WBAF Congress 2018 Booklet

WBAF WORLD
WBAF WORLD CONGRESS 2018
CONGRESS 2018
FULL PROGRAMME
State Secretary, Ministry for National

Economy, Delegation Leader of V4
Balázs
Rákossy
INNOVATIVE STARTUPS IN
THE VISEGRÁD COUNTRIES
AND THEIR ROLE IN
ECONOMIC CONVERGENCE
OF CENTRAL AND
FULL PROGRAMME̙YYYYDCHQTWOQTI
EASTERN EUROPE
wbaforum.org 1
PROGRAMME
OVERVIEW
18 – 20 February 2018, Istanbul
S UNDAY MON DAY TU ESDAY
18 February 19 February 20 February

Swissôtel The Bosphorus Swissôtel The Bosphorus Swissôtel The Bosphorus
Istanbul Istanbul Istanbul
12pm – 3pm 8am – 9am 8am – 9am

Global Exchange Forum, Registration Process Registration Process
a pre-Congress event
(open to all participants) 9am – 6:30pm 9am – 6:00pm
WBAF World Congress 2018 CEO-Preneurship Summit 2018
3pm – 5pm Angel Investors FinTech Summit 2018
WBAF High Commissioners Annual Meeting Impact Investment
Annual Meeting
Take Invest Summit Summit 2018
(by invitation only)
WBAF Investment Academy
7pm – 8pm
5pm – 6pm
Chairman’s Reception for the 6pm – 6:30pm
WBAF Board Meeting
World Excellence Awards Closing ceremony
VIP Gala Dinner
6pm – 7pm
8pm – 8.30pm
EBAN Board Meeting
Red Carpet Entrance
8.30pm – 11pm
World Excellence Awards
VIP Gala Dinner
www.wbaforum.org 3
WELCOME
2018
Welcome,
Global Shapers 19 February 2018
D
ear WBAF Delegate, Why is this so important? and WBAF delegates), we are all
On behalf of WBAF, I am The reason is simple: Only Angel coming together to create new ways
pleased to welcome you Investors have the know-how and for Angel Investors to access finance.
to this year’s meeting the networks to fast-track startups Today we are here to shape the
of the World Business Angels and scale-ups into the world’s global agenda of the early-stage
Investment Forum. capital and equity markets. If we can equity markets of the world.
Today in Istanbul, we have create an innovative financial plan
hundreds of Angel Investors, Angel for early exits, this will mean more Welcome to WBAF World
Network Managers, policymakers, jobs in a shorter period of time. Congress 2018 and welcome
academics, high-growth business to Istanbul!
owners, bank executives, I am delighted to welcome
presidents of international you to Istanbul for this special
associations, and stock exchange “Only Angel Investors international event.
executives — from 82 countries. have the know-how and By working together across
borders, with a common vision,
What is behind this meeting? the networks to fast-track and with these smart dynamics in
We are here to address a very startups and scale-ups mind, we are well placed to bring
important challenge: We all know about positive change in the global
that access to finance for startups,
into the world’s capital economy. Your efforts to convert
scale-ups, entrepreneurs and high- and equity markets.” the world economy to a smart
growth businesses is one of the economy in cooperation with the
critical issues of the 21st century. World Business Angels Investment
But today we also face another Forum is highly valued.
important challenge: easing access So, at this year’s forum, we You are sure to find WBAF
to finance for Angel Investors for are focusing on how corporate World Congress 2018 a rewarding
their second or third or further businesses and wealth experience!
rounds of investment. management institutions can
Last year 320,000 business angels foster open innovation and deliver Yours sincerely,
invested ¤6.7 billion in Europe more business value by setting up
and $26 billion in the US. The total partnerships with angel investors,
investment worldwide is expected to startups, scale-ups and SMEs.
be $50 billion dollars in the coming As the global leaders of early-
years. If we want to increase the stage investment markets (stock BAYBARS ALTUNTAS
efficiency of these investments — exchange executives, experts, CHAIRMAN, WORLD BUSINESS ANGEL
along with market size — we have to policymakers, academics, bank INVESTMENT FORUM (WBAF)
leverage the investment capability executives, active members of early-
of these Angels. stage investment markets, baybars.altuntas@wbaforum.org
4 WBAF World Congress 2018

wbaforum.org 5
GUEST FEATURE

The Davos of the
Global Early-Stage
Investment Community
Revered ecosystem thought-leader and President of the European Trade
Association for Business Angels (EBAN), Candace Johnson, reflects on
WBAF’s successful journey since 2015, and looks toward a bright future
for this global Angel Investor community.
A
s we prepare to come to this EHQHÀWHGIURPRXU%XVLQHVV$QJHO with Corporate Ventures for More
year’s WBAF World Congress investing perspective, needs, and Innovation in 2016 and 2017. These
2018, I think back to all recommendations. WBAF has been have all lead to this year’s topic on
of the wonderful Forums a true forum in the best sense of the Connecting Angel Investors with
from the last three years. This year we word; with not only great speeches, Wealth Management Institutions. Each
will have a full two and a half days discussions, workshops, pitching, of these topics has inspired all of us
of excellent, insightful presentations, and mentoring, but also plenty of to look at our early-stage investment
and discussions on the most important time scheduled for networking, ecosystem in a new light, and to grow
topics and issues informing our early brainstorming, and taking in the and learn as a result.
stage investment ecosystem. fabulous heritage of Istanbul. Whereas most people would say that
$OUHDG\LQWKHÀUVW:%$) Baybars Altuntas, the Chairman of
ZDVDKHDGRIWKHFXUYHGHÀQHGE\ WBAF is a master promoter and genius
its very innovative proposition to marketeer, it is at the WBAF where his
provide a forum where Business Angels true passion and gift as an educator
could come together from all over the
“Each of these topics comes to the fore. The meticulous
world; discover what other Angels has inspired all of us to documentation, the training sessions,
were doing; exchange best practices; look at our early-stage the topics, the speeches, the speakers —
and learn from not only their peers in all have been done with a plan to bring
their own sector, but also from those investment ecosystem in about systematic growth in early-stage
LQJRYHUQPHQWFRUSRUDWLRQVÀQDQFLDO a new light, and to grow investing throughout the world.
and educational institutions, chambers Many organisations have tried to put
of commerce, etc. and learn as a result.” in place global infrastructures around
Be it the Deputy Prime Minister the promotion and dissemination
of Turkey, Deputy Prime Minister of of early-stage investing and Angels
Macedonia, the UK Minister of Trade, Investing. The only one that has truly
Ministers from Albania, Kosovo, Alongside the geographical focus from succeeded in making an impact, and
Zambia, Bahrain, leaders of some of WKHÀUVW\HDUVDQGWKHOXPLQDULHV bringing about a paradigm shift in
the largest corporations in the world - addressing the Forum, each year has the appreciation and importance of
not to mention the presidents of Stock KDGDVSHFLÀFWRSLF,QWKHLQDXJXUDO Business Angels - and the Smart Finance
Exchanges, Chambers of Commerce 2015 forum, the topic was Easing they bring across the world stage, is
and large investment funds; over the Access to Finance from Start-up the World Business Angels Investment
years, WBAF has hosted them all. to Scale-up to Early Exit. This was Forum. The European Trade Association
:HKDYHDOOEHQHÀWHGIURPWKHLU followed by Developing Public– for Business Angels and Early Stage
counsel, their predictions, and Private Partnerships to Empower Markets (EBAN) is very proud to be
their insights, just as they have Angel Investments and Partnering partners with this seminal event.
wbaforum.org 7
ANGEL INVESTORS CONFERENCE 2018
Unlocking the Potential for Innovation: Angel Investors Partnering with Family Offices and Wealth Man-
agement Institutions
19 February 2018, Monday
Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul

Fuji Hall
09:00 Grand Opening Ceremony
11:30 Panel 1
WBAF Agenda 2018: Expected outputs from Summit Chairs
For the first time ever, the World Business Angels Investment Forum, as the biggest annu-
al gathering of the world early stage equity and investment markets, will have 5 important
summits running concurrently: the WBAF Annual Conference 2018 for angel investors, the
Take Invest Summit 2018 for start-ups and scale-ups, the FinTech Summit 2018 for finance
executives, the Impact Investment Summit 2018 for impact investors, and the CEO-Preneur-
ship Summit 2018 for CEOs of global $100-million-dollar-plus companies. Each will address
the main challenges and opportunities of the world economy in 2018. This session is to give
an overview of what are we going to talk about in these summits, how we built the content,
how we designed WBAF 2018 and what the main criterion were for the selection of invit-
ed speakers. At the end of this session, you will have an idea about the expected outputs of
WBAF 2018.
Moderator
Baybars Altuntas, Chairman, World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF), Turkey
Renata Brkic, Founder, Feelsgood Social Impact Investment Fund, Croatia

Paul Doany, Chief Executive Officer, Turk Telekom, Turkey
Inderjit Singh, Co-President, World Entrepreneurship Forum (WENF), Singapore
Paolo Sironi, FinTech Thought Leader, IBM Watsons Financial Services, Germany
11:50 Panel 2
Global Action Plans of Global Leaders: Unlocking the potential for innovating and de-
veloping global partnerships for economic development and for achieving the sustainable
development goals of the United Nations
On 25 September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, along with a new set of development goals that are collectively
wbaforum.org 9
called the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Agenda is a culmination of many
years of negotiation and was endorsed by all 193 member-nations of the UN General Assem-
bly, both developed and developing – and applies to all countries. Then-UN Secretary Gener-
al Ban Ki-Moon noted that ‘’the new agenda is a promise by leaders to all people everywhere.
It is an agenda for people, to end poverty in all of its forms – an agenda for the planet, our
common home.’’ In this session, you will hear about the 2018 action plans of global leaders
of early and post-early stage equity markets in response to the United Nation’s Sustainable
Development Goals.
Moderator
Baybars Altuntas, Chairman, World Business Angels ınvestment Forum (WBAF), Turkey
Abdul Malek Al Jabaar, President, The Middle East Association for Business Angels (MBAN), UAE
Harry Tomi Davies, President, The African Trade Association for Business Angels (ABAN), Nigeria
Prof Arif Ergin, President, The Scientific & Technological Research Council (TUBITAK), Turkey
Arda Ermut, President, World Association of Investment and Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), Turkey
Matthew Gamser, Chief Executive Officer, SME Finance Forum - IFC, USA
Dawn Hetzel, World President, Junior Chamber International (JCI), USA
Josep Miquel Piqué Huerta, President, International Association of Science Parks (IASP)
Hashim S. Hussein, Head, The United Nations Industrial Development Organization - ITPO, UNIDO
Candace Johnson, President, The European Trade Association for Business Angels (EBAN), Belgium
12:30 Coffee Break & Networking
12:45 VIP Lunch – by invitation only
14:00 Panel 3
New Rules of Wealth Management: Including more angel-backed investments and private
equity in a diversified family office portfolio
Any family making use of wealth management services has a twofold responsibility: to un-
derstand where their money is going and to understand their relationship to it. Unfortu-
nately, until now, inclusion of early stage investments in the portfolios managed by family
offices and wealth management executives were very close to none. So it is now time to start
a dialogue between wealth management executives and players of early stage equity market
such as angel investors, accelerators, private equity and crowdfunding platforms. This panel
aims to develop a dialogue on including early stage investments in wealth management port-
folios. How can we develop a start-up portfolio to attract more family offices to invest? How
can we help families develop a good understanding of start-up and scale-up investments?
How can we mitigate the risks of early stage equities to attract more wealth management in
the ecosystem? This session will propose an innovative methodology to attract global wealth
management for early and post-early stage equity markets.

Moderator
Peter Jungen, Peter Jungen Holding GmbH, Germany, Emeritus President of the European
Business Angels Network (EBAN), Germany
Peter Cowley, Serial Entrepreneur and Angel Investor. UK Angel of the Year 2014/15, UK
Paul Doany, Chief Executive Officer, Turk Telekom
Zsolt Katona, Chief Executive Officer, MFB Invest, Hungary
14:40 Presentation
Financial Crime Prevention Revolution
Within Today’s World everyday we faced with a new kind of financial crime activity and
our weapons are very primitive. AI and machine learning technologies which utilised with
a good payment industry knowledge, will be the next gun and shield to manage our risks.
Ahmet Vefik Dincer, Chief Executive Officer, Fineksus, Turkey
14:45 Presentation
Investment Opportunities in South East Turkey
Karacadag Development Agency was established in 2009 and is responsible for Diyarbakir
and Sanliurfa provinces (TRC2 Region) which are the biggest cities of Southeastern Anatolia
Region. Diyarbakir and Sanliurfa are located in the historical “fertile crescent”, within the
ancient fertile lands between Tigris (Dicle) and Euphrates (Fırat), Mesopotamia. The human
history and agriculture were shaped in this region. The region are located in the 6th region
according to incentive system of The Ministry of Economy and benefiting from the most in-
centive elements such as customs duty exemption, VAT exemption, tax reduction, social se-
curity premium supports, land allocation and, interest support. This session will give a brief
presentation to the participants about both investment and angel investment opportunities
of TRC2 Region.
Dr Hasan Maral, Secretary General, Karacadag Development Agency, Turkey
14:55 Panel 4
Angel Investment as a New Investment Instrument for Islamic Finance
By the end of 2018, Islamic finance assets will reach $2.7 trillion, which is 2% of global finance
assets. Islamic banks, in addition to local and international players of capital markets, are set
to benefit from this growth sector. But when you examine Islamic investment assets and
portfolios, early stage investments are almost non-existent. Angel investment, on the other
hand, is booming globally and is expected to reach a $50 billion market size by 2020. What
is interesting is that angel investment is 100% compatible with Islamic investment principles
and, perhaps surprisingly, the Islamic finance ecosystem is not yet familiar with angel invest-
ment., How can we create an awareness of angel investment in Islamic finance ecosystem?
wbaforum.org 11
How can we develop co-investment funds between Islamic finance instruments and angel
investors? How can we change the mindset of investors in Islamic countries to move from
investing in real estate to investing in start-ups?
Moderator
Kaiser H. Naseem, Head, IFC Banking & Digital Finance Advsiory Services MENA and
Central Asia, UAE
Sheikh Ebrahim bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Former Minister of Housing, Chairman of Account-
ing and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions, Bahrain
Salah Jelassi, Regional Director, Islamic Development Bank Group Regional Office in Turkey
Meliksah Utku, Chief Executive Officer, Albaraka Turk, Turkey
16:00 WBAF Case Study

Investing in the right team? Or Invested by the right team?
Murat Kolbasi is the president of Arzum, a leader in the Small Domestic Electrical Applianc-
es Sector. Ahmet Faralyali is the co-founder of Mediterra Capital Partners, a Turkey focused
private equity fund manager. Murat made the decision in 2008 to bring in PE investors in a
company which was until then completely family controlled. Mediterra Capital Partners is
now a significant equity holder in Arzum. This decision has significant implications on the
business. Both parties will explain why and how the decision was made, what benefits they
each see from the partnership and what challenges they have faced.
Moderator
Ian Sosso, Founder & Managing Partner, Monte Carlo Capital, Monte Carlo
Ahmet Faralyali, Founding Partner, Mediterra Capital Partners, Turkey

Murat Kolbasi, President, Arzum, Turkey
16:15 Panel 5
Driving your exit strategy: Early exit or not? When is the best time to sell a company?
“Early exits” refers to a strong trend in the 21st century economy, driven by buyers who want
to acquire companies in the $10 to 30 million [value] range. With “internet acceleration,” en-
trepreneurs can often create values in that range just 2 or 3 years from startup. The combina-
tion of those values, and that timing, are of as an early exit. Interest rates are lower than they
have been in our lifetime, the private equity funds are back, and the corporate acquirers are
very receptive. What should be the structure of the typical early exit ? Once a business owner
makes the decision to sell, what are some of the mistakes them make in approaching a trans-
action? What are the telltale signs that a business (or entrepreneur) is ready for an early exit?

Moderator
Banu Taskin, Head of Private Banking, Turk Economy Bank (TEB), Turkey
Paulo Andrez, Emeritus President, EBAN, Portugal

Dusan Stojanovic, Founder & Director of True Global Ventures, Awarded Best Angel of Eu-
rope in 2013, Singapore
Brad Bulent Yasar, Co-Founder, Blockchain Investors Consortium (BIC), USA
16:45 Panel 6
The G20 Agenda on Angel Investment and Early Stage Investment Markets: Converting
public finance to smart finance in cooperation with angel investors
Promoting innovation and sustainable industrialisation requires easy access to finance and
financial services that facilitate investment. The IFC estimates there are more than 360 mil-
lion to 440 million formal and informal micro, medium, and small enterprises (MESMEs)
worldwide. According to the World Bank Enterprise Surveys, many of these firms cite lim-
ited access to finance as one of their main constraints to growth. However, for the first time
ever, proposals approved by G20 leaders last July in Hamburg included a reference to the
importance of angel investment as an innovative source of finance to fuel innovation and the
entrepreneurship ecosystem. This panel session will build on the G20 framework to try to
ease access to finance globally. How can G20 countries include more public money to early
stage investment markets? What would be the best pathway to connect know-how, mentor-
ship, and the network of angel investors with G20 economies to support financial freedom
for start-ups, scale-ups and high-growth businesses? How can we convert the G20’s public
finance to smart finance in co-operation with angel investors?
Moderator
Yassin S. Al Suroor, Chairman of Saudi International Chamber of Commerce, ICC Executive

Board Member & WCF G20 Representative, Saudi Arabia
Candace Johnson, President, The European Trade Association for Business Angels (EBAN),
Belgium Bellini Qin, Director of External Alliance, Bolstra Group, China
17:15 WBAF Sharks
It is not only startups that pitch to investors to raise funds to fuel their businesses; fund man-
agers pitch for exactly the same reasons. One of the partners of a fund will pitch to potential
LPs to convince them to put money into his $82 million impact investment fund. WBAF
sharks, all highly experienced investors, will put challenging questions to the fund managers
before making their decision. This hot session is a real learning session that will give insights
into the mindset of investors in the process of making an investment decision.
wbaforum.org 13
Moderator
Andrew Work, Head Content Strategist, Asia Pacific, NexChange, Hong Kong
Fund Raiser: Cem Baytok, Managing Partner, Idacapital, Turkey
Shark Paulo Andrez, Emeritus President, EBAN, Portugal

Shark Haydar Colakoglu, Board Member, Turk Economy Bank (TEB), Turkey
Shark Zsolt Katona, Chief Executive Officer, MFB Invest, Hungary
17:30 Awards Ceremony for WBAF Media Partners Supporting Entrepreneurship
18:00 Closing Remarks

TAKE INVEST SUMMIT 2018
Connecting Start-ups & Scale-ups with Angel Investors: Helping the Next Generation of Great Compa-
nies Move Forward
19 February 2018, Monday

Bern Hall
14:00 Opening Ceremony
Welcome Speech
Key Note Speech

SMEs need to become global players

SMEs need to become the next growth engine for the world. For that to happen, homegrown
SMEs need to become global players. The question is why we have been unable to produce
a sizeable pool of such SMEs in every country. While each country and their governments
need to develop a strong ecosystem to support their start-ups and SMEs to grow locally and
globally, Inderjit Singh notes that companies themselves have to be ready by transforming
themselves by adopting new business models, technology and innovation and be willing to
take on bigger but calculatable risks to grow globally. In his keynote speech, Singh will show
ways for SMEs to go global faster.
Key Note Speech

Callum Laing, Partner, Unity Group, Singapore
The Investors Paradox. Why financial innovation is key to entrepreneurial success.

The number of startups has mushroomed, yet the number of IPO’s has halved in the last 20
years. Paradoxically, it has never been easier to invest in good companies, yet never been
harder to exit. This has caused a disconnect between well intentioned finance and the en-
trepreneurs that create the value in the world. In this presentation Callum Laing outlines
2 innovations that are reconnecting finance with value and helping business to create more
impact.
Key Note Speech

Hedda Pahlson-Moller, Board Member, EBAN, Luxembourg
The Rise of Impact Investing: Business Angels securing the future of sustainable business
and finance
Sustainability and responsible investing are in the spotlight – and Business Angels have a
wbaforum.org 15
critical role to play in this emerging asset class! A strong movement of investors defining
non-financial returns (alongside of financial returns) in the domains of societal and environ-
mental impact have produced results validating the asset class. While social investing may be
more ‘patient capital’ than their traditional counter-parts, the performance of funds special-
ized in impact investing have captured the attention of the financial service and corporate
sectors. Impact Investing had been relegated as a niche - an ‘alternative’ product for a small
target market, which wealth managers and philanthropists alike viewed with skepticism. But
we have seen an unambiguous and steady increase in assets invested in the nebulous world
of ‘impact’ and showcasing impressive results. Buffered by growing public awareness/interest
in the social impact space, a new ecosystem is developing and spilling over into ‘mainstream’.
The pipeline of investment-ready projects will come from the Business Angels skilled in se-
lecting and supporting the most promising solutions of tomorrow. Business Angels – TIIME
(#ImpactImperative) to earn our wings!
14:30 Panel 7
The role of corporates in supporting angel-backed businesses to achieve global growth:
Working with corporates to boost start-ups’ potential and to accelerate globalisation of
companies
This panel discussion will describe a new roadmap that will leverage early stage investment
markets by positioning corporate ventures as a bridge between angel investors and VCs.
The panel will discuss the benefits of increased involvement of corporate ventures in early
stage investment markets, where start-ups, scale-ups, high-growth businesses and SMEs will
find early exit opportunities within their own market. Other challenging questions to be
discussed: Which are the better bridges to IPO: corporate ventures or VCs? What should
start-ups backed by angel investors expect from corporate ventures and vice versa? Are VCs
more open to angel investors backed by corporate ventures, or to corporate ventures backed
by angel investors? Where should start-ups position themselves on this road map?
Moderator
Nikhil Agarwal, Senior Advisor, Federation for Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry
(FICCI), India
Wayne Clarke, Founding Partner, Global Growth Institute, UK
Eythor Jonsson, Lecturer, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
15:00 Panel 8
Crowdfunding rules for global entrepreneurs: how to use crowdfunding to secure finance
and convince angel investors
Until very recently, anyone running a private company in the UK would have automatically
turned to private equity or venture capital when looking for their first slice of equity capital.
But recently published research suggests this conventional route to fund-raising no longer

offers the greatest prospects of success; online crowdfunding platforms are now more likely
to provide the financing such companies are looking for. Given that these two businesses
didn’t even exist six years ago (Crowd cube launched in 2011 while Seedrs came along in
2012), that is remarkable. Between them, the two platforms funded more than 250 compa-
nies last year, with 45,000 investments from users in these companies’ equity. That matura-
tion is set to continue, argue platform bosses, with institutional money now entering the eq-
uity crowdfunding marketplace for the first time, facilitating larger fund-raisings. “2017 will
be the year in which institutional capital begins to play a meaningful role in equity crowd-
funding,” says Jeff Lynn, the CEO of Seedrs. “We are now beginning to see the first exits from
investments made at the beginning of the equity crowdfunding era… where we are today is
roughly where peer-to-peer lending was when institutional investors first entered that space.”
This session will discuss how start-ups and scale-ups can benefit more from the increasing
efficiency of crowdfunding platforms and how start-ups can use crowdfunding platforms to
convince potential angel investors to invest in their businesses. It will also outline the rules
for securing more finance in a shorter period of time on crowdfunding platforms.
Moderator
Charles Sidman, Founding Member, Angel Capital Association (ACA), USA
Albert Colomer, President, BANC Business Angels Network, Spain

Ismail Haznedar, JAIN Angel Investing Network (JAIN Global)
Vitaly Polekhin, President, Russian Business Angels Association, Russia
16:00 Fireside Chat

The Altuntas Start-up Compass Theory: An entrepreneurial road map to success from
start-up to scale-up to exit
Many universities have developed their business curriculum and the teaching of entrepre-
neurship to align with the Start-up Compass Theory, which proposes nine steps an entre-
preneur has to consider: from wannapreneurship to innovation, on to entrepreneurship and
marketing and sales, and then to branding to institutionalisation and franchising, before fi-
nally progressing to leadership and angel investment. While the inclusion of this approach in
educational programmes and workshops attests to its success, it has only recently been eval-
uated and scientifically validated by a research team of the London City College of Sheffield
University. This session will be moderated by the head of the research team, Prof Panayiotis
H. Ketikidis.
with
Prof Panayotis H. Ketikidis, Chairman, South East Europre Research Center (SEERC), Greece
16:15 Panel 9
What is the importance of a good working entrepreneurial ecosystem for creating more
wbaforum.org 17
liquidity for start-ups, easing access to finance for scale-ups, easing access to skills for angel
investors and securing early exits for high-growth businesses?
With new trends developing in global capital markets such as corporate venturing, angel in-
vestment, crowdfunding, private equity, and sovereign wealth to empower economies, some
countries are struggling to take on of some of these investment methods – crowdfunding,
for example – despite proven positive economic impact and the need for such a financial
instrument. This panel will discuss how innovative policies can be developed and what the
role of public–private partnerships might be in this process. The panel will attempt to put
forth a concrete approach to changing the mindset of individuals who are in decision-mak-
ing positions, both in public and private institutions. Any policy that supports entrepreneurs
and SMEs directly, or that supports the supporters of entrepreneurs and SMEs, is useful,
including converting public money to smart money by involving more angel investors and
corporate ventures. A critical game-changer question will be addressed: How can we create
an entrepreneurial ecosystem by bringing all stakeholders around the same table to create
more liquidity, ease access to finance and accelerate early exits?
Moderator
Tuba Terekli, Managing Director, Leads Angels, Saudi Arabia
Alejtin Berisha, President, Kosovo Business Angels Network (KOSBAN), Kosovo

Hakan Erturk, General Manager, Directorate General of Financial Sector Relations and Ex-
change, Turkey
Miguel Martin, Founder, Immerxing Hub, Spain
17:00 WBAF Hot Topic

The valley of death funding gap: opportunities for super angels to fund the best startups
around the world
According to the latest 2016 EBAN figures, the average investment for a business angel in
Europe was EUR 22,500, and EUR 166,000 for an angel network. At the same time, venture
capital investment starts EUR around EUR3-5 Mio. It is extremely challenging for a business
to find anywhere between EUR500K and EUR 3 Mio: too big for angels, too small for VCs.
This is the valley of death in the funding cycle. Ian Sosso is a business angel, founder of
Monte Carlo Capital and winner of the best performing new EBAN member for 2016. Ian
explains his investment strategy, from deal sourcing, to due diligence, funding and working
with the businesses. Ian explains how, by focusing on businesses in the valley of death, by
being able to finance them in the subsequent financing rounds, and by bringing in an global
eco-system of support, whilst remaining a business angel, he manages to attract incredible
business from both sides of the Atlantic.
By Ian Sosso, Founder & Managing Partner, Monte Carlo Capital, Monte Carlo
17:30 Plenary Session

Please go to Fuji Hall
CEO-PRENEURSHIP SUMMIT 2018
in cooperation with Global CEO Alliance Club
20 February 2018, Tuesday

Fuji 1 Hall
Welcome Speech
Key Note Speech

Transitioning From CEO to Angel Investor

There is nothing new about angel investment, but at this point in time, it is emerging as a
crucial asset. Angel investment in early-stage equity markets is an essential component of
short- and long-term economic health, and more than financial assistance, startups need
CEO input and know-how that can help fill the gaps in entrepreneurs’ skill sets. Many CEOs
have extensive networks and over the years have accumulated vast experience in overcoming
challenges in business, but they tend to retire after careers that are marked by significant
achievements. They miss out on the chance to help fledgling businesses generate revenue
and add to their portfolios. Paul Doany, the legendary CEO of Turk Telekom, has invested in
numerous startups as an angel investor and now, in his keynote address, he will share with
CEOs some important takeaways from his own experience.
Key Note Speech

Peter Jungen, Peter Jungen Holding GmbH, Germany, Emeritus President of the European
Business Angels Network (EBAN), Germany
Corporate World and Angel Investment

