Darshan Madhu is a Technical Product Manager – AI at Mercari India, focused on building practical AI-driven solutions for real-world problems. Passionate about Generative AI and product innovation, he explores how prompt engineering can make AI more intuitive and impactful.

Darshan Madhu is a Technical Product Manager – AI at Mercari India, focused on building practical AI-driven solutions for real-world problems. Passionate about Generative AI and product innovation, he explores how prompt engineering can make AI more ... Show more

Gunjan Taleja is a highly accomplished Senior Principal Application Engineer with over 17 years of experience in designing, developing, and optimizing cutting-edge software solutions. With a deep passion for technology and innovation, he has established a reputation as a trusted expert in the field, consistently delivering high-impact results across diverse industries.
Outside of work, Gunjan enjoys travel, camping, coaching young kids on cricket and follow premier league soccer.

Gunjan Taleja is a highly accomplished Senior Principal Application Engineer with over 17 years of experience in designing, developing, and optimizing cutting-edge software solutions. With a deep passion for technology and innovation, he has establis... Show more

Perry Greene is the President of Taylor Commercial, Inc., one of the largest siding contractors in the United States. Through his leadership, the company has grown to serve the Southeastern region, managing significant construction and renovation projects across major markets. Taylor Commercial has completed over 25 renovations of low-income housing and condominium communities, contributing to both the company’s success and the improvement of housing for numerous families.

Perry Clarke Greene was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and spent his early years in Athens, where his father worked as a minister at the Church of Christ campus. His family relocated frequently, moving to cities such as Memphis and Escondido, California, Gainesville, Florida, and eventually Riverdale, Georgia, where he settled by the time he was in eighth grade. Despite frequent moves, he remained determined to overcome challenges and build a future through hard work and dedication.

By the age of nine, Greene was earning money by cutting lawns and collecting cans. At twelve, he helped his family deliver 500 newspapers each morning before school. At fifteen, he worked alongside a business leader to help open the first Chick-fil-A Dwarf House locations in Riverdale and Jonesboro. When disciplined, he was handed books about rental properties and sales strategies, which helped spark his interest in business, personal growth, and financial independence.

In high school, Perry earned All-State and All-Region honors as a baseball player. He studied accounting while playing baseball for two years at Southern Union Junior College. When his plans for a professional baseball career changed, he shifted his focus to attending the University of Georgia. To support this goal, he joined the Navy Reserve, serving in Hawaii and Thailand. He later participated at Harding University before transferring to the University of Georgia, where he earned his degree in Accounting in 1996. That same year, he passed the CPA exam and began his career at Ernst & Young.

In 1998, Greene joined a family-owned construction business and advanced to general manager within six months. In 1999, he transitioned to Taylor Commercial, Inc., leading the company’s growth from $600,000 to over $45 million in annual revenue. The company expanded into ten states, completing many siding projects and renovations. Taylor Commercial earned awards, including the 1993 Heartland Commercial Contractor of the Year, multiple recognitions from Norandex Reynolds, and placement on the Inc. 5000 list in 2013. Beyond his business endeavors, he supported community initiatives by donating materials for a Vietnam War memorial and contributing to local projects. Perry Greene continues to pursue personal goals, mentor others, work on a book for homeowners, and enjoy time with his children and partner.

Perry Greene is the President of Taylor Commercial, Inc., one of the largest siding contractors in the United States. Through his leadership, the company has grown to serve the Southeastern region, managing significant construction and renovation pro... Show more

Tal is the CEO of Draftt.io. Prior to founding Draftt, he was the Head of DevOps and Engineering Enablement at BigPanda and Spot.io (now part of NetApp). Tal is a domain expert in leading cross-functional initiatives, streamlining workflows, reducing technical debt, and fostering collaborative workplace cultures..

Tal is the CEO of Draftt.io. Prior to founding Draftt, he was the Head of DevOps and Engineering Enablement at BigPanda and Spot.io (now part of NetApp). Tal is a domain expert in leading cross-functional initiatives, streamlining workflows, reducing... Show more

Ripple Bora is a security engineer and builder with over two decades spent securing everything from cloud platforms to connected cars. Lately, his focus has shifted to AI security, especially the new world of agentic systems. He co-founded Unbolt AI, where he’s working on ways to make autonomous agents safer through zero-trust design, policy-as-code, and smarter guardrails. Ripple is happiest when he’s breaking things in the lab to figure out how to secure them in production.

