Liz is an experienced leader with a passion for combining strategy and execution to drive change. With a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from USC and an MBA from the University of Portland, her education backs up her 15 years of leading teams in education, consulting, and tech. Liz is not just about ideas; she’s also about making things happen. Her numerous project management certifications highlight her commitment to excellence and continuous learning. Whether it's guiding teams or spearheading projects, Liz thrives on turning challenges into successes.

Liz is an experienced leader with a passion for combining strategy and execution to drive change. With a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from USC and an MBA from the University of Portland, her education backs up her 15 years of lea... Show more

André é criador e líder da comunidade de práticas Agile Flow Curitiba e coautor do livro "O que nenhum Scrum Master te contou", disponível na Amazon. André possui bastante experiência em facilitação de times, tanto em TI, quanto na área de negócios, sendo Lean Inception Facilitator desde 2020. Atualmente exerce o papel de RTE na ExxonMobil, mas trabalhou por mais de 7 anos como Enterprise Agile Coach, dentro de empresas de médio e grande porte nacionais e globais.

Quando não está trabalhando, André curte passar tempo cozinhando e assistindo streaming de filmes e séries.

André é criador e líder da comunidade de práticas Agile Flow Curitiba e coautor do livro "O que nenhum Scrum Master te contou", disponível na Amazon. André possui bastante experiência em facilitação de times, tanto em TI, quanto na área de negócios, ... Show more

Emerson Taymor is an explorer who is currently the SVP of Design at InfoBeans. He co-founded the digital product studio, Philosophie, where he worked with enterprise executives and startup founders to launch over 300 digital products before it was acquired by InfoBeans in 2019. Emerson helps companies cut through the hype to deliver business results with AI.

https://linkedin.com/in/etaymor

Emerson Taymor is an explorer who is currently the SVP of Design at InfoBeans. He co-founded the digital product studio, Philosophie, where he worked with enterprise executives and startup founders to launch over 300 digital products before it was ac... Show more

As a seasoned AI Product & Startup Strategist with over 20 years in IT and a decade in product management, Rajul Shah is on a mission to help founders, entrepreneurs, and product managers build better products—faster. Leading ProductElements.co, Rajul has empowered over 500 startup founders and product managers to elevate their vision from idea to growth. Through practical tools for Product Validation, Go-to-Market strategies, Pricing Models, and Growth Optimization, ProductElements.co equips innovators with the tools to succeed.

Working with founders and product managers, Rajul is constantly exploring where the world is heading. She delves into how creative minds are envisioning a more sustainable future and encounters numerous stealth startups poised to disrupt economies and reshape various aspects of human life.

As a seasoned AI Product & Startup Strategist with over 20 years in IT and a decade in product management, Rajul Shah is on a mission to help founders, entrepreneurs, and product managers build better products—faster. Leading ProductElements.co, Raju... Show more

Looking for the ultimate natural hair care experience? Look no further than Shawntel Waajid and Nappy Hutt LLC! With over 45 years of experience in braiding and natural hair care, our owner and lead instructor is a master cosmetologist, natural hair care stylist, and master loctitian. Plus, we offer the best in hair care products with our own Fertilizer and Kings Solutions lines. Join us for a hands-on seminar and discover the beauty of natural hair care!

Looking for the ultimate natural hair care experience? Look no further than Shawntel Waajid and Nappy Hutt LLC! With over 45 years of experience in braiding and natural hair care, our owner and lead instructor is a master cosmetologist, natural hair ... Show more

Directions for Partners Board Member since 2011
Chairman Diections for Partners 2015 to 2021
Managing Director Tecman Deutschland GmbH
Shareholder of various VAR's and ISV's
Expert for business development in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ecosystem and ISV space
Member of the German Dynamics IMACP Chapter
Proven Business Coach and podcast creator
Christian lives in Hamburg/Germany, in his free time you can find him often on the golf course, sailing (sometimes) or rowing on his inhouse rowing erg or creating the latest edition of his newest podcast about emotions together with his friends. He is also an AI / Copilot enthusiast and like to play poker.

