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Adriana Acosta is the Marketing and Communication Director of PROCOMER (The Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promoter) and oversees the strategic direction of the country brand Essential Costa Rica. Adriana has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and advertising, and she had been the head of conception and development of strategies for brands of diverse sectors such as real state, wines and distillates, premium brands, services, and fast-moving consumer goods.

Prior to joining PROCOMER, Adriana as a Marketing Director and Senior Executive, developed marketing strategies, frame and conduct marketing research, develop customer journeys and lead the social media and advertising strategy for different clients and companies. She also explored her entrepreneur side creating and managing her own advertising agency for 8 years.

Adriana is graduate of the Costa Rica University of Communication and Advertising program and has an MBA in Marketing. She has experience developing new business, leading marketing teams, managing the relation with advertising, social media and public relations agencies, commercial partners, press media and events agencies and has served as the spokesperson of different companies.

David Andrews is Director of the Great West Way, a Discover England Funded project to create one of the world’s premier touring routes between London & Bristol. This project has been led by VisitWiltshire where David is also Chief Executive. Previous tourism management and marketing roles include working at The Mersey Partnership and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. Before that David worked in VisitBritain / VisitEngland roles based in London, Singapore, Chicago and Amsterdam.

Emily is Head of Brand Development and Operations at Brand Gold Coast and a proud Gold Coaster. Admitted as a lawyer in 2019, she want to use her background in law and governance  to move into more meaningful work, stepping into local government and place branding.

With experience working alongside global and national brands, Emily brings a strategic and critical perspective on how brands shape perception, connect with audiences and drive impact. She is committed to strengthening the Gold Coast’s reputation through evidence-led strategy and meaningful community outcomes.

Todd Babiak is the co-founder of Story Engine, a consultancy based in Vancouver that uses narrative to solve business problems and build brands. In 2011, one of his clients, the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, changed his life because he fell in love with place-branding. Many clients later, his strategy work for Tasmania turned into a job, which led to another job, possibly the best job in the world: CEO of Brand Gold Coast.

Jerad Bachar has close to thirty years of tourism and economic development experience in an array of countries and business environments. He has worked in both developed and emerging markets in the areas of destination branding and marketing, economic development and diversification, and workforce development.

Jerad began his tourism development career at VisitPITTSBURGH in 2004.  In 2008, he became Director of Business Tourism for the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing where he led the development of the city’s strategy for business, sports, and leisure events.  In 2015, Jerad became an Executive Director at the Bahrain Economic Development Board where he was responsible for economic development of the travel, healthcare, education, and real estate sectors. 

Jerad returned to Pittsburgh in January 2019 as the Executive Vice President of VisitPITTSBURGH, and as of May 2020 became President and CEO of the organization. Jerad holds an MBA from the University of Liverpool.

Christian Biller is a Brand Strategist at the Swedish Institute (SI), based in Stockholm. With a career at SI that spans over fifteen years since 2007, he has been working with the marketing and communication of Sweden through a variety of strategic initiatives. One of Christian's contributions includes the communication concept, "Pioneer the Possible," aimed at bolstering Sweden's position in export and investment promotion.

Currently, he is part of the Unit for the Image of Sweden Analysis, where he holds a specialized responsibility for the business sector, Sweden’s overall brand strategy and Sweden’s visual identity.

Asbjørn Overgaard took up the position as CEO in Copenhagen Capacity on 1 June 2020 being at the forefront of attracting and retaining foreign companies and talents, with the aim of creating growth and development in Greater Copenhagen. Throughout his career, Asbjørn has worked in both private companies and public organizations and close to the political decision-making process. Asbjørn has a long experience from positions as Director of Danish Shipping, a number of positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Private Secretary to the Minister of Trade and Investment, Deputy Ambassador and Deputy Director of Invest in Denmark.

Mark’s role as CEO of Explore Seattle Southside enables him to interact with an engaged team of experienced destination marketers in a region south of the Seattle Washington metro core. Mark’s background includes managing hotels and multi-hotel portfolios for 35+ years prior to transitioning into destination marketing.

Explore Seattle Southside is a unique destination marketing organization. The organization’s public funding via a lodging assessment provides stability for the organization to plan multi-year marketing campaigns. The region it markets experiences over 50 million visitors a year, surpassing many other larger and more well-known destinations. The organization has been recognized as one of the best workplaces in the State of Washinton for the past several years – unheard of for a governmental authority.