Ripple Bora is a security engineer and builder with over two decades spent securing everything from cloud platforms to connected cars. Lately, his focus has shifted to AI security, especially the new world of agentic systems. He co-founded Unbolt AI,... Show more

Fatuma Abdullahi is a software developer with a front-end focus and an a11y advocate. She comes to tech from a business background and runs a YouTube channel and blog dedicated to learning in public.

Fatuma Abdullahi is a software developer with a front-end focus and an a11y advocate. She comes to tech from a business background and runs a YouTube channel and blog dedicated to learning in public. Show more

Ken Soh is the Group CIO of BH Global and CEO of Athena Dynamics, a cybersecurity subsidiary he co-founded in 2014. With over 35 years in ICT, he has led major digital transformation initiatives and built Athena into a trusted service provider serving 350+ public and private entities, including those in defense, maritime and critical infrastructure. He also chairs SGTech’s Cyber Security Chapter from Sep 2022 to Sep 2025. Ken has been an avid speaker/writer and has received multiple leadership awards, including AiSP Cyber Security Leaders, Dun & Bradstreet Singapore Business Eminence, CIO100, ASEAN CIO accolades. He holds an Executive MBA from the NTU–UC Berkeley Programme and a MSc in Computer Studies (AI) with distinction from the University of Essex.

Ken Soh is the Group CIO of BH Global and CEO of Athena Dynamics, a cybersecurity subsidiary he co-founded in 2014. With over 35 years in ICT, he has led major digital transformation initiatives and built Athena into a trusted service provider servin... Show more

Rocio is a Business Development and Partnerships leader with over a decade of international experience across Web2 and Web3 ecosystems, fintech, payments, and hospitality. She currently spearheads global sales strategy at Banxa, a leading fiat on/off-ramp infrastructure provider, where she oversees strategic partnerships, enterprise sales, and market expansion across Europe, North America, APAC, and LATAM.

Prior to Banxa, Rocio held leadership roles at Bit2Me and Coinstore, where she managed multimillion-dollar portfolios and led business expansion across EMEA, LATAM, and APAC. Her work has driven transformative blockchain initiatives across diverse verticals including automotive, banking, and media. Notably, she has led strategic projects and integrations with organizations such as Mercedes-Benz Mobility Centro, eSignus, Giesecke+Devrient, and ABC Journal, pioneering the adoption of cryptocurrency payments in traditionally offline sectors.

Rocio holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Córdoba, an International Business Degree from the University of London, and has completed additional academic programs at the University of South Carolina. She also holds a Web3 MBA in Blockchain, AI & Innovation from the University of London, equipping her with a unique blend of pedagogical insight and forward-looking technological expertise.

She is certified in Financial Crime Prevention and AML/CFT compliance, bringing a strong regulatory lens to crypto partnerships. Fluent in Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, and Italian, Rocío is a natural connector across geographies and cultures.

Beyond her corporate roles, Rocío serves as an Ambassador for Blockchain Málaga, where she actively promotes education, ecosystem-building, and innovation through industry panels, webinars, and community events. A committed thought leader, she regularly contributes to financial and business publications in both English and Spanish and participates in international conferences to share insights on blockchain adoption, digital finance, and innovation strategy.

With a deep passion for bridging traditional industries and decentralized technologies, Rocío continues to be a key driver of scalable, compliant, and impactful partnerships in the fast-evolving Web3 space.

Rocio is a Business Development and Partnerships leader with over a decade of international experience across Web2 and Web3 ecosystems, fintech, payments, and hospitality. She currently spearheads global sales strategy at Banxa, a leading fiat on/off... Show more

Assaf Akiva is a senior software and data engineer at Microsoft focused on cloud-native services, streaming data, and secure access at scale. His career began in C++ and systems programming, where he learned to squeeze performance out of limited resources. Today he designs and ships resilient data platforms and pragmatic engineering workflows on Azure and .NET. Assaf is known for straight-talk sessions that cut through hype and show how to design, implement, and operate real systems. He teaches patterns for reliable pipelines, cost-aware architecture, and developer velocity with AI-assisted tooling. He also writes and mentors an active community of engineers. Attendees leave with checklists, code samples, and steps they can use on Monday.