Directions for Partners Board Member since 2011 Chairman Diections for Partners 2015 to 2021 Managing Director Tecman Deutschland GmbH Shareholder of various VAR's and ISV's Expert for business development in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business C... Show more

With a team of experienced professionals, Ian Stewart supports local and national businesses in crafting branding, messaging strategies, and content to build client trust, demonstrate authority, and increase online visibility to generate leads and drive conversations. As the founder and CEO of Whole Brand Agency, a StoryBrand Certified Guide, and the host of the Whole Brand Podcast, he has helped organizations such as the PGA Tour, Specialty Food Association, The University of Colorado, New Hope Network, Source Four Commercial Furniture, Innosphere Ventures, The Outdoor Network, Ozo Foods, Best Nest Wellness, and many other brands in the manufacturing, design, food & beverage, and healthcare sector.
Ian and his team have successfully organized and helped raise over $23 million in private equity and venture capital funding for their clients. He and his team helped one of the nation’s top thirty largest landscape companies sell to private equity; boost exposure, and increased sales by 23% for a furniture manufacturing group; and produced content to assist in generating more than $1 million in sponsorships for a PGA tour event.
Whether serving his clients or interviewing business leaders on his podcast, Ian is known for capturing stories that reflect the heart and soul of a person’s goals and wishes for their company and personal lives. Each of these stories is a lesson for others in corporate messaging, creating a vibrant and meaningful workplace culture, and building lasting relationships. Ian Stewart’s background in marketing and branding, community building, and storytelling is the foundation of his professional achievements at work and personal passion as a singer-songwriter. Ian draws audiences in for inspiration and tried-and-true knowledge, helping them reach their desired outcomes. www.wholebrand.agency

With a team of experienced professionals, Ian Stewart supports local and national businesses in crafting branding, messaging strategies, and content to build client trust, demonstrate authority, and increase online visibility to generate leads and dr... Show more

J'ai toujours cultivé une certaine polyvalence dont les différentes facettes s'enrichissent mutuellement.
Coach professionnel et agiliste, j'écoute et je questionne individus et organisations pour les aider à clarifier leurs problématiques et à construire leurs propres solutions.

J'ai toujours cultivé une certaine polyvalence dont les différentes facettes s'enrichissent mutuellement. Coach professionnel et agiliste, j'écoute et je questionne individus et organisations pour les aider à clarifier leurs problématiques et à cons... Show more

Tim Bird is a Principal Software Engineer for Sony Corporation, where he helps Sony use Linux and other open source software in their products. Tim is the organizer of the Linux Boot-Time Special Interest Group and is involved with various Linux Foundation projects (including being a member of the LF board of directors). Tim created and continues to run the Embedded Linux Conference.

Tim has been working with Linux for over 30 years.

Tim Bird is a Principal Software Engineer for Sony Corporation, where he helps Sony use Linux and other open source software in their products. Tim is the organizer of the Linux Boot-Time Special Interest Group and is involved with various Linux Fou... Show more

I'm a freelance backend engineer with expertise in Java, Kotlin, and Spring Boot, helping startups and scale-ups build scalable systems and evolve their digital products. I've worked across various sectors including Real Estate and Food & Beverage, developing solutions on both monolithic and microservices architectures. In my free time, I enjoy traveling with my spouse, exploring nature through outdoor activities and studying new technologies.

I'm a freelance backend engineer with expertise in Java, Kotlin, and Spring Boot, helping startups and scale-ups build scalable systems and evolve their digital products. I've worked across various sectors including Real Estate and Food & Beverage, d... Show more

I'm a Senior Functional Consultant with over 9 years of hands-on experience in Dynamics 365, with in depth experience across Finance, Supply Chain and Commerce. I specialize in designing innovative ERP solutions that not only meet business needs but also scale with growth. Whether it's engaging with users to uncover pain points, mentoring new team members, or driving successful implementations, I thrive on turning challenges into opportunities.

