Hilde Hardeman is the Director-General of the Publications Office of the EU as of 1 December 2021. Prior to that, she served as Head of the European Commission's Service for Foreign Policy Instruments. She joined the Commission in 1994 and, since then, she • held the position of Deputy Head of Cabinet to the Commission's Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment, and Competitiveness; • headed the Commission President's briefing team; • and was in charge of the units for relations with Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus. Hilde holds a Ph.D. in Slavic philology and history from the University of Leuven, which she obtained after studies at Leuven, Stanford University, and the École des hautes études en sciences sociales in Paris. She was visiting professor at the College of Europe.

Suresh Kumar has recently joined the Scottish Government as Deputy Director for Innovation and Industrial Transformation as well as supporting the office of the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Scottish Government. He currently sits on the leadership team (Senior Civil Service) of the Directorate for Economic Development, which is part of the DG Economy. Suresh’s background in Biogeochemistry (PhD) and has pursued a career in management of University Research and Innovation structures focusing on, Capital Projects, Talent, Skills, Entrepreneurship and Job creation pathways and state of the art Industry-University infrastructure. He has lived in Denmark and Germany for the past 11 years working primarily at the interface of academia and industry focusing on delivery of public private partnerships in the areas of climate change, energy security, big data and artificial intelligence, health and well-being, sustainability, novel material, integrated transport, advanced manufacturing to food security and assurance etc. He established 29 state-of-the art research centres and institutes across three national science ecosystems (Ireland, Denmark, and Germany), fundraised and formalised business plans to the tune of 1.75 billion euros and designed and delivered 8 novel people’s capability programmes and 16 digital infrastructure transformation programmes worth more than 350 million euros.   Suresh has more than 17 years of experience in policy provision (187 policy reports and position papers) to Government ministries and Agencies, through specific knowledge expertise on topics and issues of strategic importance. He actively organises workshops, seminars, various fora and interactive platforms for both bottom up/top-down aspects of policy development, and acts as the chief conduit of consultations and evaluations of governmental proposals, framework programmes and major strategic infrastructure projects.

We help companies create charismatic virtual assistants. I am a strong believer in the “Age of Assistants” — virtual assistants becoming an indispensable connector between brands and their customers. What could be an easier way to start interacting with a brand than to just speak your wishes and questions out loud? I have extensive experience in consultancy for companies on their way into the Age of Assistants. With my team, I help brands discover the strategic potential of starting a true conversation with their customers, work out the way to get there efficiently, and navigate the challenges along the way.

Caroline Laurenson is the Managing Director of TL Tech Smart Home Solutions based in Scotland in the UK. TL Tech specialises in supporting people to maintain their independence in their own homes and are passionate about breaking down barriers to help people access digital solutions. In 2020, TL Tech pivoted its business to focus on supporting customers remotely in new innovative ways. In November 2020, Caroline and her team launched Kindspace, a voice application for Amazon Alexa that supports wellbeing, empowers self-care and helps to alleviate loneliness. More recently, TL Tech has been working with the Health and Social Care Alliance to create a voice-accessible version of ALISS – A Local Information System for Scotland. Caroline found entrepreneurship a little by accident during her own life pivot away from a career in the energy sector and when she’s not working on growing the business, you’ll find Caroline singing, sewing and inspiring others into STEM careers.

I’m a dynamic leader in conversational banking, known for driving innovation where AI meets customer experience. Leading a multiskilled team focused on transforming how financial services engage through intelligent, human like dialogue. I’ve delivered impactful sessions at major industry events, including Microsoft’s AI Service Reimagined and the Call & Contact Centre Expo, alongside fireside chats and webinars that spotlight my thoughtful leadership. Recently nominated for Inspirational Woman of the Year at the SWiT Awards, I’m proud to be celebrated not only for my technical expertise but also for my commitment to inclusive leadership and empowering others in tech. While actively mentors and coach women in tech, championing diverse talent and helping others navigate and thrive in the industry. I continue to shape the future of AI driven customer engagement with bold thinking and a collaborative spirit. https://www.microsoft.com/en/customers/story/24471-virgin-money-microsoft-365-copilot Laura MacLeod | All Access: Future Contact Centers

Shahar Erez, Co-Founder & CEO, Arato.ai Shahar Erez is a visionary leader with 25 years of experience in enterprise B2B, transitioning from software engineering to leading product, go-to-market, and strategy initiatives. He played key roles in developing Mercury Interactive’s APM platform (acquired by HP) and VMware’s Cloud Application product suite, while also leading investments in DevOps companies like Puppet Labs and JFrog. Shahar co-founded TheOrg and Stoke (acquired by Fiverr) before founding Arato, where he continues to innovate in AI and technology.

