From 2015 Managing Director of the City Marketing, Tourism and International Relations of the Muncipality of Genoa. From 2012 to 2015 Managing Director of the Communication and City Promotion Department of the Municipality of Genoa. From 1999 to 2012 Managing Director of the city promotion Department. Professional Journalist (since 1995), actually in the Publicists list. From 2011 to 2016 : temporary Professor at State University of Milano. National Councillor of Public Communication Association (during the nineties). Author of television and radio programmes at RAI Liguria (seventies and eighties). Diploma of theatrical organization (Teatro Stabile di Genova) and Director of the University Theatre Centre in Genoa (seventies). Member of the municipal Agency for Cultural Decentralisation (seventies) and of the Regional Committee for cultural Events (eighties). Master of Arts and Literature Degree at Genoa University and Public Relations and Communication at Enfapi-Sogea .
Since September 2014 he is President of the Board of the Gdansk Tourist Organization. A graduate of the Tourism and Recreation Department of the Jędrzej Śniadecki Academy of Physical Education and Sport in Gdańsk. Since 2007 he gained professional experience in the field of project management as person responsible for preparing functional concept of the National Stadium in Warsaw and being responsible for the preparation and executing of the UEFA Euro 2012TM Final Tournament in Gdansk. In 2012 he started work as the Director of Marketing and Development at the Gdansk International Fair LTD., where he was responsible for launching new products and events at the Amber Expo Exhibition and Congress Centre.
Born in Moscow she graduated the Uzhhorod National University, Faculty of Foreign Philology, in Ukraine. She has over fifteen years experience in international promotion, hospitality and organization of big sport events. Everything started in 2003 when she moved to Prague where she studied Tourism Management and started to work in Prague International Marathon, a sport company organizing running events in Prague. Diana was responsible for the international relations and hospitality of vip guests during the events until 2007. During the next three years she lived in Uzhhorod and worked as the Hotel Manager of a newly opened spa and conference hotel. In 2010 she went back to the Czech Republic and the Prague International Marathon which transformed into series of nine races all over the country known as RunCzech. Diana was also involved in the organization of the Ice Hockey World Championship held in the cities of Prague and Ostrava in 2015 being responsible for the accreditated media and fans accommodation services. In the next years she was the Project Manager of Napoli Running – the running events organized in the south of Italy and later took the position of the Marketing and Communication Director in RunCzech. RunCzech nowadays offers 9 main running events in 6 cities of the Czech Republic and 2 in Italy attracting yearly over 100 000 runners from all over the world. The RunCzech races achieved 7 IAAF Gold Labels and witnessed 5 world records in 2017
Vladimír Beroun is a Czech-born government affairs and communications professional. Currently he leads government relations and stakeholder engagement of Airbnb in Central and Eastern Europe. He works with governments, cities and other stakeholders to harness the economic, environmental and social benefits of the sharing economy and digital technology. Previously he advised global tech companies on government relations, partnership building and stakeholder engagement in Brussels, and also held various positions in the public sector. In addition, Vladimír is passionate about global affairs and has recently received a PhD degree in EU-Asia trade relations.
In 2009, Pierre Fortin became Executive Director of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership in Montreal, the non-profit organization responsible for managing public spaces, programming activities and promoting the Quartier des Spectacles. Mr. Fortin has extensive experience in management and communications in the public and private sectors. He has helped guide several organizations through periods of profound change, demonstrating leadership and vision that enabled him to develop and implement internal and external strategies to strengthen and improve each organization’s position. He worked in communications and marketing for a Canadian financial institution. As an employee of the Ville de Montréal, his roles included head of communications during public consultations on the city’s master plan, which helped him develop his vision of urban planning. Mr. Fortin created Bell Canada’s first communications unit focused on the business market, and was the company’s representative during the development of Montreal’s Quartier International, a mandate closely related to his interest in issues related to public space. He also contributed to the development of guiding principles for the development of these public spaces and for the implementation of innovative cultural programming ideas.
