Aneace Haddad, a seasoned C-Suite Executive Coach & McKinsey-certified Senior Advisor, has 1,800+ hours of coaching, guiding 300+ senior leaders & 100 top teams across 15 industries globally.

In his 40s, Aneace faced the challenge of breaking silos and fostering team cohesion, leading him to explore the deeper essence of leadership. By his 50s, he had developed a profound understanding of senior leadership challenges. Now in his 60s, he helps executives harness midlife opportunities to unlock new energy and potential.

Bill Williams is called “Electric Bill” for a reason. He is on a mission to shock us out of our static daily routines. For over 35 years, Bill has been inspiring a variety of industries and business sectors around the world, as a keynote speaker, author, and executive development coach who shares small, decisive micro steps to tap into a well of endless energy. 

Bill has interviewed some of the world’s leading talent and celebrities at events in cities across the globe, speaking to more than 75,000 attendees and hosting more than 400 speakers and panelists.  He is the founder and CEO of boutique leadership development firm, The B4 Group Inc. He is a published author (Electric Life, 2022) and was interviewed in Forbes Magazine.

Bridgett Burrick Brown, CEO and founder of the Beyond Beauty Project, offers keynotes, workshops, and coaching for all ages empowering individuals to embrace their self-worth beyond societal expectations. Bridgett combines certifications in holistic health, body image, and eating disorders with the unique perspective gained from two decades of professional modeling. Bridgett also hosts the Beyond Beauty Project podcast and advocates for women's issues, mental health, and body diversity.

As a Corporate Trainer and Keynote Speaker, Bruce helps clients communicate clearly and express their values in a way that sets them apart in the minds of their customers and co-workers by delivering customized and interactive training solutions, Bruce has over 20 years’ experience helping people and organizations succeed.  At the beginning of his career, Bruce spent over eleven years with Scotiabank, designing and developing corporate marketing strategies, working on merger integration teams, and training the national sales team. 

In his upcoming book to be released in February 2026 called “The Path of an Inspired Leader”, Bruce distills years of expertise into a transformative guide, offering readers insight and the framework to lead with authenticity, courage, and impact. Whether you are a seasoned leader or stepping into it for the first time, Bruce’s book promises to be a catalyst for growth and innovation.

Colin Brook grew up in a small town outside of Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada. He went to the University of Alberta where he got his degree in Mechanical Engineering, then spent some time in the oil and gas industry before landing a job at Wika Instruments. In this privately owned German company, he has been the president of Canadian operations for 16 years. He loves Lama's (I just made that up) and being a prankster.

Dominic George, a leadership coach for Black men, founded Vision Leadership for LIFE over five years ago, specializes in guiding mid-level professionals to senior leadership roles. With a master’s from Columbia University, he leverages his education and expertise to provide tailored coaching that fosters confidence and resilience. Dominic’s mission extends beyond career progression, aiming to reshape the narrative for Black men in leadership through personalized sessions that equip clients with the tools needed for influential leadership.

Dr Ute Liersch is a Chartered Counselling and Coaching Psychologist with over two decades of experience in navigating the complexities of stress, leadership, and change. Neurodivergent and a cancer survivor, she brings both clinical precision and lived depth to her work. Known for her calm authority and elegant pragmatism, Dr Ute helps people lead — and live — with psychological clarity and emotional integrity. Her work spans trauma-informed leadership, functional communication, and sustainable high performance, and she’s trusted by organisations from Biogen UK to The Soke and Birkbeck University.

 
YouTube: Just Ask Psychology
Instagram: @dr_ute_
Amazon: A Minimalist’s Guide to Becoming Resilient

For over a decade, after working in over 170 industries, Fotini Iconomopoulos has been the person that companies like Ford, Microsoft, MIT, Nestle, Purina, Rolls Royce and Walmart call to help them through their high stakes negotiations or upgrade their negotiation, communication and persuasion skills. HarperCollins noticed her frequent media appearances in outlets including Forbes, CBC and Harvard Business Review, and asked to write her first, now best-selling, book “Say Less, Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to Get What You Want”

In addition to teaching MBA Negotiations in Toronto Fotini offers her experience to non-profit initiatives. Amongst her accomplishments, she’s been recognized with numerous awards including the RBC Women Entrepreneur awards and a Top 40 under 40 award.

Frank Brown is a seasoned business leader with a remarkable 43-year career in the corporate world. He retired as the President of Wall Canada and has international leadership experience in over 23 countries across Asia. Frank began his career in a sales rep position and later worked with powerhouse brands such as Kellogg's, Cadbury, and Wall. Known for his practical insights and sense of humor, Frank has authored the book "How the Hell Did I Become the Boss?" where he candidly shares his journey and lessons learned from his corporate experiences.