Magdalena Jonczak is Senior Vice President & Global Head of AI & Data at T-Systems International a Deutsche Telekom company. A board-level strategy and transformation leader with 25+ years’ experience, she has delivered $1B in value by shaping tech-driven growth and customer-centric operating models across Europe, North America and Asia. Magdalena has led 100+ strategic and digital transformations, spanning energy and oil & gas, large-scale turnarounds, AI-powered growth, and customer experience. An MIT alumna in AI & Digital, she advises boards and founders on trusted, compliant, enterprise-scale AI.

Jana Richter is Executive Vice President AI & Innovation at NFON AG, where she is responsible for developing and implementing the company's AI strategy. With over 20 years of experience in the technology sector, she brings extensive expertise in artificial intelligence and enterprise software. Before joining NFON, she led international AI teams at SAP, most recently as Vice President SAP Business AI Experiences, and played a key role in shaping the development of user-centric AI applications. Thanks to her many years of leadership and product experience, Jana Richter is now driving NFON's transformation into a leading provider of AI-based business communication solutions. Jana Richter ist Executive Vice President AI & Innovation bei NFON AG und verantwortet dort die Entwicklung und Umsetzung der KI-Strategie des Unternehmens. Mit über 20 Jahren Erfahrung im Technologiesektor bringt sie umfassende Expertise im Bereich künstliche Intelligenz und Unternehmenssoftware ein. Vor ihrem Wechsel zu NFON leitete sie internationale KI-Teams bei SAP, zuletzt als Vice President SAP Business AI Experiences, und prägte die Entwicklung nutzerzentrierter KI-Anwendungen maßgeblich. Dank ihrer langjährigen Führungs- und Produkterfahrung gestaltet Jana Richter heute den Wandel von NFON zu einem führenden Anbieter für KI-basierte Businesskommunikationslösungen.

Anni is an AI nerd, productivity hacker and Developer Evangelist at Twilio. Brewing rich developer experiences, blending AI with APIs, and serving the Python community across the UK and EMEA with a perfect mix of code and community. She's always hungry for the next great idea (and meal).

After 10 years in Telco and 10 years working in travel, leaving as the Global CX Director for TUI Group, Fabian changed his career path and now works for the government. As Chief Experience Officer for the City of The Hague he and his team are focused on creating public value, by listening to and acting on the Voice Of the Citizen. With their omnichannel strategy the focus will be on further digitalisation and use of AI where possible, whilst enhancing the experience with a human touch where necessary and desirable.

Andrew Harrison’s career has focused on the development and control of complex, innovative, technology-driven systems in Financial Services, Technology, and Public Sectors. He has worked with Deloitte, HSBC, Thomson Reuters F&R GRC (bought by LSEG), and startups, working professionally across the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. He currently serves as Agentic & GenAI Governance Advisor at ABN AMRO Bank N.V. in the Netherlands, having previously been an AI Engineer and AI Analytics Lead in Strategy & Innovation. His focus has been on controlled acceleration of GenAI within the bank, through governance upgrades, designing technical working groups, serving on the GenAI use case board, providing subject matter expertise, and practically implementing the EU AI Act. Currently he is setting up the Agentic AI governance framework for the bank. He is also co-founder/CEO of medtech startup SanguisAI. Andrew has a multidisciplinary background with Bachelor degrees in Psychology, Business, and Computer Science, and Masters in Occupational Psychology, International Relations and Artificial Intelligence. He marries deep technical and analytical understanding, with expertise in operational process design, and complex systems thinking. He is deeply passionate about all aspects of AI; technical developments, governance, law, risk management, policy, existential safety, and security.

Lloyd Buxton is Sales Director for UK&I and Europe at Omilia, where he partners with large enterprises to improve customer experience through Agentic CX. With more than two decades in CX, spanning data, customer engagement platforms and contact centre technology, Lloyd focuses on practical AI adoption that delivers real operational impact, better customer outcomes and clear ROI — not just innovation for innovation’s sake

Currently finding opportunities to leverage the benefits of large language models within customer servicing and engagement at Lloyds Banking Group, and working through the challenge of balancing those opportunities with the risks inherent in generative Al.Experience with chatbots includes creating a BIMA-nominated virtual Robbie Williams chatbot - Rokhot, creating voice-powered fan experiences for Alexa with Sony Music and Warner Bros, designing conversational flows for financial services, entertainment, technology and sports brands as well as training many conversation designers.

