Business & Management

Professionals who specialize in the organization and oversight of business activities, as well as focus on planning, directing, and controlling company operations

Alice Meredith

Alice Meredith

Alice Meredith (SPHR|CCMP) brings over 30 years of leadership experience to her role as a speaker, evenly split between business leadership and HR leadership roles.

This balanced background is what makes her insights resonate with leaders across various industries.

Alice has been invited to speak by a range of high-profile US organizations, including Starbucks, Costco, UCLA, T-Mobile, and the U.S. Navy, attesting to her broad impact. More recently, her work has expanded into Europe, where she's had the privilege to engage with and speak to executive teams, managers, and individual contributors through keynotes and workshops across Ireland, Germany, France, England, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

She's known for her innovative leadership techniques, which she has distilled into over 30 leadership, change management, and HR online courses published on the popular tech learning platform, Pluralsight.

As a speaker, she shares actionable insights that help both emerging and established leaders, as well as individual contributors, better navigate the changing work environments they face.

Alice Meredith (SPHR|CCMP) brings over 30 years of leadership experience to her role as a speaker, evenly split between business leadership and HR leadership roles. This balanced background is what makes her insights resonate with leaders across ... Show more

Abena Camara

Abena Camara

Safiyatou “Abena” Camara

Executive Director & President, WONTANARA Inc
Co-Founder • Cultural Arts Master • Business Consultant • Youth Development Specialist

Abena Camara is a business consultant, cultural arts leader, and third-generation cultural bearer with nearly a decade of experience helping creatives and community-driven organizations build sustainable, funded work. She serves as Executive Director and President of WONTANARA Inc, where she leads arts education, community programming, and organizational strategy rooted in West African cultural traditions.

Immersed in cultural arts since age three, Abena brings over 20 years of professional artistry, 15 years of intensive West African cultural training, and deep lineage-based knowledge passed down through master teachers, historians, griots, and elders. Her grandfather founded the first performing company in Guinea, West Africa, and helped introduce West African master artists to the United States—a legacy Abena continues through WONTANARA’s programs and global partnerships. Her multidisciplinary training spans West African dance, ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, and music composition and production, allowing her to bridge tradition and innovation with integrity.

Alongside her artistic leadership, Abena brings strong business and funding expertise. While pursuing a degree in Business Administration at Georgia State University, she served as an executive intern for a popular men’s grooming company, helping generate $1.1 million in revenue within its first year. That experience launched her career as a consultant, where she has spent nearly nine years advising organizations on operations, funding strategy, and growth.

Through WONTANARA Inc and her consulting work, Abena has secured over $200,000 in grants and sponsorships, including support for WONTANARA Percussions, the world’s first Black-owned instrument factory based in Africa. She has also led the development of WONTANARA Festival, securing city-wide sponsorship and building a thriving cultural platform. Her consulting practice maintains a 92% client retention rate, and she has helped more than 10 clients secure government funding within their first year of business.

Abena’s work sits at the intersection of creativity, community, and capital. She is passionate about demystifying funding systems and empowering creatives and community leaders to move from passion projects to sustainable, paid impact—without compromising their values.

Safiyatou “Abena” Camara Executive Director & President, WONTANARA Inc Co-Founder • Cultural Arts Master • Business Consultant • Youth Development Specialist Abena Camara is a business consultant, cultural arts leader, and third-generation cul... Show more

Patrick Mork

Patrick Mork

Patrick Mork is a keynote speaker, executive advisor, and the number one bestselling author of Step Back and LEAP. He is the former CMO at Google Play and co-creator of the brand, and a 3x award-winning chief marketing officer.

Patrick doesn't just talk about resilience and change. He has lived it. Across 11 countries, 33 moves, six startups, and one bankruptcy, he has rebuilt his career and his life from zero more than once, in cultures that were not his own, doing work he had to learn on the way down. That lived experience is the foundation of his keynotes.

He has delivered high-impact keynotes and workshops for Google, Walmart, Unilever, MetLife, Scotiabank, Falabella, and others, and has advised senior leaders at Apple, Google, Meta, and Walmart. He has spoken at Google I/O, SXSW, Mobile World Congress, and closed the 2025 Volcano Summit in front of 4,000 people.

Patrick's purpose is to be the transformative energy that inspires people to lead a career of meaning and purpose. He speaks in both English and Spanish.