Assaf Akiva is a senior software and data engineer at Microsoft focused on cloud-native services, streaming data, and secure access at scale. His career began in C++ and systems programming, where he learned to squeeze performance out of limited reso... Show more

I am Innocent Kawooya, NIM, the CEO of HiPipo, where, for over the last 20 years, I have championed financial inclusion, digital innovation, women empowerment, and the creative economy across Africa. Through flagship initiatives such as the Include Everyone Program, Digital Impact Awards Africa, Women in FinTech Hackathon & Summit, 40 Days 40 FinTechs, and the Middle East and Africa Digital Transformation Summit, I have worked to empower women, youth, cross-border traders, and grassroots communities.
HiPipo’s work has been strengthened and blessed with a long-term partnership with the Gates Foundation and collaborations with high-impact partners such as COMESA, helping us drive interoperability, digital public infrastructure, and inclusive trade across the region. I was honoured to receive Uganda’s National Independence Medal from His Excellency the President of Uganda and to be named FinTech CEO of the Year 2024 & 2025 (MEA Awards) for this work. Alongside finance, I am also a filmmaker and entrepreneur, committed to building Africa’s digital, cultural, and economic future. I previously served as Co-chair of the Mojaloop Community Council for two terms!

I am Innocent Kawooya, NIM, the CEO of HiPipo, where, for over the last 20 years, I have championed financial inclusion, digital innovation, women empowerment, and the creative economy across Africa. Through flagship initiatives such as the Include E... Show more

Ila Sahu is a full-stack engineer at Jimdo Gmbh with 8+ years turning ideas into reality. She’s built APIs, CI/CD tooling, and even shipped a design-to-code platform(before LLMs were cool). Most recently, Ila spearheaded the accessibility overhaul of Jimdo’s flagship legacy product, Creator. She is now a passionate a11y advocate, evangelising the human and business use cases for accessibility.

Apart from work, Ila is very passionate about dogs, ukulele and fitness.

Ila Sahu is a full-stack engineer at Jimdo Gmbh with 8+ years turning ideas into reality. She’s built APIs, CI/CD tooling, and even shipped a design-to-code platform(before LLMs were cool). Most recently, Ila spearheaded the accessibility overhaul of... Show more

Stefan is a Software Engineer passionate about open data. In his free time he trains highscool students to debate.

Stefan is a Software Engineer passionate about open data. In his free time he trains highscool students to debate. Show more

Javier Zon is the founder of ScaleDB, where he helps companies make their databases faster, cheaper, and more reliable. With over 15 years of experience as a MySQL DBA and platform engineer, he has supported customers ranging from fast-growing startups to large SaaS platforms, guiding them through scaling challenges, cost optimizations, and real-time analytics workloads.

When he’s not tuning queries or experimenting with ProxySQL and ReadySet, Javier enjoys practicing Taekwondo and creating mystical stories with his two kids.

Javier Zon is the founder of ScaleDB, where he helps companies make their databases faster, cheaper, and more reliable. With over 15 years of experience as a MySQL DBA and platform engineer, he has supported customers ranging from fast-growing startu... Show more

Being a Team Coach and a Facilitator gives me the opportunity to help teams discover new ways of working, introducing well-being, happiness, visual management, leadership at all levels, team self-organization, collaborative management, remote work and empowerment.

Being a Team Coach and a Facilitator gives me the opportunity to help teams discover new ways of working, introducing well-being, happiness, visual management, leadership at all levels, team self-organization, collaborative management, remote work an... Show more

Erin Sykes’ perseverance and ability to anticipate trends are what have driven her success. Erin strives to help clients reach their unique goals with discreet, individualized attention and action-orientation.

Specializing in helping clients year-round in Palm Beach, The Hamptons, New York City, and the New Jersey coast, Erin utilizes her combined background in finance and construction to take an analytical and qualitative approach to amplifying clients’ return on investment.

With a background in commercial and luxury residential construction at her family’s 120+ year-old firm and certification as a LEED AP – New Construction, Erin understands how to optimize new development and intricate renovation using sustainable and architecturally-appropriate materials and methodology.

As a business news contributor, Erin is responsible for developing and translating real estate trend data into consumer and industry insights. She reports on monthly housing starts, new developments, rate changes and general industry trends for all major news outlets.

Erin is often interviewed by Fox Business News, CNBC, TODAY, CNN, NBC Nightly News, The Real Deal, Bloomberg, Mansion Global, Forbes, TechCrunch, and Inc. She holds an MBA from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor's in Finance and International Business from Villanova University.