Julia leads the membership body for Edinburgh’s major festivals, Festivals Edinburgh. This collective development organisation works on shared priorities around developing Edinburgh’s global position as the world’s leading festival city, the Festivals’ engagement and impact, and future innovation and investment. Key project areas include a joint festival city marketing strategy, collective impact evaluation, international delegate programme and community engagement initiative. Julia previously worked for the British Council and Scottish Development International.
Division Chief – Festivals & Events, Cultural Services, City of Montreal
Assisted by a team of ten passionate agents, his Division has the responsibility for oversight, coordination and overall execution of City services for hundreds of outdoor events, festivals, concerts, sporting events and fundraising activites held each year in Montréal. His Division also runs several different programs to help finance a large number of these activities. The main objective of his team is to make it happen by cooperating with all internal and external clients, such as Promoters, City services and several outdoor venues (including le Quartier des Spectacles, our downtown Festival Hub). Kevin joined the City of Montreal a few years ago, just prior to the 375th anniversary of the City. A year long celebration involving numerous mega-events. With a proven track record as one of Montréal’s leading event executives (Olympic Park, Jean-Drapeau Park and L’Équipe Spectra). Since arriving in his current position, he has re-engineered his Department (tools and personnel) to better suit the evolving needs of the event industry of our City.
Marketing and Communication Manager at Maratona di Ravenna Citta ‘d’Arte. Experienced Head Of Marketing with a demonstrated history of working in the events services industry. Skilled in Advertising, Event Management, Media Relations, Sponsorship, and Corporate Events. Strong marketing professional with a Laurea in public relations focused in Consumption & Advertising in Libera Università di Lingue e Comunicazione IULM. From 2002 to 2015 Event Manager in Challenge Sportmarketing – full service communication structure in the sports marketing area and in the BTC and BTB active events.
Vice President, Marketing and Special Projects in New Orleans & Company. A driven, experienced leader and marketer in the New Orleans tourism industry for over 20 years. Led the team that built New Orleans’ first website for visitors in 1996, played a key role in the recovery of the city’s hospitality industry following Hurricane Katrina, and continues to oversee and shape New Orleans Tourism’s marketing and national award-winning, ground-breaking advertising campaigns. Featured speaker at travel, advertising, and marketing events over the past several years, including the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s Data Symposium, Louisiana Travel Association Annual Summit, and the Association for Accounting Marketing’s Annual Summit. Member of the board of directors for the Louisiana Travel Association and currently leading two community-focused initiatives for the New Orleans Hospitality Industry: one aimed at providing affordable, accessible health care for tourism workers and the other designed to drive equity for tourism-related local, diverse-owned businesses through a series of educational workshops and programs.
Running and athletics commentator. A sports journalist licensed by the International Sport Press Association (AIPS), a member of the Statistical Commission of the Polish Athletics Association, a collaborator of the Polish Association of Gears. He comments on 90 national and international running events throughout the year. The texts of his authorship can be found in many magazines like “Magazyn Lekkoatletyczny”, “Trail”, online portals “MaratonyPolskie.pl”, “bieganie.pl” and websites of the Polish Athletics Association and Polish Racing Association. An athlete, a marathon runner with a life record 2:25:43 years ago. Marathon winner in the Dutch Apeldoorn (2006) and Belgian Torhout (2008). He stood on the marathon podium in Vilnius, Dresden, Luxemburg Echternach, German Loningen and Gdynia. He represented Poland at the World Cup in the 100 km Run in Winschoten (2011).
A graduate of the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw. From many ears associated with the hotel industry. In the years 2007-2013 he was the director of the central sales and marketing office in hotel’s chain Gromada. From 2014 to 2016, he held managerial functions at Trip Group- an adviser to the board of Trip and the vice-CEO of the Ossa hotel. From 2016 he is the secretary general and a member of the board of the Polish Hotelier’s Chamber of Commerce. He was the vice-president of the board of the IATA Agents Association in Poland and chairman of the IATA Commission at the Polish Chamber of Tourism, and a member of the Program Board of the Polish Chamber of Tourism.