Patrick Mork is a keynote speaker, executive advisor, and the number one bestselling author of Step Back and LEAP. He is the former CMO at Google Play and co-creator of the brand, and a 3x award-winning chief marketing officer. Patrick doesn't jus... Show more

Vasilika Klimova

Vasilika Klimova

I have been a Web Developer for over 14 years (Frontend, Fullstack).
I had experience working as a single web developer, as a member of big teams in FinTech, and as a Team Lead.

I enjoyed working on web 3D projects, awesome animations, visualizations, and good infographics. I am a speaker & organizer of tech meetups and conferences. I helped many students at different schools with learning web development. 
I like tech communities and modern technologies.

Over the last 8 years, I have been living in Luxembourg and organising the Lux TechPulse meetup. Last years I switched to Technical Management.

My passion is 🎮 video/board games, 🏞️ traveling, 🤿 diving, animals (I have a red cat 🐈), and cinema 🎥. I collect children's books from different countries and Christmas tree decorations.

I have been a Web Developer for over 14 years (Frontend, Fullstack).
I had experience working as a single web developer, as a member of big teams in FinTech, and as a Team Lead. I enjoyed working on web 3D projects, awesome animations, visualizati... Show more

Hugo Morillo

Hugo Morillo

Independent software vendor specialized in software development and systems architecture. Experience in Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Power Platform and Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementations projects in different industries like retail, real estate, educational, public government, manufacturing, automotive, banking, insurance, professional services, et al. I help organizations transform their business processes using IT tools and techniques, creating a well-balanced software ecosystem. As a ClickDimensions Partner, I offer marketing automation solutions. I help Microsoft partners to develop business areas focused on Dynamics 365 CE Apps, Power Platform and Azure services

Independent software vendor specialized in software development and systems architecture. Experience in Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Power Platform and Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementations projects in different industries like retail, real estat... Show more

Ahmed Shawky

Ahmed Shawky

Ahmed Shawky is CEO & Founder of Frabo Business Consulting, a Microsoft Certified Partner delivering transformative technology solutions across the EMEA region and recently launched UK presence.
he specializes in implementing Microsoft Power Platform, Dynamics 365 CE, Azure, and Microsoft Fabric solutions for mid-market enterprises in healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, and government sectors.
Holding an MSc in Data Science from University of East London (2025) and an MSc in Global Management from Paris ESLSCA Business School (2017), Ahmed represents the convergence of deep technical expertise and strategic business acumen. His dissertation research on coastal flooding risk prediction using machine learning algorithms, Dover UK Case Study, achieved 94% accuracy, demonstrating his capability to build production-grade predictive models that address critical real-world challenges.
With over 15 years of hands-on experience, Ahmed has led large-scale Dynamics 365 implementations across multiple countries.
Ahmed's international experience across multiple EMEA countries provides unique insights into adapting Microsoft technologies for diverse regulatory frameworks, cultural contexts, and market conditions. He is particularly recognized for his ability to translate complex data science concepts into practical business applications that deliver measurable ROI.
As founder of Frabo Business Consulting since 2020, Ahmed has secured strategic partnerships and expanded into new markets, positioning the company as a leader in intelligent automation and predictive analytics consulting. This is his inaugural speaking engagement in the UK Power Platform community.

Ahmed Shawky is CEO & Founder of Frabo Business Consulting, a Microsoft Certified Partner delivering transformative technology solutions across the EMEA region and recently launched UK presence. he specializes in implementing Microsoft Power Platfo... Show more

Elizabeth Okaome

Elizabeth Okaome

Elizabeth Okaome is a dedicated advocate for women in Tech, with a passion for increasing female representation in the tech industry. With seven years of experience as a community manager and builder in the tech ecosystem, she has significantly impacted various tech communities.

Her journey began with volunteering to organize tech events and actively participating in these communities. Currently, Elizabeth serves as the Organizer for Google Developers Group Benin, the largest tech community in Benin, and leads Google Women Techmakers Benin City.

Elizabeth is the founder of Empower Her Community, established in 2021, which aims to equip women with tech skills, mentorship, and pairing them with opportunities. This community has grown to support over 6,000 women across 75 countries.

She also contributed as a community manager for the GirlLead Project Bootcamp in Benin City, where over 50 girls were trained in diverse tech skills.

In her current role as the Developer Ecosystem Lead at Interswitch Group, Elizabeth fosters relationships between external and internal developers, achieving a 500% community growth within nine months. She spearheads programs and partnerships, enhancing the developer community.