Erin resides between Palm Beach, NYC & Longport, NJ and is deeply involved with the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, Opportunity, Inc., and the Southampton Hospital Foundation.

Follow Erin on Instagram and Twitter @SykesStyle

Erin Sykes’ perseverance and ability to anticipate trends are what have driven her success. Erin strives to help clients reach their unique goals with discreet, individualized attention and action-orientation. Specializing in helping clients year... Show more

Ashay is a seasoned product leader with 17 years of experience in the SaaS and E-Commerce space. He has a consistent track record of delivering innovative and ground breaking products in the APIs and platform space for number of companies including eBay, Intuit, Blackhawk network etc creating immense customer value.

Currently, as a Director of Product management at ebay, Ashay is modernizing the overall listing platform with a modern tech stack that enables a highly resilient platform with improved listing experience for sellers and enables listings that convert better. He and his team are also re-envisioning the public API offerings from eBay by modernizing the framework and simplifying the overall selling APIs for external Developers. Ashay also leads the charter to bring use the power of generative AI and supercharge the no-code listing tools for small business to list with minimal hassle.

In the past experience, Ashay was leading the overall charge of the external developer experience and API ecosystem for QuickBooks product at Intuit, helping small Business to efficiently run their business using multiple business products. At Blackhawk Network, Ashay pioneered the Omni-commerce APIs and revamped operations platform (orders, refunds, chargebacks etc) for the company to expand strategic partnerships and help developers build a native experience of gift card offerings.

Beyond professional achievements, Ashay serves on a product strategy advisory board, is an active member of organizations like IEEE, PDMA and engages actively with the product community!

Ashay is a seasoned product leader with 17 years of experience in the SaaS and E-Commerce space. He has a consistent track record of delivering innovative and ground breaking products in the APIs and platform space for number of companies including e... Show more

His mission is to empower executives to thrive in rapidly
changing environments, helping them evolve, lead with
greater impact, and drive successful organizational
transformations.

With 25 years of international experience, Pablo has lived
in the United Kingdom, Finland, and Spain and has
worked with clients worldwide. Pablo distinguishes himself
through his exceptional ability to identify blind spots that
leaders cannot see on their own, combining
methodological rigor with strategic intuition to design
personalized interventions that transform obstacles into
opportunities and executives into catalysts for change.

As a thought leader in transformational leadership, he
delivers high-impact talks and workshops that reveal the
uncomfortable truths separating ordinary managers from
extraordinary leaders.

His mission is to empower executives to thrive in rapidly changing environments, helping them evolve, lead with greater impact, and drive successful organizational transformations. With 25 years of international experience, Pablo has lived in ... Show more

Théo Mahy-Ma-Somga, is an author, producer, and screenwriter known for his unique storytelling and visionary direction. He has won multiple Best Screenplay Awards and earned 12 nominations at international film festivals, establishing his reputation in independent cinema.
Théo Mahy-Ma-Somga now looks to help solopreneurs and early-stage founders who feel disconnected from their brand uncover the emotional arc that makes everything click.
Through his cinematic storytelling system, he helps individuals find the story you’re really here to tell, shape it into a bold, structured brand voice and share it with clarity across content, offers, and pitches.
This is real story work. The kind that builds connection, drives growth, and makes people remember you.

Théo Mahy-Ma-Somga, is an author, producer, and screenwriter known for his unique storytelling and visionary direction. He has won multiple Best Screenplay Awards and earned 12 nominations at international film festivals, establishing his reputation ... Show more

Jeffery Abdulateef Adoga is a distinguished product designer, entrepreneur, and mentor/coach with over a decade of experience in the digital technology sector. With a strong background in computer science and a deep passion for innovative design, Jeffery has consistently demonstrated his ability to merge creativity with technology to solve complex problems and drive business success. Jeffery's professional journey includes pivotal roles at renowned organisations such as Reliance Health, Interswitch Group, and Andela. He is currently scaling his agency, Urban Effect Media, to cater to both local and international markets, launching innovative products that solve real-world problems, and fostering a sustainable and inclusive tech community in Nigeria.