Heather Tolley-Bauer has been there. Done that. And she wrote some jokes about it. Heather now produces wildly successful comedy shows. She says. “I know how it feels to be stressed out and overwhelmed where getting it all done is hard enough but also finding the time to recharge is as impossible as common core math.

You don’t have time to breathe, let alone laugh.”

Heather is a 50-year-old wife, mom, entrepreneur, stand-up comic, former event planner, current colon-cancer survivor and woman who gets things done.

Heather believes...

...We all need to laugh now more than ever.

...Laughing at the small stuff gives us the bandwidth to tackle the big stuff.

...Laughing reduces stress.

...Laughing brings people together.

...Laughing matters.

Hugh Forrest serves as Co-President and Chief Programming Officer for South by Southwest (SXSW). For his role of Chief Programming Officer, he oversees content for the SXSW Conference, as well as the SXSW Music Festival, the SXSW Film Festival, and SXSW EDU.

Forrest was named "Austinite of the Year" in 2012 by the Austin Chamber of Commerce. In 2014, Forrest and these other SXSW Directors were named Austin Entrepreneurs of the Year by Ernst & Young. He received an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 2018 from Kenyon College, his alma mater. In 2021, he was awarded Diversity Champion of the Year by the Austin Black Business Journal.

He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Austin-based accessibility company Knowbility. Via his decades of work with the Austin Reggae Festival, he has helped to raise more than $1 million in funding for the Central Texas Food Bank.

For 24 years, Isabelle Tremblay built global eyewear brands while quietly burning out. After rising through leadership roles at EssilorLuxottica and Transitions Optical, she stepped away at 47 to redefine success. Through meditation and mindset work, she rebuilt her life and now teaches leaders to lead from love, not exhaustion. She is the author of the Amazon best-selling book Love, Lead, Succeed and founder of Eyenovating, speaking across North America on resilience, reinvention, and purpose-driven leadership.

In his 22 years in TV news, John mastered the art of making complex ideas easy to understand. Since his television days, he’s grown to realize how much that skill is needed in the world of business. During that time, he launched a series of hyper-local magazines in the Central Kentucky area, including the state’s first-ever monthly all-discipline horse magazine, Equine Living in the Bluegrass.  In addition, he became a Hall of Fame Sales Coach and Business Mentor for helping others launch dozens of additional magazines across the country.  To learn more

 Lisa Pagotto is a trailblazing entrepreneur and the founder of Crooked Compass, a company at the forefront of the experiential travel movement. Her work has redefined how modern travellers explore the world - prioritising authenticity, cultural integrity, and meaningful connection over mass tourism. Lisa’s innovative approach has built an ecosystem that empowers individuals to immerse themselves in real experiences at their own pace, free from the confines of manufactured itineraries.

Lisa’s passion for pushing boundaries is matched by her belief in the transformative power of curiosity and courage. She inspires individuals and leaders to question the status quo, embrace uncertainty, and make bold, values-driven decisions that fuel both personal evolution and collective impact. Through her work in travel and on stage, Lisa continues to challenge what’s possible - proving that the future belongs to those who dare to do things differently.

Lizzie Schreier is an award-winning digital leader and innovator with over 20 years of experience reimagining how brands connect with people in an ever-evolving digital landscape. With 18 patents to her name, Lizzie is known for turning bold ideas into powerful, enterprise-scale strategies that blend technology, storytelling, and customer insight.

She has led transformative digital initiatives across Fortune 100 companies and global brands in industries including financial services, insurance, healthcare, retail, hospitality, and telecommunications. 

But what truly sets her apart is how she delivers. Lizzie infuses every room (and every Zoom) with energy, humor, and levity — making the complex feel clear, the work feel inspiring, and the results feel inevitable. Her passion is contagious, her insights are actionable, and her teams are encouraged to think differently — and more boldly — about what’s possible in digital.

Matt Kaufman is a Cornell University graduate (BA and MEng in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering, valedictorian) who found that while school rewarded his intellect, summer camp reshaped his confidence, resilience, and connection to others. Now Director of Camp Ramaquois in New York, he has witnessed that same steady transformation in thousands of young people and staff, prompting his exploration into what socially, emotionally, and neurologically makes camp such a powerful environment for growth. In his books The Summer Camp MBA and The Campfire Effect, he blends leadership insight, brain science, and decades of lived experience to explain how shared challenge, ritual, and everyday moments build trust and connection—lessons that apply far beyond camp, into homes, schools, and workplaces. Through storytelling and practical insight, Matt helps parents, educators, and leaders understand how meaningful groups truly work.

With a career that spans corporate boardrooms, global classrooms, and stand-up comedy stages, Matthew Hill brings a rare blend of wit, warmth, and wisdom to the art of communication. As a leadership trainer, intercultural facilitator, and presentation coach, Matthew helps executives, emerging leaders, and teams unlock confidence, clarity, and impact—whether they’re pitching, presenting, or navigating high-stakes conversations.