Driven by her passion for community and women's empowerment, Elizabeth embarked on a global project for women in tech, focused on reaching out to women in various remote location to sensitise them about tech skills.

Elizabeth Okaome is a dedicated advocate for women in Tech, with a passion for increasing female representation in the tech industry. With seven years of experience as a community manager and builder in the tech ecosystem, she has significantly impac... Show more

Nafisa Lawal Idris

Nafisa Lawal Idris

Nafisa Lawal Idris is a Data Scientist with a Bachelor's degree in Statistics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the Nigeria Defence Academy. She is from Sokoto State and she is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the technology sector. With over six years of experience, she has progressed through roles such as Data Entry Intern, Statistical Data Analyst, Data Analyst and Data Scientist.
As an active mentor and thought leader, she has been involved with numerous initiatives like ADPList, KaggleX, She Connect Africa, Google Women Techmakers and Women in Data Science (WiDS). Her dedication extends to being a Global Ambassador at WomenTech Network, Women in Data Science (WiDS) Worldwide and an Advisory Board Member at Spendo Technologies.
Nafisa's current exploration into Bitcoin development and her continuous contributions to the tech community underscore her adaptability and commitment to innovation. She is also a Professional Member of the Professional Statisticians Society of Nigeria (PSSN), Member of ForbesBLK and a Certified member of the Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria (CISON). Through her journey, Nafisa remains dedicated to promoting gender diversity and empowering the next generation of tech professionals particularly women in underrepresented regions.

Nafisa Lawal Idris is a Data Scientist with a Bachelor's degree in Statistics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the Nigeria Defence Academy. She is from Sokoto State and she is an advocate for diversity... Show more

Joel Comm

Joel Comm

Joel Comm has been building online businesses since 1995 — before Google existed — and has had a front-row seat to six technology revolutions: the web, search, social media, mobile, blockchain, and artificial intelligence. Today he is an AI keynote speaker who serves as a translator, not an evangelist: he helps leaders and non-technical professional audiences understand what AI actually means for their work, and adopt it without losing judgment, relationships, or clarity.

Joel's keynotes are built around his proprietary Disruption Confidence Cycle™, a five-stage framework (Disruption → Doubt → Clarity → Confidence → Momentum) that guides organizations through technology transitions. He has spoken at Microsoft, the United Nations, Harvard Business School, the Consumer Electronics Show, TEDxMileHigh, and Tony Robbins events, and has worked with brands including IBM, Cisco, T-Mobile, Alibaba, and Twitter.

A New York Times bestselling author of 17 books — including The AdSense Code, Twitter Power, KaChing, and The Fun Formula — Joel hosts the AI for Everyone Show and co-hosts the Bad Crypto Podcast, which has surpassed 10 million downloads. His forthcoming book, AI Made Simple, is published by Morgan James Publishing. Joel is based in Puerto Rico and speaks worldwide.

Joel Comm has been building online businesses since 1995 — before Google existed — and has had a front-row seat to six technology revolutions: the web, search, social media, mobile, blockchain, and artificial intelligence. Today he is an AI keynote s... Show more

James Davis

James Davis

Dr. James Davis is an experienced software developer, entrepreneur, 2-tour combat veteran, and professor. He is faculty at Louisiana State University and co-founder of a healthcare technology company. Dr. Davis has a PhD in Information Systems & Decision Science and teaches data science, project management, app development, and tech entrepreneurship. He holds the project management professional (PMP), scaled agile program consultant (SPC), scrum professional (CSP), scrum master (CSM, SSM) certifications and has made numerous presentations for the Project Management Institute (PMI) and Scrum Alliance. Dr. Davis enjoys writing code, frequently participates in hackathons, volunteers with multiple STEM initiatives, and has been recognized for his entrepreneurial endeavors (SiliconBayou100 in 2014, 2015, 2016 & Business Report’s People to Watch 2021).

Dr. James Davis is an experienced software developer, entrepreneur, 2-tour combat veteran, and professor. He is faculty at Louisiana State University and co-founder of a healthcare technology company. Dr. Davis has a PhD in Information Systems & De... Show more

Annie Hedgpeth

Annie Hedgpeth

Annie is co-founder of People Work, a relationship management platform helping professionals intentionally manage the 10-20 connections that drive career success. Her path from casting director for film and TV to Azure cloud consultant to the Terraform Enterprise team at HashiCorp taught her that meaningful work comes from intentional relationship-building and collaboration. At People Work, she's creating tools that help people invest in the relationships that actually drive career success.