Jeffery Abdulateef Adoga is a distinguished product designer, entrepreneur, and mentor/coach with over a decade of experience in the digital technology sector. With a strong background in computer science and a deep passion for innovative design, Jef... Show more

I have been working at Turso for over a year and have been fortunate to be involved in initiatives such as implementing native vector search in LibSQL, rewriting our server to support massive multi-tenancy, adopting deterministic simulation testing, and migrating our infrastructure to AWS Cloud.
One of my recent projects at Turso focused on improving sync support - a topic so fascinating that I felt compelled to share ideas and use cases with a broader audience.

Before joining Turso, I worked at ShareChat on the ML-ops side, building performant and cost-effective infrastructure for modern recommendation systems.

During my university years, I participated in competitive programming contests a lot and greatly enjoyed challenging algorithm and data structure problems.

I have been working at Turso for over a year and have been fortunate to be involved in initiatives such as implementing native vector search in LibSQL, rewriting our server to support massive multi-tenancy, adopting deterministic simulation testing, ... Show more

Hey there! I'm Catherine Jones, CEO and Transaction Coach at Zuzi Strategies, where I guide clients through high-stakes transactions as a coach, business advisor, and mentor all rolled into one. With over 25 years of experience navigating complex deals, I've been involved in transactions exceeding $72 billion. From debt restructuring with two restraining orders blocking the deal to managing transactions during a coup and counter-revolt, I've even closed deals while governments were in complete turmoil!

My career has spanned the globe, dealing with everything from managing transactions during political upheavals to assessing how deal disclosures might impact presidential elections in an island nation. I'm fluent in Spanish and interned on the Supreme Court of Argentina. And if you think US deals are wild, try negotiating international transactions while governments are in turmoil!

I've recently transitioned to transaction coaching, recognizing that much of my time was spent delving into the psychology of deals. I was even called an "expensive therapist" by a legal client! I serve as a sounding board and advisor to clients going through the emotional roller coaster of high-stakes transactions, keeping my clients true to their end goals and values in that chaos.

Now, I'm thrilled to share my expertise with you. Join me at "Unlocking Your Startup Toolbox: Mastering the Mix of Funding Tools for Success" in the Money Track, where I'll explain the variety of funding options available to startups (it's not just loans and VCs) and how to navigate the funding maze, drawing from my own wild deal experiences and those of others. Let's explore actionable insights together and pave the way for your startup's success.

And don't miss me in the Fun Track at "The Ultimate Entrepreneurial Challenge: Pivot, Balance, Succeed" where we'll put entrepreneurial skills to the test in a completely different way!

Oh, and when I'm not coaching clients through transformational deals, you can find me exploring the Western Slope, capturing moments through my lens, or lost in a good book. Let's connect, learn, and thrive together in Colorado's vibrant startup community!

Hey there! I'm Catherine Jones, CEO and Transaction Coach at Zuzi Strategies, where I guide clients through high-stakes transactions as a coach, business advisor, and mentor all rolled into one. With over 25 years of experience navigating complex dea... Show more

hOrO mO X's conceptual work explores eastern contemplative philosophies and contemporary digital technologies.
In 2004, he developed the concept of AI-proof art, or art that resists machine learning algorithms by employing true quantum randomness. This concept later evolved into the OArt paradigm which aims to conceive digital and mind-bound AI-proof defence devices able to withstand AI singularity.
His current work utilizes biocomputers, addressing ethical considerations around the use of human brain organoids.

hOrO mO X's conceptual work explores eastern contemplative philosophies and contemporary digital technologies. In 2004, he developed the concept of AI-proof art, or art that resists machine learning algorithms by employing true quantum randomness. T... Show more

Cindy Rowe is a professional speaker, trainer, and entrepreneur passionate about transforming workplaces and communities through kindness. She was recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Speakers of 2024. She has built two thriving businesses from scratch and is a leading voice for positivity in her community.
Leveraging her sales, marketing, and organizational communication expertise, Cindy empowers leaders with practical strategies to boost employee morale, drive business growth, and create a culture of kindness. When not captivating and inspiring audiences, she empowers entrepreneurs as the Chief Marketing Rockstar at Cindy Rowe Marketing and champions kindness with her kindness apparel line as the Founder and CEO of Be Kind Crew.

Cindy Rowe is a professional speaker, trainer, and entrepreneur passionate about transforming workplaces and communities through kindness. She was recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Speakers of 2024. She has built two thriving businesses from scra... Show more

I'm an experienced Data Engineer with a strong background in cloud-based solutions & Databricks Champion. Currently, I'm working as a Data Engineer and Solution architect at Plain Concepts, where I've played a key role in designing and fine-tuning big data + AI solutions across different industries.