Managing Director of the Sports Infrastructure Management Board of Krakow from 2008, worked for many years in leadership positions in the state administration and local government and other organizational units, including Wisla Krakow SA. A graduate of Krakow University of Technology. Responsible for organizing major sports events in the city. He is Director of the Cracovia Marathon and the Cracovia Royal Half Marathon. He was awarded, among others the title “Polish Sports Leader” an a golden statuette of “Polish Sports Builder”.
Graduate of the Academy of Physical Education in Kraków, expert in custom-made tourism forms including questing, city games, treasure hunts, etc. He joins his passion for active tourism with taking part in sport events, mostly long distance trail runs and street runs. His professional experience includes city branding and destination marketing through sport. As a city guide with more than 20-year experience he is supporting development of Kraków as a tourist destination.
He graduated in law and MBA studies and many trainings in Poland and abroad. He has vast experience in managing Mega projects and sports, music and business events. Responsible for the preparation and organization of UEFA EURO 2012 and EHF EURO 2016 in Poland. He participated in the preparation of The World Games in Wroclaw in 2017.
An expert in the field of managing the largest multi-functional venues. Former President of PL.2012 and PL.2012 + operator of the National Stadium, currently the President of the Gliwice Arena, one of the most modern arenas in Poland and Europe. Specialist in the field of MICE market and Free Time Industry. Co-owner of Evolutio and Brand Boosters.
Experienced manager with many years of experience in managing the organization, teams and events, operating on the MICE and HoReCa market. Currently Business Development Director at EXPO XXI Warsaw. She also runs a consultancy and consulting company in the MICE industry. A member of national and international organizations.
In 2010-2014. Vice President of MPI (Meeting Professionals International) Poland, and in 2012-2018 the President of the ICCA Branch (International Congress and Convention Association) for Central Europe. From March 2019.
She is the Vice-President for International Cooperation in the Association Conferences and Congresses in Poland SKKP. Member of the chapter of national and international competitions related to the meetings industry.
Rector of the Main School of Tourism and Hospitality in Warsaw (Vistula Group of Universities). She specializes in sports organization and management sciences. She completed a scientific internship at the Institute of Sport & Leisure Policy at Loughborough University. She lectured at many foreign universities such as the Deutsche Sporthochschule in Cologne, the University of Jyväskylä, the University of Bayreuth, the University of Physical Education in Kaunas.
She has completed research projects on sport management in many aspects, mainly focusing on sport management systems on a macro scale. She participated in research projects carried out on behalf of the European Commission.
She is a member of national and international organizations. Former Secretary General of the International Society for Social Sports Sciences (ISSSS), member of the board of the European Association for Sport Management (EASM) and the European Network of Sciences on Sport, Education and Employment (European Network of Sport Science, Education and Employment – ENSSEE). In 2010-2011 she was the president of the Polish Corporation of Sport Managers. In the years 2014-2017 she was a member of the European Commission’s expert group on human resources management in sport.
Born in Dubrovnik, a graduated economist in tourism, a Croatian Olympian and former water polo player, the Secretary General of the Dubrovnik Association of Sports, which takes care of all sports in Dubrovnik, member of Croatian Olympic Committee and event director of the Du Motion Runner’s Days Dubrovnik. Du Motion has been recognized as one of the most important manifestations for the Republic of Croatia and the City of Dubrovnik.
He founded TCI Research in 2010 as a way of combining his passion for travel with his 20+ years’ experience in market research acquired in global companies (TNS, IPSOS). As a specialist in the visitor experience and destination reputation assessment, he has worked for over 90+ international and local destinations and travel brands.
He is a regular speaker at travel international forums and Board Member of TTRA Europe (Tourism and Travel Research Association). He was awarded Best Travel Market Research CEO 2017 by the EU Business News Agency and received the UNWTO Award for innovation in 2011 for its destination research solution TRAVELSAT.
