Cathy Daum

Cathy Daum is a software-industry leader with a 40-year career spanning senior VP roles at IBM, BEA (now Oracle), SAP, and leadership at Lotus in the Nordics/Benelux. With 25+ years in pan-EMEA management and six years global, she’s led new product launches, built partner ecosystems, shifted firms from on-prem to SaaS, managed M&A, and most recently rolled out AI across SAP’s global partner network. A long-time mentor and coach, she now runs a consultancy advising on software, tech, and AI. She holds BA/MA degrees from Cambridge, a postgrad diploma from Bath, and has lived/worked in six European countries.

Tess Hilson-Greener

Tess Hilson-Greener is a trailblazing HR transformation expert, advisor and thought leader redefining how the profession will evolve in an AI-driven world. With over 30 years’ experience leading people and organisational impact across global enterprises including Deloitte, Inmarsat, Deutsche Bank, E.ON, FedEx, Astellas Pharmaceutical and Gilead Sciences, she brings both boardroom expertise, practical experience and a futurist lens. As the founder of HR2035, Tess leads a bold, research-driven movement that looks ahead to 2035 and works backwards to design the new models, capabilities and governance needed for HR to thrive and not just survive in the decade ahead. In 2026, she will launch the BREATHE™ WorkScope ecosystem and the AI-Centric PXB Model™ (People, Service, Breathe) it’s a revolutionary framework set to redefine the future operating system of HR. 

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Vlad Centea

Vlad Centea is an AI implementation specialist and founder of AInnovate.tech, with 25+ years of experience in software engineering, IT leadership, and digital transformation. He works with organisations across Europe on practical AI adoption, automation, and strategy—helping teams move from experimentation to real-world impact.
Vlad is also a guest lecturer at HEC Liège, where he teaches hands-on AI workshops focused on applied use-cases, responsible AI, and the upcoming regulatory landscape. His work spans enterprise deployments, SME transformation projects, and education initiatives aimed at making advanced AI accessible to non-technical professionals.

Chris Pugliese

Chris Pugliese is an award-winning AI technologist and hands-on software engineering leader based in London. He architected the UK’s first AI Accountant, designing agentic systems that integrate LLMs, knowledge graphs, Open Banking, and real-time tax automation. In 2025, his team won Disruptor of the Year and was shortlisted for 8 other fintech awards across the UK, EU, and USA.

Chris specialises in coding and scaling products from MVP to full-market traction in both B2C and B2B environments. As CTO at Pie Tax, he led the app to over 60k downloads in under a year, delivering multi-million-pound results with small, high-performing teams. He builds cultures grounded in trust and accountability, and has worked with global brands including Google, Red Bull, and Disney across Europe, the US, and South America.

Souad Slyman

Dr Souad Slyman is a researcher-practitioner and strategic operator specialising in AI, innovation strategy and workforce development. Bridging academia and industry, she designs and scales initiatives that convert frontier research into production-grade products while building the capabilities, governance and partnerships required for sustainable adoption. Her portfolio spans curriculum and accelerator design, data and AI strategy, and public-private collaborations that create talent pipelines and deliver measurable economic and social impact. As an advisor and mentor, she supports founders and emerging leaders—especially women and under-represented groups—through practical frameworks for product validation, ethical AI use, and evidence-driven decision-making. A frequent contributor to panels and publications, Dr Slyman advocates for responsible innovation and inclusive growth, helping organisations move from ambition to execution with clarity and pace.