Inspirational Speakers
Parisa Hove: Parisa Hove (founder of Varrak, has a master’s in innovation and entrepreneurship, and has diplomas and certificates in cognitive behavioral therapy, expressive art therapy, EMDR, and executive coaching and coaching through trauma) led us through her story after a very unfortunate accident in 2018 which meant she needed to be isolated (not reading, doing nothing) for her brain to recover, Parisa started to wonder “Who am I, what is the purpose?” She shared that the social environment impacts how we react, that change of habits takes time, needs repetition, that we need to be open and gentle to ourselves and to accept that life is a school and you will never graduate.
Rasha Sharkia: Rasha Sharkia (founder of Boossala (Compass in Arabic), a coaching service with focus on Leadership, Identity and Growth, mainly for Arab female executives and leaders. An Israeli-Palestinian social entrepreneur, is leading the establishment of an intense annual leadership program in Israel in order to strengthen the Arabic leadership network and its intellectual, socio-economic and political impact on the future of the region) shared with us her inspiring story and led us to question how it is that we define ourselves. What part of it is really me or which parts am I adjusting or faking? Which part we think might be unconsciously borrowed/learnt from the culture around us? What part might be trying to emerge? Ultimately, challenging us to be our authentic selves.
Francesca Racioppi: Francesca Racioppi (Head of Office at the World Health Organization European Center for Environment and Health) Taught about her philosophy of surfing the waves of change in life and work that we were not looking for, how not to be overcome and overwhelmed. Based on her perspective of seeing that change happened and was successful when people were came in with something deeply personal, and that when people are passionate and ambitious you become yourself by doing what you are doing; that business is like art – you cannot be an artist if that is not the way through which you are yourself.
Chris Litherland: Chris Litherland (founder of Mariposa Consulting International and a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD) spoke about the challenges of leadership and if it is a future-fit concept, leading a discussion with us how to define the future and the different aspects of leadership.The good and bad, impact, motivation, influence and then the purpose of leadership with some of the contradictions and challenges now and into the future.
Veroniek Vermeulen: Veroniek Vermeulen (founder of Silatha, the fastest growing meditation app to empower women) shared how paragliding on the Himalaya brought an abrupt change to her life and how she developed a deep sense for the value of meditation, especially for busy women squeezed by demands from all sides; she shared how she launched a successful new business, offering meditation programs in an app and supporting jewellery; leading a practical demonstration right at the end, a super relaxing meditation exercise.
Elisabet Lagerstedt: Elisabet Lagerstedt (Swedish Author of Better Business for Better Future, and founder and principal of Future Navigators) brought her own perspective around some fundamentally important themes of our interest that international ladies are in influential positions and that our responsibilities do not stop at doing our job; we are role models and influencers, and a major force in sharing the future of business.
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