General director of the public institution “Strefa Kultury Wrocław”, whose activity is based on three pillars, including: places, festivals and programs. He was the director general of the European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016.
He has been managing the Jazz nad Odrą festival for seven years. He co-founded the festival One Love Sound Fest, Independent Film Festival OFFensiva, or Capitol of Rock at Stadion Wrocław. In 2017 he received the title of Manager of the Year awarded by the chapter of Gazeta Wrocławska.
A graduate of the Jagiellonian University and scholarship holder at universities in Spain. She also graduated from Management and Marketing at the School of Banking and Management in Krakow and International Relations and Diplomacy at Collegium Civitas in Warsaw. From 2014, after the diplomatic mission as Consul of the Republic of Poland in Caracas / Venezuela, associated with KBF, operator of ICE Kraków.
Manages the sale policy of the ICE Krakow Congress Center. He is an experienced manager and expert in the field of meetings industry. Since 2019 he has been the President of the Board of the Association Conferences and Congresses in Poland, he is a member of national and international organizations from the meetings industry, including: MPI and ICCA. Awarded MP Power Awards – MP Power 12 in the Venue Supplier category.
An expert in the meetings industry, an active member of Polish tourist organizations. Founding member and president of the board of the last three terms of the Association of Conferences and Congresses in Poland. Until May 2017, she was the head of the Krakow Chamber of Tourism.
She is a member of the Polish Chamber of Tourism and the International Congress & Convention Association. Professionally associated with the Krakow companies: Symposium Cracoviense, a professional organizer of congresses and Intercrac, DMC, in which he is the president of the board. In 2013, she received the prestigious MP Power Award in the Meeting Planner category DMC / PCO.
CEO Tourism and Promotion Office KYIV City, Event specialist, Secretary of the Organizing Committee for the preparation and holding of Eurovision 2017, Secretary of the Organizing Committee for the 2018 Champions League Final.
Works at the Department of Public Administration (Faculty of Public Economy and Administration, Cracow University of Economics), Rector’s Plenipotentiary for Culture and Sport. Member of the Polish Economic Society. Member of the Monetary Policy Council (2010-2016). Member of the Economics Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences Committee.
Since 2015, Member of the Polish National Commission for UNESCO. Chairman of the Open Eyes Economy Summit Program Council. Since 2018, Member of the High Level Industrial Roundtable „Industry 2030”. Member of the Council of the National Centre for Research and Development (2018-2022). Member Winner of the Kisiel Award.
Coordinator of strategics project at the Tourism Department of the Municipality od Cracow, in which he manages, inter alia, the Historic Cities.3.0 project.
Dean of the Faculty at the University College Tourism and Ecology in Sucha Beskidzka. A graduate of the AWF in Kraków and IREST at the Sorbonne. Specialist in tourism marketing and tourism policy.
Between 1996 and 2017, professionally connected with the Polish Tourist Organization, first as the director of the branch office in Paris and then as the Vice President. He is the author of the concept of Poland’s marketing strategy of tourism for the years 2012-2020. He participated in the team works of mamy urban and regional tourism development strategy. Author of books and scientific articles .
Manager and animator of culture, educator, musician. He studied sociology, social sciences, as well as cultural diplomacy at Jagiellonian University, University of Provence Aix-Marseille and Collegium Civitas in Warsaw.
Currently, a plenipotentiary of the Mayor of Krakow for Culture. He has run international projects of the Krakow Festival Office that integrate the activities of entities involved in culture, developed key literary, musical and film projects. He has implemented the programming policy of important Krakow music festivals. In the film area, he was looking after the Krakow Film Commission and coordinating the Film Krakow program. He led the process of applying for the title of UNESCO’s Creative City in the field of Literature. He represents Krakow in relations with the Network of Festival Cities Network.
President od Best Place – European Place Marketing Institute
An international place marketing expert, passionate about branding and cities. More than 15 years associated with territorial marketing and tourism consulting. Graduate of Lodz University (Poland), with the major of “special economy – managing the city and the region”. A student of the The Chartered Institute of Marketing (London/Warsaw).
