Archives: Speakers

Matija is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Turneo. Prior to Turneo, Matija held executive roles at Expedia, where he was part of the leadership team of $15bn+ B2B division, responsible for strategy & strategic initiatives. Prior to Expedia, Matija spent years as an advisor at Strategy& / PwC in London. He holds degrees from University of Cambridge (UK) and Rotterdam School of Management (NL).

Artis Celmiņš is a results-driven export sales professional with extensive experience in market expansion, distributor management, and private label development, currently Head of Export Sales at Food Union. With over a decade in international trade, he has successfully executed growth strategies, optimized sales processes, and built strong partnerships across global markets.

As Head of Export Sales at Food Union Latvia, Artis plays a pivotal role in overseeing international sales operations, spearheading marketing initiatives, and identifying new market opportunities. His expertise in international project management has been instrumental in strengthening the company’s global footprint.

With a deep understanding of international trade, certifications, and customs regulations, Artis excels at identifying emerging business opportunities and executing high-impact market entry strategies. His strong background in sales, logistics, and brand positioning makes him a valuable asset in the global food and beverage industry. Known for his strategic mindset, leadership, and negotiation skills, Artis is committed to driving sustainable business growth and expanding international market reach.

Petter Aagesen is representing Thise Dairy. An organic cooperative established in 1888. He comes with + 25 years of experience working with FMCG in Denmark and internationally.

Ollie performs economic and political analysis across construction and FDI sectors, specialising in economic development. He holds a MSc in Applied Economics from the University of Bath, and has a background in quantitative research on international relations.

Tom specializes in assessing Construction and FDI trends across the Americas and MEA. He conducts market sizing and forecasts for the construction industry, providing detailed analysis of project opportunities and risks. In addition to his consultancy work, Tom and his team publish GlobalData’s quarterly Global Construction Outlook, which benchmarks 91 major construction markets based on market value and growth, while offering insights into macroeconomic trends. Before joining GlobalData, Tom gained significant experience in the UK biofuel market, where he provided expertise in carbon trading and subsidy analysis.

Harman Singh Narula is the Co-Founder and CEO of Canary Technologies, the hotel industry’s leading guest technology company.  Serving over 20,000 hoteliers globally, Canary offers award winning guest management solutions, including Canary AI, Mobile Check-In, Guest Messaging, Dynamic Upsells, Digital Tipping and others. Canary works with the world’s largest hotel companies, including Four Seasons, Marriott, IHG, and Wyndham. Canary is one of the top-funded venture backed hotel technology companies globally and has raised nearly $100M.

Prior to founding Canary, Harman was a management consultant at Bain & Company, where he advised senior executives in hospitality, technology and private equity. Earlier, he was a part of the Global Sales Strategy Group at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, focusing on strategic initiatives to streamline operations and enhance the guest experience. Harman began his career at Citigroup in the office of the CEO, focused on corporate M&A and strategy.

Harman holds an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a BS from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

As CEO of swissnet International, Roger Tabbal is transforming the company from a regional ICT provider into a global player in digital solutions, delivering long-term value across industries.

With over 25 years of experience at the intersection of infrastructure and innovation, Roger brings operational insight and a future-focused mindset, positioning swissnet International as a strategic partner for brands embracing digital transformation across hospitality and beyond. Before joining, he served as Global VP of Guest Technology Innovation at Accor, where he shaped digital strategies across 6,000+ hotels worldwide. His leadership advanced cloud-based PMS and POS systems, next-gen Wi-Fi, digital F&B, and seamless guest experiences at scale. Prior to Accor, he served as Executive Director of Customer Technology Services at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts (IMEAT), leading critical digital rollouts across the region to meet global IT and service standards.
Roger holds an Executive MBA from Bayes Business School (City University of London) and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the Lebanese University. He is ITIL-certified, a Certified Data Centre Professional (CDCP), and has completed Project Leadership & Systems Architecture programs at Cornell University. Now based in the UAE, he drives swissnet International’s global expansion by forging strategic alliances, scaling infrastructure, and advancing digital innovation to power future-ready growth.