Lately, I have been focusing on data governance as I believe it is the new challenge that Data professionals will need to tackle for accurate and reliable solutions.

I'm an experienced Data Engineer with a strong background in cloud-based solutions & Databricks Champion. Currently, I'm working as a Data Engineer and Solution architect at Plain Concepts, where I've played a key role in designing and fine-tuning bi... Show more

Minish Kumar Mucharla
Founder & CEO, AquaTech Foundation | Professional Mentor- Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University- JNTU Hyderabad|Network Engineer at BSNL | EdTech & Innovation Strategist | AI & Cloud Technology Advocate

Minish Kumar Mucharla is a visionary entrepreneur and technology leader, currently serving as the Founder & CEO of AquaTech Foundation, an EdTech-driven organization headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana. With a mission to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry expectations, Minish has been instrumental in launching next-generation trauining programs in AI, cloud computing, blockchain, and full-stack development.

Minish Kumar Mucharla Founder & CEO, AquaTech Foundation | Professional Mentor- Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University- JNTU Hyderabad|Network Engineer at BSNL | EdTech & Innovation Strategist | AI & Cloud Technology Advocate Minish Kumar Much... Show more

Lin Siem. Ing Industrial. Magister en Finanzas de los negocios, auditora certificada ISO 9001, Certificada Scrum Essentials por U. de Chile y Business Agility por ITBA Argentina
Actualmente me desempeño en Telecomunicaciones Satelitales, Lideró proyectos de I+D y soy miembro del Comité Directivo de AMES Argentina. Mi desempeño profesional en países como Venezuela, Colombia, Austria, Chile y Argentina
Participante en jornadas STEM, RID, BootCamp CDI

Lin Siem. Ing Industrial. Magister en Finanzas de los negocios, auditora certificada ISO 9001, Certificada Scrum Essentials por U. de Chile y Business Agility por ITBA Argentina Actualmente me desempeño en Telecomunicaciones Satelitales, Lideró pro... Show more

A good communicator, a dedicated and determined IT Professional with the drive towards using Information Technology to address Issues, achieve organizational goals and provide best-fit solutions with enthusiasm to learn and try new things.

I have about 11 years of experience designing solutions for organizations across different sectors, focusing on aligning delivery excellence with customer satisfaction.

An advocate for "catch them young", I believe that getting people endeared to security from the early stage enables them to grow into experienced professionals.

A Cybersecurity Advocate and Creator of Breaking into Cybersecurity: A Practical Workbook for beginners. used to mentor and coach early careers.

Co-founder MaMa Cybershield, a two-fold initiative targeted towards stay-at-home mums that empowers them with cybersecurity knowledge.

A good communicator, a dedicated and determined IT Professional with the drive towards using Information Technology to address Issues, achieve organizational goals and provide best-fit solutions with enthusiasm to learn and try new things. I have ... Show more

This is not a fictional thriller — it’s a real-life journey from covert operative to global truth-teller. In this raw and revelatory session, Bradley “Hawk” Steyn unpacks his transformation from apartheid-era intelligence operative to a whistleblower who exposed criminality and extremism within powerful state systems.
Using real-world case studies, never-before-shared stories, and visual documentation from his covert years, Bradley offers a deep-dive into the psychological, moral, and systemic toll of standing up against corruption from the inside.
He’ll walk the audience through key turning points: how intelligence was manipulated to target innocent civilians, the moment he chose truth over complicity, and the personal cost of betrayal, surveillance, and exile.
This is a high-impact, high-integrity talk for organizations navigating crisis, ethical leadership, and institutional reform.
Why it matters: In a world where disinformation and institutional mistrust are skyrocketing, this session delivers a rare inside-out perspective on how integrity — even in the darkest corridors of power — can be a catalyst for reform.

This is not a fictional thriller — it’s a real-life journey from covert operative to global truth-teller. In this raw and revelatory session, Bradley “Hawk” Steyn unpacks his transformation from apartheid-era intelligence operative to a whistleblower... Show more

Adam Strobel's Indiana journey in the IT sector spans over 26 years, marked by a distinguished executive career combining a passion for technological innovation with a deep commitment to people development. At the heart of his professional ethos is a balanced focus on fostering robust teams, optimizing operations, and achieving tangible results.