CEOs are human power with a good collection of management skills and a wide network.
Entrepreneurs too are human power, but their strengths are in creative thinking and an in-
dependent working style. Through angel investment, the two different mindsets can come
together with a common goal: scaling a business and creating a global success story. Peter
Jungen will talk about the journey from corporate world to startup and angel investment
world which promises to be an exciting and thrilling ride, for those who are willing to get in
the driving seat.
wbaforum.org 19
Address of
Husnu Ozyegin, Founder & Chairman, Fiba Holding, Turkey
09:45 Panel 10
The CEO debate: How relevant is a CEO background in starting a business?
Starting a new business and managing a business require different skills. CEOs of multi-mil-
lion-dollar companies have excellent experience in managing businesses. But what is the
relevance of their management skills when it is time to invest in a start-up? How can they
benefit from their CEO background to make the right decisions when investing in start-ups?
How can they unlock the power of their networking to accelerate the start-up businesses they
invest in? In this session, CEOs will attempt to define the pros and cons of their professional
background for early stage investment markets.
Moderator
Nikhil Agarwal, Senior Advisor, Federation for Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry
(FICCI), India
Haydar Colakoglu, Board Member, TEB Holding, Turkey

Turgut Guney, Chief Executive Officer, Cardtek, Turkey
10:15 Panel 11
Challenges and opportunities of turning CEOs into angel investor
CEOs are human power with a good collection of management skills and a wide network.
Entrepreneurs too are human power, but their strengths are in creative thinking and an in-
dependent working style. The two different mindsets will come together with a common
goal: scaling a business and creating a global success story. Assuming that most start-ups
have no management background, what obstacles are waiting for CEOs? How can you create
a common language with a start-up? What should you expect from entrepreneurs once you
have invested in their business? What opportunities present themselves when you invest in
a start-up as a former CEO? This session will discuss the challenges and opportunities wait-
ing for CEOs-turned-investors. Given the importance of corporate venture capital (CVC)
for scaling up new businesses, what sort of opportunities are there for former CEOs to help
connect star-ups with CVC?
Moderator
Peter Cowley, The Best Angel Investor of UK in 2015 and 2016, UK

Hakan Akbas, Senior Advisor of Albright Stonebridge Group in Turkey and Founding Part-
ner of Global Dealings Group in US
Dogan Taskent, Board Member, Swiss Chamber of Commerce, Turkey

10:45 Fireside Chat
The growing influence of women over the world’s wealth as investors
This session will discuss how global capital markets can include more women in the invest-
ing ecosystem and what the benefits from the network of women investors are. This session
will discuss the growing influence of women (those who earn as well as those who inherit)
over the world’s wealth as investors as well as influencers in the financial, philanthropic and
corporate sectors.
Interviewer
Harry Tomi Davies, President, The African Business Angels Network (ABAN), Nigeria
Guest Speaker
Leyla Alaton, Board Member of Alarko Holding & President of Alvimedica, Turkey
11:30 Meetup 2018: Licensed Business Angels of Turkey

The Undersecretariat of the Treasury, the Directorate General of Financial Sector Relations
and Exchange, Republic of Turkey
Language of the session: Turkish
The Undersecretariat of the Treasury introduced a new system to encourage angel invest-
ments in Turkey. The law regarding the promotion of angel investments was enacted in Tur-
key in 2012, and the system was launched in 2013 with the secondary legislation. It intro-
duced a new instrument for SMEs at their early development stage that are having funding
difficulties that aims to increase professionalism and improve the business culture and ethics
among angel investors, to make angel capital an institutionalized and trustworthy source of
finance, and to make angel investment attractive through state support.
This meetup will bring together licensed angel investors of Turkey to pursue this agenda:
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wbaforum.org 21
Chaired by
Hakan Erturk, General Manager, Directorate General of Financial Sector Relations and
Exchange, Turkey
Dr Sahin Gok, Vice President, The Scientific & Technological Research Council (TUBITAK), Turkey
Yavuz Kaynar, Fund Manager, European Investment Fund (EIF), Turkey

Key Note Speaker: Mehmet Simsek, Deputy Prime Minister, Republic of Turkey
14:00 Panel 12
The importance of global networking for early exits
The biggest expectation of start-ups from their angel investors is to accelerate the exit process.
But exits are the least understood aspect of investing and entrepreneurship. Very little has
been written about exits; the emphasis is usually on starting, financing and growing technol-
ogy companies. Most of the debates on exit strategies are directed towards business owners
who want to retire. More recently, there have been a number of discussions and training ses-
sions on exit transactions for venture capitalists. This is not surprising, considering that most
venture capital (VC) agreements give the VCs full control to decide when and how all share-
holders will benefit from an exit transaction. Exit opportunities have changed dramatically in
the past few years, however. Today, it’s more likely that a company will be sold without ever
having an investment from a venture capitalist. Exits are also happening much earlier than
before. Most exit transactions today are in the under $30-million valuation range. These exits
are often completed only two or three years after start-up. The goal of this session is to discuss
the importance of global networking for achieving more successful, more frequent and more
profitable exits. How can CEOs develop a global network that will accelerate the exits of the
businesses they invest in? If a CEO has no global network, is it a better strategy to invest as
an angel group member, instead of investing individually?
Moderator
Naim Kocer, Board Member, Azimut Portfoy, Turkey

Murat Kolbasi, President, Arzum, Turkey
Barış Oney, Managing Partner Globalturk Capital & Country Representative of EMPEA, Turkey
14:30 Panel 13
Which is better for CEOs? Investing in start-ups or investing in scale-ups? Putting less with
more risk or putting more with less risk?
OECD statistics reveal that only 1.2% of start-ups are able to reach angel finance, and one in
every ten scale-ups who has reached angel finance is able to create a success story. So, what
could be take-home message from CEOs who are planning to make angel investment? Is it
a better idea to focus only on start-ups with an opportunity of putting in less money with a
lower success rate or is it a better idea to focus on scale-ups by putting a little bit more money
with a higher potential success rate? Putting less with more risk or putting more with less
risk? This session will also discuss how CEOs can mitigate risk in their first angel investments.
Moderator
Amal Daragmeh Masri, Editor-in-Chief, Middle East Business Review, Palestine
Arton Celina, Chief Executive Officer, BPB Bank, Kosovo

Balazs Hendrich, Consul General of Hungary in Istanbul
Bostjan Skalar, Chief Executive Officer, World Trade Association of Investment Promotion
Agencies (WAIPA), Slovenia
15:00 Panel 14
Why are CEOs important for early stage equity markets?
Most angels see themselves as ‘value-added investors’, meaning that they derive as much per-
sonal satisfaction from helping a new business owner as they do from contributing capital to
the venture. Many were previously successful business owners. Angels bring with them ‘val-
ue added’ benefits including prior industry experience, valuable knowledge about business
itself, an ability to mentor, creative ideas, and contacts. Angels who are valued beyond their
financial contribution are more likely to assist start-ups in ways never imagined.
Moderator
Fadi Saab, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Trans Capital Finance (TFC), Lebanon
Kenan Colpan, Chief Executive Officer, ITU Ari Teknokent, Turkey

Humphry Hatton, Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte, Turkey
Mehmet Nane, Chief Executive Officer, Pegasus Airlines, Turkey
16:00 Fireside Chat

How to bring the CEO of a start-up and the CEO of a multi-million-dollar corporation to
the same page
Founding and growing an industry-transforming company is probably one of the hardest jobs
anyone could ever do. There are no fixed rules in start-ups. Their mentors always seem to give
them conflicting advice, and the books and blogs are so full of useful tidbits that it is hard to
know what to prioritise. Sometimes start-ups find themselves staring into space wondering if
they are working on the right things. On the other hand, CEOs of multi-million-dollar corpo-
rates do have fixed rules, and they know what they have to do. What, therefore, are the pros
and cons of these two different types of CEO joining forces? How can we facilitate a learning
process between these two different types of CEO? This session will be a good platform to hear
wbaforum.org 23
more about important lessons learned by CEOs who have invested in start-ups.
Interviewer
Guest Speaker
16:30 Panel 15
Virgin investors: What should CEOs expect in their first angel investment?
An experienced angel investor who was a CEO of a multi-million dollar corporate reported:
‘It turns out to be easier than I expected, and also more interesting. The part I thought was
hard, the mechanics of investing, really isn’t. You give a start-up money and they give you
stock. You’ll probably get either preferred stock, which means stock with extra rights like
getting your money back first in a sale, or convertible debt, which means (on paper) you’re
lending the company money, and the debt converts to stock at the next sufficiently big fund-
ing round. There are sometimes minor tactical advantages to using one or the other. The
paperwork for convertible debt is simpler. But really it doesn’t matter much which you use.
Don’t spend much time worrying about the details of deal terms, especially when you first
start angel investing. That’s not how you win at this game. When you hear people talking
about a successful angel investor, they’re not saying “He got a 4x liquidation preference.”
They’re saying “He invested in Google.” That’s how you win: by investing in the right start-
ups. That is so much more important than anything else that I worry I’m misleading you by
even talking about other things.’ In this panel discussion, you will hear the reaction to this
position from a number CEOs .
Moderator
Ari Korhonen, Business Angel of the Year 2014, Finland

Pinar Massena, Chief Executive Officer, Workinton, Turkey
Sinan Oncel, Chief Executive Officer, Twigy, Turkey
17:00 Panel 16
Insights from former CEOs: Navigating opportunities in your new life after you retire
In their retirement, corporate CEOs have more time to mentor start-ups, scale-ups, high-
growth businesses and SMEs. They come with a good financial package and a vast network
that they have built over the years. The only thing they may lack is know-how: they need
to learn about the principles of investing in start-ups and about founding a company from
scratch. By the same token, SME entrepreneurs and founders of start-ups need support in
the form of mentorship, know-know, networking, and finance to grow their businesses. In
this session, you will hear more about the experiences of former CEOs who have invested in
start-ups. How can CEOs prepare themselves to be qualified angel investors in their retire-
ment? How can they go on empowering world economies by investing in start-up business-
es? How can they learn to be a qualified angel investor by taking minimum risk?
Moderator
Candace Johnson, President, The European Trade Association for Business Angels (EBAN),
Belgium
Abdul Malek Al Jabaar, President, The Middle East Trade Association for Business Angels
(MBAN), UAE
Tijen Mergen, Founder, Power of Happiness, Turkey
Ersin Pamuksuzer, Founder, TheLifeCo and StartersHub, Turkey
Moderator

wbaforum.org 25
FINTECH SUMMIT 2018
Democratising access to finance: Financial inclusion through fintech

Fuji 1 Hall
Welcome Speech
Baybars Altuntas, Chairman, World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF), Tur-
key
Key Note Speech

Meet the Author of “FinTech Innovation” discussing banks business models in the digital era
FinTech innovation is the opportunity to master a global shift in financial services, as their
business models are due to transform from transactional revenues to the offering of real
services. The capability to create client-centric digital platforms will divide winner from lag-
gards in the digital era, all based on artificial intelligence to augment clients’ capability to
make financial decisions and add value to the role of intermediaries. Digital payments are the
gateway to the banking relationships, and the biggest contributor to big data for the creation
of banking services centred on personal journeys and experiences.
Key Note Speech

Juwan Lee, Founder and CEO, NexChange, Hong Kong
Global Fintech: Ecosystem and Trends

Fintech has emerged as a special category of human innovation requiring a full ecosystem
of co-development across technological, legal, regulatory and even psychological and con-
ceptual realms. Mr Lee will examine the complex interactions of the global ecosystem, major
trends influencing its development and how fintech is changing lives, business and the global
financial order.
Key Note Speech

Fintech on the Chain: Future of Global Financial Inclusion

Blockchain projects that are aiming to change the face of traditional banking and finance
system are already gearing up for significant impact. With the current limitations of the con-
ventional centralized banking and finance systems, over $2B people globally are unable to
access banking and credit facilities that most in the western world take for granted. Block-
wbaforum.org 27
chain technology and cryptocurrencies have the potential to eliminate these inequalities
with the technological solutions that they propose. Whether it be digital identity solutions
using blockchain in parts of the world where local governments are unable or unwilling to
issue unique identity documents to their constituents or microloans and affordable and safe
cryptocurrency based money transfers, decentralization of these services allow us to have
technological solutions to problems that have plagued these communities that are left be-
hind by the traditional socio-economic systems.
Key Note Speech

Filipe Araujo, Vice President, Porto City Hall, Portugal
Smart Cities: Improving cities for startups through technology

Banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), and governments’ smart cities initiatives
are providing a lot of traction in terms of revenue and potential. Fintech companies and
‘newcomers’ are pushing traditional BFSI customers to take new initiatives alongside run-
ning their businesses the traditional way, forcing them to redefine the way they do business.
This keynote speech by the Mayor of Porto, one of the smartest cities of Europe, will give
important insights on improving cities for entrepreneurs through technology.
10:15 Panel 17
A cashless world: Driving cashless societies through financial technologies
The trajectory of individual countries towards cashless will be shaped by consumers’ willing-
ness to ditch cash and the readiness of businesses to accept and promote cashless transactions.
Governments and regulators will be the key enablers in the development of infrastucture and
policies for business and consumers and the facilitators of the transition to a cashless future.
New technologies bring new digital alternatives to cash, such as mobile wallets and internet
banking, in addition to credit and debit cards. A recent mobile banking survey shows that
34% of individuals in Europe would readily go cashless if given a choice. This panel will at-
tempt to define digital alternatives for a cashless economy. How can governments and regula-
tors come together to create a favourable environment for the fintech ecosystem to accelerate
the adoption of mobile banking and digital payments? In this session you will hear insights
from different countries about attempts to transition to a cashless society. As cashless takes
hold, banks and insurance companies and their network of partners (fintechs, payment com-
panies, and third-parties across other industries) will have to remake the model of financial
services. What are the necessary first steps toward this transformation?
Moderator
Intro by Soner Canko, Chief Executive Officer, Interbanks Credit Cards Center - BKM, Turkey
Pelin Guven, Vice President, Interbanks Credit Cards Center - BKM, Turkey
Central Asia, UAE
Dakshesh Patel, Chairman & CEO, Zympay, UK
11:30 Key Note Speech

Neglect the nerds at your peril! Why SMEs are the future of fintech, and why angel inves-
tors must pay attention to fintech?
SMEs and SME financing have not been center stage in most discussions of fintech. Yet
this may be the market segment that can benefit most from the innovations fintech bring to
financing. So it should not be surprising that, of late, we’re seeing a slow, but steadily rising
profile of SMEs and key SME finance topics in fintech discussions. Fintech offers the po-
tential for massive improvement in both quality and efficiency in financing SMEs, including
financing by angel investors. It makes more timely and more appropriate financing available,
and more affordable. The keynote will explore why fintech is focusing more on SME, and
what vast potential this is revealing.
11:45 Panel 18
Encouraging innovations outside mainstream banking: How should one respond to fin-
tech innovation?
The most important problem for banks is that, as they struggle with digitalisation barriers in
banking, they are being simultaneously squeezed by having to keep pace with changes in cus-
tomer behaviour. Some companies create subsidiary fintech businesses in order to encourage
innovations outside mainstream banking, while others aggressively turn their business mod-
els inside out. This panel will discuss why financial institutions will need to change all of their
business models in the near future. What will be the implications of the transformation from
a ‘financial products distribution channel’ to a ‘financial consulting distribution channel’ for
the financial services industry? What is the exact place of technology companies in the new
world of banking? In this session, panellists will attempt to identify potential financial indus-
try responses to fintech innovation.
Moderator
Hayri Telekoglu, Marketing & Central Sales Director, TEB Private Banking, Turkey
Abdul Malek Al Jabaar, President, The Middle East Trade Association for Business Angels
(MBAN), UAE
Gurhan Cam, Deputy CDO & President of Innovation Committee, Denizbank, Turkey

Key Note Speaker : Mehmet Simsek, Deputy Prime Minister, Turkey
wbaforum.org 29
14:00 Key Note Speech
Dusan Stojanovic, Founder & Director of True Global Ventures, Awarded Best Angel of
Europe in 2013, Singapore
ICOs in Financial Services and the rise of Security Tokens
14:15 Panel 19
Access to finance in the fintech’s entrepreneurial roadmap: What is the smartest capital
for fintechs from start-up to scale-up to exit?
This session will attempt to explore the best type of finance for fintechs from start-up to
scale-up to exit. How can crowdfunding platforms, accelerators and personal finance carry
a fintech business to angel investors at the seed stage? What sort of angel investor is good
for fintech businesses? How can angel investors connect fintech scale-ups with corporate
ventures? What are the expectations do CVCs expect from fintech businesses? What would
be the best mix of finance for fintech start-ups? What is the best exit strategy for fintechs,
and which source of finance would serve best to execute an exit strategy? Panel discussants
will define different roles and different financial supports for fintech at different stages of the
entrepreneurial journey.
Moderator
Ari Korhonen, Business Angel of the Year 2014, Finland
Tal Garih, Strategic Planning Manager, Alarko Group of Companies, Turkey

Eythor Jonsson, Lecturer, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Barbaros Ozbugutu, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Iyzico, Turkey
14:45 Panel 20
Blockchain in the next generation of banking
Blockchain is arguably the most disruptive technological innovation in decades. It is built

on the concept of a distributed consensus ledger, which leverages a network of computers
that jointly create, evolve, and keep track of one immutable history of transactions. That is, it
provides a distributed and decentralized digital infrastructure that empowers transactions or
exchange of value — including financial assets and auto-executable contracts — in a secure
and trusted environment. Banks, fintech startups and other parties are already experiment-
ing with blockchain technology across a number of cases such as KYC, AML, remittances,
payments, trade finance, clearing and settlements. In this session, panellists will be sharing
their views of blockchain, market trends, industry experiments, and platforms and future
roadmaps with live PoC.

Moderator
Serkan Fergan, Business Development Director, TEB Retail and Private Banking Group,
Turkey
Dusan Stojanovic, Founder & Director of True Global Ventures, Awarded Best Angel of Eu-
rope in 2013, Singapore
Viktor Romaniuk Wanli, Founder at Kinguin.io Pre-ICO 15.2., Poland
16:00 Fireside Chat

Why “now” is an inflection point for Artificial Intelligence?
By 2020, 50B devices and 200B sensors will join the internet and will generate data that will
be transferred at an unimaginable speed around us. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will enable us
to extract insights from this huge amounts of data and the innovation that will take place by
using these insights will transform the world in dramatic ways in the coming decades. In this
session, Ferruh Gurtas will define what AI is, talk about why “now” is an inflection point for
AI although this topic has been around at least since 1950s, and finally describe how AI will
transform different industries and what the role of Intel technologies will be in all of this?
Interviewer
Uygar Doyuran, General Manager of GE Digital, Turkey
Guest Speaker
Ferruh Gurtas, The Innovation Programs and Partnerships Director for Europe, Middle
East, and Africa (EMEA), Intel Corporation
16:15 Panel 21
The role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in digital transformation
Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and related data-driven technologies have
moved to the forefront of the business technology agenda. Together, they promise real-time
analysis, immediate adaptability, and scalable automation. But the actual implementation of
AI varies dramatically from function to function — and there are unique challenges to each
application. In this session, panellists will examine how AI systems are transforming busi-
ness operations, rewriting business strategy, and creating new engines for rapid, disruptive
growth. The panel will look at best practices in AI for both business and technology profes-
sionals in such areas as core AI systems, business intelligence and analytics, commerce, and
payments.
wbaforum.org 31
Moderator
Harry Tomi Davies, President, The African Trade Association for Business Angels
(ABAN), Nigeria
Simge Alpargun, Territory Services Leader, IBM, Turkey

Uygar Doyuran, General Manager of GE Digital, Turkey
Cavit Yantac, Software Engineering Manager and Chief Evangelist, Microsoft MiddleEast &
Africa, Turkey
17:00 Fireside Chat

Data analytics for better decision making
It is estimated that about 90% of all the data in the world today has been created in the past
few years. IBM estimates that more than 2.5 exabytes - that’s 2.5 billion gigabytes (GB) - of
data is generated every day. However, it is also estimated that about 75% of the data is un-
structured, which means that it is of no real use to the one generating it. Increasingly, com-
panies have begun to realize that in order to stay competitive through better decision making
and enhancing value of its propositions, they need to better use the available data through
a combination of analytics, business intelligence and product development through their
entire value chain. So how can companies manage data and develop a data driven strategy to
enhance their business effectiveness. These and others issues will be the topic of discussion
with Kaiser Naseem at the Fireside Chat.
Interviewer
Modwenna Rees-Mogg, Editor-in-Chief, Angel News, UK
Guest Speaker
Central Asia, UAE
Moderator
Baybars Altuntas, Chairman, World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF), Tur-
key


IMPACT INVESTMENT SUMMIT 2018
Mobilizing private and public capital in innovative ways for the social good

Geneve Hall
Welcome Speech
Welcome Speech
Baybars Altuntas, Chairman, World Business Angels ınvestment Forum (WBAF), Turkey
Key Note Speech

Sanem Oktar, President, The Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (KAGIDER), Turkey
Key Note Speech

Candace Johnson, President, The European Trade Association for Business Angels
(EBAN), Belgium
Address of
Dr Hashim S. Hussein, Head, The United Nations Industrial Development Organization
- ITPO, UNIDO
Address of
H.E. Lutfiye Ilksen Ceritoglu Kurt, Member of Parliament, The Grand National Assem-
bly of Turkey
11:00 Panel 22
Global perspectives of impact investing and triple bottom line
There is an increasing realisation that, along with philanthropy and government aid, private
enterprise can contribute to solving social and environmental problems. At the same time,
growing numbers of investors are expressing a desire to “do good while doing well.” These are
impact investors, who seek opportunities for financial investments that produce significant
social or environmental benefits. However, the rapid growth in the field of impact investing
has raised issues such as how to assess impact as well as concerns about potentially unrealis-
tic expectations that social impact and market-rate returns can be simultaneously achieved.
wbaforum.org 33
This panel session will attempt to define the main challenges of impact investors in early
stage investment markets and opportunities to address the challenges.
Moderator
Robert Rubinstein, Chairman & Founding Partner, TBLI Group, The Netherlands
Nilufer Aktas, Director, Angel Investment Platform, Turk Economy Bank (TEB), Turkey
Yvette Go, Head of Social & Environmental Impact, EIF, Luxembourg
Zeynep Meydanoglu, Country Director, Ashoka, Turkey
11:30 Panel 23
Regional focus: Financing innovation through impact investment in South East Europe
The promise of impact investing investments made with the intention of generating measur-
able social or environmental outcomes alongside a financial return is appealing to govern-
ments and advocates around the world as they wrestle with complex challenges like econom-
ic inequality, climate change, natural resource loss and degradation, hunger, homelessness,
and failing schools. For example, in the United States, the ability to attract and apply private
capital to address these issues has led to, among other things, an increased focus on the role
that public policy can play in incentivizing and shaping the ecosystem for impact investing.
What about South East Europe? How do policymakers respond to increasing demands for
impact investment? What are the opportunities and challenges in the impact investment eco-
system of South East Europe? In this session, important players of South East Europe’s capital
markets will share insights from the region.
Moderator
Prof Panayotis H. Ketikidis, Chairman, South East Europe Research Center (SEERC),
Greece
H.E. Besim Beqaj, Minister of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Republic of Kosovo

Michael Gold, Chief Executive Officer, Crimson Capital, Czech Republic
Ozgul Ozkan Yavuz, Secretary General, Istanbul Development Agency, Turkey
12:30 Panel 24
Blockchain for Social Impact: The increasing role of technology in impact investing and
social entrepreneurship
Today more than ever, we want to take a stand against the injustices we see around the world.
Just as our consumption choices send signals to corporations about what is important to us in
the things we buy, so do the choices we make concerning our finances. Luckily, an increase in
demand fuelled by technological advances has led to more options than ever before. Many of us
feel that we cannot be impact investors without having millions of dollars to invest, but most of
us can activate the money we have to support the issues we care about. This session will start a
dialogue on the intersection of technology and impact investing. Panellists will discuss the ben-
efits of using technology and the importance of being connected to the on-the-ground impact.
How does technology help make access to financial options available to more people? Are there
downsides of removing the human connection to the businesses you invest in? Panellists will
discuss what is currently available and what they see as the future trends in this space.
Moderator
Nena Dokuzov, Chief Executive Officer, Nordung Blockchain Hub, Slovenia
Srdja Ivekovic, PE/VC Investment Advisor, Croatia

Vlado Milošević, Outreach and Advisory, Cofound.it, Slovenia
Stephan Peters, Managing Director, Sanzaru Initiatives, Luxembourg

Key Note Speaker: Mehmet Simsek, Deputy Prime Minister, Turkey
14:00 Presentation
EIF Social Impact Tool Kit
EIF-managed financial product for social impact investing will be presented, in particular (i)
the Social Impact Accelerator (SIA) and (ii) EFSI social impact instruments:
(i) SIA is a vintage 2013 social impact fund-of-funds of EUR 243m with 11 investments in
portfolio to date.
(ii) EFSI social impact instruments are part of the European Union growth plan to foster
social innovation in the EU by financially supporting social SMEs through accelerators and
incubators, social impact bond schemes and co-investments with business angels
By Cyril Gouiffes, Investment Manager, European Investment Fund (EIF), France
14:20 Panel 25
How to start a social impact venture fund
Challenges of starting a Social Impact venture fund are manifold as impact venture funds are be-
coming increasingly instrumental in promoting social inclusion, providing alternative sources of
employment for marginalized social groups, and contributing to growth. In addition to financial
return targets, they are also supposed to pursue explicit social impact investment targets at the
level of their portfolio companies; measure and report on social impact performance achieved
at social enterprise level, in addition to financial return performance; and follow strong environ-
mental, social and governance standards in their own activities.
Moderator
Cyril Gouiffes, Investment Manager, European Investment Fund (EIF), France
Mathieu Cornieti, President, IMPACT Partenaires, France

Elemer Estzer, Chairman, Portus Buda Group, Hungary
Dinko Novoselec, Chief Executive Officer, Feelsgood Capital, Croatia
wbaforum.org 35
15:00 Fireside Chat
Social Impact Highlights of the 4th Global Entrepreneurship Report
Entepreneurial succes is primarily determined by profitability however social impact is now

core to how entepreneurs assess business performance. Over 2,700 leading entrepreneurs
from around the world responded for the fourth edition of the Global Entrepreneur Report
prepared by Scorpio in partnership with BNP Paribas Wealth Management. The main takea-
way is that investments with a positive impact on society now dominate the agenda.
Interviewer
Nilufer Aktas, Director, Angel Investment Platform, Turk Economy Bank (TEB), Turkey
Guest Speaker
Tasha Vashisht, Senior Manager, Scorpio Partnership, UK
15:15 Fireside Chat

Women leading the way in impact investing
More high net worth women have engaged in impact investing, inspired others, influenced
advisors, and served as champions of change to accelerate the development of an inclusive
and vibrant impact investing ecosystem. As a result, there is in an expansion of sustainable
capital to address the most pressing social and environmental issues worldwide. This session
will discuss how global capital markets can include more women in the impact investing
ecosystem and what the benefits from the network of women investors are.
Interviewer
Guest Speaker
Danela Arsovska, President, Macedonian Chambers of Commerce, Macedonia
15:25 Presentation
Immersing into IMPACT: Investment opportunities for VR/AR
Industry analysts believe that virtual reality has the potential be more immersive than any
technology before it. This technology’s unique ability to connect us and create empathy by
opening our eyes to someone else’s perspective is unmatched. Education through immersive
experiences creates awareness, and can lead the world to act together on global issues we are
all facing today. To find the best and most immersive experiences, VR First organizes com-
petitions in which developers all around the world present and contribute with their ideas of
a common future. Seeding these projects will allow us to advance technology and make us
more responsible than has ever been possible.
By Ferhan Ozkan, Co-Founder, VR First, Germany

16:00 Panel 26
Women on the Silk Road of Impact
The panel will address the challenges, threats and opportunities facing women as impact
entrepreneurs and investors in their endeavors to be more active in the industrial arena,
including: access to financial resources and new technologies, building support networks,
improving technical and managerial skills and addressing social and cultural barriers. The
role of impact investing in revitalizing the economic ties of the countries of East and West of
the traditional Maritime-Continental Silk Road by developing partnerships between entre-
preneurs and disseminating best practices will be emphasized.
Moderator
Douja Ben Mahmoud Gharbi, President, Center of Entrepreneurship & Sustainable De-
velopment (CEDE), Tunisia
Dr. Shehla Javed Akram, President, Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Pakistan
Sabah K. Almoayyed, Managing Partner, Intellect Resources Management W.L.L., Bahrain
Maria Hala, Chair, Hala Partners, Greece
16:45 Panel 27
Industry scope: How can impact investors take more active role in achieving good health
and well-being as defined in the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations
Financial inclusion improves health by giving people the ability to manage their medical ex-
penses and rebound from a health crisis. Research suggests that out-of-pocket payments for
health care in developing countries are a major reason that some people remain in poverty. In
the absence of an efficient public healthcare system, the burden of medical costs rests on poor
people themselves. Financial services such as medical insurance can provide a formal channel
for mitigating the risks of health emergencies. Women in particular have a high demand for
health insurance products to address the common health concerns associated with pregnancy
and childbirth, including greater susceptibility to infection. This session will attempt to explore
how impact investors and social entrepreneurs can take a more active role in the health indus-
try. It will also discuss how impact investors can contribute to more financial inclusion, which
will create social good for the health of a country’s population, along with options for public
and private institutions to make an impact.
Moderator
Zakir Hussain, Founder & Chairman, Usense Innovative Solutions, India

Deniz Misir, Family Officer, V22 International Advisory J.S.Co., Turkey
Sara Watson, Global Director, Ready Nation International, USA
wbaforum.org 37
Please go to Fuji I Hall
Moderator

WBAF INVESTMENT ACADEMY

WBAF INVESTMENT ACADEMY
Contributing to the development of skills and expertise and to foster the kind of creative thinking that leads
to innovation

Bern Hall
09:00 JCI Workshop
Benefiting from the Global Youth Empowerment Fund

Young people are not the future, they are the present. Young people today are connected, motivated and
inspired to identify challenges in their communities and take action to build a better future. The Global
Youth Empowerment Fund invests in young people by offering grants, training and mentorship to youth-
led community initiatives that advance the Global Goals for Sustainable Development. Hear the stories
of impact from these inspiring projects, learn about the framework of the Global Goals and learn how
you can get involved in investing in young people.
WBAF Faculty Members to lead the session

Dawn Hetzel, World President 2017, Junior Chamber International (JCI), USA
John Stamm, Director of Global Philanthropy, JCI, USA
10:00 WBAF Workshop
From Idea to ICO in 6 months

What exactly is an ICO? And why is it significant? Initial Coin Offering, commonly known as an ICO, is
gradually becoming an accessible means for startups and existing businesses to raise funds. ICO might be
the new IPO. But is it, really? Or is it even better? This session will aim to explain the complex process of
setting up an ICO while describing the creation of a business plan, tokens, cryptocurrency, preparation
of an adequate ICO campaign and methods of raising funds to launch ICO successfully.
WBAF Faculty Member to lead the session

Viktor Romaniuk Wanli, Founder at Kinguin.io Pre-ICO 15.2., Poland
11:00 WBAF Short Course
How to become a business angel

This course introduces the angel investment system to those considering investing in start-ups, SMEs
or high-growth companies, using their own money and contributing their own know-how. The basic
principles of angel investment are discussed, along with practical advice for investing as a qualified an-
wbaforum.org 39
gel investor. This is an ideal course for professionals from listed companies who can invest a minimum
of 5,000 EUR per year, CEOs of companies who can invest a minimum of 5,000 EUR per year, anyone
with an entrepreneurial background who can invest a minimum of 5,000 EUR per year. For anyone new
to angel investing, this is an invaluable training session covering the basics of investing, aiming to help
investors avoid the pitfalls new business angels often encounter.