Annie is co-founder of People Work, a relationship management platform helping professionals intentionally manage the 10-20 connections that drive career success. Her path from casting director for film and TV to Azure cloud consultant to the Terrafo... Show more

Apurva Misra

Apurva Misra

Apurva Misra is a machine learning engineer, speaker, and founder of Sentick, where she helps growing companies unlock practical, ROI-driven AI solutions across automations, predictive analytics, and copilots.
She holds a Master’s from the University of Waterloo, where her research focused on detecting driver cognitive distraction; her work has been published in IEEE Access.
Apurva has spoken at industry events and advises startups on shipping AI safely and measurably, drawing on hands-on experience building production systems and a strong cloud/engineering background. In her free time, she is learning Spanish, and enjoys exploring hidden gem eateries, always eager to hear about new favourite spots!

Apurva Misra is a machine learning engineer, speaker, and founder of Sentick, where she helps growing companies unlock practical, ROI-driven AI solutions across automations, predictive analytics, and copilots. She holds a Master’s from the Universit... Show more

Joel Silverstone

Joel Silverstone

Joel brings 25 years of global experience, supporting Fortune 500 companies and thousands of participants. He specializes in empowering leaders and teams with effective communication skills, fostering more impactful collaboration and motivation. His expertise lies in enabling individuals to authentically influence others towards deeper business relationships, fostering trust and enhancing engagement.

Joel thrives to lead engaging and interactive sessions based on 'Learn, Laugh, and Do!'

When you communicate effectively, people feel heard, seen, and understood- mutual respect is created, and you start connecting and unlocking the motivators for you and the other.

Drawing from his background as a former professional actor and improviser- Joel brings unique tips and activities for everyone to practice and implement.

You can listen to or watch Joel as the host of "The Great Canadian Leadership" and "This Feels Right" Podcasts and YouTube – interviewing leaders and experts on influencing and communications skills."

Joel brings 25 years of global experience, supporting Fortune 500 companies and thousands of participants. He specializes in empowering leaders and teams with effective communication skills, fostering more impactful collaboration and motivation. His ... Show more

Grace Okubo

Grace Okubo

Grace Okubo uses strategic foresight to tackle complex problems for organisations.

Grace Okubo uses strategic foresight to tackle complex problems for organisations. Show more

Marc Robertz-Schwartz

Marc Robertz-Schwartz

Marc Robertz-Schwartz is a multi-award-winning media and marketing executive and entrepreneur. He has helped dozens of best-in-class businesses and organizations build their brand through traditional and digital marketing strategies. He has been honored and recognized with three regional Emmy awards, 19 Telly awards, International Incubator Business of the Year (2012), twice named to the Gator 100 for fastest growing companies owned by University of Florida grads, and his agency – Red Apples Media – was named a “Best Place to Work” right before he completed the sale of the agency in 2024. Marc is also the author of "The RED APPLES Way" (named an Amazon "Top New Release" in February, 2026) - a candid and entertaining story of "how nine core values turned a company founded on fear and desperation into one of passion and purpose."

Marc Robertz-Schwartz is a multi-award-winning media and marketing executive and entrepreneur. He has helped dozens of best-in-class businesses and organizations build their brand through traditional and digital marketing strategies. He has been hono... Show more

Mya Tyler

Mya Tyler

Mya Tyler is a speaker, executive coach, and strategic advisor who helps leaders and organizations align work, vision, and values so they can achieve more, struggle less, and build impact that multiplies. With more than 25 years of experience leading large-scale transformation, she brings executive depth, practical insight, and a human-centered approach to leadership, growth, and change.

As the founder of Tapestry AG and Hustle to Wholeness™, Mya works with high-performing leaders and organizations who are delivering results but feel the strain of doing it unsustainably.

Known for her calm, direct, and deeply relatable style, Mya creates space for honest reflection while offering practical tools people can apply right away. She believes success and well-being do not have to compete — and that the strongest leadership is rooted in alignment, clarity, and integrity.

Mya Tyler is a speaker, executive coach, and strategic advisor who helps leaders and organizations align work, vision, and values so they can achieve more, struggle less, and build impact that multiplies. With more than 25 years of experience leading... Show more

Denis Stebunov

Denis Stebunov

I’m the CTO at ivelum, where we build custom software for startups and enterprises. I also work on Teamplify – a team productivity suite for engineering teams.