I’ve been especially excited about how AI is reshaping the ERP landscape from predictive insights to intelligent automation. I’ve seen firsthand how integrating AI Agents into Dynamics 365 can unlock smarter decision-making and streamline operations in ERP systems.

As a speaker, my goal is simple: share knowledge, provide practical tools, and spark a smile. Because if you're smiling, I know the first two have landed.

I'm a Senior Functional Consultant with over 9 years of hands-on experience in Dynamics 365, with in depth experience across Finance, Supply Chain and Commerce. I specialize in designing innovative ERP solutions that not only meet business needs but ... Show more

Dami Junaid is a Senior Business Analyst with a strong product lens, helping teams navigate complexity and ambiguity to deliver outcomes that put users first. Her expertise lies in early-stage thinking and product discovery: clarifying problems, grounding decisions in user insight, and translating them into clear, actionable direction for delivery teams.

With 9+ years of experience across digital products in startups, mid-size, and Fortune 500 companies, Dami has worked across Healthcare, Retail (E-commerce), Automotive, and Finance, supporting both B2C and B2B organisations through digital transformation and product delivery. She specialises in reducing delivery risk, enabling strategic alignment, thriving in uncertain situations by asking the right questions and helping teams move forward with confidence rather than assumptions.

Dami has worked internationally across the USA, Canada, and the UK, bringing a global, people-centred perspective to collaboration and problem-solving. Outside of work, Dami enjoys solo travel, exploring new cultures, singing, and swimming — all of which keeps her curious, grounded and intentional in how she shows up professionally.

Dami Junaid is a Senior Business Analyst with a strong product lens, helping teams navigate complexity and ambiguity to deliver outcomes that put users first. Her expertise lies in early-stage thinking and product discovery: clarifying problems, grou... Show more

John Mead is a youth development speaker and entrepreneur dedicated to helping young people recognize their potential and change the trajectory of their lives. For 15 years, John worked inside a juvenile detention center, where he witnessed firsthand how environment, mindset, and opportunity shape the choices young people make.

Those experiences transformed his perspective and inspired him to build a mission focused on empowering youth through empathy, accountability, and growth mindset. Today, John is the founder of MVA Wellness, where he delivers workshops and talks that help students develop self-awareness, resilience, and self-efficacy.

Through powerful storytelling and real-life lessons from working with justice-involved youth, John helps students challenge limiting beliefs and recognize the power they have to rewrite their future. His work focuses on leadership, personal responsibility, and helping young people believe in what is truly possible for their lives.

John Mead is a youth development speaker and entrepreneur dedicated to helping young people recognize their potential and change the trajectory of their lives. For 15 years, John worked inside a juvenile detention center, where he witnessed firsthand... Show more

Saurabh Yergattikar is an Engineering Leader at eBay with over a ~14 Years of experience building large-scale backend platforms and mission-critical financial and commerce systems. His work spans distributed systems, AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, and developer productivity, with a strong focus on building reliable, high-impact backend and platform solutions used at enterprise scale.

Beyond his role at eBay, Saurabh is an active open-source innovator and contributor in the AI and security ecosystem. He leads and contributes to multiple open-source initiatives focused on secure AI infrastructure, Model Context Protocol (MCP) security, and developer tooling frameworks that improve how engineering teams analyze, secure, and scale modern software systems.

He regularly serves as a judge, reviewer, and mentor for global startup showcases, hackathons, and technical communities, and collaborates with industry experts across open-source, cybersecurity, and AI ecosystems. His work emphasizes practical security, real-world AI system design, and high-leverage developer productivity.

As a speaker, Saurabh presents on topics including AI system architecture, secure open-source frameworks, backend scalability, developer tooling, and emerging risks in modern AI and cloud platforms—bridging deep engineering with real-world industry application.