Harry Tomi Davies, President, African Business Angels Network (ABAN), Nigeria
Key Note Speaker: Mehmet Simsek, Deputy Prime Minister, Turkey
14:00 WBAF Master Class
Invest in the FinTech r-evolution

Financial Services are facing a perfect storm: margins squeeze due to zero to negative interest rates in
Europe, Japan and US, reputational damage in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, increasing
capital charges, skyrocketing compliance costs, generational shifts towards mobile oriented Millennials,
progressive disintermediation by technology enabled startups (AI, blockchain, digital, mobile payments,
robo-investing). FinTech companies have grabbed the opportunity globally to create transformational
compelling propositions that can ultimately replace or revolutionize the operating models of incum-
bent institutions. Yet, innovation is not an easy journey and requires venture funding, transferable com-
petences, entrepreneurial talent, educational humus and legal easiness. Proactive financial centers and
forward looking regulators in New York, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore (to name a few)
have started to flex their muscles in the attempt to gain a competitive international advantage by helping
FinTech innovation to find its ways and promoting sound transformation of banking, asset management
and insurance industries. FinServ marketplace has never been so competitive creating threats for incum-
bents and opportunities for innovators. This masterclass will help identify key trends globally, strengths
and weaknesses of new technology shaping the FinTech r-evolution.

16:00 WBAF Master Class
Agglomerate: from idea to IPO in 12 months

If you are the owner of a small or medium business and you are successful, you have probably found
yourself with the problem: how do you get to the next rung on the entrepreneurial business ladder – how
do you go from a business runner to a business owner? How do you make more wealth, find more time
and grow your business? Should you IPO, the entrepreneur’s dream, or should you merge and acquire
other businesses? Should you carry on growing organically? Look for funding? How do you take the next
step and get yourself that yacht?
Agglomeration shows how normal business owners, across all business sectors, can come together to
use the capital markets for what they were originally intended: funding the growth of great businesses
that are creating real value in the world for their clients and the wider community. In this masterclass,
using the case study of the Marketing Group PLC, Callum Laing shows how small businesses are using a
collaborative approach to level the playing field with big companies and getting ahead while maintaining
their independence.


Please go to Fuji I Hall
Moderator

wbaforum.org 41
Abdul Malek Al Jabaar
President, The Middle East Trade Association for Business Angels (MBAN), UAE
Angel and Early stage invest- Recently we have seen an im- I to any invitation I receive to
ments Insights from the Middle pressive ecosystem in Dubai be- talk about innovation and start
EastI was visiting KAUST ( king ing evolved.The Future Accelera- ups as well as the importance
Abdulalla university of science tor in Dubai stands as one of the of building the ecosystem to
andtechnology) and touring the most promising initiative. From enable the arab world to face the
innovation center. I have been its name, this accelerator opens challenges that are we are living
participating in an impressive its door to any entrepreneur of ahead of us. Now, I have to
start up computing at KAUST who wants to put his innovation apologies from speaking oppor-
a year ago, and the evolution, into action to shape the future tunities and events focused on
progress and entrepreneurship of Dubai. Smart Dubai Office start ups and entrepreneurship
breeze that I saw in my most is looking for innovative smart in the region, since there are so
recent visit was amazing. Things solutions to make the life of du- many events happening month-
are differently changing and on bai residence happier, smoother ly.Today we have tens of locally
the right track. I’m seeing real and to guarantee the best expe- driven events as well as global
innovation and the full eco- rience in the world.Few years events that moved to the region.
system in place; mentor shop, ago when I started with Mena The region is still virgin both in
bootcamps, acceleration, pre Apps, the road looked very long terms of market potential with
seed funding as well as seed and at certain moments I felt it 350+ million market that most
and follow up funding. Really will take a long time before we of them are young as well as a
amazing. Start ups receiving see real initiatives. We started talented, motivated and eager to
attention of big companies like small initiatives in Jordan and succeed young entrepreneurs.
Aramco, Sabic and others as well Palestine. I participated in start Seed Stars World, Get in the
as investments from these big up conditions and boot camps Ring, MIT, Girls in Tech and
companies. in few places. I was not saying. many other global players are

witnessing an amazing start up a lot to the development of a ing 2017 and I’m one of those
spring in the Mena region. Many vibrant and sustainable angel en- who believe that this year will be
international angel investors are vironment in the Mena region. the turning point in the history
coming to the region as well. I Angel investors play a key role of this region. We will witness
have personally invested in 35+ in the success of an entrepre- major steps towards have some
start ups, with 40% of them start neurship ecosystem. They pro- MENA cities as global innova-
ups with female founders.When vide much more than the seed tion hubs that will attracts inno-
I joined EBAN, I was the only finding or follow up finding. vators from around the world.
Arab that is part of the leading They provide guidance, mentor Dubai stands as the first in this
European Angel Network and shop and more importantly they line, and I’m confident other
now we have MBAN ( the Mena open markets and introduce to cities will follow.The WBAF is a
business angel network) and key customers. This is not a CSR platform that we should use to
working with global partners to exercise and should never be spread the successful stories and
set up a hybrid VC/Angel fund looked at from this angle. This is best practices into the MENA
in Mena. Now, we have angel a win-win-win formula. This is region. The success story of
groups in dubai, KSA, Kuwait, the 1+1=3 formula.I don’t want Bourca Istanbul of building a
Jordan, Tunisia, Egypt and all to give the impression that we market for start ups should be
over the place. The world busi- reached the top of the moun- duplicated in dubai as well as
ness angel investment forum tain? Not at all. More to be done other stock markets. The public/
(WBAF) is an other key plat- for sure. The above initiatives private partnership that WBAF
form that is becoming the bridge abs information should be a has managed to successful es-
between Europe, the works door opener and should encour- tablish is yet an other model that
and the Mena region. The new age more players. It should open can be followed and duplicated
initiatives and work that WBAF the door for more partnerships in the region.
brings every year is contribution and cooperation. We are enter-
wbaforum.org 43
Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al-Khalifa
Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Development Bank (QDB), Qatar
Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al-Khalifa joining QDB, Abdulaziz worked Program, Tasdeer Qatar Ex-
is the CEO of Qatar Develop- at Qatar Shell as a Business De- port Development Agency and
ment Bank (QDB), the leading velopment Manager for nearly the Housing Loan Program for
development and financing body three years and held technical Qatari citizens.Abdulaziz holds
driving the growth of Qatar’s and managerial positions at an MBA degree from Qatar
private sector and its contribu- The Qatar General Electricity & University, a Bachelor’s degree
tion to GDP. He previously held Water Corporation for six years in Electrical Engineering from
leadership positions at QDB, prior to that. He has extensive the University of California and
where he was the Executive experience in the SME, private has received several specialized
Director of Strategy & Business and entrepreneurship sectors. diplomas from Harvard and
Development for three years, He played a leading role in the INSEAD Universities.
serving simultaneously as Vice launch of several flagship devel-
President of several internal and opment initiatives, including the
external committees. Prior to Al Dhameen Partial Guarantee

Ahmet Arif Ergin
President, The Scientific & Technological Research Council (TUBITAK), Republic of Turkey
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Arif ERGİN has this University including his vice TÜBİTAK Gebze Campus.
been appointed as the TÜBİTAK presidency. He performed as a Moreover, he contributed the
President at the end of the part time lecturer at Bahçeşehir projects conducted by the TAI,
prescribed period according University and Naval Acade- Roketsan, Yonca Onuk and
to Article 5 of TÜBİTAK Law my. Up to now, Prof. ERGİN TÜBİTAK SAGE. He also held
No 278. The decision regarding has written 3 book chapters, 35 administrative and professional
appointment of Prof. Dr. Ahmet international articles and more positions in different companies
Arif ERGİN for the TÜBİTAK than 50 statements and he has in Technoparks in accordance
Presidency has been published educated 18 master degree and with the Law on Technolo-
in the Official Gazette of the Re- 8 doctoral degree students. He gy Development Zones.Prof.
public of Turkey. Prof. Dr. Arif has established and run the ERGİN was appreciated as the
ERGİN, who was born in 1970 first electromagnetic outdoor awardee of The Young Scientists
in Ankara, received his bachelor measurement field of Turkey in Award Programme (GEBIP)
degree in Electric and Electron- Gebze Technical University. He by Turkish Academy of Scienc-
ical Engineering at Middle East took part in many projects such es (2007), TÜBİTAK Science
Technical University (METU), as MİLGEM, SOM and National Incentive Award (2008) and
master and doctoral degree in Warrior Plane with his scientif- Undergraduate Educator Award
Electronics and Computer Engi- ic studies as a radar wave and of the Year by the Gebze Insti-
neering at University of Illinois, acoustical engineering expert. tute of Technology (2008).Prof.
Urbana – Champain (USA). Prof. ERGİN, firstly started his ERGİN has worked as President
He carried out his academic life career in Engineering in ASEL- of TÜBİTAK BİLGEM and
in Gebze Technical University SAN and held various positions the Chairman of the Executive
(Gebze Institute of Technology as Senior Researcher and Chief Board of TÜBİTAK Marmara
with the former name). He has Scientist since 2001 for the Research Centre Technopolis
served in various positions in militarian and civil projects in since February 2014.
wbaforum.org 45
Ahmet Faralyali
Founding Partner, Mediterra Capital Partners, Turkey
Ahmet is a co-founder and Turkey. He has been involved Directors of Pages Jaunes (PAJ.
Managing Partner of Mediterra in several leveraged buyout PA) and UN Ro-Ro.Ahmet has
and serves on the investment and growth equity transactions an MBA from Stanford Univer-
committee. Prior to founding in Turkey and in Europe and sity, BSc in Applied Mathematics
Mediterra, Ahmet was with executed the largest buyout in and BA in Business Economics
KKR in London where he had Turkey at its time of comple- from UCLA.Ahmet serves on
the responsibility of expanding tion, the UN Ro Ro acquisition. the Board of Directors of Ar-
KKR’s investing activities in Ahmet served on the Board of zum, ACP and Tavuk Dunyasi.

Ahmet Vefik Dincer
Chief Executive Officer Fineksus, Turkey
Ahmet Vefik Dinçer has been ware developer. He worked for working for Fineksus as General
working on global payments and several Payment and AML joint Manager. Fineksus is the mar-
financial crime prevention tools projects in EMEA region with ket leader of its geography for
since 2003. He has been grad- Microsoft and SWIFT as a Team Payment and Financial Crime
uated from Istanbul University Leader and Product Manager. Prevention business area.
Engineering Faculty, Electronics He has also Master of Business
Engineering department in 2002 Administration degree from Ga-
and started his career as a soft- latasaray University. Now he is
wbaforum.org 47
Albert Colomer
President, BANC Business Angels Network, Spain
Albert has been at the forefront member of the Board of EBAN. al field, over 25 years, has helped
of the angel investor movement Albert has been appointed by thousands start-ups and entre-
in Spain. In 2002, he co-founded the Parliament of Catalonia preneurs to born and grow. He
and became executive director as member of the Advisory is co-founder (1986) and execu-
of the Business Angel Network Board of the Catalan Institute tive director of CPAC (Fundació
Catalunya BANC, the first of Finance, the public credit Privada per a la Promoció de
Spanish angel network, which institution of the Government l’Autoocupació de Catalunya),
he led. Additionally in 2006 he of Catalonia.During his career, an independent charity with a
co-founded ESBAN, a private Albert has gathered a profound mission to help people and or-
foundation to raising awareness knowledge of the entrepre- ganizations to be entrepreneurs.
and promoting angel investment neurship skills. As a consultant,
and Business Angels Networks advisor, coach or business angel,
in Spain. Since 2003, Albert is His experience in entrepreneuri-

Alejtin Berisha
President, Kosovo Business Angels Network (KOSBAN), Kosovo
Alejtin Berisha is an entrepre- preneurship Monitor (GEM); He is the Founding Curator of

neur, educator and an investor Alejtin is the Co-Founder of Prishtina Hub at World Eco-
from Kosovo and the Found- iziSurvey – an offline surveying nomic Forum’s Global Shapers
er of Kosovo Business Angels application and the founder of Community, a fellow at New
Network (KOSBAN). He is the several businesses, mostly in York University and a former
Co-founder and CEO of Uni- education. He is an innovator in Executive Board Member at
versum College, Kosovo’s most higher education, was featured EAIR – the European High-
entrepreneurial and innovative in the cover page of CIO Mag- er Education Society. He has
College. He teaches entrepre- azine (Albanian), and was the studied at Universities of Bath
neurship, creativity and inno- host of ‘We have a Job for you’ and Sussex (UK) and South East
vation in several universities, TV Show at Radio Television European University in Mace-
is an affiliate faculty for MOC of Kosovo, modeled after ‘Ap- donia.
Program at Harvard Business prentice’ with Trump/Shugar.
School and is the National Alejtin is a regular commentator
TeamLeader for Global Entre- in local and international media.
wbaforum.org 49
Amal Daragmeh Masri
Editor-in-Chief, Middle East Business Review, Palestine
Dr Amal Daraghmeh Masri across the Arab world:these Mrs Masri organizes and heads
- Has an honorary Doctorate include being the head of Local economic events that tackle eco-
from GODSU University-USA. Economic Council of AlBireh nomic issues such as unemploy-
High Commissioner at World Municipality, board member ment. She was voted as being
Business Angel Investor Net- of Islamic Reporting Initiative one of the ‘Top Ten Influential
work. Decorated by French IRI-UK,and former President Arab Women working in Public
Republic with Chevalier Le- of Business Women Forum. Relations in the Arab world’ and
gioned de Merite d’Ordre Regionally and internationally. Model Arab Woman’,regularly
National. First Prize Winner of She is founder and former board appears on TV and radio, in Pal-
“Best Woman Entrepreneur in member of Middle East Business estine and overseas: In 2010, she
MENA”. Listed as One of Ten Women’s Network,member of organized the 1st PR Conference
Global Women Entrepreneur the Arab International Women’s in Palestine, the third of a kind
& Leaders” by the International Forum–London and was on the regionally. she speaks at inter-
Council of the Small Enterpris- steering committee of the Fos- national conferences:New Arab
es-USA. Won the title of “Arab tering Women Entrepreneurs in Women’s Forum in Beirut and
woman Role Model-Amal is the ME initiative. She is mem- the Arab EU Summit in Athens,
CEO of Ougarit Group, Editor ber of the advisory board and Union for the Mediterranean
in Chief,and Founder at Mid- shareholder of Mixberry Media Spain etc.Amal is married to
dle East Business Magazine. – USA and a member of the Khaled Masri, her business
Dr Masri holds many positions Palestinian-American Chamber partner.She has two daughters
in local business organizations of Commerce. She is H Presi- and one son.Amal was educated
working for the advancement dent of Palestine Accueil (FIAFE in France.
of women in Palestine and Paris).

Andrew Work
Head Content Strategist, Asia Pacific, NexChange, Hong Kong
Andrew Work is the Head Con- dian Chamber of Commerce in Finance Forum in Beijing, inter-
tent Strategist at NexChange, a Hong Kong, he is also currently viewed and hosted world lead-
social media platform for the the President of The Canadian ers, Nobel Prize laureates and
finance industry and steward Club of Hong Kong. Mr Work even small children! His work
of the FintechO2O brand and is also the former President of has seen him take the stage in
events. He is the founder and The McGill Society of Hong Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore,
Editor in Chief of Harbour Kong (B.Sc. 1994) and a gradu- Geneva, Athens and more.
Times and the convenor of Har- ate of the University of Victoria
bour Times Forums. The former (MBA).He has MC’ed events
Executive Director of The Cana- for the IFC/World Bank’s SME
wbaforum.org 51
Arda Ermut
President, World Association of Investment and Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), Turkey
President of the Investment ant at the Prime Ministry office at the Agency. Following his
Support and Promotion Agency in Istanbul.He took over the promotion to the position of
of Turkey (ISPAT), Arda Ermut position of Project Director with ‘Chief Project Director’ in 2010,
started his professional career the establishment of ISPAT in he led teams in charge of the
at the Prime Ministry of Turkey 2007 under the auspices of the Middle East and Southeast Asia
in 2005, working as a Media Prime Ministry, and progressed regions.
and Public Relations Consult- through various leadership roles

Ari Korhonen
Business Angel of the Year 2014, Finland
Ari is an angel investor and Small Giant Games, MariaDB, during 2010-2012. Ari has been
entrepreneur. He is the founder DealDash, Miradore, Sympa and an EBAN (European Business
of the Lagoon Capital invest- Strossle. Of these investments, Angels Network) board member
ment company. He invests in he has had four successful exits; and Vice-President during 2012-
tech companies both privately Severa, Paytrail, Octo3 and The 2016. He was awarded EBAN
or from Lagoon Capital. Ari Switch. Ari is also an investor Lifetime Achievement Award
has been a successful technol- in venture capital funds which in 2016. He is also an active
ogy entrepreneur for 20 years include Seedcamp, 500 Startups, member of EstBAN, NFBAN,
and a full time business angel True Global Ventures and Spin- etc... Ari has been featured by
for over 11 years. He developed top Ventures. Of these invest- EU-Startups as one of the top 40
his company Komartek into ments, he has had one successful of Europe’s most active and most
an international success story. exit; Seedcamp fund II. In Spin- influential angel investors. Ari
Komartek was bought in 2004 top he is also a Senior advisor. was awarded Honorary Doctor-
by WM-data (presently CGI). Ari is an Investment council ate in Economics and Business
His position in WM-data was member in Finnish Industry Administration by Lappeenranta
Vice President. Within the last Investments. Ari was elected by University of Technology (LUT)
11 years, Ari has made angel FiBAN (Finish Business Angels in 2017. He holds a Master of
investments in 34 companies. In Network) as Business Angel of Science degree in engineering
those he has participated totally the Year in Finland in 2014. He from LUT.
to 107 investment rounds. The is a co-founder of FiBAN and
companies invested in include Vice Chairman of the Board
wbaforum.org 53
Arton Celina
Chief Executive Officer, BPB Bank, Kosovo
Arton Celina was appointed Kosovo in 2007, initially as a of Economics at the Prishtina
Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Manager, to be later University. He graduated from
BPB Bank in Kosovo in May appointed Head of Sales and his post-graduate studies in the
2016. He started his career in Marketing. Since 2013 Mr. Ce- field of management at UBT and
the banking and microfinance lina has held the position of the in 2013, he received his PhD in
institution - KEP in 1999, to Deputy Managing Director in the field of Business Adminis-
continue in ProCredit Bank TEB Bank JSC in Kosovo, in the tration by SMC University in
since 2002. Mr. Celina joined business segments. Mr. Celina Switzerland.
the team of TEB Bank JSC has graduated from the Faculty

Balázs Hendrich
Consul General of Hungary in Istanbul
Balazs is a business strategist, a professional career he worked Eastern Europe. Since 2014 he is
management consultant and a for commercial banks, Hypo- working for Ministry of Foreign
business developer, but also the bank and Erstebank focusing Affairs and Trade of Hungary,
head of the diplomatic mission on corporate and asset based as a consul general in Istanbul.
of Hungary in Istanbul. He grad- financing, leasing. Since 2001 Balazs is a proud father of 4
uated in International Business he worked, as an entrepreneur, boys, whom keep him always on
School with Oxford Brookes running his consulting com- the edge.
University and got his second pany, Grid Consulting, which
degree from Corvinus Univer- mainly has been working for the
sity in Budapest. During his energy industry in Central and
wbaforum.org 55
Balázs Rákossy
State Secretary, Ministry for National Economy, Delegation Leader of V4
Lawyer, 42. Speaks English, he was political advisor and ment, between 2010 and 2012 he
German, French and Russian. director general for József Szájer was director general for Mihály
He was born in Pécs, and he also who was heading the Fidesz Varga, State Secretary leading
studied there. He got his law parliament group at the time. the Prime Minister’s Office at
degree at the Faculty of Law of Between 2002 and 2004 he was the time. After that he became
the Janus Pannonius University legal advisor for the Budapest director general for the Minister
of Sciences in 1995. After this agency of the European Com- without Portfolio assigned to
he obtained master’s degrees in mittee, and he was responsible relations with various financial
law at the universities of Ox- for the legal preparations of organizations (IMF, WB, EBRD,
ford and Maastricht, specialized the accession negotiations that etc.). From March 2013 he has
in European and comparative led to Hungary’s adherence been director general of the
law. His professional fields are to the European Union. From Minister of National Economy.
economic and commercial law, 2004 he has been legal director
the law of the European Union, of national and international
competition law, and financial companies both in Hungary and
and investment market regula- abroad (Pfizer, British American
tion. In the period of the first Tobacco, MOL). In the period
Orbán government (1998-2002) of the second Orbán govern-

Banu Taskin
Head of Private Banking, Turk Economy Bank (TEB), Turkey
Banu was graduated from Anka- Investment in 2001 as Manager changed her business focus and
ra Atatürk High School in 1984 of Investment Advisory Unit she got a Vice President position
than she continued education and she continued her position at Harvey Nichols, Turkey. Banu
at the Middle East Technical until 2007 and she left from turned back TEB in 2010 and
University Faculty of Economics there as Executive Vice Presi- she is still responsible Private
and Administrative Sciences dent of Investment Advisory. Banking Business manage-
Department of Economics. Banu Banu moved to Türk Ekonomi ment as a head of country BNP
began business life Korfez Bank Bankası ( TEB ) in 2007 and she Paribas Wealth Management
FX Trader in 1990, worked from took responsibility of Private and group coordinator of TEB
5 years after Bank Capital than Banking Business management Private Banking .
Boyner Holding also worked as as Director of Sales & Mar-
Treasury Manager. She joined İs keting. For a short while she
wbaforum.org 57
Barbaros Ozbugutu
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Iyzico, Turkey
Barbaros Özbuğutu has more payment company in Istanbul. the BRSA license and being
than 15 years of professional He now acts as the co-founder compliant with PCI-DSS, more
experience in global payment and the CEO of iyzico, one of than 100 people at iyzico go
and telecom segment, including the fastest growing start-ups in beyond seamless payments and
Telefonica O2 and First Data. Turkey. iyzico is transforming help businesses transform to
During this time, he also acted the payment processing expe- an excellent online shopping
as the Head of SME Sales of rience for businesses of all sizes experience. With over 300.000
TeleCash, a subsidiary of First through its bank-integrated, online sellers, iyzico gains more
Data and shortly after as the fraud-protected payment plat- penetration into the Turkish
VP Sales Germany of Klarna.In form tailored to the nuances of e-commerce market each day.
2013, Barbaros founded his own the Turkish market. Obtaining

