In my experience, the three biggest challenges facing our...

INNOVATE® Georgia

MICHAEL SHANNON

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA - PRESIDENT

REIMAGINING HIGHER EDUCATION: UNG’s Bold Vision for the Future In an era of unprecedented change, higher education stands at a pivotal crossroads. As thought leaders in this space, we at the University of North Georgia (UNG) are not just adapting to this new landscape—we’re actively shaping it. Our vision is...

INNOVATE™ Oeiras

PAULO ROSADO

PAULO ROSADO

FOUNDER AND CEO, OUTSYSTEMS

The uncertainties of the pandemic and decades-old roadblocks in the software development process have driven significant changes in the approaches I see today’s organizations taking when building the applications that fuel their business. These new approaches to development are gaining in popularity because while the pressure on IT to deliver...

IGNACIO ALVAREZ

PRESIDENT AND CEO OF POPULAR INC.

Technological advances, changing customer expectations and a rapidly evolving competitive landscape have made innovation not a choice, but a requirement to remain competitive at every level. Countries, companies and individuals must constantly question the present and aspire to make the future better. Because innovation is not an end in itself;...

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...

FRANK LEYHAUSEN

CEO AF1 GMBH, COLOGNE, GERMANY

In almost all countries of the developed world, the labor market is under pressure. The reason: Demographic change has shrunk the number of people of working age. Seriously? I don’t think so! In Western society, age is and always has been associated with the loss of skills and abilities. For...

Bob Kain

Bob Kain

Co-Founder and CEO - LunaPBC

Bob Kain Co-Founder And CEO – LunaPBC I’ve been fortunate enough to live a life distinguished by constant progression, from understanding to impacting, particularly in my career. Trained as a physicist, I was fueled by a deep drive to understand some of the most complex “whys” of our world. Quickly...

JEFF LAFRENZ

JEFF LAFRENZ

CEO, VIZWORX

Innovation is a way of looking at the world around us. It has no geographic limits. It has no age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or culture limits. It applies to every industry, every profession. It is about being curious and not accepting the status quo. It is about asking why...

MATHEW WITTE

ORTEC AMERICAS - CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Innovation. Optimization. Transformation. Those three words describe my unwavering passion for driving change at some of the biggest manufacturers and distributors across the globe. At ORTEC, we are not just in the business of providing advanced analytics and optimization – we are in the business of shaping the future, empowering...

Keith Tanski

Keith Tanski

CTO - Optum

Innovation to me is working to never settle… and to continually be obsessive over creating a continued better experience and product. This means that status quos need to continually obsess over all spectrums and that we need to realize that the greatness that got us to this point will not...

JOHN HARRY

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CITY OF SALISBURY

Key benefits of locating in the City of Salisbury include: In Salisbury new thinking is being applied to the transformation of individual firms and whole industry sectors. Adopting this entrepreneurial mindset within our organisation has underpinned the establishment of several commercial opportunities unique in the local government sector: An innovative...

JINPIN YING

PRESIDENT CYBERMED

The future of healthcare is undergoing a transformative revolution, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and an increasing commitment to greater equity across patient populations. From the time that CyberMed was established, one of the prevailing issues that we are focusing on is how the technology can address...

DR. SIZAKELE MARUTLULLE

CMO-SIZAKELE MARUTLULLE

I think it was the mighty Einstein who said ‘imagination is more important than knowledge’. Whilst he was not deriding education per se – I think he was advocating for an explosion of ideas – which (in my view) is the fuel that drives innovation. The ubiquity of the term...

TAAVI KOTKA

ESTONIA’S FIRST CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

Before stepping into government, Taavi had already made his mark in the tech sector. He co-founded and led the software company Webmedia (later Nortal), growing it into one of the region’s largest IT firms. His background as a developer and entrepreneur gave him a rare mix of technical skill and...

JOSE CORDEIRO

THE DEATH OF DEATH

José Cordeiro passionately advocates for a future where aging is not an inevitability but a curable condition. His journey, marked by a relentless pursuit of scientific understanding and technological innovation, is a beacon of inspiration in an era increasingly focused on health and longevity. Our conversation illuminatingly delves into longevity,...