Saurabh Yergattikar is an Engineering Leader at eBay with over a ~14 Years of experience building large-scale backend platforms and mission-critical financial and commerce systems. His work spans distributed systems, AI infrastructure, cybersecurity,... Show more

Bennett D. Bennett (he/him) is currently Cultural Strategy Director, US at GUT. In this role, Bennett oversees inclusion strategy and trend curation, ensuring GUT’s clients and teams meet the moment in multicultural, lifestyle, and entertainment projects. Bringing a multi-disciplined background, his past lives as a creative director, journalist, talent advocate, and content strategist combine to help future-forward brands create intentional, non-traditional campaigns and content.

A career-long advocate of talent equity for media professionals from marginalized groups, he’s a founder of the nonprofit 600 & Rising, and the inclusion summit Allyship and Action.
Bennett’s decade-plus in marketing and media have has included stints at Interbrand, BBDO New York, The Drum, Saatchi & Saatchi, and 22Squared. A 2013 MAIP Alum, Bennett’s been honored as a 2017 ADWEEK Young Influential and one of the 4As 100 People Who Make Advertising Great.

Bennett D. Bennett (he/him) is currently Cultural Strategy Director, US at GUT. In this role, Bennett oversees inclusion strategy and trend curation, ensuring GUT’s clients and teams meet the moment in multicultural, lifestyle, and entertainment proj... Show more

Digital Marketing professional at Damco Digital, focused on driving measurable growth through SEO, performance marketing, and data-driven strategy. I work on improving online visibility, generating qualified leads, and building strong digital presence across industries. Passionate about turning insights into action and delivering campaigns that create real business impact.

Digital Marketing professional at Damco Digital, focused on driving measurable growth through SEO, performance marketing, and data-driven strategy. I work on improving online visibility, generating qualified leads, and building strong digital presenc... Show more

An award-winning bilingual journalist, TV personality, mom, speaker and Latina content creator featured on Good Morning America, Today, Despierta América, Hoy Día, CNN en Español and other shows, Jeannette Kaplun is the founder of bilingual lifestyle magazine Hispana Global, where she offers inspiration, tips and information in English and Spanish. Previously she cofounded multimedia parenting company Todobebé and was one of the first Latina mom bloggers. She was a Special Advisor to The Bank of America Institute for Women's Entrepreneurship at Cornell and was included in the Forbes #Next1000 2021 list. Her latest venture is Midlife Elevated, which hosts workshops for women over 40. Find her on social media @jeannettekaplun.

An award-winning bilingual journalist, TV personality, mom, speaker and Latina content creator featured on Good Morning America, Today, Despierta América, Hoy Día, CNN en Español and other shows, Jeannette Kaplun is the founder of bilingual lifestyle... Show more

Kumar Kanti Ghosh is a seasoned Design Engineer at Apple Inc. in San Diego, where he serves as System-On-Chip Chip Lead for Modem SOCs. With over 23 years of industry experience, Kumar specializes in System-On-Chip design and architecture, low power intellectual property design, and digital design verification.
Kumar holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (2003) and a Bachelor of Technology degree with honors in Electrical Engineering from NIT Kurukshetra (1999). Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in more than 40 successful Silicon tapeouts spanning from 90nm to cutting-edge 3nm technology nodes.
Before joining Apple in 2020, Kumar held progressive leadership roles at Qualcomm Inc., where he served as Principal Engineer and primary design lead for multiple Low Power IPs including CPR (Core Power Reducer), Dynamic voltage frequency scaling and Voltage droop sensing systems. His expertise encompasses System Architecture, RTL coding, integration, power-aware synthesis, formal verification, and static timing analysis.
Kumar is an accomplished inventor with three issued US patents in power management technologies, including innovations in multiple-chiplet systems and dynamic voltage adjustment. His technical leadership extends to mentoring engineering teams across multiple geographies and driving automation initiatives to improve development efficiency.
Currently residing in San Diego, California, Kumar continues to push the boundaries of semiconductor design while leading cross-functional teams in delivering next-generation modem solutions.