Technological Innovation Expert from MIT. -Chief AI Officer, I4 International Institute for Intrapreneurship and Innovation -Delegate Member of the European Artificial Intelligence Office (Brussels) -Member of the European Union's Quantum Flightship Alliance (Germany)

Chris is a product leader at Lebara, where he leads AI-driven customer experience transformation. He has delivered measurable impact through conversational AI and automation initiatives, including an 18% reduction in customer service costs, a 27% increase in resolution and containment rates, and a 32-point improvement in NPS over two years. His work sits at the intersection of product, operations, and user experience, with a focus on building AI systems that deliver sustainable business value in real-world environments.

Joanna Chochół is a Conversational AI Consultant at Heineken, where she leads initiatives that bridge digital transformation with human-centric design. Based in Kraków- Poland, Joanna plays a pivotal role in the Global Process Management team, driving innovation through AI-powered solutions like the Hoppy chatbot. Her work focuses on enhancing user engagement, streamlining support processes, and embedding AI into everyday business operations. She is Certified with Conversation Design Institute for AI Trainer & Conversation Design Modules.

Vishal Mishra is an AI Strategist and Digital Transformation Leader with 18+ years of experience driving innovation at the intersection of product, science, and engineering. He specializes in architecting end-to-end AI strategies, leading large-scale AI programs, and building scalable machine learning and cloud-native systems. Vishal has a proven record of delivering measurable business impact, enhancing organizational AI maturity, and guiding leadership teams toward digital excellence and “Digital Transcendence.”

Pim Zandee is the GPM BI Lead at Heineken, based in Amsterdam. With deep expertise in business intelligence and data governance, Pim leads the BI & Hoppy Chatbot strategy across global operations, ensuring data-driven decision-making and scalable analytics solutions. He is a key figure in the Hoppy program, serving as Product Owner and functional lead for its development and rollout Pim collaborates closely with cross-functional teams to align architecture, stakeholder engagement, and agile delivery. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping the roadmap for AI integration, including the stakeholder dashboard and role-based access models for global solution

Emma leads the UX Service at the University of Edinburgh, where she and her team transform user experiences of digital systems, services and products to align them to the needs, expectations and perceptions of students, staff and other key audiences. Obsessed with working transparently, Emma began contributing to the open-source Drupal community and now leads UX research for Drupal, particularly focusing on Drupal AI, to harness its magic and power to help improve experiences for content creators, designers, developers and all who use Drupal. Motivated by working collaboratively on shared problems to spark innovation, generate inspiration and ideate on solutions, Emma runs a community of practice for UX practitioners working in Higher Education as part of a sector body, UCISA.

Rodrigo de Andrade has over 15 years of experience leading AI and Data projects, with extensive expertise in business intelligence and analytics. He is currently a Senior Product Manager at IBM, where he has lead the AI evolution of Cognos Analytics and, more recently, to the development of a new BI agent, watsonx BI. Rodrigo is passionate about how AI and generative technologies are reshaping the way organizations use data, empowering business users to go from insights to action more effectively.

Ivona Gudelj is a Conversational AI Consultant at Raiffeisen Conversational AI Lab, where she is responsible for establishing conversation design principles and guidelines for the RBI Group. In addition, she provides support to teams in designing and managing AI assistants to ensure they meet industry standards. With a strong background in Conversational AI, Ivona has previously held key roles as a Program Manager and Conversation Designer, working with top-tier clients across various industries. Earlier, she pioneered the role of conversation designer in a global tech firm, where she launched a consulting service that earned her national recognition as Best Young Project Manager

Saad is a passionate data scientist with an insatiable curiosity for advancements in AI. With a knack for tackling complex challenges, they've consistently been at the forefront of technological developments, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the field of artificial intelligence. Saad holds master degree in AI & data science and has several years of experience in the field. He's LinkedIn's top AI voice and brings together their love for data science and AI, offering unique insights that blend technical expertise with creative thinking

Isi Idemudia, Ph.D., is a Global Responsible AI Manager and Senior Red Teamer at HCLTech, where she architects ethical AI governance frameworks for Fortune 500 clients. With 8+ years leading AI strategy at firms like Accenture, she specializes in operationalizing safety and compliance in conversational AI systems, deploying ModelOps workflows, bias mitigation (45% reduction achieved), and red-teaming for generative AI (OpenAI, RAG). A published expert on AI ethics and adversarial defense, Dr. Idemudia bridges technical rigor and executive accountability, ensuring deployed agents align with GDPR/CCPA, HIPAA, and EU AI Act standards.

Gabriele Iuculano boasts extensive expertise in embedded systems and AI. Leading a team as the test platform architect, Gabriele has been instrumental in architecting a sophisticated simulation system that underpins a cutting-edge test automation platform. He is committed to integrating AI-driven solutions, focusing on predictive maintenance systems to anticipate needs and prevent downtimes. He obtained his MSc in AI from the University of Leeds, demonstrating expertise in leveraging AI for system efficiencies. Gabriele aims to revolutionize current business through the power of new disruptive technologies such as AI.