After completing his higher education in business at SKEMA Lille, Lionel Flasseur began his career at MARS Alimentaire, where he gained significant experience over 9 years in various high-responsibility roles in business development and merchandising.

In 2001, he made a bold career shift by leaving MARS to join the tourism sector at lastminute.com, where he helped establish the company as the European leader in online travel sales at the time, serving as Marketing and Sales Director.

In 2004, he changed sectors again, joining Lyon Airports as Marketing and Sales Director, overseeing revenues and ambitious objectives for the airport. He continued his path in tourism by launching a travel website in 2009 and later taking over as General Manager of Thalasseo within voyage-prive.com.

His career took a new direction in 2011 when he was appointed Director of the international attractiveness and promotion program ONLYLYON, focused on territorial marketing and raising the profile of the Lyon metropolitan area. In this role, he initiated notable innovations and contributed to the internationalization of the Festival of Lights.

In 2017, he became CEO of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme, leading the merger of two regional tourism committees. His mission was to redefine the organization’s strategy and position the region among the Top 5 tourist destinations in Europe. His vision of “caring tourism” emphasizes sustainable development and a holistic approach that places people at the heart of the tourism industry.

In parallel, in 2020, he co-founded the endowment fund Essentiem, which he now chairs, to support major transitions in tourism by funding projects of general interest through donations from companies and individuals.

In 2023, Lionel Flasseur developed and took on the role of Managing Director of One Provence, the territorial marketing agency serving the visibility and influence of Aix-Marseille Provence and its 90 municipalities.

Lionel Flasseur is also a board member of Handicap International France and is a certified Independent Board Member by EMLyon Business School

David Gilbert serves as President and CEO of Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, an organization dedicated to making Greater Cleveland the nation’s foremost destination for amateur sporting events and activities, and Destination Cleveland, the region’s destination marketing and management organization. He re-established the Sports Commission in 2000 and assumed his role with Destination Cleveland in 2011. From April 2015 through December 2017, David also served as the president and CEO of the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee for the Republican National Convention.

Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is responsible for attracting, creating, managing, and enhancing significant sporting and competitive events. Since 2000, the organization has attracted over 200 events including the NFL Draft, MLB All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Weekend and NCAA Women’s Final Four in addition to the upcoming 2024 Pan-American Maters Games. These events have contributed more than $820 million in local economic impact.

At Destination Cleveland, Gilbert is responsible for carrying out the organization’s mission to drive economic impact and stimulate community vitality by positioning and promoting Cleveland as an exciting, vibrant destination. Under his leadership, visitation and economic impact increased dramatically for nine consecutive years (2011-2019) before the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic. During that time, annual visitation grew at a pace greater than the U.S. visitation growth rate.

Gilbert serves as vice president on the board of the International Children’s Games, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, and sits of the boards of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland and the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board of the Department of Commerce. He was named by Crain’s Cleveland Business as one of Cleveland’s “30 influencers of the past 30 years,” Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and in 2016, he received the SME Cleveland Business Executive of the Year Award.

Gilbert has a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Cleveland State University.

My background is in political science and integrated communication.

I have more than 15 years experience in communication working within different areas - public and digital diplomacy, stratcom, government affairs, media relations, PR, country branding.

Together with my team in 2019 we have launched a new brand strategy and platform - Lithuania Co-Create. 

Megan Knott, CEO of Tourism Kingston, and proud mom of two daughters, has more than 25 years of experience in leadership and development, strategic marketing, media and public relations, and business and fiscal management. She holds an MBA in community economic development and is pursuing credentials as a Certified Destination Management Executive.

Megan led city partners in the creation and funding framework for its now established tourism organizations: a hotel association and the destination management organization. Kingston Accommodation Partners’ mission is to advocate for the industry. Tourism Kingston’s mission is to create economic return and visitor experience supports through sales, marketing, the creative industries, and visitor services. Under Megan’s stewardship, these organizations work collaboratively, along with other municipal and community partners, to deliver on the destination’s Integrated Destination Strategy.