From 2010 co-founder and President of Best Place – European Place Marketing Institute – consulting organization (think-and-do tank) that aims to professionalization and popularization of place marketing and branding in Central and Eastern Europe. Also Initiating Founding Member at International Place Branding Association. Speaker at dozens of conferences in Poland and abroad. Engaged by the British Council to the international group of experts ‘City Idea Bakers’. Co-author of many tourism development strategies and marketing communication for cities and regions
Commercial Director Prague Congress Center.
Vice-president Prague Convention Bureau.
Graduated from the Prague University of Economics where she studied international business, specialising in tourism. During her studies she spent time at the Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Paris where she specialised in international marketing.
From 2005- to 2010 Sales & Marketing Director of the 5-star President Hotel Prague and subsequently as Director of the Prague Convention Bureau (PCB). In the 4 years under Lenka’s leadership, the PCB was remarkably successful, playing a major role in Prague’s prolific rise as a worldwide leading meeting destination.
During her tenure of the PC. From 2014 to 2016, Lenka has worked as a consultant and lecturer on strategic management, sales and marketing at the hospitality consultancy, Perfect Hotel Concept. From September 2016 joined the Prague Congress Centre as the Commercial Director. Lenka brings years of highly successful experience in the congress and events sector to the Czech Republic’s largest congress venue.
The owner of Celuch Consulting. Speaker, trainer, business consultant, academic lecturer. Rector’s representative for cooperation with business. The Main School of Tourism and Recreation. Lecturer at the Vistula Academy of Finance and Business and the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Cooperate with San Diego State University, Skema Business School, University of Warsaw.
He is the author of articles and books in the area of meetings industry, reports and research projects, including the first in Poland, the eighth in the world report “The economic impact of the meetings industry on the economy”. He gained professional experience in various fields. Until 2017, he was the head of the Poland Convention Bureau of the Polish Tourist Organization. He specializes in the meetings industry, event marketing and event management.
Director Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau, President Convention Bureau Italia. Graduated in Political Science at the University of Florence (Italy).
After an exciting career in the event organization as marketing director of an important Italian DMC and in the hospitality industry, Carlotta Ferrari became the director of Firenze Convention Bureau in 2010. In a short time she started a new destination marketing strategy and transformed a mainly public company with few private members – as Firenze Convention Bureau was- into a private consortium with about 300 private members, prestigious local sponsors and the strong economic and political support of public institutions. In 2017 finally she launched Destination Florence, the project dedicated to leisure , transforming the CB in a CVB with the rebranding of the company : destination Florence convention & visitors bureau.
From March 2013 to March 2017 Carlotta was Vice president of Federcongressi & Eventi, the Italian association of public and private companies and professionals working in the meeting industry, proposed to represent the Italian MICE sector on international level and create stable relationships with public institutions and European and International associations. In this context, Carlotta, together with other national tourist associations, gave life to the Italia Convention Bureau in the form of a private network of companies, responsible for coordinating and promoting Italian meetings and events offer. Now she is the President of the Italia Convention Bureau, the company officially recognized by the Italian tourism board with over 100 members representing 2500 Italian mice suppliers.
Associate Professor at Cracow University of Economics.
Areas of interests: the meetings and events industry, events management, adventure tourism, consumer behaviour on tourism market. She is an author of more than 130 publications in tourism and consumer behaviour.
She has an expertise in the meetings and events industry analysis and in the assessment of the impact of meeting industry on economy, she was a member of the team in the project: Steering the meetings industry in Krakow: assessment and monitoring of the economic effect of the meetings industry on the economy of Krakow with the use of good practices from Switzerland.
She has participated twice in projects financed by National Science Centre (2013-2016, 2017-2019) and also in some other projects concerning meetings and events industry management: MICE tourism in Krakow in years 2008- 2018 ordered by and prepared for Convention Bureau of Krakow. She has been a reviewer of The Meetings Industry Report for 6 years.