Diego Gosmar serves as Chief AI Officer, specializing in Artificial Intelligence with a particular focus on Multi-Agent Systems, Generative Conversational AI, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Conversation Analysis, AI Agent Interoperability and Automation, as well as Sustainable and Ethical Conversational AI. He leads AI Competence Centers in both the Customer Care and Supply Chain domains. Diego is member of the Voiceinteroperability.ai and Trustmarkinitiative.ai from the  Linux Foundation AI & Data, two groups dedicated to the definition of standards and guidelines for Agentic Conversational AI ethical, scalable and responsible use. He is the author of the following publications related to AI (original researches): https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=en&user=3HtoxzsAAAAJ He is also the author of a Machine Learning Book available in multiple languages: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GFL6NVM He has been a trainer and speaker over the past two decades at various international events focused on innovation, telecommunications technologies, and artificial intelligence. Here it is a list of Diego’s speeches: https://www.gosmar.eu/index.html#events

I am currently a Senior Data Scientist at Oncodesign in Dijon. My work consists in using artificial intelligence to find new potential medical drugs. I am particularly interested in understanding how, through supervised and reinforcement learning, potential drugs can impact patient prognosis. I have experience in tabular data, computer vision, graph neural networks, and natural language processing.

Adrian brings years of experience developing and managing AI products in highly regulated environments. After three years working with open source AIML tools, his expertise brought him to Jaja Finance (a UK-based credit FinTech), where he manages a comprehensive conversational ecosystem: 1 RAG chatbot, 5 agents in production, 1 generative spending assistant, and a successful telephone chatbot with generative capabilities. As an ambassador for the UK’s Centre for GenAI Ops, Adrian further leads research into GenAI risk frameworks. On the 1st of September 2025, the centre will publish and propose the EDICT framework for internal development of risk protocols under Adrian’s guidance, aiming to support companies in LLM risk management regardless of size or use case.

I am the Global Head of Privacy and AI Governance for the Fexco Group and a recognised, international speaker on AI governance. I am a qualified lawyer with over 12 years' experience in governance. I am also a member of the AI WG of the Future of Privacy Forum in Washington DC and I chair the CEDPO AI WG in Brussels. I also spoke at last year's Conversational AI Summit in Edinburgh.

I'm Ray, Head of Innovation at Ideabay.AI, formerly known as VUI.agency, specializing in vision and company design. My role involves guiding companies to define their visions and develop future-proof roadmaps, utilizing a comprehensive set of methodologies like design thinking, user research, UC and CC Design, facilitation, and agile practices. Holding certifications as a Design Sprint Master, Future Strategist, and Scrum Master, with a Master's in Applied Strategics, I am committed to addressing significant customer challenges and delivering innovative solutions. My key passion project, the "Future Wall," has been instrumental in assisting numerous companies and products in crafting a resilient vision and strategic roadmap for the future. Driven by an unyielding pursuit of new trends, inspirations, and challenges, I continuously seek to enhance my creativity and strategic thinking, pushing the boundaries of innovation in company design and strategic foresight.

I have over 2 decades of experience building robots, and my research has a global audience with recognition in many top journals, conferences, radio and news. Last year, I was one of several expert advisers on humanoid and AI-powered robots for UK Government office for Science, creating RTAs for policymakers in parliament. I am currently leading a petition to parliament for robot safety laws, and I was recently a keynote at the UN AI for Good global summit, and I am a member of the Global Climate Innovation Centre for the international robotics industry. My work on robotic lip-sync / NLP was in BBC Science's top 12 scientific moments for 2021. Upcoming: I will be exhibiting my robotics work at the Edinburgh Fringe in August and also New Scientist Live in Oct. (www.carlstrathearn.co.uk)

As the Head of Applied AI, Global Delivery at Google, I lead a specialized team dedicated to spearheading large-scale transformation projects in the Conversational AI space. My work focuses on moving beyond theory into industrialized execution, delivering innovative solutions for transformation of customer service architectures for large Telecom Contact Centers,Shopping Assistants, Food Ordering systems, and AI-driven Auto AI experiences . I am passionate about leveraging the latest in AI to drive measurable business impact and redefine customer experiences at a global scale