I'm obsessed with developer productivity, continuous delivery, and best engineering practices.

I’m the CTO at ivelum, where we build custom software for startups and enterprises. I also work on Teamplify – a team productivity suite for engineering teams. I'm obsessed with developer productivity, continuous delivery, and best engineering pra... Show more

Dwight Matthys

Dwight Matthys

Been working for the better of 20 years in the IT industry, grew up from the trenches as an aspiring developer, worked my way p to a senior engineer adopting domain-driven thinking along the way, start moving into software architecture and finally evolved into Enterprise Architecture combined with a managing position. I'm also known for breaking, or better decomposing, monoliths :)

Been working for the better of 20 years in the IT industry, grew up from the trenches as an aspiring developer, worked my way p to a senior engineer adopting domain-driven thinking along the way, start moving into software architecture and finally ev... Show more

Jacqui Muller

Jacqui Muller

Changing the world, one solution at a time!

Passionate about automation and building a business to support clients on their digitisation/optimisation journeys while working with the youth in preparation for their entry into industry.

Enjoys dabbling in software development, automation, IOT, advanced analytics, data engineering and business intelligence while currently working towards completing a PhD that focuses on automation. Currently focusing on learning how businesses are formed and how the longevity of business functions are maintained.

Competencies include a high level of computer literacy, programming in various languages with newly acquired sales and business acumen.

Changing the world, one solution at a time! Passionate about automation and building a business to support clients on their digitisation/optimisation journeys while working with the youth in preparation for their entry into industry. Enjoys da... Show more

Chris Pipito

Chris Pipito

Chris Pipito is a software product development coach. Since 2012, Chris has been coaching organizations in multiple industries including Automotive, Financial, Insurance, Retail, Health Care, and Scientific and Technical Services. He is the founder of DDD Philly, a community group focused on helping people learn & practice Domain-Driven Design (DDD). He is a public speaker sharing his experiences, both in-person and virtual, to help people and teams improve. Chris is currently writing a book on Flow and Teaming, drawing on his hands-on experience coaching organizations and teams. Since 2022, Chris has been coaching teams and organizations in the dojo, an immersive learning environment where teams learn, practice, and improve their capabilities all while delivering their real-world work within the constraints of their organization.

Sites of Interest: chrispipito.com; chrispipito.substack.com; dojoandco.com; softwareteaming.com; dddunitedstates.com

Chris Pipito is a software product development coach. Since 2012, Chris has been coaching organizations in multiple industries including Automotive, Financial, Insurance, Retail, Health Care, and Scientific and Technical Services. He is the founder o... Show more

Chris Kelleher

Chris Kelleher

Chris Kelleher is a software developer and IT leader with over 30 years of Progress OpenEdge experience, dating back to 1991. He has held senior development and management roles at Lassonde Pappas and Lasko Products, and currently works as a consultant at Wyman Gordon, a division of Precision Castparts Corp. His expertise spans ERP architecture, middleware integration (Boomi, BizTalk), agile development, and cloud infrastructure. He holds certifications from Oracle, Scrum Alliance, and Progress Software Corporation.

Chris Kelleher is a software developer and IT leader with over 30 years of Progress OpenEdge experience, dating back to 1991. He has held senior development and management roles at Lassonde Pappas and Lasko Products, and currently works as a consulta... Show more

Benoît Pilorget

Benoît Pilorget

With 11 years' experience managing complex collaborative projects, including 6 as Product Manager, I know that any project can turn into a Tower of Babel...
I also know that I don't know anything, even though I can forget this fact from time to time :)

So let's hear each other out, let's communicate and together we just might end up creating a cool product!

I enjoy giving talks inspired directly from my experiences. I hope you will enjoy hearing about my successes, and failures!

With 11 years' experience managing complex collaborative projects, including 6 as Product Manager, I know that any project can turn into a Tower of Babel... I also know that I don't know anything, even though I can forget this fact from time to tim... Show more

Megan Livadas

Megan Livadas

Power BI fangirl since 2018, leading end-to-end Fabric and BI implementations across industries including Insurance and Retail. On a mission to help organisations create a Data Culture, and drive adoption through proper governance.
Blogging at Livadata.com

Power BI fangirl since 2018, leading end-to-end Fabric and BI implementations across industries including Insurance and Retail. On a mission to help organisations create a Data Culture, and drive adoption through proper governance. Blogging at Livad... Show more

Morgan Gautier

Morgan Gautier

ScrumMaster, formateur et consultant agile à Rennes. Mes maitres mots : fun et épanouissement de chacun.