Having trained teams from EY to GE Capital, and delivered workshops in more than 30 countries, Matthew is deeply versed in the real-world dynamics of cross-cultural communication and influence. His sessions are energising, applied, and always action-oriented. He’s especially skilled in flipping limiting beliefs—taking the "I could never" and transforming it into “watch me do it.”

Melissa Hurley, VP of Learning and People Development at Bill Gosling Outsourcing, is not your typical corporate leader. With a global reach across four continents, she’s on a mission to make leadership and people development accessible (and a little bit more fun) in the world of global contact centers. With over 15 years of experience spanning financial services, operations, sales, and people development, Melissa has navigated high-stakes environments with both grit and grace.

Living just north of Toronto, she’s a proud mom of 2, a dog lover, and the embodiment of Newfoundland’s warmth and wit. Expect practical insights and a healthy dose of humor as Melissa takes you on a journey where personal growth and professional excellence go hand-in-hand—usually with a laugh or two along the way!

I’m Russell Harvey, and I am a Resilience Coach, Facilitator and Public Speaker.

My Purpose is to positively affect 100,000 people by the year 2025 (Right now I am at 77 302!). This could be by developing a client’s self-confidence, providing clarity and direction to their role, providing them with the tools and techniques to create the right conditions to apply “transformation” to their department or company, and much more. 

I have had a 20 year career in Learning, Leadership and Organisational Development and my overall style is influenced by positive psychology and a Strengths-Based approach.

In addition to the work I do with my clients I am the Chair of Governors of a local primary school and a volunteer with Leeds Young Authors. I also run public speaking and confidence workshops in schools.

As a motivational speaker, bestselling author, and workshop facilitator, Sara found herself "starting again" at age 40 after experiencing multiple traumas. Along the way, she discovered that change and challenges are constant, but few really know how to bravely navigate and lean into the gifts that come with adversity. Today, Sara's on a mission to help individuals and organizations transform their challenges into opportunities, and discover what's achievable when creating cultures of resilience, collaboration, and creativity.

Distilling 32-years of deep personal development, research, and coaching into a powerful 5-component framework, she has empowered thousands of people, from athletes to executives of Fortune 500 companies, with the mindset and skills to boldly move forward within their organizations, teams, and at home.

At 51, she's built a thriving business based on one key principle: The Way Out is Forward.

Scott Burgmeyer is the founder and CEO of the Become More Group, a consultancy that emerged from his extensive career in manufacturing and various other industries. Scott's professional journey began with a traditional corporate trajectory that later transitioned into a path of entrepreneurship driven by a thirst for personal growth and a relentless curiosity. After co-founding the Creative Solutions Group in 2010, Scott devoted himself full-time to consulting by 2018, co-authoring books, and successfully completing his first corporate acquisition. His dynamic expertise spans HR, safety, food safety, continuous improvement, and more. Together with his business partner Tammy, Scott merged their brands under the Become More Group in 2023.

Hi, I’m Stefano Iaboni , an internationally recognized speaker and experiential trainer passionate about harnessing the power of laughter to transform workplaces. With over 20 years of experience in comedy, I’ve had the privilege of performing and facilitating in 15 countries, creating experiences that leave audiences energized, connected, and inspired.

In my keynote, From Stress to Success:The Power of Laughter in business, I show how humor is more than just fun—it’s a tool that boosts creativity, strengthens connections, and reduces stress in professional settings. 

Whether I’m speaking to a packed conference or facilitating an intimate workshop, I bring energy, authenticity, and a sense of fun to every stage. My mission is simple: to help people see laughter as a superpower that can break barriers, spark innovation, and create stronger, more connected teams.

Steve Carey is a writer, editor and producer who's launched a series of successful media businesses in the UK and US over the past 20 years.

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Educated at Edinburgh University where he studied a Master's Degree in Modern Languages and Business, he's worked in leadership roles for market-leading companies including Vice Media and the BBC, as well as helming three digital content businesses from startup through to exit (two of them to listed businesses).

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He currently lives in Surrey, where he's working on a range of fiction and non-fiction titles.   

Tariq Munir is a Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ & ICAP), certified in Digital Transformation from Stanford Graduate School of Business, and a Certified Data Science Professional from IBM.

With over 20 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies—including PepsiCo, KPMG, McDonald’s, AkzoNobel, and PwC—he has contributed across diverse domains such as finance, integrated business planning, supply chain, advanced analytics, and digital transformation. Tariq brings deep expertise in crafting digital strategies, leading large-scale and complex digital transformation initiatives, and driving the resulting organizational change.

As a coach to business leaders, Tariq helps develop digital and AI literacy and embed digital DNA within organizational culture. His work focuses on bridging the gap between traditional business functions and the digital future—earning him recognition as a trusted advisor to the C-suite.