Dr Konstantina Martzoukou is an Associate Professor and Course Leader for the MSc Information and Library Studies at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. She is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her research focuses on information and digital literacy, as well as information-seeking behaviour within different contexts. Konstantina is the creator of the award-winning cartoon digital skills initiative (RGU ‘Engaging the Public with Research’ recognition), ‘Maddie is Online’, funded by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Library and Information Council, and Responsible AI UK. The project has engaged hundreds of individuals across the education and library sectors - librarians, students, academics, teachers, school nurses, schoolchildren, and parents - through an innovative co-creation model that uses storytelling to design educational resources. It has been implemented in secondary schools across Scotland and internationally. Dr Martzoukou has experience of working with diverse learner groups and vulnerable communities, including Syrian New Scots (refugees in Scotland). She has served on various research and professional committees, such as the European Conference on Information Literacy, and has been a co-judge for the Information Literacy Award at the Librarians’ Information Literacy Annual Conference (LILAC). Her academic contributions include serving as a PhD external examiner both nationally and internationally, and she is a frequent invited speaker at conferences and events. In 2019, she received the Emerald Literati Award for Outstanding Reviewer, and she currently serves as Editor of the Journal of Web Librarianship (Taylor & Francis).

As an NLP expert, my unique expertise lies in the conceptualising, designing, and developing of a linguistically text based conversational software agent (LING-CSA) using the functional linguistic theory – Role and Reference Grammar (RRG). My current research interest is the hybridisation of statistical NLP and linguistic NLP to refine the accuracy of the interpretation of meaning to provide a realistic dialogue with deep semantic knowledge. I have presented findings, articles and book chapters on the motivations, design, and evaluation of LING-CSA and challenges of hybridisation. My current research project is motivated by the grand challenges of healthcare, with the pre-screening of dementia via an intervention in the form of CA hybridisation solution with person-centred CA design with submitted application (ongoing review) with UKRI (EPRSC).

Guillaume is a Google Developer Expert on Cloud Platform since 2019 and works at Carrefour as Group Data Architect. Java developer for more than 15 years, and despite positions of responsibilities, he has always kept his wish to create, develop, discover and test new solutions, especially in the Cloud, the machine learning or Python and Go language. Innovation addict and Google Cloud 3x certified, writer and speaker in his free time, he's fascinated by the serverless solution and all the "usual" problems that it solves.

Michael McTear is an Emeritus Professor at Ulster University with a special interest in spoken language technologies. He has been researching in the field of spoken dialogue systems for more than 20 years and is the author of several books, including Spoken Dialogue Technology: Toward The Conversational User Interface (Springer, 2004), Spoken Dialogue Systems (Morgan and Claypool, 2010), with Kristiina Jokinen, The Conversational Interface: Talking to Smart Devices (Springer, 2016), with Zoraida Callejas and David Griol, Conversational AI ( Morgan & Claypool 2020), and Transforming Conversational AI (Apress, 2024) with Marina Ashurkina. Michael has delivered keynote addresses and tutorials at many academic conferences and workshops, including SpeechTEK, Conversational Interaction, ProjectVoice, REWORK AI Assistant Summit, the European Chatbot Conferences, and the Altrusia Conversational AI conferences in Germany, Malaysia, and India. Currently Michael is involved in several research and development projects investigating the use of conversational agents in socially relevant projects such as mental health monitoring, and home monitoring of older persons

Harshdip Singh is a Senior Technical Product Manager in Amazon’s Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) organization, leading the News & Information experience for all internal and external Amazon customers worldwide. With over 15 years of experience spanning engineering and product management, Harshdip brings a unique blend of deep technical expertise and strategic business insight to the evolving world of AI and conversational systems. Before transitioning to product management eight years ago, Harshdip spent years as a hands-on engineer - an experience that continues to shape their pragmatic and innovation-driven approach to building intelligent systems. Originally from India, Harshdip lives in Edinburgh with his wife and two beautiful daughters, and is passionate about technology that bridges human curiosity with machine intelligence. Outside of work, you’ll find them following a thrilling cricket match or diving into a classic Bollywood movie - both reminders of the stories and connections that make technology truly human.

Alex is a curious mind and a lifelong learner intrigued by everything, from innovations, new tech marketing, AI, leadership, music, art, and everything in between. With 15+ years of experience in digital marketing and project management, Alex has worked for diverse agencies, in-house teams, and publishers. At the moment, Alex is the CTO at Tag Digital—an agency specialising in event marketing

Dr Angus Addlesee is an Applied Scientist working on conversational AI at Amazon Alexa. His work focuses on building natural, scalable dialogue systems, with experience spanning large language models, spoken dialogue systems, multimodal interaction, and human-AI collaboration. Angus holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence, where his research explored conversational agents, human-robot interaction, and socially aware dialogue. He has published in leading academic venues and regularly bridges research and real-world deployment, translating theory into production-ready conversational systems used by millions of users. Passionate about making AI more useful, usable, and human-centred, Angus enjoys sharing practical insights from industry and academia on how conversational AI is evolving, and where it still falls short.