Barış Oney
Managing Partner Globalturk Capital & Country Representative of EMPEA, Turkey
Barış Oney has over 30 years of private equity, IPO, privatiza- Öney holds a MSc. Degree from
worldwide and diverse experi- tion, due diligence and valuation the U. of Texas at Austin as a
ence in the areas of pre and post projects on the sell and buy side Fulbright scholar; a BSc. Degree
investment management, private for clients, both large conglom- from the Middle East Technical
equity, mergers & acquisitions erates and small to mid-market University; and a Corporate Fi-
and IPOs. His qualifications companies. Prior to establishing nance Diploma from The Insti-
extends to strategic, managerial Globalturk Capital, his assign- tute of Chartered Accountants
and financial advisory as a CEO, ments covered setting up and/ in England & Wales – ICAEW.
CFO, board member/advisor, or managing investment bank- He further holds a Management
investment banker, corporate ing/corporate finance advisory and Corporate Finance Cer-
finance advisor, strategic/in- practices in three of the most tificates from the University of
ternational business develop- renowned financial institutions Tulsa and the New York Institute
ment manager and as a project in Turkey: Deloitte (Partner), of Finance. He is a graduate of
manager and engineer.As the Yapi Kredi Yatirim (acting AGM) TED Ankara Koleji.Apart from
Founder and Managing Partner and TSKB (Director), and the his Board Membership at Tempo
of Globalturk Capital, he has strategic /international business Call Center and Sistem 9 Medya
been acting as a venture partner development – M&A Depart- Digital Signage Company, Barış
for Turkish companies in capital ment of the Turkcell Group Öney currently serves at the Ex-
raising from private equity inves- (Group Head). He also acted as a ecutive and Advisory Boards of
tors or strategic buyers and stay- project manager, project engineer numerous other companies and
ing as a co-investor in companies and advisor in numerous projects leading business organizations
after the investments are realized. in the oil and gas and chemicals in Turkey and abroad. He is also
He has further managed more sector i.e. P&G, Fluor Daniel, EMPEA’s Country Representative
than 100 cross-border M&A, TPAO and Genel Energy.Barış in Turkey.
wbaforum.org 59
Baybars Altuntas
Chairman, World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF), Turkey
Former Senior Advisor of the invited by former US President Council in Greece. Appointed
Elite Programme of the Lon- Obama to speak at the Global as JCI Ambassador, following
don Stock Exchange Group Entrepreneurship Summit in Ban Ki-moon, former Sec-
(LSEG), entrepreneurship and Kenya. Recipient of the Europe- retary General of the United
innovation guru, global lead- an Trade Association of Business Nations. Profiled regularly by
er, best-selling author, angel Angels (EBAN) award for the leading international media
investor, columnist, star of the Best Individual in Europe Glob- such as CNN International and
Turkish version of the television ally Engaging with the Global Bloomberg. A co-author of
show Dragons’ Den, Chairman Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Planet Entrepreneur: The World
of the World Business Angels 2014 (Ireland), 2015 (Nether- Entrepreneurship Forum’s Guide
Investment Forum (WBAF), lands), 2016 (Portugal) and 2017 to Business Success Around
Vice President of the European (Spain). The only entrepreneur the World, published by Wiley
Trade Association for Business to be granted a personal audi- (2013). Author of Off the Bus,
Angels, Seed Funds, and Early ence with former President Oba- Into a Supercar! How I Became
Stage Market Players (EBAN), ma at the Presidential Summit a Top TV Star and Celebrated
President of the Business Angels on Entrepreneurship in Wash- Investor, published by Balboa
Association of Turkey (TBAA), ington, DC. Developer of the Press (2014) and translated into
the World Entrepreneurship world-renowned entrepreneur- Chinese, Croatian, Albanian,
Forum Ambassador to Turkey ship theory, the Altuntas Start- and Macedonian.
and the Balkan countries, and up Compass Theory, researched
President of Deulcom Inter- by Sheffield University and used
national. One of the top global in numerous MBA programmes.
speakers on entrepreneurship, Advisory board member of the
innovation and angel investment South East Europe Research
Bellini Qin
Director of External Alliance, Bolstra Group, China
Bellini Qin is a Board Director um-sized enterprises (“SMEs”). serves as a platform for top-tier
of Bolstra Group (BG). BG is With the mission of building a financial and technological in-
dedicated to accelerate the de- set of digital supply chain man- novations. Bellini has two novels
velopment of corporate services agement and finance solutions published in China.
for global small and medi- in China and worldwide, BG
wbaforum.org 61
Besim Beqaj
Minister of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Republic of Kosovo
PhD. Besim Beqaj is newly Mr. Beqaj served as President of Prishtina.Mr. Beqaj was part
appointed Minister of Innova- of the Kosovo Chamber of of the Fulbright program where
tion and Entrepreneurship on Commerce from 2005-2010 he has lectured and conducted
9th of September 2017. Before and has been re-elected for two academic research in the field
being appointed as a Minister mandates. During that period, of Economic Integration in
in the Ministry of Innovation achieved to raise business com- South East Europe at the Illinois
and Entrepreneurship, Mr. Beqaj munity association as one of the Institute of Technology, Chicago
served as a Member of the Par- main factors for the economic Kent College of Law. Moreover,
liament of Republic of Kosovo development in our country. his experience is enhanced by
during the previous legislature. Mr. Beqaj obtained the title of academic teaching, as he has the
Prior to this, from 2013 until BSc. and MSc. and Doctoral status of the Academic Profes-
2014 Mr. Beqaj was Minister Studies (PhD) at the Univer- sor at Public University “Hasan
of Finance, from 2011 until sity of Zagreb in Croatia. And Prishtina” since 1996, where
2013 was Minister of Economic also completed the European Mr. Beqaj lectures International
Development, from 2010 until Doctoral Program in Manage- Business. In addition to Alba-
2011 was Minister of European ment and Management of Small nian language as a native lan-
Integration. Mr. Beqaj was also Businesses at the Autonomous guage, Mr. Beqaj speaks fluently
Political Advisor in the Prime University of Barcelona, Spain English and Serbo-Croatian,
Minister’s Office in the Republic and Vaxjo University, Sweden. and also is served with German
of Kosovo and simultaneously, In addition, Mr. Beqaj has com- language.
he was appointed as National pleted the PhD in Development
Coordinator for the Stability and Management of New Prod-
Pact for South Eastern Europe. ucts in Kosovo at the University
Bostjan Skalar
Chief Executive Officer, World Trade Association of
Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), Slovenia
Boštjan Skalar is a CEO of zation, Entrepreneurship and real estate sector where his trav-
World Association of Invest- Tourism (SPIRIT). He is also a els took him to many countries.
ment Promotion Agencies. former Consul for Economic He has over 20 years of manage-
WAIPA is the umbrella organi- Affairs in Turkey. He studied ment experience and is one of
zation of worldwide investment in the Faculty of Economics in the global leaders in investment
promotion agencies established Maribor where he graduated promotion with a private-sector
in 1995 in Geneva with UNC- in marketing. He has effective- focus.
TAD’s initiative. Previously he ly managed companies in the
served as a Director of Slovenian automobile sector, the printing
Public Agency for Promotion industry, worked with cladding
of Investment, Internationali- materials and also worked in the
wbaforum.org 63
Brad Bulent Yasar
Co-Founder, Blockchain Investors Consortium (BIC), USA
Brad is an entrepreneur, inves- served as managing director in Applied Sciences Math (1996)
tor, mentor, and advisor who of Yasar Corporation where he from Académie de Grenoble
has started and bootstrapped mentored, advised and invested (France).His charitable efforts
several companies from in- in more than 50 companies. Pas- focus on Goodwill Industries,
ception to maturity over the sionate about where the worlds the LA County Museum of Art,
past 20 years. Brad is currently of technology and marketing the LA Philharmonic and St.
the co-founder and Managing collide, Brad is frequently invit- Jude Children’s Research Hos-
Partner of Krowd Mentor, a ed to speak at events related to pital, to name a few.Born in
strategic crowdfunding advisory entrepreneurship, angel invest- Turkey in 1976, Brad lived and
firm focusing on ICOs, cryp- ing and business strategy. Most traveled throughout Europe;
tocurrencies, blockchain, and recently, he presented at GCC, England, France, and Greece to
token powered organizations.As Digital Hollywood, and ITU name a few and migrated to the
the co-founder for Blockchain Gate Accelerator Program. A United States in 1996. Brad is
Investors Consortium (BIC) big believer in coaching younger fluent in English, French, Turk-
with over $5 Billion dollars generations of entrepreneurs, ish and has basic knowledge
allocated to blockchain and Brad serves as a mentor for the of German, and Spanish. Brad
cryptocurrency projects and has Pepperdine Alumni Associa- currently lives in Los Angeles
access to extensive dealflow and tion.Brad holds a Bachelor of with his wife, Nadine, and son,
experience analyzing disruptive Arts degree in Economics and Max. “I’m all about empowering
technologies, Brad has par- a Bachelor of Science degree in people. Team members. Our
ticipated in dozens successful International Business Manage- clients. You name it. It’s my job
crowd sales, which have raised ment (1999) from Pepperdine to clear a path for success.”
over $500 million from 10,000s University (Malibu, California)
of investors since 2016.Brad also and a Bachelor of Science degree
Callum Laing
Partner, Unity Group, Singapore
Callum Laing has been an en- the capital markets.A Partner at an accomplished speaker on en-
trepreneur for 20 years across The Unity Group Private Equi- trepreneurship and small busi-
multiple countries and sectors. ty, Laing is also co-founder of ness especially ‘Assets, Alliances
During that time, he has started, The Marketing Group PLC.As & Acquisitions’. Both his books
built and ultimately bought and part of his commitment to the echo his philosophy that we are
sold half a dozen different busi- entrepreneurial community, he moving from an era of competi-
nesses. He is the author of two has interviewed and promoted tion into an era of collaboration.
best selling business books, and more than 500 entrepreneurs He is a keen sportsman and lives
is one of the pioneers behind and leaders throughout Asia in Singapore with his wife and
the ‘Agglomerate’ methodology over the past few years.Regularly two young daughters.
to help small businesses access featured in the media, Laing is
wbaforum.org 65
Candace Johnson
President, The European Trade Association for Business Angels (EBAN), Belgium
Sophia Business Angels, Telecom Women’s Network ous European and US ventures
FRANCE. Candace Johnson is (GTWN).Candace Johnson as well as being a Member of the
co-initiator of SES/ASTRA and is also President of Johnson Board of Governors of EDHEC
SES Global, the world’s pre-em- Paradigm Ventures (JPV) which (France), the University of Haifa
inent satellite group. She is also is a principal founding share- in Israel, Sabanci University in
founding President of Europe holder with AXA, Caisse des Istanbul Turkey, and a Senior
Online Investments S.A., the Depots, Bayerische Landesbank, Enterprise Fellow for the Uni-
world’s first internet-based and the SPEF of Sophia Euro versity of Essex. She has been a
online service and satellite Lab, Europe’s first trans-border featured speaker in the OECD
broadband network, and found- early-stage investment compa- International Entrepreneurship
er of Loral Cyberstar-Teleport ny based in Sophia Antipolis. Forums in Shanghai, Riga, and
Europe, Europe’s first independ- JPV is also a principal founding Cape Town. She holds Masters
ent private trans-border satel- shareholder in London-based Degrees with Honors from the
lite communications network. Ariadne Capital, “Architecting Sorbonne and Stanford Univer-
Ms. Johnson is also founding Europe.net”, one of the earliest sities, a Bachelors Degree from
President of the VATM, the supporters and promoters of Vassar College and her high-
Association of Private Telecom Skype, the global VoIP phenom- school degree from Punahou.
Operators in Germany and enon.Candace is also a member
founding President of the Global of the Advisory Board of numer-

Cavit Yantac
Software Engineering Manager and Chief Evangelist, Microsoft MiddleEast & Africa, Turkey
Cavit Yantac is Chief Evangelist partnering with companies and Prior to Microsoft, he’s worked
and Software Engineering Lead individuals to create next gener- for Nexum Bogazici, a Ger-
for Microsoft Middle East and ation innovative solutions, lever- man-Turkish consulting, IT and
Africa, leading high impact aging emerging technology. His interactive design company, and
software engineering projects focus areas include Educational completed consulting projects in
in areas like Artificial Intelli- technologies, Internet of Things, Turkey, Europe and the US. Cav-
gence, Machine Learning, Cloud Big Data, Machine Learning and it holds a degree of MBA from
Computing, High Scale Data, Artificial Intelligence. Selected University of Georgia and a BA
etc. Prior to his current role, he as one of Turkey’s most influ- degree from Bogazici University,
was leading Microsoft Turkey’s ential 100 tech-leaders by the Turkey.
activities among Developers, DigitalAge magazine in Septem-
Students, Academia, Startups ber 2016, Cavit Yantaç has been
and IT Professionals as well as with Microsoft for 12 years.
wbaforum.org 67
Cem Baytok
Managing Partner, Idacapital, Turkey
Cem has over 15 years of PE/VC financial structures (Growth on post investment management
and over 20 years of entrepre- PE, VC, LBO, MBO, ABS, IPO responsibilities. He is managing
neurial experience. Since 2003, and M&A) and concentrated on partner of idacapital, invest-
He took managing director and different industries (telecom- ing early stage innovative and
lead investment manager roles munication, internet enabled impacfull startups in Turkey
in Turkey in investment funds services, financial services, through idacapital innovation
where he made several PE/VC supply chain logistics, health- fund.
investments at different sizes care, agriculture and cleantech).
(250k-100m USD), have worked He also worked at CXO levels
on different asset classes and in several of investments, taking

Charles Sidman
Founding Member, Angel Capital Association (ACA), USA
Dr Charles S. Sidman, MBA, advocate for, contributor to and university-wide Honors Scholars
PhD, is an angel investor and speaker on financial and en- Program. His education includes
managing partner of ECS trepreneurship issues in Wash- a PhD in Immunology from
Capital Partners, LLC, an inno- ington, D.C. and beyond.Dr. Harvard University, an MBA
vative early-stage venture fund Sidman retired as Professor of specializing in Management
based in Bar Harbor, Maine, Molecular Genetics, Biochem- from the University of Cincin-
USA, but operating globally. istry and Microbiology from nati, and sabbatical study in
He is a founding member of the College of Medicine at the Complex Systems at the Santa Fe
the American Angel Capital University of Cincinnati, where Institute.
Association, past president of he also served for many years as
the Crowdfunding Profession- Professor of Management in the
al Association, and a frequent College of Business and in the
wbaforum.org 69
Cyril Gouiffes
Investment Manager, European Investment Fund (EIF), France
Cyril has been an investment icated to impact related activi- East. Cyril is an occasionnal
manager within the venture ties, starting with microfinance lecturer on impact investing at
capital team of EIF for the last in 2008. In this context, he was EM Lyon and studied at Tou-
five years. He is responsible for responsible for the implemen- louse Institut d’Études Politiques
the management of EIF social tation of the JASMINE pro- where he received a Masters in
impact instruments portfolio at gramme, an EU initiative aimed Development Economics with a
EIF: Social impact funds in- at boosting the institutional focus on poverty alleviation and
vestments Social Impact Bonds, capacity of microfinance institu- local development.
co-investment with Impact Busi- tions in Europe. Prior to joining
ness Angels and Investments in EIF, Cyril gained unique field
impact incubators. His entire experience working with microf-
career within EIF has been ded- inance institutions in the Middle

Dakshesh Patel
Chairman & CEO, Zympay, UK
A successful career in Commer- of an innovative and disruptive Emerging Markets Institutions

cial and Investment Banking FinTech venture, ZymPay, which to market their services for
including former CFO of the has a vision to deliver a seamless products such as insurance (e.g.
Global Debt business of Nat- global digital payments service funeral and health plans) and
West Markets. Recent experi- working with strategic banking investment savings products
ences have included the Execu- and Institutional partners to de- through digital channels with
tive lead in the restructure of a liver diaspora payment services ZymPay managing all global
leading UK Bank into core and and serve the under banked sec- collection and FX management
non core bank and the success- tor. Sub Sahara Africa being core in the countries where diaspora
ful deleveraging of non core to its solution delivery. Zympay work. This service removes the
activities. Providing strategic won recognition recently at the need for expensive money trans-
advisory and execution to large Paris Fintech Forum, where fer by diaspora to their home
Institutions in their transforma- we pitched with 50 companies countries and reduces signifi-
tion of their transaction banking and ZymPay was awarded the cantly the customer acquisition
businesses. Corporate Advisory Paris Fintech Start Up Award for and service costs for insurance
work in structured and project Innovation and Financial Inclu- and investment management
financing for Sub Sahara Africa. sion.ZymPay has pioneered a groups.
Now leading the development world leading solution to enable
wbaforum.org 71
Danela Arsovska
President, Macedonian Chambers of Commerce, Macedonia
Danela Arsovska is the Presi- ployment Law.Arsovska is an of Ministry of Education and

dent of Macedonian Chambers advocate for women’s rights, Science of Republic of Macedo-
of Commerce, Chair of Mac- one of the Macedonian Wom- nia and Board Member of the
edonian Union of Employers’ en Entrepreneurs Association National Entrepreneurship and
Organizations and Macedonian founders, as well as initiator of Competitiveness Council of Re-
Representative in the Interna- Corporate Social Responsibil- public of Macedonia.Arsovska
tional Chamber of Commerce ity (CSR) in the Macedonian is a member of the World Bank
(ICC) World Council.With over business sector.She is member International Centre for Settle-
15 years of management expe- of the Economic Council of the ment of Investments Disputes
rience in the private sector, she Government of the Republic of ICSID in Washington and the
is а leader of the Macedonian Macedonia, National Council OSCE Court of Conciliation
Business community, more for European Integration in the and Arbitration in Geneva. She
than 10 years contributing with National Assembly–Parliament is also a Court Member of ICC
expertise in Investment Law, of the Republic of Macedonia, International Court of Arbitra-
Investor-State Dispute, Ener- Committee on European Af- tion in Paris.
gy – Oil & Gas, Construction fairs in the National Assembly–
& Transport, International Tax Parliament of the Republic of
Law as well as Labor & Em- Macedonia, National Council

Dawn Hetzel
World President 2017, Junior Chamber International (JCI), USA
Dawn Hetzel, nominated by Chapter President in 2005. After bia. In 2015, Hetzel supported
JCI USA, was elected 2017 serving as chapter president, she JCI President Ismail Hazne-
JCI President at the 2016 JCI served on the state board of di- dar and the 2015 JCI Board of
World Congress in Quebec City, rectors for the next three years, Directors and Appointees as the
Canada. Born March 31, 1977, serving as State President of JCI Chief Executive Assistant to the
in Washington, D.C., Hetzel Indiana in 2008. Hetzel went on President. Hetzel has attended
received a Bachelor’s degree in to serve JCI USA for the next seven JCI World Congresses,
Business Management from four years, including Gener- eleven JCI Area Conferences
Purdue University in 2000 and al Legal Counsel in 2011 and and six JCI Global Partnership
post-graduate degrees of Doctor National Vice President in 2012. Summits. She has been honored
of Jurisprudence and a Masters In March of 2012, Hetzel moved as JCI Senator No. 68200 and is
of Business Administration from to Lansing, Michigan and be- a Phil Pugsley Patron of the JCI
Indiana University. She was ad- came active with JCI Lansing, Foundation. She speaks English.
mitted to the State Bar of Mich- while still supporting her home In her spare time, Hetzel enjoys
igan in November 2009. Hetzel chapter and state organizations. running and triathlon train-
worked as a lobbyist in Indiana In November of that year, Hetzel ing. She has completed several
for six years and as an attorney was appointed to serve as JCI half-marathons, marathons,
for the State of Michigan for General Legal Counsel for 2013. sprint and Olympic distance
four years. She currently resides She was subsequently elected to triathlons and one half-iron-
in Lansing, Michigan. serve as JCI Executive Vice Pres- man distance triathlon. As JCI
Hetzel joined JCI Indianapolis of ident in 2014 and was assigned President, Hetzel believes that
JCI USA in February 2002. She to the Americas, where she young active citizens have a
joined her local board of direc- chaired the Conference of the responsibility to be informed,
tors in 2003 and served as Local Americas in Medellin, Colom- involved, and take ownership of
wbaforum.org 73
the problems facing their com- instead of just waiting for things sustainable impact because it’s
munities. We must be actors to happen, we enable change in not just someone else’s future –
instead of spectators, workers our communities that creates it is our future. We are JCI and
instead of customers. When we momentum toward something together we will Build a Better
take an active interest in our new, something better. As active Future!
communities and understand citizens, we must work to unite
the issues happening around us, all sectors of society to create

Deniz Misir
Family Officer, V22 International Advisory J.S.Co., Turkey
Deniz Misir is a global family Allocation; Investing Strategy lands Foreign Investment Agen-
office and investments special- and Deal Origination”. Deniz cy” and as “Senior Investment
ist. Deniz is a purpose-driven frequently contributes in global & Economic Officer”. Educated
entrepreneur, who established family office, private wealth, and for both at Boğaziçi University,
Turkey’s first internationally family business conferences and Istanbul/Turkey; Deniz holds a
operating virtual MFO V22 brings in the “expert generalist” B.A. degree in Economics and
International Advisory J. S. Co. know-how from both the devel- an Executive M. B. A. degree.
in 2013. V22’s mission is “Fam- oped and emerging markets and She also completed Pictet’s
ily Well-being and Prosperity; across disciplines. Before V22, “Family Office Masterclass” and
Bigger Family being the World Deniz served the Netherlands Wilson’s “Qualified Family Of-
herself ” and serves with “Wealth Government in roles of “Area fice Professional Program”.
Structuring & Planning; Asset Director to Turkey at Nether-
wbaforum.org 75
Dinko Novoselec
Chief Executive Officer, Feeldgood Capital, Croatia
Dinko Novoselec is one of the return on the pensions & a net he was the portfolio manager,
most experienced fund manag- yield of 24% to its shareholders and was also the bond portfolio
ers in Croatia with an impec- (best Croatian performer in the manager / broker in the Croa-
cable track record. He was the class). He was pivotal in numer- tian central bank (HNB). Dinko
CEO of the AZ pension fund, ous PIPE-like deals where the successfully led numerous
the largest Croatian non-bank FI fund took significant minority projects, initiatives & teams, and
with AUM of €4.5 billion (a JV block positions in Croatian as such has a golden rolodex of
of the Allianz Group & Unicred- companies (Podravka, Luka FI, governmental and corporate
it’s ZABA), leading the teams Rijeka, Imperijal Rab, Koncar, network connections in Croatia,
from the fund inception in 2001 Ilirija etc.) and thereafter guid- Slovenia & wider.
to 2017. Under Dinko’s leader- ing their governance. Previously
ship the fund won a 40% market he served as a board member in
share & defended it for 15 years, ZBI, the leading regional mutual
while annually delivering 6% net fund manager of ZABA where

Dogan Taskent
Board Member, Swiss Chamber of Commerce, Turkey
After graduating from ETH mission system deployments. Enterprise Forum in Turkey, an
Zürich with a degree in Elec- Since 2006, as Partner of Arkan active member at the Advisory
trical Engineering in 1993, Mr. & Ergin Corporate Finance, he Board of the Endeavor Turkey
Taskent joined MIT for research has been working development and founding Board member of
and Polytechnic Institute of New of Turkish startup ecosystem the Ege University Technopark.
York University for the Electro- and the technology transfer He has been Chairman of the
physics and Technology MBA environmenyt.He listened 2000+ Board at the Swiss Chamber of
degrees. During 1998-2005, he startup projects, mentored 200+ Commerce in Turkey and also
worked as a R&D engineer, ex- startups, has been involved in the Vice-President at the For-
pert consultant and instructor at establishment of 100+ startup eign Economic Relations Board
Lucent Technologies Bell Labo- and worked with 50 technol- (DEIK) responsible for Switzer-
ratories. During that timeframe ogy transfer offices.He is the land.
he lead major fiberoptic trans- founding President of MIT
wbaforum.org 77
Douja Ben Mahmoud Gharbi
President, Center of Entrepreneurship & Sustainable Development (CEDE), Tunisia
Serial entrepreneur, Business women entrepreneurs, Invest- the business organizations and
and Entrepreneurship consult- ment promotion and develop- associations CEDE, CONECT,
ant and Mentor with a strong ment, invited at the Presidential CJD, CNFCE and FPM and also
community development mo- Obama Summit on Entrepre- as a consultant within UNIDO,
tivation. UNIDO expert on neurship in Washignton, DC linxeo… Focus on ecosystems
Entrepreneurship and Invest- in 2010, at the US-Maghreb development, value chains
ment Promotion. President Entrepreneurship Conference development, CSR strategies,
of CEDE- Entrepreneurship in Algiers, at WIEF Business- Social Business, business coun-
Center and Endogenious De- women Forum 2010 in Malaisia selling and training.Has a mas-
velopment, Vice-President of and 2008 In Koweit, at OCDE ter degree from the University
CONECT- Confederation of conference « beyond crisis of Economics and Management
Citizen Companies in Tunisia :supporting young entreprises of Tunis. Condensed training in
and vice-president of FPM- Fi- », at WED Conference« Better Business Administration by the
nance Participative en Méditer- knowledge, experience shar- Beyster Institute of the Universi-
ranée. Was an active and board ing and successful approaches ty of California (MEPI Program
member of the National Young towards WED promotion in the in San Diego-USA), training
Entrepreneurs Association and Arab region » Jordan in 2009 on export techniques, manage-
the National Chamber of Wom- and other international con- ment and capacity development
en Entrepreneurs from 1996 to ferences in Africa and around of Women in Africa (ICT and
2011, Served also as Tunisian the word.Specialized in project Trade Facilitation Office Canada
Hub Manager to the MENA management, entrepreneurship program), Business Training and
Businesswomen’s Network. and employment projects, and counselling of UNIDO (ARCEI
Speaker on entrepreneurship, Mentoring as volonteer witin Program).

Dusan Stojanovic
Founder & Director of True Global Ventures, Awarded Best Angel of Europe in 2013, Singapore
Dušan Stefan Stojanović is a entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, done about 20 investments.

Swedish entrepreneur, angel New York, Beijing, Hong Kong, As opposed to the traditional
investor and founder of True Singapore, Stockholm, Paris and VC model, he believes that 32
Global Ventures. He is based in Berlin. At the start of 2013, he partners focused on a couple of
Singapore. Stojanović has made set up True Global Ventures 2, investments per year is of better
18 investments mainly in Fin- an investment vehicle consisting help for ambitious entrepreneurs
Tech (including payments) and of almost exclusively serial en- and ultimately driving high
digital media. Out of these 18 trepreneurs investing exclusively returns. Dusan has also contrib-
investments, he had seven exits in serial entrepreneurs based uted to a number of different
and no investment has closed in New York, Silicon Valley, organizations and entrepreneurs
down. In 2009, he was nomi- Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong, through donations. After his
nated as one of Europe’s “Top Berlin and Stockholm within three exits in 2012, he donat-
5 Angels”, and in 2013, he was Fintech (including payments) ed a portion of his proceeds to
awarded the “Business Angel of and Digital Media. Dušan’s save the last Tesla Lab, the Tesla
the Year in Europe” by EBAN af- investing style can sometimes Science Centre on Long Island,
ter having three positive exits in be viewed as controversial, since New York State. He is also made
a single week, something which it demands each partner to be a smaller donation to the Tesla
was previously unheard of. At active instead of being “pas- Statue in Palo Alto. In 2015,
the end of 2010, he founded sive investors”. He only accepts after another exit of his portfolio
True Global Ventures and is its investors who have done an exit companies, he set aside funds to
single largest shareholder. True themselves as entrepreneurs donate to female entrepreneurs
Global Ventures is an invest- and have done at least two angel and Tesla-inspired innovators.
ment vehicle investing in serial investments. Most partners have It has been noted that he is a
wbaforum.org 79
distant relative to Nikola Tesla finished High School at Sigrid International Business Degree
himself and is a strong support- Rudebeck Gymnasium, in Göte- at Gothenburg University and
er of all things Tesla. Dušan borg, Sweden and finished an Commercial Law in 1994.