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...

GEERT VERACHTERT

GEERT VERACHTERT

DIRECTOR STRATEGY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, GROEP VAN ROEY

“Our Iceberg is Melting”, the book by John Kotter on change management was given to me as a present from my mentor at Philips. I’ve always associated myself with the mindset of Fred the penguin: someone who creates a feeling of urgency by helping others realise why change is necessary...

RÉMI QUIRION

SCIENTIFIQUE EN CHEF DU QUÉBEC

RÉMI QUIRION, SCIENTIFIQUE EN CHEF DU QUÉBEC, LUC SIROIS, INNOVATEUR EN CHEF DU QUÉBEC, SYLVIE PINSONNAULT, PREMIÈRE VICE-PRÉSIDENTE, STRATÉGIES, INNOVATION ET DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE. En ouverture du Sommet des accélérateurs, organisé par le Mouvement des accélérateurs d’innovation du Québec, Rémi Quirion, scientifique en chef du Québec, Luc Sirois, Innovateur en chef...

Carl Baillargeon

Carl Baillargeon

Communications and Marketing Director - Technoparc Montréal

  English: It’s a park. It’s techno. The Technoparc is relaxed and peaceful. The site is also green. Very green. With a huge proportion of green space and protected zones, located between areas of concrete omnipresence, the feel of nature is flagrant and fragrant. A perfect setting for companies and...

BRETT A MCCALL

BRETT A MCCALL

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, USA, PLANET EARTH

My passion for the virtual world began when I was just a boy. I grew up in the ‘80s when classics such as Namco’s Pac-Man and Activision’s Pitfall! were just beginning to inch their way into the public sphere. These video games enraptured the young me. I was diagnosed with...

DAVID HESS

MCG DEAN, AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY

The statistics are startling. Georgia routinely ranks in the top 10 states in the country in terms of population size and growth, yet we continue to rank near the bottom in the number of physicians per capita, at a dismal 41st. Recent data show that roughly 185 Georgians die from...

MICHAEL J. AVALTRONI

PH.D. PRESIDENT FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY

COMBATING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISISIn my two decades in higher education, I have witnessed seismic political, social and economic shifts that have had major effects on college communities throughout the nation. But today we are facing our greatest crisis because I see a generation of students crying out for mental...

GILLES DÉRY

PRÉSIDENT-DIRECTOR GENERAL, CQRDA

The idea of contributing to Quebec’s development is why I’m involved in the fast-paced world of innovation. It’s also the way to ensure an essential approach to our collective ambitions, in order to become a hub in several cutting-edge innovation sectors, notably aluminum. To this end, I am a fierce...

SOFIA STOLBERG

SOFIA STOLBERG-CEO PILOTO 151

CEO PILOTO 151

THE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION OF PUERTO RICO’S ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM AND WHAT’S NEEDED TO CHARGE AHEADFew people know that in 2010 Puerto Rico pioneered the first multistakeholder entrepreneurship ecosystem project in the world. Led by the Island’s most successful entrepreneurs in partnership with the Department of Economic Development, the Puerto Rico...

MARIA F. MCLENDON

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AT FIRST SOUTH FINANCIAL

Every day, I’m reminded that the world of financial services is both exciting and challenging. We live in a time when consumers are flooded with options, yet too often, they’re still unsure where to turn for real guidance and personal connection. In my experience, the three biggest challenges facing our...

MICHAEL SHANNON

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA - PRESIDENT

REIMAGINING HIGHER EDUCATION: UNG’s Bold Vision for the Future In an era of unprecedented change, higher education stands at a pivotal crossroads. As thought leaders in this space, we at the University of North Georgia (UNG) are not just adapting to this new landscape—we’re actively shaping it. Our vision is...

PAULO ROSADO

PAULO ROSADO

FOUNDER AND CEO, OUTSYSTEMS

The uncertainties of the pandemic and decades-old roadblocks in the software development process have driven significant changes in the approaches I see today’s organizations taking when building the applications that fuel their business. These new approaches to development are gaining in popularity because while the pressure on IT to deliver...

INNOVATE® Ecosystems