Masha Guermonprez is Chief of Product and Client Experience at a leading company developing industrial voice assistants for high-stakes environments such as factories, manufacturing lines, and nuclear power plants. With over five years of experience in conversational design and user experience, Masha has worked at the intersection of human-centered design and cutting-edge technology, crafting voice and chat interfaces that deliver real value under real-world constraints. Masha is passionate about demystifying voice technology, especially in complex operational contexts, and frequently speaks on topics such as voice UX, adoption strategy, and designing for environments where failure is not an option.

Lead prompt engineer with experience driving GTM sprints tuning some of the world's most endearing AI assistants and chatbots on billion+ member social media platforms. Currently directs a Prompt Engineering Center of Excellence building marketing automations and tooling that drive revenue lift. 2X AI hackathon award winner and adversarial red team specialist with a keen interest in AI safety. Career SaaS marketer who pivoted to AI in 2022 and hasn't looked back.

Razvan-Petru Radu is a digital business and technology leader at the Publications Office of the European Union where he leads the Publications Office Portal providing EU citizens, governments and businesses with digital access to authentic information and data from the European Union. Razvan specializes in corporate web, digital dissemination and knowledge retrieval platforms as well as ICT & innovation strategy. With a master degree in information systems security management and another one in system engineering, Razvan has over 20 years leadership and innovation responsibilities in a highly qualified multi-national & multi-cultural workforce in both the public and private sectors. Razvan is very much involved in creating compelling networking opportunities to connect and build bridges between people, startups, large organizations or international institutions

Sasha is a software developer with over 20 years in multiple technologies and domains. A tech lead, architect, and mobile solutions expert, he specializes in AI integrations for mobile apps, focusing on on-device AI. He excels in Flutter, Firebase, and generative AI for robust, scalable apps. Sasha is Chief Software Engineer and Head of Flutter Discipline at EPAM, Google Developer Expert in AI, Firebase, Flutter, and co-organizes Flutter Berlin Community

Bhanu Chaddha is a Lead Engineer and AI advocate with over 13 years of experience building production-grade, cloud-native systems. As a key thought leader at A.P. Moller - Maersk, he spearheads pioneering initiatives that use Generative AI and agentic systems to automate and transform core business operations. A passionate educator and respected voice in the tech community, Bhanu is a regular speaker and creator who shares his insights on AI implementation and modern software architecture across numerous platforms. He is dedicated to demystifying complex technologies, bridging the gap between advanced theory and real-world application to empower engineers and organizations to build the future of intelligent solutions.

Daniel has spent over 10 years in Japan, leading Conversational AI initiatives at Rakuten Group. He specializes in automating customer support, delivering chatbot and GenAI solutions that improve efficiency and elevate customer experience across multiple business units. Originally from Spain, Daniel has studied in Spain, Scotland, Ireland, and China, and speaks fluent Japanese. This international perspective allows him to bridge Eastern and Western approaches to technology and customer engagement. He is also an experienced speaker, having presented at global events including The Economist. At the European Chatbot Summit, Daniel brings a Japan-inspired vision, merging omotenashi (hospitality) principles with cutting-edge AI.

Raquel is Senior Manager of CS Service Design & Operational Excellence at Booking.com, with 25+ years of experience shaping outstanding customer experiences. A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, she drives smart, scalable CX solutions at the intersection of people, service, process, and technology. Passionate about digital innovation, Raquel  develops customer centric strategies for today’s fast-moving, AI and digital driven customer service landscape

Ričardas leads the development of Kodee, Hostinger’s AI assistant used by millions of customers. Kodee helps users troubleshoot issues, automate hosting tasks, and navigate our platform more easily. Ričardas has practical, hands-on experience building and scaling AI-driven support tools, and we believe his insights would resonate well with your audience.

Sydney Eneremadu is an experienced professional in Conversational AI, Generative AI, and Conversational Design. A visionary in advancing Conversational AI (CAI) and Generative AI (GenAI) technologies, Sydney is passionate about building thriving communities and preparing for the transformative future of these fields. Sydney is the Founder and CEO of The European Chatbot Summit and the Africa Chatbot Summit, two premier platforms dedicated to showcasing the potential of Conversational AI and Generative AI while accelerating their adoption. Through organizing industry-leading events, Sydney brings together innovators, thought leaders, government officials, and practitioners to explore cutting-edge advancements in CAI and GenAI technology. These efforts foster collaboration and drive progress across Europe and Africa.

Jörg studied MSc computer science at TU Wien and began his carreer as a technical consultant in the Microsoft Partner Network. In OMV he started as platform manager for the Hybrid Integration Platform. Now he soon also was appointed to Domain Architect for Artificial Intelligence at OMV Group IT and is now responsible for the technical design of reference architectures and the self-service AI platform, including the AI Hub.