Kumar Kanti Ghosh is a seasoned Design Engineer at Apple Inc. in San Diego, where he serves as System-On-Chip Chip Lead for Modem SOCs. With over 23 years of industry experience, Kumar specializes in System-On-Chip design and architecture, low power ... Show more

Bianca Del Bois is a strategist and creative leader working at the intersection of communications, policy, and animal advocacy.

With over a decade of experience in animal welfare, Bianca has played a pivotal role in supporting hundreds of animals through direct aid and community-based programs. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Urban Tails Animal Support Network (previously Urban Tails Animal Rescue), a registered charity committed to serving animals and the people who care for them, which has been operating for over 10 years.

Bianca is also the Director of Development & Communications at Animal Alliance of Canada, a national non-profit animal protection organization that has worked since 1990 to advance a more just and compassionate relationship between humans and animals. Its work focuses on achieving systemic change through research, legislative advocacy, strategic communications, and direct engagement with elected officials.

Alongside her professional practice, she is deeply engaged in evidence-based animal welfare and humane science. She is a Fellow in the Futurekind Fellowship, where her work focuses on the responsible and ethical use of AI in animal welfare, research modernization, and policy reform. She is also completing formal training in Evidence-Based Toxicology through the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing. Bianca also serves as the CEO of a marketing and communications agency operating in the Toronto area. Although she no longer works in a clinical veterinary capacity, she maintains a deep commitment to the field and remains actively engaged in consulting and communications work for veterinary hospitals.

Having lived in downtown Toronto for many years, Bianca now resides in rural Ontario, where her home and farm serve as a sanctuary for domestic and farmed animals. This blend of urban and rural experience gives her a deep understanding of the complexities of animal welfare in both settings, bringing a holistic and compassionate perspective to her work.

Bianca Del Bois is a strategist and creative leader working at the intersection of communications, policy, and animal advocacy. With over a decade of experience in animal welfare, Bianca has played a pivotal role in supporting hundreds of animals... Show more

gile Coach que auxilia profissionais na transição para o mundo da agilidade. Com experiência em ajudar pessoas e empresas utilizando ágil e cascata a melhorar a gestão do trabalho e a produtividade.

Quase 10000 alunos certificados em mais de 400 turmas pela Scrum Alliance nos últimos 6 anos em Certified Scrum Master, Certified Scrum Product Owner, Advanced Certified Scrum Master nas Américas, Europa e Asia.

Co-criador do agilidade.org e organizador "Agilidade em Debate", "Dia da Agilidade", Scrum GAthering São Paulo. Criador das ferramentas: AgileArchitectureCanvas e Radar De Praticas Ágeis. Escritor do Ebook Desmistificando as Estimativas Ágeis. Quase 20 anos de experiência na área de tecnologia da informação, e dez anos de experiencia em Ágil e Scrum.

Professor da graduação e pós-graduação na área de tecnologia por mais de 10 anos. Instrutor de design de arquitetura, desenvolvimento Java e ágil. Tendo sido professor de mais de 3000 alunos de graduação e pós graduação.

No passado atuei como desenvolvedor, Scrum Master, Product Owner, e Agile Coach nas seguintes áreas recrutamento e seleção, comércio exterior, saúde, provedor de benefícios, turismo, meios de pagamento, hardware, robótica, automação, marketing.

Hoje em dia, um Nomad Certified Scrum Trainer que se divide entre a esposa, filho, dois cães, um xbox, e investimentos.

Scrum Alliance: https://www.scrumalliance.org/community/profile/ahummel2

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andersonhummel/

gile Coach que auxilia profissionais na transição para o mundo da agilidade. Com experiência em ajudar pessoas e empresas utilizando ágil e cascata a melhorar a gestão do trabalho e a produtividade. Quase 10000 alunos certificados em mais de 400 t... Show more

Chike is an expert in business and technology strategy, with over a decade of experience leading global, hybrid teams to deliver large-scale, high-value transformation programmes. He combines lean agile and design thinking to deliver results on client projects across multiple sectors. Chike advises business leaders on key technology trends, helps translate user needs into a bold vision and strategy for change, designs new business propositions, and defines a solutions portfolio and roadmap. He is passionate about solving complex challenges using innovative digital and data technologies. As an intrapreneur, he leads the Capgemini Invent UK Business Apps and Low Code No Code team.