Elemer Estzer
Chairman, Portus Buda Group, Hungary
Elemér Eszter is Chairman of – studied economy and political PBG Ltd. is to assist the major
the Board of Directors at PBG science at Christendom Col- Hungarian Churches and their
FMC Ltd., a venture capital firm lege in Virginia, United States. institutions to operate on a more
founded in 2011. The primary He started his career in 2002 sustainable basis.In 2009 Ele-
goal of the company is to max- at Citi Bank Ltd. Afterwards, mér Eszter contributed to the
imize the value of managed between 2004-2008, he was the founding of SSP Inc. in the US
funds entrusted to it by external cofounder of Cryo-Innova- on behalf of investors and is a
investors, and to facilitate the tion Inc., which was acquired member of the board ever since.
market success of small and me- in 2012 by the Swedish public In 2015 Eszter Elemer was a co-
dium enterprises, who generate listed company Vitrolife.Portus founder of the Hungarian Social
a substantive export income Buda Group (PBG) Ltd. was Impact Investors Association;
for Hungary. PBG FMC Ltd. founded in 2007. Eszter Elemér, from 2017 he is the President of
manages a venture capital fund as a cofounder, is an executive the Association. Eszter Elemér is
containing a mix of EU and officer at the company, which a cofounder and CEO of Impact
private money since the 24th of managed 15 acquisitions, 8 real Ventures Ltd. (2017), which
February, 2014.Elemér Eszter estate development deals, and will manage the first CEE Social
– after graduating from Páz- 10 asset management projects Impact Fund.
mány Péter Catholic University over the past decade. The aim of
wbaforum.org 81
Ersin Pamuksuzer
Founder, TheLifeCo and StartersHub, Turkey
Ersin Pamuksüzer, is The Well-being therapies and natural Ericsson Turkey period He ini-
Co-Founder of Basaksehir healing at its centers in Istanbul, tiated the formation of Turkey’s
Living-Lab and Co-Founder Bodrum, Antalya and Phuket, leader GSM Operator Turkcell
of StartupBootcamp, İstanbul while SAF was formed in 2006 in 1993 as well as a number of
and StartersHub, İstanbul. With as a catering services providing other Telecom companies in the
these investments in the last few healthy and nutrional food to region, and has been a Board
years, Ersin is aiming to sup- public and chain stores pro- Member of Turkcell and Turk-
port the Innovation and Startup duced in its kitchens in Istan- cell’s International operations
environment in Turkey and bul. “The LifeCo” company has until 2006. During this period
the region. Ersin has started a international reputation with Turkcell has also become one
Mentor Movement in June 2017 more than 60% of its customers of the worlds most innova-
which targets developing the from various parts of the world tive companies and the largest
quality and profile of Mentors in with a majority from Europe, GSM operator of the region.
Turkey as well as chanelling the Middle East and Australia.Ersin Ersin Pamuksüzer has a B.Sc.
excess money in old economies Pamuksüzer started his career in in Electronic Engineering from
into the startup world or ino- Ericsson Telecommunications Linkoping University, Sweden
ther words into new economy. company in Sweden in 1981 and MBA degree from Upsalla
Ersin is also the Founder of the and was the General Manager of University, Sweden.
Well-Being companies “The Ericsson Turkey for long years.
LifeCo” and “SAF” brands. The He ended his Ericssson career
LifeCo company was formed in in 2006 and moved into the
2005 and is providing services in well-being sector. During the

Eythor Jonsson
Lecturer, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Dr. Eythor Ivar Jonsson is the program, which has created dic companies to improve the
founder of Accelerate Business advisory boards for more than corporate governance in asso-
which runs accelerators pro- 100 Nordic fast growing com- ciation with NASDAQ OMX,
grams like the Growth-Train panies.Dr. Jonsson has founded Chamber of Commerce and the
(www.growth-train.dk) and CBS or co-founded several start-ups Federation of industries, as well
MBA Accelerator (www.acceler- and institutions in the Nordic as accounting firms like KPMG,
atevaluecreation.com). Dr. Jons- countries and assisted hundreds PWC and Deloitte. Dr. Jons-
son is an entrepreneur and an of start-ups as a CEO of inno- son has written more than 700
academic, affiliated with Copen- vation centre, accelerator pro- articles for specialized journals
hagen Business School and the grams and investor conferences and magazines about business
University of Iceland. He created like Seed Forum. He has taught and economics. He wrote the
the first accelerator in Iceland in more than thousand students first book about entrepreneur-
2008 and has since run 15 accel- entrepreneurship at five different ship published in Iceland. Dr.
erator programs and created five universities. Dr. Jonsson was Jonsson is the chair of EURAM
different types of accelerators in the first researcher to explore (European Academy of Manage-
the Nordic countries. In 2006 board evaluations and effective- ment) conference 2018, which
Dr. Jonsson founded an advisory ness in Iceland. He founded the will be held in Reykjavik Ice-
board program, the A-Board, in first research centre in corporate land.
collaboration with Copenhagen governance in Iceland and has
Business School Full-time MBA created programs for Icelan-
wbaforum.org 83
Fadi Saab
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Trans Capital Finance (TFC), Lebanon
Fadi Saab has an enriching pro- tion, TransMed Airlines, TransAl- Capital Finance (UK), Trans Capi-
fessional track record over the sace Airlines and Trans Tourism tal Invest (UK), and Pine Real
past 40+ years in Private Equity, International). In mid 1990’s he Estate Development (Lebanon),
Investment Banking, Corporate provided consultancy services he is an active participant in vari-
Finance, Aviation, Tourism, to the Investment Development ous economic or business associa-
Hospitality, Logistics, and Stra- Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) tions, and numerous NGO’s
tegic Management Consultancy. - Presidency of the Council of promoting Integrity; Anti-cor-
After graduating form INSEAD Ministers, Minister of Public ruption; Governance Principles,
in Fontainebleau with a MBA Works & Transportation, Minister and Quality Standards (B20 Task
in Finance, he started a banking of Tourism. Fadi was Chairman & Forces, Better Business Group,
career at SIB - London and JP CEO of TMA, Lebanon’s national MENA-OECD Working Group,
Morgan Guarantee - New York, to cargo airline for 12 years till 2008, ICCLebanon, AmCham Leba-
become later one of the youngest thereafter was Founder/Chairman non, IOD Lebanon, and Lebanese
VP’s of Bankers Trust (BTCo NY) and/or CEO of several invest- Society for Quality). Fadi partic-
- responsible for the International ment and operating companies ipates regularly as co-organizer
Investment Management Group in Germany, Denmark, France, or speaker at major economic
in the MENA region. Established Spain, and Lebanon (Top Capital & financial conferences, while
Trans Capital Holding in the late Finance, Aqua Capital Invest, providing several advisory tasks
80’s and was Chairman & CEO Midtown Hotels; Arab Leasing, to promote SME development for
of several companies operating United Food Technologies Group, various international organiza-
between Europe and the Middle Aqualife A/S, AquaCulture Tech- tions in France, Spain, Turkey and
East in aviation, tourism and nologies). In addition to being Lebanon.
hospitality (North African Avia- Founder & Chairman of Trans
Ferhan Ozkan
Co-Founder, VR First, Germany
Ferhan Ozkan is leading VR established the revenue gener- VR First, a global organization
First with a mission is to enable ator digital platform Playstore. which has already attracted over
young VR/AR developers and com distributing games of the 800 universities from all around
give them all the support they top publishers worldwide. As the world to join on its mission
need to turn their projects into elected Vice-Chair of the IEEE of the democratization of inno-
successful startups. His influ- VR/AR Standards Group, he vation. At various conferences,
ential journey started when he works on bringing the industry he is passionately addressing to
founded a pre-incubation center closer together, while focus- a wide range of audience sharing
funded by World Bank, guiding ing on empowering the major his vision on the upcoming leap
8 startups to successful indus- stakeholders with his expertise of immersive transformation.
try exits. Soon afterwards, he and global network. He founded
wbaforum.org 85
Ferruh Gurtas
The Innovation Programs and Partnerships Director for Europe,
Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Intel Corporation
Ferruh Gurtas is the Innova- Manager in charge of Intel’s Technical University, Turkey
tion Programs and Partnerships engagement with WEF around and MSc degree in Communica-
Director at Intel Corporation for the world including participations and Signal Processing from
Europe, Middle East, and Africa tion to Davos Annual event. He Imperial College, London. After
(EMEA) region since Nov’16. In represented Intel Corporation working as a software engineer
this role he is responsible from at global entrepreneurship and at Nortel in telecommunications
Intel’s corporate responsibility education programs of US State sector, he joined Intel Corpora-
strategies aiming to ensure that Department and at Entrepre- tion in 1997 and has taken var-
the next generation of inno- neurship Advisory Group of ious roles in different countries
vators are diverse in terms of WEF for MENA region and he in sales, marketing, business
geography, economic status, was a member of the advisory development and operations
ethnicity and gender. Prior to board of Business Angels Asso- before joining the Corporate Af-
that role he was the Corporate ciation of Turkey (TBAA). He fairs Group in 2006.Ferruh lived
Affairs Director for Middle East, is also acting as a “Coaching 3 years in UAE and 3 years in
Turkey and Africa region for Champion” at Intel since 2009 UK and currently is based out of
10 years driving government and completed CTI Co-active Istanbul, Turkey. Besides work,
affairs, education, entrepreneur- Coaching certification program he enjoys travelling, reading
ship and women empowerment accredited by ICF (International books and doing various sports
programs in the region. In 2011 Coaching Federation) in 2014. like football, tennis, golf, horse-
he took on additional worldwide Ferruh Gurtas has a BSc degree back riding and Bikram Yoga.
responsibility as WEF (World in Electrical and Electronic
Economic Forum) Partnership Engineering from Middle East
Filipe Araújo
Vice-Mayor, Porto City Hall, Portugal
Filipe Araújo is Porto’s of Greater Porto, Vice-Chair of chester Institute of Science and
Vice-Mayor and City Councillor Eurocities Environment Forum, Technology, Manchester, UK).
for Innovation and Environ- advisory board member of Por- He was a guest Professor at the
ment, Chairman of the Board of tuguese Association for the De- Faculty of Science of Universi-
Directors of AdePorto (Porto’s velopment of Communications, ty of Porto, between 2007 and
Energy Agency), Chairman of and advisory board member of 2011 and a Municipal Deputy of
the Board of Directors of Porto MIL (Media Innovation Labs) Porto between 2005 and 2009.
Digital Association (supports of Porto University. He has a Other relevant executive func-
the Porto City Council in the degree in Electrical Engineering tions include Service Manager in
development of e-government (Faculty of Engineering of the a telecommunication company
projects and online services), University of Porto) and holds and board member of the Youth
board member of LIPOR- Inter- a M.Sc. in Telecommunications Foundation.
municipal Waste Management (UMIST - University of Man-
wbaforum.org 87
Gjorge Ivanov
President of the Republic of Macedonia
President Dr. Gjorge Ivanov was efforts. After the collapse of the Professor Ivanov worked on
born in Valandovo, on May 2, one-party model and guided introducing new scientific views
1960. His father’s name is Alek- economy of the then Yugoslavia, on politics among his students,
sandar, and his mother’s name Gjorge Ivanov’s activism in the teaching them political theory
is Todora. After completing his youth movements was aimed at and political philosophy. Thus,
primary and secondary educa- promoting political pluralism he promoted new teaching
tion in Valandovo, he started and free market economy. He methods which helped open
his law studies at Ss. Cyril and proceeded with this activity at Macedonian academia to the
Methodius University in Skopje. the University, where he start- Western universities, bringing
In the course of his studies, he ed working in 1995. He earned contemporary literature closer
became politically active in the a Master’s Degree in Political to the students and connecting
liberal and reformist-oriented Science, elaborating the thesis Macedonian faculties to global
youth organizations. In 1988, entitled: “Civil Society - New databases, even in the early stag-
he began his seven-year long Contradictions of an Old De- es of development of the Inter-
career as journalist with the bate”. His PhD thesis was fo- net. In 1999, he was appointed
national broadcaster “Macedo- cused on building democracy Visiting Professor to the South-
nian Radio Television”, where he in divided societies, particu- East Europe Programme at the
was ultimately promoted to the larly elaborating the case of the University in Athens, Greece.
position of Editor of the Third Republic of Macedonia.At the Aware that opening Macedonia
Programme. During his media Political Studies Department to the West would be a process
career, he was also active in the within the Iustinianus Prim- requiring efforts of several up-
political system reformation us Faculty of Law in Skopje, coming generations, Professor
Gjorge Ivanov became active in a record diplomatic agenda has provided new knowledge,
the European Union TEMPUS with more than 200 bilateral experience and skills to more
Programme for the Republic of meetings with heads of state; than 150 young people. With
Macedonia, introducing reforms more than 150 meetings with his commitment thereof, he has
in the curriculum and Master prime ministers, speakers and attracted over 100 renowned
Programmes in English lan- heads of diplomacy; more than university professors, states-
guage. As professor, he stayed 100 official, working and infor- men and experts as lecturers
and delivered lectures at a num- mal visits and participations at at the School.Professor Gjorge
ber of foreign universities and international events. During Ivanov has received numerous
participated in many interna- his tenure, he held more than invitations to give lectures at
tional projects. He was Head of 430 meetings with other foreign renowned universities in the
the Political Studies Department dignitaries, high and senior European centers. In October
and Vice Dean of the Iustinianus officials of international organi- 2009 in Ankara, he was award-
Primus Faculty of Law in Skopje. zations and religious leaders. He ed the title Doctor Honoris
Gjorge Ivanov is a leading expert hosted over 40 official and work- Causa at the TOBB University of
in the field of civil society and ing visits of heads of state to Economics and Technology, one
among the very firsts to intro- the Republic of Macedonia. He of the most prominent private
duce systematic research of this welcomed thousands of citizens universities in Turkey, where the
area in the Macedonian academ- of various ethnic and religious President spoke on “The Millet
ic society. He was a consultant groups, professional associations System – Forgotten History or
to prominent think-tanks and and non-governmental organi- Recipe for the Future”. The title
research centers. Generations of zations in the President’s Office. Doctor Honoris Causa a second
leaders have passed his train- He was a patron of numerous one during his term of office,
ing in political management. domestic and international was awarded to President Ivanov
Professor Ivanov is one of the cultural, scientific and sport- by the Rector of the Istanbul
co-founders of the first Mace- ing events. He has decorated University in March 2011. On
donian political science journal a number of individuals and that solemn occasion, Professor
“Political Thought”. He is found- institutions in the country and Gjorge Ivanov held a lecture on
er of the first Political Science abroad, including five former “The Megapolis as a Societal
Association in independent and current heads of state. Management Model of the 21st
Macedonia. Ivanov is also one of During his presidency, he never Century”.In October 2011 in
the founders of the Institute for forgot to meet and discuss with Bucharest, Romania, President
Democracy, Solidarity and Civil students. He delivered lectures Ivanov received the title Doctor
Society, a renowned Macedoni- not only at all public universi- Honoris Causa at the Christian
an think-tank which has helped ties in the Republic of Macedo- University “Dimitrie Cantemir“.
shape the political landscape nia, but also at the top foreign The last awarded title Doctor
in Macedonia and served as universities as part of many of Honoris Causa, was received
guide to many young talents in his official visits. He received the by the macedonian president in
the politics. Although never a best students and conveyed their Nevsehir, Tyrkey, at the Univer-
party member, Professor Gjorge suggestions and remarks to the sity “Haci Bektas Veli“ in April,
Ivanov was active in designing rectors of the universities and 2015. In October 2013, he was
the reform policy of the politi- the competent Ministry, in order named Honorary Professor at
cal party VMRO-DPMNE, the solutions to the challenges to be the Southwestern University
party that supported his presi- jointly found.He introduced the of Finance and Economics in
dential nomination at the 2009 “Best Young Scientist” award.He Chengdu, China, and in Febru-
elections.During his first term in became recognizable with the ary 2014, he gave a lecture and
office as president, he sustained School for Young Leaders, which was named Honorary Professor
wbaforum.org 89
at the prestigious Moscow State Ivanov became a member of the principle of openness to all
University “Lomonosov”. In Sep- the World Academy of Arts and in the foreign policy and diplo-
tember 2011, President Ivanov Sciences.This is only a small part macy, President Ivanov contrib-
was awarded the highest Order of the activities of President Iva- utes to cherishing the existing
of the St. Lazarus Order from nov during his term of office, in and establishing new friendships
Jerusalem. In December 2013, which he is dedicated, on a daily and partnerships for the Repub-
President Ivanov was award- basis, to the strengthening of the lic of Macedonia in Europe and
ed the Order of St. George’s state unity at the national level throughout the world.Аt the
House of Habsburg-Lotringen. and opening of new horizons presidential elections held in
In March 2012, in Salzburg, for the Republic of Macedonia, April 2014, President Ivanov was
President Ivanov was sworn in for the Macedonian economy, re-elected for a new five-year
as Protector of the European education, science, culture, art, term of office.President Ivanov is
Academy of Sciences and Arts. sports and creating a better married and has one child.
In December 2013, President future for young people. Led by

Gurhan Cam
Deputy CDO & President of Innovation Committee, Denizbank, Turkey
After BSc Degree of Manage- dation team of Digital Genera- 3 years in a row. Through the
ment Engineering, Gurhan tion Banking at DenizBank as pipeline he gained the MSc
started his professional life in Department Head of Innovative degree on “Strategic Marketing
Fortisbank as Management Special Projects. By returning to and Brand Management”. Now
Trainee on Corporate Banking. banking business he has played he is working as Deputy CDO,
By ending 3 years in banking, leading role in building up new responsible from Mobile Plat-
Gurhan converted his career to generation digital products forms, Direct Banking, Fintech
IT business and soon became and business models in past 5 Banking, Cloud Banking and
Department Head of Core years. He is one of the architects Digital Payment Systems includ-
Banking & Treasury Projects of DenizBank Digital Strategy ing Strategy, Product, Channel
and accordingly Department powered by many BrandNew and Marketing management. He
IT Head of Retail Banking. Challinging Banking Products. is also President of Innovation
Throughout his 8 years IT career He has spent many effective reporting to Management Board
Gürhan has successfully built efforts resulting with Deniz- and coordinating the Corporate
business in both local and inter- Bank’s “Most Innovative Bank Innovation processes all around
national projects. At March 2012 Of The World” and “Global the bank.
Gurhan has attended the foun- Innovator” titles winning in
wbaforum.org 91
Hakan Akbas
Senior Advisor of Albright Stonbridge Group in Turkey and
Founding Partner of Global Dealings Group in US
Hakan Akbas is a Senior Advisor ing strategy, global business Director of Business Devel-
of Albright Stonebridge Group development including mergers opment Operations for Xerox
in Turkey and Founding Partner & acquisitions, PPPs, and joint Global Services with sales of $10
of Global Dealings Group in ventures and leading business billion.Mr. Akbas is a Turkish
US with more than 25+ years of transformation. From 2006 to Treasury certified angel investor
progressively responsible, inter- 2011, Mr. Akbaş was the Execu- advising his portfolio compa-
national experience directing as tive Vice President of Corporate nies in various industries. He
many as 5,000 employees with Strategy, Business Development, serves on the boards of several
revenues in excess of $2.5 billion and Insurance Businesses of €15 public and private companies.
in Turkey, the US, Europe, and billion Sabanci Group. He also Mr. Akbaş earned an MBA from
China. Based in Istanbul and advised Güler Sabanci, chairper- the Simon Graduate School of
Washington, DC, Mr. Akbaş son of Sabanci Group and one Business at the University of
brings to clients operating ex- of world’s top 3 most powerful Rochester in US, and BS degree
perience in leading companies women by Financial Times in in Industrial Engineering from
with commercial diplomacy, 2012. Previously, Mr. Akbaş was Boğaziçi University in Turkey.
strategy development market- the co-founder and Managing

Hakan Erturk
General Manager, Directorate General of Financial Sector Relations and Exchange, Turkey
Hakan has been serving as the angel networks. Mr. Erturk nancing instruments to increase
Head of Department for Fi- actively took part not only in access to finance.He graduated
nancial Instruments and Mar- the creation of business angels from Ankara University, De-
ket Development at Turkish and funds of fund programs but partment of Economics in 2000
Treasury since 2011 and his also in improving the quality and started his career at Turkish
works are focused primarily on and volume of business angel Treasury as an auditor. In 2008,
entrepreneurship ecosystem to investments. He is also dealing he got his MBA (Finance) de-
improve access to finance for with the implementation of the gree from University of Illinois
SMEs. His department is now fund of funds system which in the United States. Currently,
actively working on venture was established in early 2014 he is working on a doctorate in
capital issues to strengthen the to support the venture capi- venture capital at Department
financial ecosystem through tal funds and co-investment of Business Administration in
developing public policies for funds. Besides, he also works on Ankara University.
business angels and business improving other alternative fi-
wbaforum.org 93
Harry Tomi Davies
African Business Angels Network (ABAN), Nigeria
Harry Tomi Davies (TD) is an range of individuals with a per- invests, mentors and continues
ICT Expert with a background sonal goal of “maximizing the to work on developing an eco-
of technology management creation of social and economic system of technology start-ups
for FTSE 100 level companies value using digital technologies around co-working spaces, incu-
in the UK, US and Africa. He better”.He is an acclaimed expert bators, accelerators, angel fund-
directs and advises a broad in project management of tech- ing, VC Capital, entrepreneur
range of organisations globally, nology systems analysis, design capacity development, national
writes and blogs (occasionally) & implementation, an area that and state government policies.
while maintaining a significant is the subject of his 2014 book He is the founder of the Lagos
network of connections across “The African Project Manager”. Angel Network and President
most of the major social media TD’s focus in the last decade has of the African Business Angels
platforms. He is a regular public been on technology based entre- Network (ABAN).
speaker and mentor of a broad preneurship in Africa where he

Hasan Maral
Secretary General, Karacadag Development Agency, Turkey
Hasan has been working as opment plans with a participa- Agriculture in 2003 and started
Secretary General of the Ka- tory and strategic approach and his career at Ministry of Food,
racadag Development Agency to implement them effectively, Agriculture and Livestock as an
(TRC2 Region) since 2015 and to enforce local capacity and agriculture engineer. In 2012, he
his works are focused primar- increase productivity, to raise got his doctorate degree from
ily on regional development to competitiveness and invest- Çukurova University and also
raise a common understanding ment attraction of the region graduated from Anadolu Uni-
of development in the region by by improving the investment versity, Department of Econom-
promoting cooperation between climate, in order to facilitate a ics in 2014.
public, private sectors and the sustainable social and econom-
non-governmental organiza- ic development. He graduated
tions, to prepare regional devel- from Dicle University, Faculty of
wbaforum.org 95
Hashim S. Hussein
Head, The United Nations Industrial Development Organization - ITPO, UNIDO
Dr. Hashim S. Hussein is the advocate for Women’s Economic of Bahrain to eventually become
Head of the United Nations In- Empowerment. He holds a PhD the Head of UNIDO-ITPO in
dustrial Development Organiza- (Honors) in International Law 1996. Dr. Hussein is also the Di-
tion - Investment & Technology from the Universite de Nantes, rector of the Arab International
Promotion Office (UNIDO-IT- France. He obtained a Doctor- Center for Entrepreneurship &
PO) and Director of the Arab al Research Programme from Investment (AICEI) in which he
International Centre for Entre- the University of Maryland at played an instrumental role in
preneurship and Investment College Park, Centre for In- its establishment in Bahrain in
Training (ARCEIT) – Kingdom ternational Development and 2001. Through AICEI, he initiat-
of Bahrain. Dr. Hussein has Conflict Management (CID- ed and developed the Enterprise
acquired rich experience in the CM), Maryland, U.S.A in the Development & Investment Pro-
field of Industrial Development year 1989. He has worked at motion Program (EDIP) which
as well as Investment and Tech- various responsibility levels in is currently implemented in
nology Promotion in the last 22 different countries like USA, over 49 countries from Uruguay,
years. He’s had extensive expe- Egypt, Sudan, Austria and the Africa, the MENA region and all
rience of over 20 years in SME Kingdom of Bahrain. He joined the way to China.
and Entrepreneurship develop- UNIDO in 1991 as a Program
ment and He is an international Officer posted in the Kingdom

Haydar Colakoglu
Board Member, TEB Holding, Turkey
wbaforum.org 97
Hayri Telekoglu
Marketing & Central Sales Director, TEB Private Banking, Turkey
Hayri graduated from Middle 2000. Hayri moved to GARAN- ing Product Development and
East Technical University, De- Tİ BANK / ISTANBUL as a Brand Communication Man-
partment of Sociology in 1998. SME Banking Portfolio Manager agement. After 2007 he became
Between 2006-2008 he held his in 2000. He worked in the same Marketing and Communication
executive MBA degree in Bilgi position from 2000 to 2002. Senior Manager of TEB Private
University Istanbul /Turkey.Hay- Hayri became a Product De- Banking. In 2015 Hayri took
ri began his banking career as velopment Manager in 2002 at digital marketing project lead-
a member of Corporate Banking CRM & Marketing Department er role at BNP Paribas Wealth
Management Trainee in 1998 and he worked there until June Management in Paris .Since
and he continued his position 2005 as Retail and Small Busi- 2016 he is the Director of TEB
until 2000 in Bank Kapital . ness Banking Product Devel- Private Banking Marketing and
He started to work in Treasury opment Manager at GARANTİ Central Sales.
Department as a ALM Assistant BANK /ISTANBULHe joined
Specialist and then continued TEB / BNP Paribas Joint Ven-
his career as a Corporate Bank- ture in June 2005 and he has
ing Relationship Specialist until been leading to Retail Bank-

Hedda Pahlson-Moller
Board Member, EBAN, Luxembourg
Hedda Pahlson-Moller is a alyst. Hedda has spent the last Development (CSDD) and sits
Business Angel, Board Member, 10 years as Adjunct Professor on the advisory board for the
Adjunct Professor, and out- of Entrepreneurship and Social Vodafone F-Lane Accelerator for
spoken advocate for all things Entrepreneurship at Sacred Women Empowerment as well
IMPACT through TIIME.org. Heart University and lectures as Equilibre, a Think Tank for
The common denominator on Social Innovation and Social Gender Complementarity.Her
between the initiatives has been Enterprise at the University of previous board positions include
mobilizing capital and resourc- Luxembourg. She is an Execu- European Venture Philanthropy
es towards positive social and tive Fellow at Essex University. Association and Luxembourg
environmental impact, leverag- Hedda sits on the boards of the Microfinance and Development
ing the power of diversity and European Business Angel Net- Fund – organizations she still
entrepreneurship.Hedda invests work (chairing EBAN Impact), actively supports alongside her
through OMSINT, an impact LBAN and Rising Tide Europe TONIIC 100% membership.
investment vehicle, and does (women’s angel fund). She is
Advisory and Advocacy through advisor to the Luxembourg
TIIME.org, a Social Impact Cat- government on Sustainable
wbaforum.org 99
Humphry Hatton
Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte, Turkey
Humphry Hatton is the Chief all Financial Advisory services ever undertaken across a range
Executive Officer (CEO) of for several years.Humphry has of areas such as litigation and
Deloitte Turkey. Before moving worked extensively with clients arbitration proceedings, asset
to Turkey in 2016, he was the in many countries around the tracing and recovery, financial
former CEO of Deloitte’s Cor- world and in a wide variety of services and corporate account-
porate Finance businesses in the industries, but the majority of ing investigations and regulatory
Middle East, and previously he his practice has been for clients compliance work. He is a regu-
was a Board Member of the UK in the financial services indus- lar speaker on compliance and
firm Deloitte LLP and headed try, particularly banking, as well regulatory matters, as well as
up their Forensic & Dispute as working with many of the matters of wider economic and
Services practice for 11 years. leading law firms in the world. financial interest relating to the
He was a member of the Deloitte As a client practitioner Hum- development of business activity.
global executive committees phry has led some of the most
for both Forensic Services and complex forensic assignments