Malak is the Teaching Associate at The Centre for Human-Inspired AI (CHIA) at Cambridge University and has a PhD in Design Engineering from Imperial College London. She also has a Master’s degree in Human Computer Interaction from the University of St Andrews, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering with a minor in Digital Media from the American University in Cairo. While Malak’s background is more technical, her main interest lies at the intersection of AI and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), which has allowed her to also make use of her love of humanities, social sciences, and design. Malak’s research focus is on aligning conversational AI with human values and designing more human-centred AI experiences using participatory approaches. Malak has also had several years of experience consulting companies on how to create human-centred AI products, and working with UN Women UK, The Alan Turing Institute, Bold Insight, and AIxDesign.

Lena Shakurova is the co-founder of ParsLabs (https://parslabs.org), a Conversational AI Agency, and Chatbotly (https://chatbotly.co), a no-code platform for developing AI Assistants trained on custom data. At ParsLabs, Lena leads a team that combines user research, psychology, linguistics and AI to create meaningful conversational experiences. As a consultant with a tech and linguistics background, she offers a unique perspective. With over 7 years of expertise and 80+ successful client collaborations, she saw the industry's evolution from button-based to NLU to Generative AI Assistants, giving her a broad perspective on effective practices, challenges, and emerging approaches within the AI space. Her professional education in Linguistics & AI, combined with extensive consulting experience, she focuses on creating ethical, user-centered AI solutions. She consistently applies these principles in her work, promoting industry standards for responsible AI development. Lena regularly shares her expertise on human-centered design and AI innovation through her "Everything chatbots" blog (https://shakurova.io/blog) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-shakurova)

Oyinkansola Onwuchekwa is a PhD researcher in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at the University of Hull, where she specialises in multilingual NLP, emotion recognition in music lyrics from low-resource languages, retrieval-augmented generation, and bias mitigation for low-resource African languages. Awarded the Advance HE Associate Fellowship (AFHEA), she has delivered invited talks at PyCon Lithuania, Pint of Science UK, and co-organised DAIM’s first student-led AI conference. As a British Academy ODA Research Assistant, she co-develops AI literacy toolkits for rural Burkina Faso and fine-tuned Stable Diffusion on cultural heritage imagery. Oyinkansola also balances a parallel career as “KKC,” a musician with 500+ written songs and a 2024 EP release. She brings a unique blend of academic rigour, community engagement, and creative insight to every project.

Tilman Mürle is the Co-Founder of Komplyzen, a consultancy specialized in AI governance, compliance, and automation. With more than a decade of experience building and scaling international organizations, he has led teams across Europe and advised enterprises in regulated industries on digital transformation. His current focus lies in helping companies translate the EU AI Act and ISO 42001 into practical governance structures that are both audit-ready and business-enabling. At Komplyzen, Tilman and his team partner with technology providers deliver end-to-end solutions that combine strategic advisory with technical enforcement. Thereby enabling organizations to deploy AI responsibly, efficiently and competitively. Tilman regularly speaks and writes about the intersection of trust, compliance, and innovation, emphasizing how governance can shift from a checkbox exercise to a source of differentiation and growth.

Shubhradeep Nandi is a GenAI researcher and EIR Antler with over 16 years of professional experience, including more than a decade devoted to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. He is widely recognized for his pioneering contributions to applied Large Language Models (LLMs) and Responsible AI. His research on Responsible AI and LLM applications earned the prestigious Highly Commendable Work recognition from IIM Bangalore, alongside further accolades from NTU Singapore and the Association of Data Scientists (ADaSci) in 2024–25. Named among India’s Top 7 GenAI Scientists, Shubhradeep has been celebrated for impactful GenAI innovations in Financial Fraud Management—most notably developing a government-backed AI system to detect Non-Genuine Taxpayers. He also architected the first Data Analytics Unit for Government, transforming it into a model of success. As a global speaker, he has addressed audiences at the World AI Cannes Festival, World AI Summit (Boston), and the Africa Tech Festival, sharing insights on Responsible AI, fairness, and large-scale AI adoption in regulated environments. Beyond research and public sector innovation, he is an Innovator in Residence at a global venture fund, the founder of a pioneering social payments startup and a deep-tech compliance platform, and a committed mentor/advisor to AI SaaS startups through leading VC networks. .