Qualifications
Cambridge Judge Business School | Digital Innovation & Transformation
Imperial College Business School | MSc International Health Management
Kings College London | BSc Biomedical Sciences

Certifications & Accreditations
Microsoft Certified Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate
Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals
SAFe Agilist & Scrum Master

Chike is an expert in business and technology strategy, with over a decade of experience leading global, hybrid teams to deliver large-scale, high-value transformation programmes. He combines lean agile and design thinking to deliver results on clien... Show more

Gratitude is The Attitude!. I am a Uterine and Cervical Cancer survivor. I have experienced many places throughout my 26 years of disability. As a mom, student, and small business owner/entrepreneur, I am a fountain of knowledge. In 2026 I am spreading awareness about various disabled person issues. I want to share my experiences with others, to educate and inform the community what it means to be labeled "disabled". I am a living testimony of faith, walking in love, and advocate of many people in the community.

Gratitude is The Attitude!. I am a Uterine and Cervical Cancer survivor. I have experienced many places throughout my 26 years of disability. As a mom, student, and small business owner/entrepreneur, I am a fountain of knowledge. In 2026 I am spreadi... Show more

Sam Jenkins is a community strategist, facilitator, and inclusive event design expert with over a decade of experience leading large-scale public programs, workforce initiatives, and cultural events. She currently serves as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator in local government while also running Empowering Communities, a consulting practice focused on helping organizations move beyond performative efforts and into practical, people-centered action.

Sam’s work sits at the intersection of leadership, culture, and lived experience. She specializes in supporting front-line staff, building psychologically safe teams, and designing events and initiatives that actually reflect the communities they serve. Her background in parks and recreation, combined with her systems-level DEI work, gives her a rare perspective that resonates with both leadership and on-the-ground staff.

Known for her engaging, honest, and highly interactive style, Sam blends real-world scenarios, storytelling, and actionable tools participants can use immediately. She does not shy away from hard conversations, but she always grounds them in compassion, clarity, and practicality.

Sam has facilitated workshops, panels, and trainings for government agencies, nonprofits, and professional associations, and she consistently receives feedback for creating spaces that feel both challenging and supportive. Her sessions are especially impactful for audiences navigating burnout, change fatigue, and the pressure to “get it right” without enough guidance or support.

Sam Jenkins is a community strategist, facilitator, and inclusive event design expert with over a decade of experience leading large-scale public programs, workforce initiatives, and cultural events. She currently serves as a Diversity, Equity, and I... Show more

A software generalist with over 13 years of consulting experience.
Recognized for being versatile, picking up new tools and technologies, driving value for clients and achieving outcomes.

Passionate about test driven development, continuous delivery and event driven architectures.

A software generalist with over 13 years of consulting experience. Recognized for being versatile, picking up new tools and technologies, driving value for clients and achieving outcomes. Passionate about test driven development, continuous deli... Show more

15 + years of experience in AI and Data analytics. Speaker - mentor and trainer

15 + years of experience in AI and Data analytics. Speaker - mentor and trainer Show more

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlorenzoe/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlorenzoe/ Show more

Dominick Iaderaia is a Washington-based operations professional who has opened and helped design more than 20 restaurants throughout his career. His work has focused on improving performance, reducing costs, eliminating waste, and increasing profitability for restaurants, breweries, and food service operations.