Husnu Ozyegin
Founder & Chairman, Fiba Holding, Turkey
Husnu Ozyegin is a Turkish an MBA degree. He remained ed Finansbank to 200 branches

businessman, the owner of FIBA in U.S for 3 more years after in 9 countries of Europe apart
Holding which is a group of which he decided to take up an from Turkey. He initiated several
finance related companies. He offer from the Pamukbank that other business mostly finance
is a self-made billionaire whose was under the ownership of companies which he joined
net worth is $3 billion. Ozyegin his old school friend Mehmet together under the name ‘Fiba
is the wealthiest man in Turkey. Emin Karamehmet. He was 32 Holding’ with 8,500 employ-
Ozyegin was born in 1944 in when he started working there ees in more than 20 countries.
Izmir, Turkey. He studied in one as a general manager. He turned Ozyegin made several invest-
of the most elite academies in around the bank that was going ments in high demand indus-
Istanbul ‘Robert College’ and into a loss before Ozyegin be- tries including energy and retail,
graduated from there in 1963. came a part of it. He worked as real estate and construction of
According to Ozyegin, he had managing director and gen- shopping centers and condos
only thousand dollars when he eral manager of Yapi ve Kredi in the central local business
went to the United States. There Bankasi and he remained on this districts. He bought the retail
he enrolled at the Oregon State position till 1987. Ozyegin was a business of supermarket chains
University in Corvallis, Oregon member of the Executive Board called Endi, Gima, Greens and
and graduated with a BS degree from 1974 to 1977. After fulfill- Spar in 1966. Ozyegin made a
in civil engineering. After that, ing his duties at the Pamukbank, franchising contract with the
he pursued further studies and Husnu Ozyegin realized that he famous retail chain of Britain
attended the Business School wanted to have his own bank. ‘Marks & Spencer’. He also
at Harvard University in Cam- He founded the Finansbank in bought a bank called ‘Sakura
bridge, Massachusetts obtaining October 1987. Ozyegin expand- bank’.
wbaforum.org 101
Ian Sosso
Founder & Managing Partner, Monte Carlo Capital, Monte Carlo
Ian founded Monte Carlo Cap- sourcing, to duediligence, deal conferences in China, HK, Sin-
ital in 2009 to invest his own structuring, and often joins the gapore,Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia,
assets in early stage companies. board or the advisory board. Russia and Monaco.Ian cur-
Over the Before founding Monte Carlo rently lectures venture capital to
years Monte Carlo Capital Capital, Ian was, until 2009, the MBA and finance MSc students
attracted a group of sophisticat- regional managing director and at the International University of
ed individuals who invest as a head of capital markets in Asia Monaco, and a regular speaker
group between for Commerzbank where he at leading business school. He
$500K and to $3Mio in each was managing all capital mar- is also a board member of the
business.Monte Carlo Capi- kets activities in Asia,including Monaco Venture Capital As-
tal looks for the best start ups equity derivatives, credit, pre- sociation.Ian joined the Euro-
around the world: businesses cious metals, foreign exchange, pean Business Angels Network
with a clear edge, strongintellec- debt capital markets, as well as (EBAN), in 2016 and recently
tual property or looking to dis- the treasuries of HK, Singapore won the best performing new
rupt an industry, and has build and Shanghai.Ian started his member award at the annual
a portfolio of exceptional com- career in 1993 and previously conference of EBAN in Mala-
paniesin sectors ranging from worked in Paris, London, To- ga. EBAN is the pan-European
biotech and medical devices to kyo, Singapore and Hong Kong trade association for the early
artificial intelligence, robotics, with HSBC, UBS and JPMorgan, stage investor community and
fintech, robotics and consumer holding positions in trading, gathers member organisations in
products.Ian is regularly the sales and financial engineering. 59 countries.
lead investor and is involved in Over the years, Ian has been a
each step of the deal, from deal keynote speaker in numerous
Inderjit Singh
CEO, Solstar International Pte Ltd, Serial Entrepreneur and Former Member of Parliament
Inderjit is a rare combination of – as an entrepreneur, starting from 1996-2015. As a politician,

experiences, managing a mul- a few companies around the Inderjit served in various capac-
ti-national company, a serial world, as an investor, investing ities, including as Deputy Gov-
entrepreneur, angel investor and in start-up, and as a policy mak- ernment Whip and as Chairman
a Policy Maker. An engineer by er, helping create a good ecosys- of the Government Parliamen-
training and having worked at tem through policy changes, and tary Committee for Finance and
Texas Instruments for 13 years, in educating the next genera- Trade & Industry. In Singapore,
he embarked on his entrepre- tion of entrepreneurs.Inderjit’s as the Deputy-Chairman of the
neurship journey at the age of passion for entrepreneurship Action Community for Entre-
37 by starting United Test and has seen him being a leading preneurship (ACE) for several
Assembly Center, a large semi- global and national voice on years, he actively drove the
conductor company once valued the importance of entrepre- transformation of the entrepre-
at $2b when listed on the Sin- neurship in society. Inderjit is neurship ecosystem in Singapore
gapore Stock Exchange. After a Co-President of the World and helped shape many poli-
exiting UTAC, Inderjit started a Entrepreneurship Forum, a cies to better support start-ups,
few other successful companies. global organization on entrepre- small and medium businesses
In addition to starting his own neurship development and the in Singapore.He is the author of
companies, Inderjit is also an World Business Angel Forum. the sold out popular book called
active Angel investor and men- Inderjit was also the founding “The Art and Science of Entre-
tor, having invested in about 20 President of The Indus Entrepre- preneurship” which captures
companies over the last 15 years. neurs (TiE) Singapore chapter. his entrepreneurial experienc-
Inderjit has extensive experience Inderjit served as a Member of es. Inderjit is also an inventor
in the field of entrepreneurship Parliament (MP) in Singapore with 3 patents to his name.
wbaforum.org 103
Inderjit holds a B. Engineering Strathclyde, UK. He is currently NTUitive, the innovation com-
(Hons) degree from the Nan- a Board Member of the Nanyang pany of NTU.
yang Technological University Technological University (NTU)
and a MBA from University of and Chairman of the Board of

Ismail Haznedar
JAIN Angel Investing Network (JAIN Global)
Ismail Haznedar is a Strategist versity in 2005. He speaks Turk- International (JCI), leading
and a Certified Management ish and English. Presently he is global network of active citizens.
Consultant (CMC) and Fellow President of JAIN Global, a New Haznedar was elected as 2015
Member of Strategic Planning York based Angel Investing Net- President of the JCI, leading
Society (SPS). Born in 1976 work, and Managing Director global organization during
in Tetovo, Macedonia, Ismail of Stratejik Isler, a management 100th Anniversary and served as
Haznedar graduated from Mid- consultancy company based in 2016 JCI Senate Chairman. He is
dle East Technical University Istanbul, Turkey. He is a Cer- honored to be a life time mem-
(METU), earning a Bachelor tified Management Consultant ber and Senator, is Foundation
of Sciences degree in Business (CMC) and Fellow Member of Member and Certified National
Management in 2000. He also Strategic Planning Society (SPS). Trainer (CNT).
completed Masters Degree on Ismail Haznedar is Former
Marketing from Marmara Uni- President of Junior Chamber
wbaforum.org 105
Ivan Jovetic
President, Montenegrin Business Angels Network (MEBAN), Montenegro
Ivan Jovetic, MSci is an en- me) where he is teaching several CE²S (Centre for European Ed-
trepreneur and (re)searcher courses. UDG is university that ucation and Studies) an organi-
focused on private business, fosters entrepreneurship and zation trying to enhance entre-
research and education in- entrepreneurial culture. Since preneurship and start-up eco
stitutions. He holds MSci in 2005 he works at the Institute system in Montenegro as well as
Economics and expects PhD in for Strategic Studies and Prog- to promote education. CE²S is
International Economy from noses (ISSP www.issp.me) first managing Montenegrin branch
University of Donja Gorica. as researcher and then as Senior of regional SuperFounders ac-
Ivan Jovetic is co-founder and Analyst. At the ISSP he has been celeration platform. He has been
co-owner of MSI INVEST Ltd. involved in numerous projects contributor to several daily and
based in Montenegro. MSI including projects for European monthly publications in Mon-
INVEST is an entrepreneurial Commission, UNIDO, UNDP, tenegro and region. Mr. Jovetic
project involved in several sec- Securities Commission of Mon- is also co-founder and President
tors including hotel and tourism tenegro, Ministry of Finance of of Montenegrin Business Angels
industry and property manage- Montenegro, Ministry of Econo- Network.
ment. Mr. Jovetic is Teaching my of Montenegro, MED pro-
Fellow at University of Donja gram and etc. Currently he also
Gorica (UDG www.udg.edu. acts as the Executive director of

John Stamm
Director of Global Philanthropy,Junior Chamber International (JCI), USA
John Stamm serves as Director of JCI’s many programs, includ- consultant in New York City and
of Global Philanthropy at JCI. ing the Global Youth Empow- also started his own tutoring
He is responsible for engaging erment Fund, Peace is Possible, company. He currently serves as
corporations, foundations and the JCI Foundation, JCI Events the Vice President of St. Louis
individuals in order to create and many member projects at Area Mensa.
partnerships and secure finan- the local, national and interna-
cial resources. His work enhanc- tional level. Before JCI, Stamm
es the strength and sustainability was a management and strategy
wbaforum.org 107
Josep Miquel Piqué Huerta
President, International Association of Science Parks (IASP)
Josep Miquel Piqué is President Innovation and Competitiveness projects, he has participated in
of IASP (International Associa- Policies of the United Nations the team of Barcelona Euro-
tion of Science Parks and Areas Commission for Europe (UN- pean Capital of Innovation.He
of Innovation) and Executive ECE). He has promoted several has published several papers in
President of La Salle Technova hybrid organizations taking the publications and congresses on
Innovation Park. He is expert partnership model Universi- Innovation Ecosystems, Open
of the Directorate General for ty-Industry-Public Adminis- Innovation and Entrepreneur-
Regional and Urban Policy tration. In the field of public ship.
(DG REGIO) of the Europe- administration has been CEO
an Commission, and member of the District Innovation - 22
of the Team of Specialists on @ Barcelona. Among other

Juwan Lee
Founder and CEO, NexChange, Hong Kong
Juwan Lee is an entrepreneur, Director of the Hong Kong heading equity within asset
venture capitalist, fintech, block- Blockchain Centre. Most re- management division. Mr Lee
chain and social media influenc- cently, Medium has placed him was a pioneer in managing
er and investment professional as one of the top 8 influencers technology portfolios on behalf
with three decades of financial of the Asian blockchain com- of hedge funds like SAC Capital,
services and investment in- munity. He is the organizer for Continuity Capital and Osprey
dustry experience, managing both Hong Kong Fintech Week Capital and asset managers like
portfolios and organizations on and Healthtech O2O, a part of Rothschilds and Montgomery.
behalf of multi-billion dollar StartmeupHK Festival.From an He funded many star companies
hedge funds, proprietary trad- investment perspective, Mr Lee in the Silicon Valley, Taiwan’s
ing desks, asset management is the CEO of Arrakis Ventures, Hsinchu Science Park, Korea
and venture capital firms. He is a venture capital firm focused on and Israel and was an early
the Founder and CEO of Nex- early-stage technology startups. investor in Netscape and Yahoo
Change, an innovation venture He is the former CIO of Shang- and has an Engineering degree
ecosystem as a service, spe- hai’s largest asset management from the University of Califor-
cializing in fintech, insurtech, firm and spent many years at nia Berkeley.
blockchain, AI and healthtech. JP Morgan in a variety of roles
Mr Lee is a Co-founder and from principal investments to
wbaforum.org 109
Kaiser H. Naseem
Head, IFC Banking & Digital Finance Advsiory Services MENA and Central Asia, UAE
A global thought leader, dis- thinker with strong ethical certification on “Strategy in the
ruptor and innovator with an standards and focus on results. Age of Digital Disruption” from
entrepreneurial flair, Kaiser With exceptional business acu- INSEAD, and over 36 years of
works as an international devel- men and broad experience on a international experience in de-
opment banker and has con- global stage he has served on the velopment banking and finance,
ceptualized and developed new BODs of several international Kaiser has developed a network
institutions and business models companies and provided stra- of diverse professionals in every
in challenging environments. tegic advice to senior manage- corner of the globe whom he
Core competencies include New ment and business owners. With leverages to make sure that the
Ventures, MSME Banking, Pro- an MBA in Finance from the UN Sustainable Development
ject Financing, Team Building, Asian Institute of Management Goals are at the center of all
Change Management, Business in Manila, an MS in Metallurgi- business decisions.
Development and Good Gov- cal Engineering from Moscow
ernance. Kaiser is a strategic Institute of Steel & Alloys, a

Kenan Colpan
Chief Executive Officer, ITU Ari Teknokent, Turkey
In his 25-year-experience, Mr. ics Department at Istanbul Uni- Office, İTÜNOVA TTO, and
Kenan Colpan has taken effi- versity, Mr. Çolpan still works as Swiss Chamber of Commerce in
cient part for two sector-leading the General Manager of Istanbul Turkey. Currently, Mr. Colpan
American brands to take an Technical University’s Science- and his team show an inten-
active role in Turkey’s market park, İTÜ ARI Teknokent and sive effort to establish “Istanbul
and accomplished many ex- ITU Foundation’s subsidiary Technical University’s Entre-
port-based projects. Mr. Colpan company, 3M R&D Inc. While preneurship Hub” in which it is
has worked as a managing part- being the General Secretary of aimed to be the regional power
ner in his start-ups which later the ITU Foundation, Mr. Col- and the center of attraction.
he successfully managed their pan is also the board member
exits. Graduated from Econom- of ITU’s Technology Transfer
wbaforum.org 111
Leyla Alaton
Board Member of Alarko Holding & President of Alvimedica, Turkey
Leyla Alaton is one of the father Ishak Alaton and his part- Museum, New York Leadership
brightest figures of Turkish ner Dr. Uzeyir Garih and man- Council Membership, Make A
business life. She comes from a aged promotion and marketing Wish Association Board Mem-
strong tradition of family busi- of Alkent – Etiler Uydusehir and bership, Darüşşafaka Education
ness. Alaton draws attention Alsit Villakent projects. She was Institutions Consulting Com-
with her unique style and brave named as the “Businesswoman mittee Membership, Contem-
ideas. She works tirelessly to of the Year” by the Nation- porary Art Istanbul Consulting
help women achieve success al Center for Productivity in Committee Membership, WPO
in their business careers and 1992. She was listed among the (World Presidents’ Organiza-
improve their social status in a “Leaders of the Future” at the tion) Membership and “Cartier
self sufficient manner. Alaton Davos World Economic Forum Women’s Initiative Awards”
specifically speaks on and helps in 1993. In the same year, she jury membership. She was also
larger audiences understand the founded Megatrend Public Rela- a jury member of the TV show
issues of entrepreneurship, inno- tions and Consulting Company. “Do You Have An Idea” where
vation and women employment She provided consultancy ser- she helped young entrepreneurs
with her vast experience. Leyla vice for global giants including with their fresh ideas using her
Alaton was actively in business Aérospatiale and Alcatel. Alaton years of experience. Supporting
life since 1986 and climbed the is an active member of many women employment Alaton
steps up her career fast thanks non-governmental organizations is a known advocate for wom-
to a sophisticated analytic skill. including GYİAD (Young Busi- en in business and social life.
Following her education in USA, nessmen Association) Founding She encourages entrepreneur
she started her career in 1986 at Membership, GIF (Global Rela- women on many platforms
Alarko Holding, founded by her tions Forum) Membership, New she is involved in, whether as a
speaker or an invitee, and takes reer, as well as her collections a Business Management de-
active action through a number and a sophisticated interest in gree from Fairleigh Dickinson
of organizations to achieve this painting and modern arts since College in USA.She also holds a
goal. One of these organizations her college days. Alaton has a Master’s degree in Social Scienc-
is KAGİDER (Women Entre- unique approach to art: “Arts es from New York University.
preneurs Association), where should tranquilize those who Alaton is a board member of
she is a founding member. Leyla are confused and confuse those Alarko Holding A.Ş., Alvimedi-
Alaton is an active speaker in who are tranquilized”. Alaton is ca and Tıbbi Ürünler San. ve Dış
demand on issues of women’s a member of Contemporary Art Tic. A.Ş. Leyla Alaton was grant-
rights, improvement of their so- Istanbul Consultative Commit- ed with Légion d’Honneur, the
cial status and entrepreneurship tee and has a huge collection of highest decoration in France,
on TV shows, college meetings paintings. Who is Leyla Alaton? for her positive contributions to
and various other organizations. Leyla Alaton, born n Istanbul Turkish-French relations.
Art-lover Alaton is well-known attended Şişli Terakki, Lycée
for her enthusiasm in arts, in Sainte-Pulcherie and Notre
addition to her business ca- Dame de Sion schools. She has
wbaforum.org 113
Lutfi Elvan
Minister of Development of the Republic of Turkey

Lutfiye Ilksen Ceritoglu Kurt
Member of Parliament, The Grand National Assembly of Turkey
wbaforum.org 115
Maria Hala
Chair, Hala Partners, Greece
Maria Hala is an investment funding paths. Maria is focused try. She received an M.B.A. in
professional with experience at on three industries, namely Entrepreneurship and Inno-
private equity and asset manage- medtech, agritech and fintech. vation, from Imperial College,
ment. She has been concentrated Maria is an active member of London, whereas through her
on the expansion of the Greek EBAN. She is also a member of thesis she provided the first ac-
entrepreneurial ecosystem and the Hellenic Spanish Chamber ademic study over the profile of
the establishment of the local of Commerce and of MIT EF Greek business angel investors.
informal venture capital com- Greece, whereas she has served Also, she holds an MSc in Busi-
munity. By providing mentor- as a judge at their StartSmart ness Finance (Brunel University,
ing and coaching on ventures competitions. As a Certified London) and a BSc in Marketing
standing at seed and early stages Fund Manager, accredited by the (University of LaVerne, Califor-
of their investment cycle, her Hellenic Capital Market Com- nia).
ultimate goal is to contribute on mission, Maria has spent more
their commercialization and on than 17 years of her professional
advising them on their equity life at asset management indus-

Mathieu Cornieti
President, IMPACT Partenaires, France
Mathieu Cornieti is the CEO of previously as Chief Financial neur and in the PE department
IMPACT Partenaires, a French Officer at Scaleo Chip and Man- of Rothschild & Co.
leading impact investing managing Director at Solideal. He
agement company. He served started his career as an entrepre-
wbaforum.org 117
Matthew Gamser
Chief Executive Officer, SME Finance Forum - IFC, USA
Matthew Gamser is CEO of the banks, fintech companies and years in management consulting
SME Finance Forum, the world’s development banks from more and in senior leadership in an
leading center for knowledge than 60 countries as its mem- international NGO. He holds
exchange, good practice promo- bers. Dr. Gamser has over 35 A.B. and A.M. degrees from
tion and networking for the fi- years’ experience in private en- Harvard University, and M.Sc.
nance industry in this field. The terprise and financial sector de- and D.Phil degrees from Sussex
SME Finance Forum is managed velopment. He has worked for University (UK), where his work
by the International Finance IFC, the private sector arm of focused on the management of
Corporation (IFC) for the G-20 the World Bank Group, for 13 technological change.
countries’ Global Partnership for years in various positions from
Financial Inclusion. The SME Washington, DC, and Hong
Finance Forum has over 140 Kong. Prior to that he spent 25

Mehmet Nane
Chief Executive Officer, Pegasus Airlines, Turkey
Born in 1966, Mehmet T. Nane Planning and Project Develop- Chairman of TAMPF-Turkish
obtained his undergraduate ment Department, Director of Federation of Shopping Centers
degree in International Relations the Retail Group and General And Retailers, the Board Mem-
at Boğaziçi University, İstanbul, Secretary of Sabancı Holding. ber of TOBB- Retailing Council
in 1990 and his graduate degree Mehmet T. Nane has held the of Turkish Union of Chamber
in International Banking and position of General Manager of Commerce GS1 Turkey
Finance at University of Heriot at Teknosa on April 2005. He Foundation, the Chairman of
Watt, Scotland in 1993 with UK previously served as Vice Chair- TOBB- Retailing Council of
Government’s FCO scholarship. man of the Teknosa Board of Turkish Union of Chamber
He also participated Harvard Directors between the founding of Commerce, the chairman
Business School Advanced date, March 2000 and April of SEV-Health and Education
Management Program in 2013. 2005. On August 2013 he has Foundation and Chairman
After various managerial posi- been appointed as the General of the Association of Turkish
tions in Türkiye Emlak Bankası, Manager of CarrefourSA and Graduates of Harvard Business
Demirbank and Demir Invest, held this position till 2016. On School.
he joined Sabancı Holding with- March 2016 he became the CEO
in which he held roles including of Pegasus Airlines. Currently
Vice President of the Strategic Mehmet T. Nane is the Deputy
wbaforum.org 119
Mehmet Simsek
Deputy Prime Minister, Republic of Turkey
Mehmet Simsek serves as a Dep- the shadow economy.Before after being awarded a Turkish
uty Prime Minister of the Re- entering politics, he worked for State Scholarship. He holds an
public of Turkey since Novem- Merrill Lynch in London for M.PHil in Finance and Invest-
ber 24, 2015, responsible for the seven years as an economist and ments from Exeter University.
management of macroeconomic strategist and later as head of DPM Şimşek is also a member
policies. He previously served as Fixed Income Strategy and Mac- of the Global Economic Sym-
the Minister of Finance (2009- ro Economic Research for the posium (GES) advisory board.
15), one of the longest serving emerging EMEA region.From DPM Şimşek was born in 1967,
Finance Ministers of Turkey, 1998 to 2000, he was a senior in a small village in Batman, a
and as the Minister of Economy economist and bank analyst at province in Southeastern Tur-
(2007-09).He was elected to the Deutsche-Bender Securities in key. He is married, has twin
Parliament in 2007, 2011 and Istanbul. Earlier in his career, he girls, and a boy. He is fluent in
2015 representing the Justice worked on Wall Street for UBS Turkish, English and Kurdish.
and Development Party (AK Securities in New York (1997) DPM Şimşek was nominated as
Party).DPM Şimşek has for- and as a senior economist at the one of the 500 most powerful
mulated fiscal policy which has US Embassy in Ankara (1993- people on the planet by Foreign
helped Turkey recover strongly 97).DPM Şimşek holds a B.S. in Policy in 2013, and awarded
from the global financial cri- Economics from Ankara Uni- as the “Finance Minister of the
sis. He has also undertaken versity and worked as a research Year for Emerging Europe 2013”
far reaching reforms founding assistant in the University’s by Emerging Markets magazine.
the Tax Audit Board, simplify- International Economics and
ing tax regulations, enhancing Economic Development Depart-
taxpayers’ rights, and reducing ment.He also studied in England
Meliksah Utku
Chief Executive Officer, Albaraka Turk, Turkey
Mr. Utku was born in Ankara 2007, he was head economist in porate Communication Depart-
in 1968. He graduated from Albaraka Turk. In addition, he ments. He was a board member
Mechanical Engineering De- was an economics columnist for of Borsa Istanbul from 2013 to
partment of Boğaziçi University Yeni Şafak newspaper for over 2016. Currently he is the acting
(Istanbul, 1990). He completed 10 years (1995-2009). He later General Manager of Albaraka
his graduate studies in London worked as Investor Relations Turk since October 2016. In
School of Economics (1990- Manager from 2007-2009. He addition he is the President of
1992) and Master’s Degree continued as CIO - Assistant Participation Banks Association
on economic development in General Manager in Decem- of Turkey.
Marmara University (Istanbul, ber 2009 and was appointed as
1998). In 2004, he served as CFO - primarily responsible for
consultant to General Manager Financial Affairs, Budget and
of Albaraka Turk. In 2006 - Financial Reporting and Cor-
wbaforum.org 121
Michael Gold
Chief Executive Officer, Crimson Capital, Czech Republic
Michael Gold is Managing Di- tivities have resulted in over $7 a founder and member of the
rector of Crimson Capital Corp., billion USD in debt and equity board of the Kosovo Business
an international development financing, FDI, privatizations, Angels Network (KosBAN),
firm founded in 1991. He has 38 PPPs and export transactions a member of the board of the
years of experience, 23 of which in developing countries. He has American Chamber of Com-
have been in emerging markets, been active in the Balkans since merce in Kosovo, and chairman
and specializes in increasing 1995. Mr. Gold serves on the of the board of the Local Devel-
access to finance, innovation, boards of development orient- opment Fund.
entrepreneurship, competitive- ed organizations and helped
ness, privatization, trade, SME found several innovation, ICT
development, and legal, policy and renewable energy centers
and regulatory reform. His ac- and associations. He is currently

Miguel Martin
Founder, Immerxing Hub, Spain
Miguel Martin is a qualified gram to boost the immersive tal- VR Hackaton, SpainVRStartups.
lawyer, International eMBA & ent & startups ecosystem across Additionally to immersive techs,
BA investor with 15 years living industries and locations with Miguel’s expertise, networking
& working experience across already two hubs in Spain and and investment interest focus on
Europe, LATAM, CEE & MENA now expanding to UK, Mexico EdTech, PropTech & TravelTech
focusing on international busi- & Morocco. In collaboration being a proactive member of
ness development & investment with WBAF, Miguel Martin is Spanish startup & BA commu-
for MNCs like Carrefour and leading the setting-up of the first nity and a regular participant in
Mecalux, startups in Spain & cross-border & vertical Business tech/startups events as investor,
Poland and his own projects. He Angels Network specialised on mentor and/or jury in Telefon-
is the founder & co-investor at immersive techs, projects & ica AOF & Bolt Accelerators,
Immerxing Hub, an innovative startups investment opportuni- MWC/4YFN Investor Network,
tech & talent accelerator offering ties and being an active speaker South Summit and Business
one-stop specialised space with & investor in major VR/360/AR Angels industry events.
VR/360/AR academy, demolab, tech events such as Asia VR/AR
coworking and investment pro- Fair, World VR/AR, Telefonica
wbaforum.org 123
Modwenna Rees-Mogg
Editor-in-Chief, Angel News, UK
Modwenna is a graduate of St Pitching for Management www. Cranfield University.She is the

Andrews University. She has pitching4management.com, a author of Crowdfunding, How
two decades of business expe- live recruitment series, the VCT to raise money and make money
rience working in corporate & EIS Investor Forum www. in the crowd - a guide to operat-
finance in the City of London thevctandeisinvestorforum. ing a business in, raising money
and in business angel investment com, The Great British Private from and being an investor in
and venture capital. She set up Investor Summit www.privatein- the crowdfunding market. She
her own business in 2003 as an vestorsummit.com and The is also the author of Dragons or
online media and live events Great British Workforce Revolu- Angels, the unofficial guide to
business. From £1,000 of start tionwww.workforcerevolution. Dragons’ Den and a handbook
up capital working out of her co.uk. She is a non executive for people wanting to become
front room, she has grown the director of Albion Tech and or raise money from business
business to become the lead- General VCT, which is quoted angels. She regularly contrib-
ing information provider and on the London Stock Exchange, utes articles to the press and has
commentator on the business a board member of the UK contributed to Business Gurus,
angel market in the UK at www. Business Angels Association and which was published in March
angelnews.co.uk. In recent years a Visiting Fellow at the Bettany 2012 by Crimson Publishing.
her business has also launched School of Entrepreneurship,

Muhammed Ahmed Faris
Ex General of the Syrian Army & The Neil Armstrong of the Arab World, Syria
Ex General of the Syrian Army was a Syrian military aviator. 1971- 1973. I graduated with
& The Neil Armstrong of the I am the first Syrian and the the rank of a first lieutenant “
Arab World, Syria second Arab in space. Enrolled military aviator”.
I was born on 26 May 1951. I in the Syrian Air Force College
wbaforum.org 125
Murat Kolbasi
President, Arzum, Turkey
Murat Kolbasi’s professional Management Inc., partnering Turkish and Australia Business
career began in 1988 at Arzum 49% of the company shares with Councils at Foreign Economic
where he was positioned as the the UK-based private equity Relations Board (DEİK) along
Sales and Business Develop- fund.Upon termination of 5 with his memberships at the
ment Manager after graduating years agreement with Ashmore, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce
from Marmara University with he took an active role on sign- (İTO), The Union of Chambers
a bachelor’s degree in business ing partnership agreement with and Commodity Exchanges of
administration in 1987. Fol- Meditarra Capital Partners Turkey (TOBB), Independent
lowing this managerial position, owning 51% of company shares Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s
he became Vice President of in 2013. He takes role as a board Association (MÜSİAD), Turkish
Arzum in 1996, within which he member at Foreign Economic Industry & Business Association
developed sales and marketing Relations Board (DEİK) and he (TUSİAD), Young Entrepre-
strategies to increase Arzum is also Coordinator Chairman neur’s Committee (GGK) and
brand equity. Murat Kolbası of Asia Pacific Business Coun- Turkish Coffee Culture and
was elected as Chairman of cils and Chairman of Turkish Research Association. Murat
Arzum in 2008. That same year, Chapter at Turkey-China Busi- Kolbası speaks English, is mar-
he signed an asset purchase ness Council, an active member ried and has two sons.
agreement with Ashmore Asset of the Turkish and Hong Kong,

Naim Kocer
Board Member, Azimut Portfoy, Turkey
Born in 1959, Naim Kocer ob- 2003, he accepts the position of managements. In 2016, he sold
tained an MA on Management senior country officer of Calyon, the society to the Italian asset
Sciences in 1983, followed by former Credit Agricole Indosuez management group Azimut
a PhD on Asset Management in Turkey, function he pursued Gestione SPA, while remaining
at Dauphine in 1987. In 1988, until December 2007. Alongside a board member. Naim Kocer
he began his career in the Bank a friend, he co-founded TVK, a is also the Foreign Trade Advi-
Indosuez in Quantitative As- shipyard company and sold 50% sor for France in Turkey. Other
set Management. In 1992, he of it to Carlyle in 2008, followed that French and Turkish, Naim
evolved to the Equity Depart- by its complete sell in 2011. He speaks English, Italian and Mac-
ment as an IPO markets respon- then co-founded, with two as- edonian.
sible and continued his career in sociates, the asset management
the Stock brokerage within the company Notus AM, focused on
area of European Stocks Sale. In private and institutional asset
wbaforum.org 127
Nena Dokuzov
Chief Executive Officer, Nordung Blockchain Hub, Slovenia
Nena Dokuzov is an expert development and technology tee for funds, GECES – Expert
in management of EU funds, she was responsible for man- Group of European Commission
including financial instruments agement EU structural and for social entrepreneurship) her
and other repayable forms of cohesion fund for Slovenia. As a contribution to policy making
funds. As a head of Depart- Head of Department for social process was significant. She is a
ment for system and control enterpreneurship, coopeeratives member of management board
in the Government office for and economic democracy she of National Association for So-
regional development and local created systemic solutions for cial Economy and participating
self-government she was ac- social economy in Slovenia, in a variety of projects, includ-
tivelly involved in creation of including the measures for es- ing the creation of financial sup-
management and implemen- tablishment of the ecosystem for porting environment for impact
tation system of EU funds for social economy – startup com- investment in Slovenia.
the programming period 2007 munity, supporting environment
– 2013. As Head of Department and financial mechanisms. As
for EU Operational programmes member of expert groups on the
at the Ministry of economic EU level (Coordination commit-