ScrumMaster, formateur et consultant agile à Rennes. Mes maitres mots : fun et épanouissement de chacun. Show more

Jens Thirmeyer

Jens Thirmeyer

As a Solution Architect and former CTO in the green technology sector, I specialize in delivering value to customers across the domains of **AI, IoT, and IT security**. My expertise lies in translating complex technical concepts into practical solutions that drive innovation and sustainability. With a track record of successful projects and a passion for cutting-edge technologies, I am committed to shaping a greener, smarter future.

As a Solution Architect and former CTO in the green technology sector, I specialize in delivering value to customers across the domains of **AI, IoT, and IT security**. My expertise lies in translating complex technical concepts into practical soluti... Show more

Fabio Borges Monteiro

Fabio Borges Monteiro

A biologist by training, teacher, and specialist in data and agility. With 20 years of experience at Petrobras, I moved through field operations, management, and environment until focusing, from 2019 onward, on agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, Lean Inception) and innovation.

My true passion is Design Thinking, especially Design Flow—a methodology I specialized in to bridge the gap between human-centered problem exploration and agile product delivery. My work combines the empathy of this design approach with the pragmatism of Data Analysis, using Power BI to support decisions and validate discoveries.

Today, I work in the HSE management team for E&P, designing new corporate processes focused on driving value for the company and caring for people. In the classroom or on stage, I transform this background of real-world cases into practical, accessible learning for professionals looking to manage processes and businesses in a modern way.

A biologist by training, teacher, and specialist in data and agility. With 20 years of experience at Petrobras, I moved through field operations, management, and environment until focusing, from 2019 onward, on agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, Lea... Show more

Chris Goodwin

Chris Goodwin

Chris Goodwin, SHRM-SCP, is a corporate executive turned leadership coach and keynote speaker who knows a thing or two about navigating hard seasons with grit and grace. With nearly 25 years of experience in HR, operations, and executive leadership, Chris brings a no-nonsense, heart-forward approach to developing people, transforming culture, and leading with intention—even when life hits hard.
Whether she’s coaching new managers, guiding companies through change, or speaking to rooms full of leaders who are tired of burnout and surface-level leadership, Chris brings real talk, practical tools, and the kind of storytelling that sticks. She’s been on the frontlines of leadership and in the trenches of personal trial—and she’s come through refined, not ruined.
Her talks cut through the fluff and leave audiences with something they can actually use: more confidence, more clarity, and a renewed belief that resilient, values-driven leadership isn’t just possible—it’s powerful.

Chris Goodwin, SHRM-SCP, is a corporate executive turned leadership coach and keynote speaker who knows a thing or two about navigating hard seasons with grit and grace. With nearly 25 years of experience in HR, operations, and executive leadership, ... Show more

Richard Essangabasi

Richard Essangabasi

Richard Essangabasi Israel, also known as The Content Chef, is a 23 year old Entrepreneur, Investor, Speaker, and Business developer from Nigeria. He works at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and business growth, and his work is driven by a simple belief: if it can be told, it can be sold. At 23, he has founded or co-founded nine ventures, each born from real problems he experienced himself like bad campus food, unreliable internet, lack of access and lack of funding for student founders. He is the Founder and CEO of The Shard Group LTD, a conglomerate that houses other subsidiary companies including Shard Network, a satellite powered campus ISP for African campuses, Shard Media Production, and Shard Builders Residency. His other ventures include Offar, a DeFi toolkit for African businesses and developers, The Messangs, a silent luxury menswear brand, Orex Prime, an Content/Media production company, and Campus Pitch Africa, a pan-African Shark Tank style pitch competition that funds student entrepreneurs. He serves as the lead investor for Campus Pitch Africa and is currently building MAI Fund, a venture capital firm focused on pre-seed and seed investments in African SMEs. He is also developing Stable Pesa, a fintech company that aims to help people across Africa achieve financial peace of mind, though it is still in development.