Dominick began in the industry as an Events Coordinator and Food Tech at Outback Steakhouse, where he worked for more than 10 years. He was responsible for maintaining food quality and kitchen standards, coordinating event schedules, and managing logistics across Michigan. He organized large events, handled booking and promotional logistics, consulted with clients to understand their objectives, hired and supervised volunteers and support staff, reviewed invoices, approved payments, and inspected facilities to ensure they met client requirements.

Dominick later joined BBRG Restaurant Group in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, serving for over a decade as District Manager and Training Manager. He supervised six locations and upheld consistent operational standards. He recruited, trained, and promoted employees to develop capable leadership teams. By implementing structured sales strategies and strengthening customer service practices, he exceeded targets and improved profitability. He prepared financial and operational reports, maintained financial controls, identified cost-saving initiatives, and worked closely with executive leadership, including the vice president and ownership, to address sales challenges and advance improvement efforts.

For nearly 10 years, he served as Director of Operations and Food and Beverage at Von Ebert Brewing in Portland, Oregon. He led operations across six locations, including four restaurants and two breweries, with responsibility for financial performance, budgeting, profit and loss, team development, marketing oversight, menu planning, and guest satisfaction. He controlled costs, delivered training in food preparation and customer-facing roles, enforced performance standards, collaborated with a chef to expand menu offerings, reviewed sales and purchasing data to guide inventory decisions, and supported catering and promotional initiatives.

After moving to Washington State, he became an Area Manager at Auto-Chlor System, a manufacturer of commercial dish machines and cleaning and sanitizing chemicals. Outside of work, Dominick Iaderaia enjoys cooking, outdoor activities, collecting sports memorabilia, attending live events, playing poker, and spending time with his dogs.

Dominick Iaderaia is a Washington-based operations professional who has opened and helped design more than 20 restaurants throughout his career. His work has focused on improving performance, reducing costs, eliminating waste, and increasing profitab... Show more

South African born, UK resident, Mike is a Mechanical Design Engineer & spent 20 years as a Draughtsman in the Dairy industry, a Project Technician & ran the drawing office for NCD/Clover Dairies. At Toyota, he worked as a mechanical designer in body in white. He moved to the UK in 2001, spent 7 years creating & designing 3D technical models.
He continued his studies in IT & enhanced his developer & web design skills at Halesowen College.
At age 50, in 2008 Mike jumped tracks & began a new career as IT Manager & NAV implementation project leader for SSI Schaefer in Andover, England. With the NAV project successfully implemented, he moved to Evosoft as support office manager, then to Sci-Net in Oxford as a consultant & then to KPMG for a three year corporate engagement.
As the Dynamics 365 Solution Architect for Experience/GCC for almost 3 years - now Global Solutions Architect for Dynavics, Mike has implemented multiple D365 solutions for a range of customers in a variety of industries in the UK.

South African born, UK resident, Mike is a Mechanical Design Engineer & spent 20 years as a Draughtsman in the Dairy industry, a Project Technician & ran the drawing office for NCD/Clover Dairies. At Toyota, he worked as a mechanical designer in body... Show more

Michael Benjamin is an entrepreneur, burn survivor, and founder of a fast growing chocolate manufacturing company.

After surviving a catastrophic explosion that left him in a coma with severe burns, Michael returned home to twin boys who did not recognize him. Instead of rebuilding quietly, he chose to build publicly. Companies. Teams. Responsibility.

Today he leads multiple businesses while raising five children under five with his wife, Rivka. He has navigated missed payroll, rapid growth, capital pressure, and high stakes decisions with no safety net and no room to collapse.

Michael speaks to leaders and founders about performing under pressure. Not theory. Not motivation. Real decisions when fear, fatigue, and responsibility collide.

Audiences walk away with a clear framework for leading through crisis, building resilience that is operational not emotional, and making bold moves when retreat would be easier.

His message is simple:

Pressure Is the Environment. Perform Anyway.

Michael Benjamin is an entrepreneur, burn survivor, and founder of a fast growing chocolate manufacturing company. After surviving a catastrophic explosion that left him in a coma with severe burns, Michael returned home to twin boys who did not r... Show more