the SPEAKERS line up
Our speakers are at the forefront of creating a world where every action is driven by a profound sense of purpose. They are leading voices who envision and build frameworks for sustainable development, ensuring global prosperity for generations to come.

Todd Ruppert
Former CEO and President of T. Rowe Price Global Investment Services, and venture partner of Greenspring Associates, a $14 billion VC firm.
Ruppert is a visionary impact investor with passion for the arts. With a distinguished career spanning over three decades, Ruppert has been a driving force in integrating purpose-driven strategies with financial performance. He is celebrated for his visionary approach to investment and leadership, often stating: "Purpose is not just a buzzword; it is the essence of meaningful and sustainable business".

Armen Sarkissian
Armenian politician, physicist, investor, author, and computer scientist who served as the 4th President of Armenia
Sarkissian’s vision extends beyond national borders, advocating for global cooperation and sustainable development. He believes that "true progress is achieved when nations work together towards common goals, leveraging their collective strengths for the greater good"

Bruno Roche
Founder of Economics of Mutuality and former Chief Economist of Mars.
Roche's work centers around creating economic models that align business success with societal good. He is renowned for his innovative approach to integrating mutual benefit into business practices, often expressing: "The true measure of business success is not just profit, but the positive impact it creates for society and the environment."

Stacey Lawson
Chairwoman of Ygrene Energy Fund
Lawson's career is defined by her commitment to advancing sustainable energy practices and fostering innovation in the clean energy sector. Her leadership philosophy is reflected in her impactful statements: "To drive meaningful change, we must invest in solutions that empower communities and protect our environment."

Ken Goldman
President Hillspire
Ken Goldman is a veteran financial executive with over 40 years of experience leading finance operations in the technology industry. He served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Yahoo! from 2012 to 2017, where he played a pivotal role in restructuring and transforming the company. Currently, he is the President of Hillspire LLC, a family office in Palo Alto. Goldman has held CFO roles at Fortinet, Siebel Systems, and Excite@Home and serves on the boards of major firms, including NXP Semiconductors and RingCentral. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Cornell and an MBA from Harvard Business School. "Entrepreneurship is about transforming ideas into impact. It’s about creating value that drives positive change in the world." "The future belongs to those who dare to innovate and build solutions that address the world's most pressing challenges

Marc Buckley
Founder of Service Space
Mehta is actively exploring the intersection of AI and consciousness. His work in this area focuses on how emerging technologies can enhance human well-being and contribute to a more compassionate world

Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles
Chair of the British-China Business Council
Distinguished British diplomat and author, renowned for his extensive service in the British Diplomatic Service over a 30-year career. He has held prominent positions, including British Ambassador Saudi Arabia. Following his diplomatic career, he served as as Senior Adviser to the Group Chairman and Chief Executive at HSBC Holdings. He is currently the Chair of the China-Britain Business Council, promoting trade relations between China and the UK. Additionally, Sir Sherard is an Honorary Fellow of Hertford College, Oxford, and serves as President of the Jane Austen Society. He is the author of two books: "Cables from Kabul" and "Ever the Diplomat.

Prof. Dr. Ali Mokdad
Professor of Health Metrics Sciences at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and Chief Strategy Officer for Population Health at the University of Washington.
He earned his BS in Biostatistics from the American University of Beirut and his PhD in Quantitative Epidemiology from Emory University. Dr. Mokdad's career includes 18 years at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he directed the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). At IHME, he has led significant research on local-level disease trends and health disparities, particularly in the United States and the Middle East. His contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the Global Health Achievement Award and the Department of Health and Human Services Honor Award.

Bolor-Erdene Battsengel
Strategic Advisor to Space X, former Vice Minister of Digital Development Mongolia, AI policy maker.
Battsengel has played a pivotal role in advancing Mongolia's digital infrastructure and fostering innovation. Her approach to technology and strategic advisory is captured in her influential statements: "Technology and innovation are key drivers of progress. They hold the power to transform societies and expand human potential."