Hannah Amliwala is a Data Scientist at Jaguar Land Rover, where they work at the intersection of advanced analytics, machine learning, and real-world automotive challenges. With a background in Mathematics they are passionate about using data to drive meaningful, human-centred innovation—while also challenging the hype that often surrounds AI. At JLR, Hannah has been involved in projects that span manufacturing and customer experience, giving them a unique perspective on both the potential and the pitfalls of AI in complex, high-stakes environments. They are a vocal advocate for responsible AI—emphasizing the importance of understanding the problem before applying the technology, and the need to keep people at the centre of every solution. Known for their clear, grounded communication style, Hannah brings a refreshing honesty to the AI conversation—especially around the challenges of adoption, the fear of job displacement, and the real-world consequences when AI goes wrong.

Karolien Poels is a full professor of Strategic Communication and Persuasive Technologies at the University of Antwerp, Belgium. She studies how strategic communication can address complex societal challenges through emotion-driven and technology-mediated processes.  Chatbots have been part of this work, for example in the context of vaccination and social support. Another line of research involves chatbots as an advertising vehicle, focusing on a user-centric the monetization of  genAI platforms and conversational AI

Rebecca Rutschmann is an AI Coaching innovator specializing in the intersection of coaching and artificial intelligence. She is co-founder of Viva la Coaching Academy, where she promotes AI literacy in coaching and corporate learning and also leads the development of AI-based coaching tools with external partners. Rutschmann focuses on ethical AI integration in coaching practice and contributes to global research initiatives advancing responsible and human-centered use of AI in professional development.

Martin Krček is an expert with extensive experience in conversational AI. He helps companies put AI into everyday practice—from training and process setup to creative AI marketing and communications. He lectures on AI and marketing around the world—in the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, Germany, and Poland. He is a certified Google Developer Expert (GDE) in AI/ML.

Product Strategy , Design & AI Expert Empowering Tech Companies to Lead the Market with Unbeatable Products Adi Is a Leading Expert In Product And Gen AI With Over Two Decades Of Experience In Strategy, Product, Design, And AI. Known for her ability to take creative business ideas and turn them into massive revenue, she leverages her proven strategies to create leading edge business growth for the world's most forward-thinking business leaders. Created the Voice Strategy and Design Course back in 2019, published in Udemy. Adi created the successful leadership program "Unlocking the Power of Gen AI" designed to equip leaders with the skills to build successful Gen AI products. She has helped numerous startups and industry giants like IBM, Intel, Google, and Waze achieve product success. Adi is a Certified Google Design Sprint Master and Gen AI Google Developer Expert. Learn more: https://linktr.ee/adimazorkario

Sooz Young is the founder of Technology Coaching, a CPD-accredited training provider that empowers organisations and individuals to thrive in the digital age. With over 20 years of experience in education and technology, including roles teaching in Japan, trainer at Apple, and corporate training, Sooz specialises in developing human-centred approaches to digital transformation. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between people and AI, with a particular emphasis on communication, digital confidence, and the essential skills required to interact effectively with intelligent systems. Through her Digital Mindset framework, Sooz has supported thousands of professionals across the UK, including through partnerships with The Data Lab, NHS Lothian, Transport Scotland and Facebook’s digital skills programme. Sooz is also the host of the Digital Dominators podcast and a sought-after speaker known for translating complex digital concepts into practical, inclusive learning experiences that offer strategic insight grounded in real-world application. Her work is grounded in a deep understanding of how humans learn, communicate, and adapt, making her a leading voice on the evolving relationship between language, learning, and intelligent technology.

Surya L. Ramesh is a freelance data consultant, educator, and speaker with over a decade of experience at the intersection of data, education, and communication. Backed by an MSc in Data Science, she helps individuals and organizations navigate the fast-changing world of Artificial Intelligence with clarity and confidence. In her consultancy, Surya focuses on Natural Language Processing and chatbot development, creating human-centered AI solutions. She is the creator and host of ‘Data & AI Conversations with Surya’ on YouTube and leads ‘GenAI for Entrepreneurs’, a Scottish Government–funded course that helps founders apply Generative AI responsibly and effectively. Her sessions are known for their engaging, down-to-earth, and dynamic delivery style, making complex topics accessible and memorable. A passionate community builder, she co-organises the Aberdeen Data Platform and Cloud User Group. Surya’s work reflects a commitment to inclusion, continuous learning, and meaningful technological progress, helping bridge the gap between data, AI, and people.

Lisa Chiang, PhD in Physics, is co-founder of Cephalgo, where she leads EU project focused on conversational AI regulation and compliance. With experience as Head of Product for medical devices and leading chatbot development for mental health applications, Lisa brings expertise in both technical development and regulatory requirements. She has worked on implementing chatbots across markets, identifying critical gaps in GDPR, PCI DSS, TCPA, and EU AI Act compliance. Drawing from this experience, her team creates automated testing and monitoring tools for chatbot compliance, bridging the gap between technical capabilities and regulatory requirements.