Nikhil Agarwal
Senior Advisor Federation for Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), India
Dr Nikhil Agarwal is India’s large scale innovation projects Zensar (RPG Group). He has
foremost Innovation and Policy such as 300 acres’ cyber security lectured at leading universities
expert. He is currently convener industrial park, rural innovation like Virginia Tech Polytechnic
of Denver based policy think- labs, incubation centres, startup & State University, University
tank IndiaGlobal and Senior ecosystem, setup INR 1 billion of Bradford and University of
Advisor with FICCI (Federation startup fund to name a few. Cambridge. His articles, in-
of Indian Chambers of Com- He is instrumental in forging terviews and work has been
merce and Industry) on govern- important national and interna- extensively covered in interna-
ment innovation. In 2017, he tional relationships for the state. tional media including Harvard
was nominated as Fellow of IC2 In the past, he was the President Business Review Blog, Forbes,
Institute, University of Texas at and CEO of Cambridge Global CNN Money, BBC Radio, The
Austin.In 2014, Indian Prime Partners (CGP) and researcher New York Times and Economic
Minister urged Indian diaspora at University of Edinburgh. He Times. Professor Agarwal has
to return to the country to serve is also the founder of Entrepre- served on many international
the motherland. Dr Agarwal neur Café – a global movement think tanks and hold leader-
responded to the call and joined spread in 110 cities and six con- ship positions in global organ-
Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu tinents, connecting over 45,000 izations. Between 2006 -13 he
government in Andhra Pradesh entrepreneurs. Dr Agarwal has served as high-level-advisor to
as Chief Executive Officer (AP founded businesses and advised United Nations Global Alliance
State Innovation Society) to firms on strategic matters in last on ICT & Development (UN-
kickstart the statewide innova- 20 years of his career. He has GAID). He was the Internation-
tion agenda between 2015-2017. worked with global multina- al Advisory Board Member at
He was involved in developing tionals like Cadbury’s, FIC and World-Entrepreneurship-Fo-
wbaforum.org 129
rum (WEF) and Open Mind He is recipient of ‘Excellence in editorials and articles in leading
Foundation. He was the first Promoting Innovation in Gov- publications. Professor Nikhil
Asian to be elected as Co-Chair ernance” by Govt of Rajasthan, Agarwal is alumnus of Universi-
of prestigious Internet Society India.He has traveled extensively ty of Cambridge and University
Advisory Council (ISOC-AC) around the world and worked of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
for 2008-10. He has co-founded with global institutions, corpo-
many companies and organiza- rations and multinationals. He
tions including QuestionBox. has published over 70 research
org & EntrepreneurCafe.org. papers, conference publications,

Nilufer Aktas
Director, Angel Investment Platform, Turk Economy Bank (TEB), Turkey
Nilüfer Aktas is a professional the smart investors with smart cases to Women led start ups
with experience at wealth man- money. Apart from creating and and social impact projects, she
agement, marketing, business managing various innovation believes in multi dimensional
development and strategic ad- brands and digital as well as & multi purpose life experienc-
visory. She leads the only Bank physical platforms for commu- es. The companies and teams
sponsored angel investment nity building, she is one of the she selected for support have
network in the World which co-leaders of a unique fintech achieved various awards in
aims to keep track of techno- collaboration project called Fin competitions as well as recogni-
logical innovations having a Tech Future Four. Pro-bono tion at reputable platforms like
special interest on Fin Techs advisor to the first cooperative Horizon 2020 led by European
and also share this accumulated structered AR/VR company Commission.
knowledge with private bank- in Turkey (creative industries)
ing clients in order to enlighten together with various mentoring
wbaforum.org 131
Ozgul Ozkan Yavuz
Secretary General, Istanbul Development Agency, Turkey
Ozgul Ozkan Yavuz is the Secre- in Ministry of Culture and versity with a Bachelor degree
tary General of İstanbul Devel- Tourism between 1997 – 2014, (Hons.) on Urban and Regional
opment Agency and a member serving in diplomatic mission as Planning. She had MSc degrees
of the Board of Directors of the Culture & Tourism Attaché in from Centre for Urban and
European Association of Re- Turkish Embassy to The Hague, Regional Studies in the Univer-
gional Development Agencies Netherlands and as Director sity of Birmingham (2000) and
(EURADA).Before holding this for International Relations & from Urban Policy Planning and
position, she was General Man- Tourism in Istanbul 2010 Euro- Local Governments Programme
ager of the İstanbul Convention pean Capital of Culture Agency, of Middle East Technical Uni-
& Visitors Bureau while serving among other administrative versity (1998).
in the Executive Board of Euro- posts.She graduated from the
pean Cities Marketing Associa- Faculty of Architecture in the
tion. She hold various positions Middle East Technical Uni-

Panayotis H. Ketikidis
Chairman, South East Europre Research Center (SEERC), Greece
Professor Ketikidis is the Vice the Management Committee & education, research, and com-
Principal for Research, Inno- Academic Director of the Doc- petitive research funding with
vation & External Relations of toral Programme at the South various networks established as
CITY College - An Internation- East European Research Centre a result of this experience.
al Faculty of the University of (SEERC). He has over 25 years
Sheffield, and the Chairman of of experience in management,
wbaforum.org 133
Paolo Sironi
FinTech Thought Leader, IBM Watsons Financial Services, Germany
Paolo Sironi is recognised digitalisation to manage institu- Sanpaolo.Author of “FinTech

author of portfolio manage- tional risks and personal wealth, Innovation: from Robo-Advi-
ment and financial innovation. he founded a FinTech joint-ven- sors to Goal Based Investing
In his current role as FinTech ture (2008) to integrate invest- and Gamification” (Wiley 2016),
Thought Leader and Spokes- ment management and Goal “Modern Portfolio Management:
person for IBM Investment Based Investing principles. The From Markowitz to Probabilistic
and Risk Analytics, he links company became a part of IBM Scenario Optimisation” (Risk-
strategic innovation in Finance (2012) following the acquisition Books, 2015), co-author of “The
and Technology, demonstrat- of funding partner Algorith- FinTech Book” (Wiley, 2016).
ing international expertise in mics, world leader of risk man- Paolo’s posts can be read on spe-
Wealth and Asset Management, agement architectures. Paolo cialised media, LinkedIn, Twit-
Risk Management, Trading and has a decade-long quantitative ter @thepsironi or his personal
Digital transformation. Pioneer expertise; he was previously website thepsironi.com
in understanding the practical head of market and counterpar-
implications of AI and FinTech ty risk modeling at Banca Intesa

Paul Doany
Chief Executive Officer, Turk Telekom, Turkey
In the past 5 years, Dr. Doany wholesale operations (Pantel, economics (over 3,000 employ-
focused on ICT Venture Capital, rebranded as Türk Telekom ees across all disciplines).He also
managing investments in early International). He also led the served as Senior Lecturer in the
stage IT/internet companies successful bid for including AUB in Beirut, in the Electron-
and renewable energy. In the operational startup until the full ics/Communications Depart-
preceding 12 years, he was with launch of Cell C in South Africa. ment for a period of 4 years.Dr.
the Saudi Oger Group, having Prior to that, he was in the tel- Doany holds a PhD in Commu-
served as founding CEO of Oger ecommunications consultancy nications Engineering (UMIST,
Telecom and CEO of Türk Tele- business for 14 years as Manag- Manchester, UK, 1981); MSc in
kom for 5 years. During his ten- ing Director of Dar Consultants Digital Electronics & Commu-
ure with Saudi Oger Group, he (London), as well as Director/ nications Engineering (Bradford
led the acquisition of 55% stake Partner of Dar Al Handasah University, UK, 1978), and BE in
in Türk Telekom during privat- Consultants (Shair & Partners), Electrical/Electronics Engineer-
ization tender, the public listing having built its telecom prac- ing (AUB, Beirut, 1977).
on BIST, as well as acquisition of tice, as well as assisting with
IT companies and international expansion into transportation/
wbaforum.org 135
Paulo Andrez
Emeritus President, EBAN, Portugal
Paulo Andrez is an angel in- President Emeritus EBAN, Eu- as an entrepreneur in the IPO
vestor with an active portfolio ropean Business Angel Network, of Novabase in Euronext, Por-
of 14 companies. One of his after serving as President until tuguese largest IT provider with
investments reached 25 million 2014. Since 2012, Paulo has been more than 2000 employees in 30
euros in revenues within the working with a number of Euro- countries worldwide. He has a
first year, for which he received pean governments in the field of background as serial entrepre-
an award “Best European Angel Early Stage Investment policies neur and is frequently invited
Investment” in 2012. Paulo is and Business Angels Co-In- as speaker, guest lecturer and
a Board Member of Entrepre- vestment Funds design. He is expert in innovation, entrepre-
neurship Agency DNA Cascais, also a member of the European neurship and early stage invest-
which supported more than 250 Commission Advisory Group ment. Since 2012, Paulo has
startups in the last decade, and “Innovation in SMEs”.Paulo is been holding a series of work-
a Board Member of FNABA, an IT Engineer and has a MBA shops worldwide on the topic of
the Portuguese Business Angel from the Nova University in startup risk mitigation.
Federation. Paulo was appointed Lisbon. In 2000, he participated

Pelin Guven
Director, Interbanks Credit Cards Center - BKM, Turkey
Pelin Guven serves as senior on digitalization, focusing on undertaken projects on both

vice president of Strategy and healthy expansion of digital banking and insurance industry
Information Management at payments ecosystem, a com- under financial services umbrel-
BKM, majorly focuses on card pany who cares social benefit la regarding customer focused
payment industry strategies and and inherits this mindset to its transformation, process and or-
regulation management since employees through its company ganizational restructuring pro-
she joined BKM at 2012. BKM DNAs. Due to centralized posi- grammes. Earlier in her career,
has been established in 1990 in tion of BKM, she is coordinating she completed several projects
order to handle clearing and communication of development in information technologies at
settlement operations of domes- strategies of industry, financial Finansbank. She received her
tic card payments in Turkey. inclusion, consumer awareness undergraduate degree in Com-
She has taken a significant role programmes that are baselined puter Engineering at Boğaziçi
within the management team of with data analysis.Prior to University.
BKM that led the transforma- BKM, Pelin worked for Accen-
tion of the company investing ture Consulting where she has
wbaforum.org 137
Peter Cowley
Serial Entrepreneur and Angel Investor. UK Angel of the Year 2014/15, UK
Peter is a Cambridge Univer- of those startups and a board invested £5M in 40+ startups,
sity Engineering/Computing observer of four others. Peter is and is a member of the invest-
graduate who has founded and chair of the Cambridge Business ment committee of the £100M
run over ten technology and Angels, is a Fellow in Entre- UK Government Angel CoFund.
construction businesses for preneurship of the Cambridge For over 15 years, Peter has been
35+ years and, since then, has Judge Business School and has involved in charity and social
angel invested in over 55 start- mentored countless entrepre- enterprise governance as chair
ups mainly in Cambridge and neurs. He setup and runs the and treasurer of various trustee
London, having been UK Angel Martlet early stage corporate boards.
of the Year for 2014/15. He is a angel investment fund of Mar-
non-executive director of five shall of Cambridge, which has

Peter Jungen
Peter Jungen Holding GmbH, Emeritus President,
The European Trade Association for Business Angels (EBAN), Germany
Peter Jungen, Chairman of Bank AG, and Board member for New Economic Thinking”
Peter Jungen Holding GmbH, of the New York Philharmon- (INET). He is a former member
is co-founder resp. investor in ic. He is Honorary Chairman, of the Presidency of the Fed-
numerous start-ups in Europe “Center on Capitalism and eration of German Industries
and in the US like Idealo GmbH, Society”, Columbia University (BDI).The leading German
the leading German compar- and Advisory Board Member of business magazine „Wirtschafts-
ison shopping platform. He is the Columbia Center for Global woche“ named Peter Jungen
Founding President of Business Economic Governance, Colum- one of the 100 most important
Angels Netzwerk Deutschland bia University. He is a Member personalities who shape the
(BAND) resp. Co-Founder and of the Board of the Friedrich future of the „New Economy“. In
President (2001-2004) of the von Hayek Institute, Vienna, 1999 Peter Jungen was awarded
European Business Angels Net- a member of the International the Commander’s Cross of the
work (EBAN), a founding Board Josef Schumpeter Society and Order of Merit of the Federal
Member of the China Business of the Mont Pelerin Society and Republic of Germany (Großes
Angels Network (CBAN), Bei- a member of the OECD Steer- Bundesverdienstkreuz) by the
jing and a member of the New ing Group on SME and Entre- President of the Federal Repub-
York Angels. He is a member of preneurship. He is Governing lic of Germany.
the Advisory Council, Deutsche Board Member of the “Institute
wbaforum.org 139
Pinar Massena
Chief Executive Officer, Workinton, Turkey
Pinar Massena, who is a well- Marketing textbook prepared ing her Executive Committee
known business woman with by Harvard and Yale professors Member duty in Çelebi Marina,
her projects in customer experi- and managed this Project for 10 Little Ceasers and Çetur for two
ence and innovation, started her years. In addition to that, she years, she has also continued her
professional business life in 1988 has broken new ground in cus- works to continue her entre-
at Emek Sigorta. Between 1993- tomer satisfaction and managing preneurial soul during her busy
2001 she worked as the Deputy the needs in Turkey. After the schedule. After being the Turkey
General Manager in Demir Backup Project, she started Dr. Representative of the Canadian
Sigorta, İnter Sigorta and Emek Backup Project, which is the first WSI, a world giant in digital
Sigorta respectively. As Mrs. family practice project in the marketing field, in 2013 Mrs.
Massena became the General private health sector in Turkey. Massena has given consulting
Manager of Advantage Sigor- She has recorded all the health in the establishment and devel-
ta in 2001 in Boyner Holding, data of 36.000 people and their opment of different projects in
where she succeeded important families digitally and followed E-house Digital company, which
projects during her career, she up of these data closely. Having she founded together with her
worked as the founding CEO created a brand-new category son. She performed as the CEO
of the companies operating in and sector in the customer rela- of Batıgöz Health Group be-
insurance, health, service and tionship management with the tween 2015-2016 years during
tourism area for 10 years. Pinar Back-up Project that she carried the company’s institutionaliza-
Massena created the Back-Up out in Boyner Holding, she tion and investor preparation
Project, which is thought as became the Executive Commit- periods. As she was continuing
a case study under the title tee Member of Çelebi Holding her Independent Member of the
“Customer Delight” in Global in 2011. As she was perform- Board duty in Martı Hotels &
Marinas and Martı Gayrimen- Workinton, the leading institu- as the new generation economy
kul, her career path crossed with tion in co-working space which in our country. She is married
the start-ups and young entre- has become the living space of with two kids, and she speaks
preneurs in September, 2016. the start-ups including internet English.
Pınar Massena is the CEO of based technologies that are seen
wbaforum.org 141
Renata Brkic
Founder, Feelsgood Social Impact Investment Fund, Croatia
Renata is a serial entrepreneur Business School. She is strong- socially responsible brand in the
and investor, CEO and owner of ly devoted to fostering social South East Europe. She invests
the company active in licensing, impact orientation in business. in wonderful ideas that do not
consulting and organization of As the Head of the Social Im- necessarily have fast payback,
worldwide supply chain opera- pact Investment Hub Professor but that can change the world
tions for licenced products. Re- Balthazar, Renata is responsible for better and push the human
nata holds a Degree in Econom- for the revival of the Profes- race forward. Mother of three.
ic from the University of Zagreb sor Balthazar character and
and an EMBA from Cotrugli his becoming the first artistic

Robert Rubinstein
Chairman & Founding Partner, TBLI Group, The Netherlands
Mr. Rubinstein is the Chairman in 1981, and Source magazine at global conferences and has
and Founding Partner of TBLI in 1995, a publication focused been asked to speak at numer-
Group Holdings B.V. with head- on integrating “profits and ous engagements including the
quarters in The Netherlands. principles” as a message to the Global Reporting Initiative,
The Company was founded in business community. FIETS and the inaugural Impact Investing
1998 with the mission of inte- Source were based in Amster- Israel Summit and World Pen-
grating ESG and TBLI into the dam, The Netherlands. FIETS sion Council in Singapore. TBLI
culture and strategy of interna- was sold to VNU Magazines and was asked to organize a session
tional corporate business and it is still in circulation today. at COP21, Paris in December
investment companies. Mr. Ru- Mr. Rubinstein taught courses 2015 and more recently, Mr.
binstein has been instrumental in Sustainable Finance at the Rubinstein was invited at the re-
in championing Sustainable and Rotterdam School of Manage- quest of Natural Step, a leading
IMPACT investment dedicated ment from 2003–2006 and in advisor on Sustainability for the
to solving social issues. Prior to his career has delivered many Swedish corporate sector attend-
TBLI, Mr. Rubinstein had an ex- lectures at international busi- ed by King Carl XVI Gustaf of
tensive career in publishing. He ness schools and universities. Sweden.
founded the first bicycle maga- Rubinstein is a tenacious public
zine in The Netherlands, FIETS speaker on both TBLI and ESG
wbaforum.org 143
Rui Moreira
Mayor of Porto, Portugal
Rui de Carvalho Araújo Moreira organizing and participating in he held until 2013. In parallel he
was born in Porto on August 8, conferences on the subject and has held advisory positions in
1956. He is a businessman. He writing in the press, where it was the areas of trade, culture and
attended the German School usual chronicler. He was also a higher education at the Univer-
of Porto, the National Lyceum political commentator on sev- sity of Porto and at the Catholic
Garcia de Orta and graduated eral television stations. He has University. Rui Moreira led an
in Business Administration in been an international sailor ob- independent bid for the Porto
1978 from the University of taining titles of national cham- City Council and was elected
Greenwich (London) obtaining pion in senior and junior in on 29 September 2013. He took
the award for best student of the various classes. He was a mem- possession as the Mayor of Porto
year. Back to Portugal and to his ber of the Advisory Council FC on October 22, 2013.
hometown he has come up as a Porto. In 2001 he was elected
voice in defence of the interests president of the Commercial
of Porto and Northern Region, Association of Porto, a position

Sabah K. Almoayyed
Managing Partner, Intellect Resources Management W.L.L., Bahrain
Mrs. Sabah Khalil Almoayyed is Bahrain and has held numer- institutions both in the private
the Managing Partner of In- ous top executive positions at and public sector where she has
tellect Resources Management commercial, investments and taken them to unprecedented
W.L.L., a management consul- real estate / mortgage banks. She heights during her tenure. Mrs.
tancy firm and the Chairman has been a board member both Almoayyed holds a Bachelor of
of Flat 6 Labs Bahrain, a Start- as independent and or executive Science degree in Economics
up Accelerator. She is widely board member of several banks, and Business Administration
recognized as a veteran banker vocational training, universities from the American University of
and an advocate of promoting and schools including the Su- Beirut, Lebanon, and a Masters
innovation, leadership and preme Council for Women and in Business Administration
entrepreneurship within in- Council for Higher Education. degree from Kelastat Business
dustries and organization and Currently, she is an Independ- School, University of De Paul,
is a regular speaker at various ent Board Member of one of Chicago and has attended exec-
regional and international fo- the largest jewelry company in utive management programs at
rums. Mrs. Almoayyed was the the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. leading universities in the USA.
General Manager at Eskan Bank She has led premier financial
wbaforum.org 145
Mehmet Sahin Gok
Vice President, The Scientific & Technological Research Council (TUBITAK), Turkey
Born in 1980 in Izmir, Dr. Gok in Marmara University, in 2013 both private and public sector
completed his undergraduate he started to work as an assistant through which he involved at ex-
education in Kocaeli University, professor at Gebze Technical ecutive level in the development
Department of Industrial Engi- University. Throughout his aca- and coordination of long-term
neering in 2002 and he started demic career, he has published strategies to achieve business
to work as a lecturer at Gebze many articles in several reputable growth and enhanced profitabili-
Institute of Technology in the international academic journals ty. His appointment as advisor to
same year. He completed his and presented them at prestig- the President of the Scientific and
master’s degree in 2005 with his ious academic conferences. He is Technological Research Council
thesis on ERP Systems at Gebze currently serving as reviewer and of Turkey (TUBITAK) in 2015
Institute of Technology. He held editor in international refereed stands as a recent example to his
position at the Carlson School of academic journals. He teaches roles of executive level consul-
Management in the University of graduate courses on Entrepre- tancy. At the same time, Dr. Gok
Minnesota as a visiting scholar in neurship, Management Infor- is the Chief Inspector of Quality
2009-2010. He received his Ph.D. mation Systems and Innovation Management Systems. Since
title by presenting his doctoral Projects. He worked as the Head March 2017 he has been serv-
thesis on “Productivity Analysis of Department of Numerical ing as TUBITAK Vice President
and Mathematical Modeling” at Methods at Gebze Technical responsible for Technology and
Gebze Technical University in University and is still the Deputy Innovation Funding Programmes
2012. After working as a guest Head of the Department of Busi- Directorate, Technology Transfer
lecturer within the scope of his ness Administration. He served Office Directorate and Turkish
post-doc study at the Depart- the positions like management Management Sciences Institute
ment of Industrial Engineering and president consultant within (TÜSSİDE).
Salah Jelassi
Regional Director, Islamic Development Bank Group Regional Office in Turkey
Mr. Saleh Jelassi, is currently the has equipped him with a unique has pursued his PhD studies
Regional Director at the Islamic exposure to the various develop- in Economics and obtained a
Development Bank (IDB) Group ment challenges and a profound Masters Degree in Economics
Regional Hub in Turkey. Before understanding of strategic and from Bilkent University, Turkey
being appointed to lead the policy issues in the IDB Member in 1996. He has attended sever-
establishment and operational- Countries. Through high level al leadership and professional
ization of IDB Group Country policy dialogue with the country development courses from re-
Office in Turkey, Mr. Salah Jelas- and by implementing innovative nowned training institutes such
si held for more than 14 years development solutions, he has as Ashridge Business School,
various senior positions in the successfully positioned the Bank Thunderbird Executive Training,
IDB Group including those per- Group’s as a preferred develop- etc. Mr. Jelassi has also partici-
taining to economic research, ment partner of Turkey. In earli- pated in many conferences, sem-
trade and operational areas. His er stages of his career, Mr. Jelassi inars, international meetings on
work as the Technical Advisor to served in various positions, various developmental issues.
the President of the IDB Group including academia, Research &
during the period 2007-2014 Training and finance. Mr. Jelassi
wbaforum.org 147
Sanem Oktar
President, The Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (KAGIDER), Turkey
Born in İzmir, Turkey, Sanem the Founding Partners of Pep- ner. Sanem was also one of the
Oktar Ogut graduated from pers Rogers Türkiye (PRG). In 12 founding members of Turkish
Bornova Anadolu High School, 2009 in order to focus only on Direct Marketing Association
then followed by Marmara Uni- directComm Marketing Group, (TDMA) in 2005 and served as
versity as a major of International Sanem liquadated her shares in the President and Head of Board
Relations. Sanem’s career started PRG. She lastly founded Limon- 2007-2009. Having worked for
in Colgate Palmolive Türkiye in social Social Media Agency in leading brands in various sectors
1993 where she worked as Key 2011. In 2015, WPP announces of Turkey in communication,
Account Manager and Trade that GroupM, the leading global sales and marketing consulting,
Marketing Manager for 3 years. media investment management her numerous work and projects
She established her first com- group, has acquired a majority have been awarded many times.
pany Tribeca Communication stake in direct Comm Marketing She has been active member of
Consultancy in 1997. Just after 2 Group, a leading provider of inte- KAGIDER, the Women Entre-
years, she then became one of the grated direct marketing services preneurs Association of Turkey
founding partners of Tribal Sales in Turkey. She is also become since 2010 and has volunteered
& Marketing Support Services . partner and CEO of Wunder- in many women empowerment
In order to expand her market- man İstanbul since July,2017. projects as leader, mentor or
ing services business, she later She defines herself as serial participant. In May 2015, she has
founded her database marketing enterpreneur. She was one of the been elected as the President of
company, directComm in 2000. Top Ten Women Enterpreneurs KAGIDER. She is also a member
In 2002 she formed a partner- of Turkey in 2010.She is still of W20 Steering Committee. She
ship with the American Peppers quite active in directComm and is married and has two daugh-
Rogers Group and became one of Limonsocial as Managing Part- ters.
Sara Watson
Global Director, Ready Nation International, USA
The success of any company or development now permeates excess capacity to support early
country depends on the ability the Sustainable Development childhood, or applying their
of people to develop new ideas, Goals, specifically 2.2, 3.2 and expertise to this sector. Early
solve problems, and work in 4.2. For this reason, business childhood is also becoming a
teams. All of these characteris- leaders worldwide are helping new target for venture capital
tics start in the earliest years of create an environment that gives firms. This workshop will pro-
life. During the first five years, a children a fair start, to become vide the business case for impact
child’s brain develops one mil- the future employees, customers, investing in early childhood as
lion synapses—neural connec- citizens and neighbors that their a proven economic strategy, the
tions that support learning and communities and nations need. range of investments compa-
skills—every second, with the They are supporting community nies are making now to provide
brain growing to 90% of its adult programs, using their employee young children the foundation
weight. Differences in brain and customer networks, speak- for adult success, and how com-
performance between children ing out in the media, advo- panies can develop their own
in higher and lower income cating for public investments, options. Dr. Sara Watson is the
families are evident as early as and pursuing a variety of social Global Director of ReadyNa-
nine months old. Economists impact investments that target tion/ReadyNation International,
have found that investments this group. Innovative products a business membership group
in effective early childhood and services are bringing qual- that supports executives to
programs for disadvantaged ity early learning to a variety of advocate for public and private
children have a rate of return countries, at a fair and sustaina- investments that build the future
that exceeds the stock market. ble price. Companies not in the workforce. She has worked with
This aspect of human capital children’s sector are using their local leaders to create business
wbaforum.org 149
networks for early childhood in nar. Previously she was Vice a B.A. from Carleton College,
Uganda, Romania and Austral- President at America’s Promise and Master of Public Policy and
ia. She co-chairs the Advocacy Alliance and directed The Pew Ph.D. degrees from the Harvard
Task Force for UNICEF’s Early Charitable Trusts’ 10-year na- Kennedy School.
Childhood Development Ac- tional campaign for preschool,
tion Network and is a Fellow which contributed to doubling
of the Salzburg Global Semi- public investments. She has

Serkan Fergan
Business Development Director, TEB Retail and Private Banking Group, Turkey
Serkan graduated from Kadıköy Systems Group. He continued joined TEB Retail and Private
Anadolu High School in 1988 this position until 2000 when Banking Group and is working
and continued his studies at he joined Dışbank, Fortis. He as Business Development Di-
Yıldız Technical University worked as Head of Application rector since 2017. In his current
Computer Sciences Engineer- Development Department of the position, he’s aiming to develop
ing Dept. and İTÜ Control and Bank until 2011. After a short partnerships with Fintechs pro-
Computer Engineering Mas- start-up experience, he con- posing solid business value, lev-
ters program. After two long secutively worked at Verifone, erage new business models on
term traineeships in Italy and ICBC and Türk Telekom. Fol- Fintechs’ innovative solutions.
Canada, he started his career lowing his experience in various
at Pamukbank Information responsibilities and roles, he
wbaforum.org 151
Shaikh Ebrahim Al Khalifa
Former Minister of Housing & Chairman of Accounting and
Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions, Bahrain
Sheikh Ebrahim bin Khalifa Al empowerment in Africa and Chairman and Managing Di-
Khalifa is the Honorary Chair- the Middle East. A graduate of rector, Gulf Aluminium Rolling
man of the Board of Trustees of Law, Sheikh Ebrahim has held a Mill Company (GARMCO); the
the UNIDO Arab International number of key positions in the Chairman of Bahrain Institute of
Regional Centre for Entrepre- Kingdom of Bahrain. A former Technology. He is also a Board
neurship & Investment (AI- Minister of Housing from 2007 Member of Aluminium Bahrain
CEI); Chairman of Accounting to 2011; Undersecretary of (ALBA) and Board Member of
and Auditing Organization for Finance (1993 to 2007), he has Bahrain Petroleum Company
Islamic Financial Institutions. also been the Deputy Governor (BAPCO).Sheikh Ebrahim is a
He has a long history in devel- of Bahrain Monetary Agency strong advocate of youth eco-
oping tool and programs link- (now Central Bank of Bahrain) nomic empowerment through
ing non-financial to financial (1982 to 1993). Sheikh Ebra- entrepreneurship development.
services regionally and inter- him has been Chairman, Gulf
nationally. He is also a strong International Bank; Chairman
advocate of women economic of Bahrain Development Bank;