RIchard Branson
The importance of passion in business

Ayman Sejiny
Ayman is highly accomplished financial industry leader. He served as CEO of Ibdar Bank BSC, Bank Alkhair, Barclays Capital Saudi Arabia and as the Chairman of Open-Silicon, Inc and Bahrain Financing Company Group as well as a Board member of Unicorn Bahrain. He has in-depth knowledge and more than 24 years’ experience in investment and corporate banking in the local, regional and international markets.

Nikola Jurisic
Founder of Transfiguration Advisory
"Strategic leadership is about navigating uncertainty with clarity and purpose, driving value for organizations and society."

Mark Sanor
Founder and CEO 360 One Firm
Sanor runs a community aligning interests on investing or connecting to capital, talent and partners.With a wealth of experience across various sectors, Sanor is renowned for his ability to develop comprehensive strategies that enhance organizational impact and foster strong relationships. His approach to strategic communication is encapsulated in his notable quote: "Strategic engagement requires an understanding of the stakeholders' needs and aligning them with organizational goals."

Roberta Calarese
Founder and CEO of GHAYA, serial entrepreneur, lawyer, executive coach, creator of World with Purpose
With a visionary approach to leadership, Calarese has been instrumental in driving changes in the business sector of the Middle East to deliver long term value beyond profitability starting from purpose. Deeply passionate about the role of women and youth in co-creating an empowered future for all.

Marcello Mari
As the Founder and CEO of SingularityDAO, Mari blends AI with decentralized finance. He was part of the founding team at SingularityNET and spent nearly five years there in various roles, focusing on public relations and communications. Under his leadership, Sophia the Robot became an international celebrity. He also coordinated the inaugural collaboration between artist Andrea Bonaceto and AI entity Sophia the Robot, resulting in the first-ever NFT artwork collaboration between a human and an AI.
the WOMEN WITH PURPOSE
SPEAKERS

Stacey Lawson
Chairwoman of Ygrene Energy Fund
Lawson's career is defined by her commitment to advancing sustainable energy practices and fostering innovation in the clean energy sector. Her leadership philosophy is reflected in her impactful statements: "To drive meaningful change, we must invest in solutions that empower communities and protect our environment."

Bolor-Erdene Battsengel
Strategic Advisor to Space X, former Vice Minister of Digital Development Mongolia, AI policy maker.
Battsengel has played a pivotal role in advancing Mongolia's digital infrastructure and fostering innovation. Her approach to technology and strategic advisory is captured in her influential statements: "Technology and innovation are key drivers of progress. They hold the power to transform societies and expand human potential."

Katharina Moser
Designer of meaningful connections
Chief Experience Officer for the Inner Development Goals. She is on the board of Bürgerforum Europa; the Austrian Society for European Politics, a founding member of Alliance4Europe, and a member of the BMW Responsible Leaders Network.

Vera Futorjanski
Founder and CEO Veritas Ventures
Login co-founded the tech unicorn Outfit7, creating the Talking Tom mobile gaming franchise which would go on to collect over 18 billion downloads and become one of the most downloaded app franchises of all time. From the very conception of Outfit7, Iza Sia’s $1 billion-dollar exit had a greater purpose than profit and had been manifested with the intention to power her present-day philanthropic megaprojects.

Marine Tanguy
Founder of MT Art Agency
an investment platform that supports women-led startups in desert technologies, including sectors of agritech, food tech, water solutions, and renewable energy.

Sophia Swire
Founder GEDI and Future Brilliance
Italian entrepreneur and strategist, renowned for his contributions to digital innovation and corporate vision development. He co-founded Beenz.com, the internet's first digital currency, and served as Chief Marketing Officer, securing $100 million in funding from prominent investors. As President and Secretary General of Gold Mercury International, a global governance think tank founded in 1961, he advises organizations on strategic visioning and sustainability. His work emphasizes the importance of visionary leadership in navigating complex global

Dr Sarah Ghaleb
KEYSS Project Cofounder
Dr. Sarah Ghaleb is the KEYSS Project Cofounder and the Head of Business Incubation and Training Programs at the Saudi Aramco Entrepreneurship Center (Wa’ed), with a decade-long career in entrepreneurship, innovation and social enterprises.Her work emphasizes the importance of visionary leadership in navigating complex global

Roberta Calarese
Founder and CEO of GHAYA, serial entrepreneur, lawyer, executive coach, creator of World with Purpose
With a visionary approach to leadership, Calarese has been instrumental in driving changes in the business sector of the Middle East to deliver long term value beyond profitability starting from purpose. Deeply passionate about the role of women and youth in co-creating an empowered future for all.