As a creative director and filmmaker, Richard has spent over five years mastering visual storytelling. He is the co-founder of Orex Prime, where he uses blockchain technology to help African filmmakers create and fund high quality movies. He has successfully raised over $10,000 for film projects from global partners including The Sandbox DAO, Uglycash and Base. His work has earned international awards and has been screened at major film festivals in the United Kingdom, New York, and Nigeria. He also hosts The Founders Archive, an ambitious project to film and document the stories of one million business owners around the world. He travels to different cities to record the struggles and wins of entrepreneurs, saving their lessons in a digital library for others to learn from.

As a public speaker, Richard does not deliver motivational fluff. He shares practical and honest insights drawn from five years of experience across media, Web3, entrepreneurship, and African innovation. He has spoken on global stages hosted by Google, Solana, Figma, SheFi and Ethereum at events including Figma Config, Eth Enugu, Web3 Lagos Conference, Solana Allstars Meetup, GDG EKET, ENB Onchain Summer Lagos, Devconnect Base Demo Day in Argentina, SheFi Nigeria,, Borderless 2.0/3.0 and NACOS Week 25. His speaking style is straightforward and focused on what actually works rather than what sounds good.

In business development, marketing, and sales, Richard brings over three years of hands on experience. He currently serves as the Marketing Lead and Growth Strategist at Bitsave Protocol, a decentralized savings platform focused on providing secure financial solutions and advancing DeFi adoption for global users. He helps small and medium sized businesses grow by building partnerships, revenue systems, and operational structures that actually scale. Before Bitsave, he led marketing for iLabs Nigeria, an AI Engineering Startup advancing AI chatbot adoption for SMEs founded by Alumni’s of the AI Class of 2023 at the European Business University of Luxembourg. He also served as Director of Socials for the Nigeria Association of Computing Students at Akwa Ibom State University, where he managed student engagement and organized high profile events including the NACOS Week 25 Conference. He was the campus lead for Cowrywise in 2024 and also served as a co-campus lead for Solana Allstars. He served as Regional Lead and Visual Creative Director for For The Love of DeFi, leading community growth, regional expansion, and Web3 adoption while helping organize the Innovate 25 Conference as Visual/Creative Director.

Richard studied filmmaking under a Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at the Kunle Afolayan Film and Television Academy. He has also worked as a festival curator for the Uyo International Theatre and Film Festival and as co-lead for GDGoc Aksu. His mission is simple and consistent: to support the people who take real risks to build meaningful businesses, and to help young Africans share their stories and succeed on a global stage.

Richard Essangabasi Israel, also known as The Content Chef, is a 23 year old Entrepreneur, Investor, Speaker, and Business developer from Nigeria. He works at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and business growth, and his work is driven b... Show more

Kenneth Taiwo

Kenneth Taiwo

Kenneth Olajide Taiwo is a teenager brand designer, photographer, content creator and a writer. He's currently a graduand of the University of Medical Science, Ondo on his Final Industrial Training program. He is passionate about bringing creative imaginations to reality by creating virtually stunning , detailing and eye-catching designs that helps brands grow. He's with up to four years of consistent practice, continuous skill sharpening, and business development experience in the creative field. He's has worked and currently works with alot of brands of different Niches including an arm of the Federal Government of Nigeria. He is the CEO of Kenot Pixels (a graphic design brand), and the founder of CreativeCue with Kenot (a creative show). He stands for maximizing everything around him for creativity.

Kenneth Olajide Taiwo is a teenager brand designer, photographer, content creator and a writer. He's currently a graduand of the University of Medical Science, Ondo on his Final Industrial Training program. He is passionate about bringing creative im... Show more

Daria Rudnik

Daria Rudnik

Daria Rudnik is a Team Architect and Executive Leadership Coach — and the author of CLICKING, a practical framework for building high-performing teams that don't depend on the leader to function.
A former Chief People Officer and ex-Deloitte professional with 15 years of international experience in tech and telecom, she has helped leaders across six continents navigate financial crises, wars, and COVID-19.
Today she works with executives and HR leaders who are building teams that can perform — and hold together — in an AI-driven world.

Daria Rudnik is a Team Architect and Executive Leadership Coach — and the author of CLICKING, a practical framework for building high-performing teams that don't depend on the leader to function. A former Chief People Officer and ex-Deloitte profess... Show more

Please note that Sessionize is not responsible for the accuracy or validity of the data provided by speakers.

Join Speakers Directory

Join our Speakers Directory today and amplify your reach! Showcase your expertise to a global audience hungry for your insights. Let your voice be heard!

Create Profile