Adam embarked on his tech journey immediately after high school, diving into technology studies that laid a strong foundation for his expertise. He rapidly distinguished himself as a keen thinker and an effective problem solver, qualities that catalyzed his ascent from hands-on tech roles to leadership positions. He has steered teams and strategies for over a decade, shaping him into a pivotal figure in the technology landscape.

Starting at the ground level, Adam's early career was defined by his hands-on problem-solving approach and quick grasp of complex technical challenges. His academic background in technology gave him the tools necessary to navigate the evolving tech landscape, propelling him into management roles. Over time, his leadership skills flourished, leading him to significant executive roles where his strategic vision could be fully realized.

As the CIO/CTO of Schwarz Partners, Adam was instrumental in expanding the IT department from a modest team of 11 to a powerhouse of 100 dedicated professionals. He managed an annual IT budget of $50 million and established specialized units focusing on security, infrastructure, custom software, and IoT applications. His leadership was characterized by an exceptional team retention rate, with less than 1% turnover over five years—a testament to his ability to inspire and maintain a committed workforce.

Beyond team building, Adam's tenure at Schwarz Partners was marked by significant innovations that drove business growth and operational efficiency. He pioneered the first shared service model within the organization, facilitating synergies across various corporate entities under the Schwarz umbrella. His entrepreneurial acumen was evident when he spearheaded an internal venture that generated substantial revenue by selling software license keys to major retailers like Walmart and Best Buy.

Adam's comprehensive understanding of business and technology enabled him to lead transformative digital initiatives that enhanced operational workflows, accelerated system performance, and reduced costs. His strategic foresight and meticulous attention to detail made him a respected leader in dynamic, high-stakes environments.

Adam emerged as a formidable expert in cybersecurity, guiding multiple companies through recovery from sophisticated cyber-attacks. Adopting advanced security technologies such as Microsoft Defender ATP, SentinelOne, Pentera, and Palo Alto Networks Firewalls fortified organizational defenses against various cyber threats. His proactive and thorough approach to digital security ensured robust protection against the increasingly complex landscape of cyber risks.

Adam's innovative cybersecurity strategies extended to integrating cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to enhance threat detection and incident response. His holistic view of cybersecurity encompassed technical solutions and a deep understanding of human factors affecting digital safety. By addressing the human element, he developed comprehensive security measures that effectively mitigated a broad spectrum of cyber threats.

Throughout his career, Adam has also contributed significantly to the broader field of cybersecurity. His development of industry-leading security frameworks and advocacy for cybersecurity education have left a lasting impact on the sector. He has mentored aspiring cybersecurity professionals, sharing his insights and expertise to prepare them for future challenges.

His people-first leadership style is central to Adam's success, deeply influenced by his family values. He champions a workplace ethos of support, trust, and respect akin to a healthy family environment. His emphasis on emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and effective communication has made him a beloved mentor and leader. His dedication to fostering a positive work-life balance for his team reflects his belief that a supportive work environment is crucial for professional success and personal well-being.

Adam Strobel's career is a compelling narrative of technological mastery, leadership excellence, and a profound commitment to the human side of IT. His holistic approach to leadership and innovation continues to inspire and shape the technology landscape, making him a paragon of effective and humane executive leadership in the IT industry.

Adam Strobel's Indiana journey in the IT sector spans over 26 years, marked by a distinguished executive career combining a passion for technological innovation with a deep commitment to people development. At the heart of his professional ethos is a... Show more

Dr. Christine Izuakor is the Founder and CEO of Cyber Pop-up, a platform connecting businesses to certified cybersecurity experts on-demand. Prior to that, she spent a decade leading Fortune 100 cyber functions. Christine earned a Ph.D. in Security Engineering, becoming the youngest student and first African American woman to do so. A proud Houston native, she earned a Masters degree in Information Security from the University of Houston. Dr. Izuakors’ research has been presented on international stages from South Korea to Italy. Her rapid growth in the tech industry landed her features in Crains, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and more.

Dr. Christine Izuakor is the Founder and CEO of Cyber Pop-up, a platform connecting businesses to certified cybersecurity experts on-demand. Prior to that, she spent a decade leading Fortune 100 cyber functions. Christine earned a Ph.D. in Security E... Show more