Paula Schwarz
CEO Cosmopolis
Paula Schwarz is a German-Greek entrepreneur and philanthropist, renowned for her innovative approaches to humanitarian challenges. She is the founder of Startup Boat, a mobile think tank launched in 2015 to develop entrepreneurial solutions for the refugee crisis in Europe. Schwarz also established Cosmopolis in 2023, a digital platform designed to connect refugees with supporters worldwide, facilitating aid and employment opportunities. Her contributions have been recognized by Forbes, which named her among the 30 Under 30 social entrepreneurs in 2016. Currently, she serves as a Partner at Allocator One, focusing on making opportunities and wealth more accessible. Schwarz's work emphasizes leveraging technology and entrepreneurship to address complex societal issues, particularly in the context of migration and social integration. His work emphasizes the importance of visionary leadership in navigating complex global

Nadine Ben Ghaffar
Founder of Desert Ventures
Nadine Benchaffai is the Venture Builder Director at Desert Venturesl, managing the innovation pipeline and strategy for the cohort of desert tech startups in collaboration with design partners and corporate sponsors. Nadine is a strategic marketeer, investor, and entrepreneur with over 20 years’ experience within the F&B verticals. Nadine started her career in the world of FMCG at the likes of Kraft Foods, Nestle Purina and Yoplait. During that time, she covered a variety of roles from brand management, to strategy development and innovation. In 2006, she co-founded Tortilla Mexican Grills which today has over 50 stores in the UK and listed on the AIM LSE market in 2021. In Dubai, she co-founded and launched Taqado Mexican Kitchen and went on to build a family of homegrown brands under Abfab Foods which she exited in 2022. More recently, Nadine’s focus has shifted focus to innovation in the agritech and foodtech sectors through advisory and investor roles in startups throughout the Middle East and Africa.

Tatiana Antonelli Abella
Partner
Tatiana Antonelli Abella is GHAYA’s Societal Transformation Partner responsible for guiding organisations to foster cultures of social responsibility and environmental stewardship. Tatiana is also the Founder and Managing Director of Goumbook, a Social Enterprise established in 2009, leading sustainability, environmental practices, and social impact in the UAE and beyond. During her 17 years in the UAE, Tatiana has garnered a strong reputation and she is actively involved in the green arena. In 2021 she was nominated by LinkedIn as a UAE Top Voice in Sustainability and was elected as regional ambassador of the Nature Needs Heroes international campaign by Timberland. In June 2022 she was awarded the Mother Teresa Award for Social Justice and Environmental Sustainability under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.

Elisabeth Ross Holmstrom
Evolutionary speaker and writer
Elizabeth is the co-founder of the Portland CC Chapter and the CEO/Founder of Mindful Employer. She works with founders and CEOs on their conscious journey. Providing leaders with collaborative circles for sharing and growth, and supporting companies with tools to facilitate stakeholder relationship-building and evolution. Elizabeth’s experience includes over twenty years of collaborative leadership training, stakeholder partnership development, employee engagement turnarounds, and wellbeing strategy. Previous roles have ranged from VP Employee Health and Wellbeing at a Global Fortune 500 company to founding a small tech and service company. Mindful Employer’s mission is to improve the human experience at work while helping businesses thrive.

Areej Al Turki
Evolutionary speaker and writer
Elizabeth is the co-founder of the Portland CC Chapter and the CEO/Founder of Mindful Employer. She works with founders and CEOs on their conscious journey. Providing leaders with collaborative circles for sharing and growth, and supporting companies with tools to facilitate stakeholder relationship-building and evolution. Elizabeth’s experience includes over twenty years of collaborative leadership training, stakeholder partnership development, employee engagement turnarounds, and wellbeing strategy. Previous roles have ranged from VP Employee Health and Wellbeing at a Global Fortune 500 company to founding a small tech and service company. Mindful Employer’s mission is to improve the human experience at work while helping businesses thrive.

Rehab Fayed
The importance of passion in business