Shehla Javed Akram
President, Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Pakistan
Dr. Shehla Javed Akram is one of ber in LCCI election on open SME policy makers to define
the successful women entrepre- merit in year 2002 and realized better gender specific policies
neurs in Pakistan. She became a that women entrepreneurs along with improved legislation
pioneer in the field of healthcare cannot excel in a male domi- for status of women. Under her
when she launched Pakistan’s nant chamber mainly because of leadership WCCI has become
first hospital for acute medical their own inhibitions and that internationally recognized with
care. She then broke into the women specific product need- ECOSOC. She became the First
traditionally male dominated ed a more dedicated platform. Vice President of the Federation
sector by setting up a pharma- Finally the national assembly of Chambers.She also represents
ceutical industry and became passed the bill for addition in as director on Boards of PAM-
the CEO of a real estate develop- SRO to allow Women Cham- CO, SDC Punjab, PCSW and
ment company, JS Developers. bers at provincial/divisional/ Ambassador for International
In the public sector Dr. Shehla district levels and thus became Women (OPS).She recently was
struggled for seven years to get the founder president of the honored with Mohtarma Fatima
approval for establishing sepa- WCCI in Pakistan. As a result Jinnah Award.
rate Women Chamber of Com- from a single seat representation
merce and Industry in Pakistan. in 2002 it has increased by 172%
This innovative idea occurred till to date. This increased rep-
after she won as executive mem- resentation has also encouraged
wbaforum.org 153
Simge Alpargun
Territory Services Leader, IBM, Turkey
Simge Alpargun received her Middle East, Africa and Europe the Business Development Ex-
Bachelor of Science degree in during her tenure in Accenture ecutive for Financial Services in
Computer Science from Bilk- and Peppers and Rogers Group. IBM Turkey and is the leading
ent University, in 1999, and her After her 10 plus consultancy person for the country’s business
MBA degree from Koç Uni- experience, she was appointed development in breakthrough
versity, in 2007. Having started to the senior vice president of topics like Blockchain, Artificial
her career as an application Akbank Direct Banking as the Intelligence and Design Think-
developer in Garanti Technol- accountable leader for digital ing based Digital Reinvention.
ogy, Simge Alpargun acted as strategy and digital transforma-
a strategic advisor to reputable tion of the bank. Since March
financial institutions in Turkey, 2016, Simge Alpargun works as

Sinan Oncel
Chairman, Twigy, Turkey
United Brands Association of versity,faculty of economics ad- man board director of United
Turkey -Chairman(Chairman of ministrative sciences, manage- Brands Association of Turkey,
the Board of Director-twigy) ment. In 1988 graduated from and also works in non-govern-
Born in 1965 Istanbul. Gradu- Istanbul University, ınstitute of mental organizations as volun-
ated from Işıklar military high business economics. Same year teer. He has one child.
school in 1983, and in 1987 established his own company. At
graduated from marmara uni- the same time he is the chair-
wbaforum.org 155
Soner Canko
Chief Executive Officer, Interbanks Credit Cards Center - BKM, Turkey
Soner Canko is CEO of BKM, Dr Canko’s career commenced bank Card Center of Turkey) as
the Interbank Card Center in in 1990, and he has held sales, member and Chairman. He was
Turkey. Dr Canko graduated management and consulting the founder and CEO of First
from Istanbul University, Fac- roles at Procter & Gamble, Data Turkey and, finally, Assis-
ulty of Political Science, Public Citibank and Hewlett Pack- tant General Manager of Ziraat
Administration Department. He ard. When he was the CEO of Bank.
also received a master’s degree Bilesim Payment Systems, Dr
and PhD from Istanbul Uni- Canko also served on the Board
versity, Faculty of Economics. of Directors of BKM (Inter-

Srdja Ivekovic
PE/VC Investment Advisor, Croatia
Srdja Ivekovic is an experienced in Central Asia & Caucasus $200 million principal invest-
hands-on VC & SME PE invest- through the lens of a development transactions Srdja is a
ment / ecosystem development ment finance institution (for seasoned non-exec (15 board
professional Among the hand- EBRD) As an independent, he seats), interim exec (4 executive
ful early VC professionals in advised on investment vehicles roles), investment manager (2
MENA, Srdja has participated & related management processes funds managed, multiple de-
in some of the region’s landmark for a number of asset managers signed) and a business angel (2
transactions & managed some of in Africa and Southeast Europe start-ups)
its pioneering funds (for EFG- With over 70 principal private
Hermes) He developed business market transactions completed
and innovative quasi-equity including 24 exit realizations,
products for generalist SMEs Srdja participated in more than
wbaforum.org 157
Stephan Peters
Managing Director, Sanzaru Initiatives, Luxembourg
Stephan is co-founder and lead der-lens investing. Stephan helps experience in the FS, TMT and
investor of EQL.Ventures, an corporations and governments FMCG sectors across Europe
early-stage impact investment handle transformational change and the Emerging Markets.
fund, offering fair financing and and implement high-growth
promoting diversity and gen- strategies. Stephan has extensive

Tal Garih
Strategic Planning Manager, Alarko Group of Companies, Turkey
Born in 1985, Tal Garih studied Brussels and Washington, repre- trading and corporate relations.
a double major in International senting the interests of Turkish In addition to his role in Alarko,
Relations and Psychology at the companies in their efforts to Tal is also active in the social
University of Virginia where harmonize practices and expand responsibility domain. Serving
he graduated from in 2007. In towards Europe and the US. as the Chairman of the Board
2010, he completed his graduate After his return to Turkey, Tal and faculty member of Bahçeşe-
studies with honors at New York joined Alarko and worked as a hir University’s Graduate School
University, mastering a joint Marketing Analysis and Oper- of Business, Tal teaches global
degree in International Busi- ations Supervisor at its Tour- strategic management courses
ness and Politics. Tal has been ism Group, Hillside, between in the university’s MBA pro-
working in various roles within 2010 - 2012. He was in charge grams. He aims to upgrade the
the Alarko Group of Companies of directing brand management, graduate school’s standards
since 2010. Currently, he is the pricing, campaigns, customer and procedures through the
Strategic Planning Manager at satisfaction and communica- incorporation of best practices
Alarko Holding. In addition, he tions activities. In 2013, Tal regarding the management of
serves as the Chairman of the rotated to the Energy Group, the Business School. Further-
Board and faculty member of where Alarko shows a strong more, Tal is a Board Member of
Bahçeşehir University’s Grad- growth commitment, and served “Yeni Bir Lider Derneği / A New
uate School of Business, and as as the Energy Business Devel- Leader Association”. Working
a Board Member of “Yeni Bir opment Manager. His focus was together with Turkey’s leading
Lider Derneği / A New Leader mainly on renewable energy, companies, NGO’s and govern-
Association”.Starting his career, operation management, feasibil- mental institutions, the organi-
Tal worked as a consultant in ity assessments, forward power zation gears towards crafting the
wbaforum.org 159
next-generation of Leaders in of interest include novel tech- and Kung Fu are among his hob-
Turkey. Its mission is to con- nologies, geo-politics, renewable bies. He speaks fluently English,
tinuously identify and develop energy, economic globalization, Turkish and Hebrew.
talented and motivated young managerial psychology and east-
Turkish individuals with tailored ern philosophies. Furthermore,
growth opportunities.Tal’s areas Tal is an animal lover and Yoga

Tasha Vashisht
Senior Manager, Scorpio Partnership, UK
Tasha Vashisht is a Senior Man- with market insight and strategy Philosophy, Politics and Eco-
ager at Scorpio Partnership. She consulting engagements. Tasha nomics (PPE) from the Univer-
leads a number of our flagship holds a Master’s degree in EU sity of Oxford.
thought leadership programmes politics and government from
and also supports clients across the London School of Econom-
the Wealth Management sector ics and a Bachelor’s degree in
wbaforum.org 161
Tijen Mergen
Founder, Power of Happiness, Turkey
Tijen Mergen graduated from movies and music among the Officer . She was in charge of
Bosphorus University, Depart- universitiy students by using newpaper sales & marketing as
ment of Electrical Engineering apple technology. She played a well as the digital media and
with Master of Science degree. key role in the Koc Group Co other web projects belong to the
She began her professional takeover of Bilkom from Komi- group. Between 2010 - 2012 she
career in 1982 at Apple Com- li Group Co. In 2000, Mergen was working at Hurriyet Gaze-
puter as a sales representative. recieved the “Business Woman tecilik AS, as Chief Marketing
She then worked at NCR Copr. of the Year 2000” award from Officer and Steering Commitee
For 13 years and held various Dünya Newspaper. Between the Member. In 2013, she was at
management positions. Between years 2003-2005 she produced Dogan Holding, working with
1994-1998, she was the Sales and presented the television top management to develop new
and Marketing Manager for the program, “Bilgi Vizyon”, for businesses in new developing
Finance Industry at NCR Cen- CNBCE, a program about the industries. Mergen was also the
tral and Eastern Europe region, development of the global Tech- member of board of directors
covering 24 countries. Between nological sector. Between 2004- of Doğan Gazetecilik between
the years 1998-2003 she was 2013 she had been working for 2013-2017.Since Oct 2013, she
the General Manager of Bilkom Dogan Media Group which built her own company, TEK
A.Ş. (Apple Turkey). During her was the leading media Group in Girişim LTD giving consultancy
Bilkom years, she received an Turkey. Between 2004 - 2010, to support corporates to develop
award from the International she was the steering comitee and conduct social responsibil-
Public Relations Association member at Dogan Gazetecilik ity projects. At the same time
(IPRA) for the project “iCan”, AS, as Chief Sales, Marketing she became the co-founder of
which promoted to develop and Coprorate Communication Happiness at work Platform

who gives consultancy, training, She is giving “Strategic Marketin of KAGİDER, an NGO who pro-
coaching and mentoring servic- and Branding” courses to the motes and supports women en-
es to the corporates at all levels graduate students at Bahçeşehir terpreneurs and was the Board
to increase the motivation and Üniversity fort he lest four years. Member between 2009-2013.
engagement in the workplaces. She is also one of the founders
wbaforum.org 163
Tuba Terekli
Managing Director, Leads Angels, Saudi Arabia
Tuba Terekli is the co-founder sector run accelerator in Saudi founding member of the Middle
and CEO of Qotuf Al Riyadah Arabia, Flat6Labs Jeddah. Qotuf East Venture Capital Network,
Development Company, and is has achieved many firsts in its Saudi-Turkish Business Council
a well-known entrepreneurship launch year as executing the first Viceand think-tank participant
advocate, policy maker and “Best Investment Opportuni- in many regional government
ecosystem architect. Qotuf is the ty Competition”, “the Creative activities. She is also the Saudi
first private entrepreneurship Business Cup GCC” various representative tothe B20 for the
foundation in Saudi Arabia, e-commerce platforms for home year 2015.Tuba also founded the
which works to formulate the based businesses, establishing first female-managed healthcare
entrepreneurial ecosystem for all investment events and networks, consultancy in the region, which
different sectors. Working with in addition to key government had beenawarded by National
the various chambers, ministries, initiatives for SME sector that Arab US Chamber of Com-
universities, accelerator pro- serve 13 regions of the Kingdom merce as one of the region’s most
grams, and venture capitals, Tuba with key ministries. Qotuf also promising projects.Tuba holds a
has effectively used her global serves as the country host for Bachelor’s in Computer Science
networks from many countries Global Entrepreneurship Week from Saudi Arabia, a Master’s in
to help develop entrepreneurship and other KAUFFMAN founda- Business Administrationfrom the
and women empowerment initi- tion programs in Saudi Arabia UK and various Advanced Study
atives but she is more known for and runs the GEW Board that is degrees from the USA. She is also
her role as the “accelerator lady” comprised of the 23 SME support the co-founder and memberof
, whereby she had addressed the entities of KSA.Tuba is a regular numerous local and international
lack of proper growth vehicles speaker and activist in numerous institutes. Being an active mother
for innovative businesses and is global forums and conferenc- of four is her favorite past-time.
the founder of the first private es, in addition to her roleas a
Turgut Guney
CEO, Cardtek
Turgut Guney is the CEO of known experienced name of uate of Hacettepe University,
Cardtek since April, 2017. Card- Turkey in information technol- Computer Sciences Engineer-
tek provides innovative payment ogies, financial technologies and ing as his major, Guney has a
systems solutions and system payment systems. Formerly he MS degree from USA Southern
integration services globally. worked at Akbank as Chief Op- Illinois University,Computer
Guney has 25 years of experi- erations Officer. Having worked Sciences Engineering. Photogra-
ence in financial technologies. in USA between 1992-1997 in phy is one of several hobbies of
He is leading Cardtek’s new different positions as an advisor, Turgut Guney. He has lovely
investments, international busi- Guney was Chief Information photographs and great stories.
ness development and globali- Officer of Turkish Economy He is also a motorcycle fan.
zation strategy. Guney is a well Bank between 2001-2011.Grad-
wbaforum.org 165
Ugur Talayhan
Regional Vice President, Swissotel The Bosphorus, Turkey
With 27 years of experience in and finally back to Istanbul a pioneer in Turkey with his
the hospitality industry, a veter- after 21 years, as of mid of 2017 worldwide achievements and
an Turkish & British hotelier has where his journey has started. initiatives in his field.In spare
started his career as Chef at 17 He returned back to home with time, he enjoys cooking for
years old then moved to London a worldwide hospitality expe- friends and family and socializes
and where he was appointed as rience that to be utilized at his with colleagues, he is married
an Executive Chef in London recent appointment within the with one son of 11 years old.
at 27 years old, then as Food & Accor Hotels as being Regional
Beverage Manager then respec- Vice President, Luxury Brands,
tively moved from London to Accor Hotels, Turkey and
Portugal, Dubai, China that he General Manager, Swissôtel The
had various management roles Bosphorus, Istanbul. He became

Uygar Doyuran
General Manager of GE Digital, Turkey
Uygar Doyuran, holds BS (1994) Business Development and Pro- rica. Since 2016, Uygar Doyuran
and MS (1996) in Electrical & ject Management in Meteksan is the General Manager of GE
Electronics Engineering from leading large scale healthcare IT Digital Turkey focusing on Dig-
Middle East Technical Universi- projects in Turkey, Middle East, ital Transformation in Manufac-
ty. Doyuran worked in Aselsan Russia and East Europe. Doyu- turing, Energy, Healthcare and
till 2002 in design and imple- ran joined Intel in 2005, where Transportation verticals.
mentation of extensive Tele- he led solution sales projects
communication and Defense in Healthcare IT, Enterprise IT,
Systems. Between 2002 and Digital Transformation and IoT
2005, he acted as the Director of in Middle East, Turkey and Af-
wbaforum.org 167
Viktor Romaniuk Wanli
Founder at Kinguin.io Pre-ICO 15.2., Poland
Viktor Romaniuk Wanli is an could monetize extra cd-keys. SA, the number one eSport
entrepreneur and visionary in This year the secondary mar- organization in Poland. CEO of
the gaming and the eSports eco- ket is projected to surpass one Kinguin Franchising Systems a
system since 2007. In 2013 he billion dollars annually. CEO of company created with the pur-
pioneered the secondary market Kinguin.net, a marketplace for pose to establish eSports hubs
for digital games, by creating the digital games with 6,5 million around the world.
first marketplace where gamers users. CEO of Team Kinguin

Vitaly Polekhin
President, Russian Business Angels Association, Russia
President of National Business early stage investment fund. versity MBA. MIT Sloan School
Angels Association. Head of Shareholder and Supervisory of Management, UC Berkley
SKOLKOVO Business School Board Member of Addventure Haas School of Business, Har-
Investor club. Angel Investor of venture fund. Education: Mos- vard Business School. PhD in
the Year 2015 by Russia Venture cow School of Management Philosophy
Awards. Managing partner of SKOLKOVO Executive MBA.
VENTURE ANGELS seed and Lomonosov Moscow State Uni-
wbaforum.org 169
Vlado Milosevic
Founder, Cofound, Slovenia
Vlado is an entrepreneur and an infrastructure in 2008. The last is helping Cofound.it choose
engineer, experience in pow- venture before Cofoundit was and coach some of our amazing
er engineering and technical co-founding a crowdinvesting projects.
innovations; one of his ven- platform in Slovenia. His biggest
tures involved electric vehicle and most inspiring challenge

Wayne Clarke
Founding Partner, Global Growth Institute, UK
Wayne Clarke is a founding tions through improved people “Most Influential Thinkers” and
partner of the Global Growth engagement. He works through- is a visiting lecturer on the MBA
Institute based out of the UK/ out the world designing and de- programme at Cass Business
Netherlands, and from 2007 un- livering strategic growth focused School in London and Dubai.
til 2012 was the managing and programmes within the private In 2012 at the New York JCI/
international partner of the ad- and public sector. To date he UN Partnership Summit, he
visory arm of Best Companies, has worked with more than 500 was formally recognised as a
who produce the Sunday Times CEOs/boards and thousands JCI Ambassador for his work in
Top 100 Companies lists.He of managers in over 30 coun- promoting the principles of JCI
began his career at Deloitte and tries. He is also a co1founder and the United Nations Founda-
went on to help BDO, the fifth of the ‘HR In The Boardroom’ tion; previous recipients of this
largest accounting network, to programme delivered with ambassadorship include cur-
achieve a top 20 ranking in the Xinfu, the Chinese CEO advi- rent UN Secretary General Mr
Sunday Times Best Companies sory specialists. Wayne is an Ban Ki Moon. In July 2014 he
lists. Wayne is an economics international keynote speaker was invited to speak alongside
graduate and has spent over and has been recognised for Chelsea Clinton at the UN in
16 years helping to improve three consecutive years by HR New York.
the performance of organisa- Magazine as one of the top 25
wbaforum.org 171
Yassin S. Al Suroor
Chairman Of Saudi International Chamber Of Commerce
ICC Executive Board Member & WCF G20 Representative Saudi Arabia
Mr. Yassin Al Suroor has been been recorded in the financial as Chairman of Saudi ICC, Ex-
advising various government market. Mr. Al Suroor is the ecutive Board member of ICC,
agencies on cross-country Board Member of Regional and Executive Committee member
investments. He is also leading International Companies and & G20 Representative of WCF
well reputed multinational com- Chairman of Arab Economic and Globally Member of B20 /
panies for the past 20 years. He and Business Group (A’amal G20 Group.
has successfully developed BOT Group) and Prime Cosmos
and BOO Projects which have Assets Ltd.He plays Global role

Yavuz Kaynar
Fund Manager, European Investment Fund (EIF), Turkey
Yavuz Kaynar is a Fund Manag- in the region. Before joining wider audiences via the internet.
er at the European Investment EBRD, Yavuz was the CTO of Yavuz received a BS degree from
Fund managing the EUR 200M iLab Ventures, one of Turkey’s University of Virginia in Sys-
Turkish Growth and Innovation largest Internet investment and tems Engineering and an MBA
Fund and EUR 160M Istan- portfolio management houses. from Massachusetts Institute of
bul Venture Capital Initiative. Yavuz has extensive experience Technology.
Prior to EIF, Yavuz was part of working with start-ups compet-
EBRD’s EUR 100M Venture ing in the Internet space as well
Capital Fund, financing early as Fortune 500 companies de-
and growth stage companies veloping new products to reach
wbaforum.org 173
Yvette Go
Head of Social & Environmental Impact, EIF, Luxembourg
Yvette Go is Head of Social and EIF in 2015, she worked at the global product portfolio manag-
Environmental Impact Invest- cleantech VC firm SET Ventures er for a business generating EUR
ments in the venture capital for 7 years a.o. leading their 300M annual sales into venture
(VC) team of the European In- investment in MicroShade, an capital. She is a guest lecturer at
vestment Fund (EIF). She leads innovative company in ener- Nyenrode Business University
the team and strategy focused gy-efficient window solutions. (Netherlands), teaching “How
on equity investments deliver- She also co-led the fundraising to finance” to social entrepre-
ing societal impact, in parallel for Shaerpa’s first social impact neurs. Yvette holds a Master’s
to generating financial returns. fund (now merged with SI2, degree in Business Administra-
With the team, she manages investing in social enterprises tion from IESE Business School
over EUR 400M in funding ded- in the Benelux). During the first (Global Executive MBA 2008,
icated to social impact, invested 10 years of her career, Yvette Spain) and a Master of Science
through a variety of financial held various roles of increasing in Chemical Engineering from
instruments (http://www.eif.org/ responsibility at the multina- Delft University of Technology
EIF_for/social-impact-funds/ tionals DSM and Shell, until (Netherlands).
index.htm). Before joining she moved from her position as

Zakir Hussain
Founder & Chairman, Usense Innovative Solutions, India
With design at my core, my value to the User. I have been ble team member with desire
evolution has followed a path drawing human principles as a to make the practice of UX a
less traveled from animation, base and emotion with means thought process of the millions.I
print and digital media to user to bring connection to the user’s am a CEO of ILM Innovative
experience. My discovery of heart. The variety of verticals Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and USense
UX at a later stage in my career in my career has given me the Innovative Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
transformed my life, it nour- flavor and all the ingredients My aim is to help companies to
ished my urge to explore human I need today to engage in any get more value driven software
psychology and persuasion. business. Catching pain points design and development. I’m a
UX / UI completes my desire to and bringing in simple & elegant firm believer in the lean meth-
bring excellence in my life and solutions to further enhance the odology and its integration into
its principals permeate every value chain has been my prima- the UCD framework. As a part
aspect of my being. I have over ry goal. To add to my strength, I of my passion to spread UX
16 years of experience in the have been imparting my skills to knowledge I have delivered sem-
field of User Experience across a team of handpicked candidates inars on variousmany platforms
Strategy, Research, Interaction that can deliver tomorrows tech- including Conferences, Insti-
Design, Information Architec- nologies today. Despite spending tutes, Corporates & Schools.
ture, Prototyping and Testing. so much time and energy in my
UX has challenged me in every personal journey in UX, I still
sense node to strive to bring feel like a student and hum-
wbaforum.org 175
Zeynep Meydanoglu
Country Director, Ashoka, Turkey
Zeynep is the Turkey country non-profits. She has10 years of on a volunteer basis. Born and
director for Ashoka - the leading experience in capacity building, raised mostly in Istanbul, Tur-
global platform for social en- infrastructure development and key, Zeynep has a double Bach-
trepreneurs and changemakers innovating for a stronger civil elor of Arts degree in Political
across 97 countries. Prior to society and philanthropy in Science and Cultural Studies
Ashoka, Zeynep was the Pro- Turkey. Zeynep is also a deputy from McGill University, Montre-
gram Director of TÜSEV (Third board member of Destek Vakfi al, Canada. She currently attends
Sector Foundation of Turkey), (Foundation for Supporting Istanbul Bilgi University’s MA
the country’s leading think-tank Civil Society) and supports Program in Human Rights Law.
and umbrella organization for several women’s organizations

Zsolt Katona
Chief Executive Officer, MFB Invest, Hungary
MFB Invest, a subsidiary of the small- and medium-sized access to capital for Hungar-
Hungarian Development Bank enterprises. Hiventures aims at ian and regional SMEs thus
(MFB), provides development incubation (pre-seed), seed, and supporting economic growth
and venture capital funding on growth stages, thus fostering and job creation. Joined ING’s
the Hungarian capital market, young or to-be-established com- Hungarian securities trading,
covering a wide range of sec- panies with focus on research, research and corporate finance
tors such as machinery, manu- development and innovation. effort in 1995 after setting-up lo-
facturing, energy, health care, Top executive management po- cal entity. Developed ING’s local
services and technology. Apart sition in running the day-to-day presence to highest standards
from greenfield projects, MFB operation of the Budapest Stock as well as gaining top market
Invest focuses on small and Exchange (BSE), part of the CEE share in stock exchange trading.
medium-sized enterprises in an Stock Exchange Group includ- Participated in several corporate
established phase of their life ing Austria, Czech Republic, finance and investment banking
cycles with growth potential and Slovenia and Hungary. Formu- transactions, including bond
capex plans. Hiventures sets-up lating the company’s strategy, issuances and M&A deals.
and performs fund management as well as developing the over-
for venture capital funds dedi- all Hungarian capital market,
cated for investing in innovative, including projects of creating
start-up and early-stage growth dedicated SME market for easy
wbaforum.org 177
THE WORLD
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
& VIP GALA DINNER
19 FEBRUARY 2018
The World Excellence Awards - to be

presented at WBAF2018 - will recognise
notable activities in various fields and
salute outstanding contributors to
entrepreneurship, SMEs and Angel
Investment ecosystems.
Given the diverse challenges the

world faces in the twenty-first century,
it is important to recognise that
entrepreneurship can have a major
impact on our future, offering new ways
to increase economic opportunities
and to foster social justice.
From Business Angels to policymakers,

and from academics to corporate
ventures and SMEs, the awards will
salute those who stand out in imagining,
discussing, and shaping the future of an
entrepreneurial world.
wbaforum.org 179

WBAF Congress 2018 Booklet

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WBAF WORLD

WBAF WORLD CONGRESS 2018

State Secretary, Ministry for National

S UNDAY MON DAY TU ESDAY

18 February 19 February 20 February

12pm – 3pm 8am – 9am 8am – 9am

4 WBAF World Congress 2018

6 WBAF World Congress 2018

19 February 2018, Monday

Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul

09:00 Grand Opening Ceremony

Renata Brkic, Founder, Feelsgood Social Impact Investment Fund, Croatia

12:30 Coffee Break & Networking

12:45 VIP Lunch – by invitation only

10 WBAF World Congress 2018

Ahmet Vefik Dincer, Chief Executive Officer, Fineksus, Turkey

Dr Hasan Maral, Secretary General, Karacadag Development Agency, Turkey

15:30 Coffee Break & Networking

16:00 WBAF Case Study

Ahmet Faralyali, Founding Partner, Mediterra Capital Partners, Turkey

12 WBAF World Congress 2018

Paulo Andrez, Emeritus President, EBAN, Portugal

Yassin S. Al Suroor, Chairman of Saudi International Chamber of Commerce, ICC Executive

17:15 WBAF Sharks

Fund Raiser: Cem Baytok, Managing Partner, Idacapital, Turkey

Shark Paulo Andrez, Emeritus President, EBAN, Portugal

17:30 Awards Ceremony for WBAF Media Partners Supporting Entrepreneurship

18:00 Closing Remarks

14 WBAF World Congress 2018

19 February 2018, Monday

Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul

14:00 Opening Ceremony

Key Note Speech

SMEs need to become global players

Key Note Speech

The Investors Paradox. Why financial innovation is key to entrepreneurial success.

Key Note Speech

16 WBAF World Congress 2018

Albert Colomer, President, BANC Business Angels Network, Spain

15:30 Coffee Break & Networking

16:00 Fireside Chat

Alejtin Berisha, President, Kosovo Business Angels Network (KOSBAN), Kosovo

17:00 WBAF Hot Topic

17:30 Plenary Session

20 February 2018, Tuesday

Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul

09:00 Opening Ceremony

Key Note Speech

Transitioning From CEO to Angel Investor

Key Note Speech

Corporate World and Angel Investment

Haydar Colakoglu, Board Member, TEB Holding, Turkey

Peter Cowley, The Best Angel Investor of UK in 2015 and 2016, UK

20 WBAF World Congress 2018

11:00 Coffee Break & Networking

11:30 Meetup 2018: Licensed Business Angels of Turkey

Language of the session: Turkish

12:30 VIP Lunch – by invitation only

Naim Kocer, Board Member, Azimut Portfoy, Turkey

Arton Celina, Chief Executive Officer, BPB Bank, Kosovo

Kenan Colpan, Chief Executive Officer, ITU Ari Teknokent, Turkey

15:30 Coffee Break & Networking

16:00 Fireside Chat