Megan also led negotiations for instituting the Municipal Accommodation Tax in Kingston, in which all funds collected from overnight stays are reinvested into the city’s tourism efforts. Her proven capabilities in stakeholder engagement, ideation, and consensus-building have led to the development and implementation of many community investment partnerships and major infrastructure projects.

An active member of the Kingston community, Megan has participated on several boards of directors, including for Regional Tourism Organization 9, Kingston Economic Development Corporation, Downtown Kingston BIA, and the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce.

Under Megan's leadership, the Kingston brand has been recognized with more than 30 national and international awards since its inception in 2018.

Miriam Lawley is a highly experienced Senior Marketing Manager with over 15 years of expertise in strategic marketing, brand management, and communications. Currently serving at the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), she leverages her extensive background in leading integrated marketing strategies to support the agency’s mission of driving economic growth and enhancing the city’s reputation.

Throughout her career, Miriam has successfully managed cross-functional teams to execute marketing initiatives that align with organizational objectives, enhance brand visibility, and deliver measurable results. Her experience spans across various areas, including destination marketing, media buying, brand strategy, and event promotions. She has a strong ability to craft data-driven marketing campaigns, utilizing consumer insights and analytics to optimize performance and achieve key business outcomes.

With her deep understanding of marketing dynamics and her commitment to delivering impactful solutions, Miriam supports AEDA in advancing its vision and promoting Adelaide as a vibrant and dynamic destination for business, investment, and tourism.

Amanda Lumley is Chief Executive of Destination Plymouth. She has a wealth of experience in tourism from leading UK national attractions such as Chester Zoo and Leeds Castle, to regional tourism partnerships Visit Essex, Visit Kent and most recently Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City where she was involved in the Mayflower 400 programme for over 9 years.

As well as being the voice of the city’s visitor economy, she leads on the city’s brand strategy, Visitor Plan, marketing and digital strategy, events, major development projects, public space and place making.

Amanda is Immediate Past President, a Director and a Fellow of the Tourism Management Institute, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and Co-Chair of the Great South West Tourism Partnership.

Fiona Macdonald is the Head of Strategy at VisitBritain/VisitEngland, guiding the strategy for the national tourist board. Working there for 8+ years, she previously lead the international marketing for Britain and England’s business events sector as part of the GREAT campaign. Fiona has seen many global place brands, having started her career in New Zealand’s tourism sector at the then Ministry of Tourism, and also during her time at Reed Exhibitions (headquartered in London, UK) where she guided the strategy and growth of the global travel events including World Travel Market, International Luxury Travel Market and IBTM World.

Andrea is a serial entrepreneur with experience launching and scaling companies in energy, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. Originally from California, she relocated to Oslo in 2017 and has had various roles focused on building Oslo’s innovation ecosystem. As City Innovation Lead at Oslo Business Region, the city’s business development agency, she helps technology startups scale through innovative pilot projects, talent attraction and retention initiatives, and international brand building.

Prior to joining Oslo Business Region, Andrea was Special Advisor, International Brand Management at Oslo Region Alliance, representing 65 municipalities in the Greater Oslo Region. She developed programs and tools for attracting and retaining international talent and investment in close collaboration with municipalities, industry clusters, incubators, corporates, and academic institutions.

She co-developed Oslo's brand guide, "Branding Oslo," a joint project by Oslo Region Alliance, VisitOSLO and Oslo Business Region. The guide is a digital summary of Oslo’s Brand Management Strategy, first conceived in 2015 and still in use today.

Jess Radford is the Acting CEO of Brand Tasmania, leading the organisation’s mission to define, amplify, and leverage Tasmania’s unique identity as a driver of social, economic, and cultural growth.

Brand Tasmania works closely with the community, using research-driven insights and engagement to develop projects that bring the brand to life across government, business, and society while addressing policy challenges and harnessing Tasmania’s distinct competitive advantages.

With a passion for Tasmanian-ness, Jess specialises in uniting diverse stakeholders, co-designing strategies, and shaping narratives that foster sustainable, thriving communities across the state. Her work ensures that Tasmania’s brand is a tool for meaningful action.

Louisa Shaw is the Place Brand Manager at We Are Staffordshire, a new approach to promoting and marketing the county, funded by Staffordshire County Council.

Louisa is working with Staffordshire’s Place Board of business leaders and partners to develop and promote a vibrant new place brand and narrative for Staffordshire, maximising opportunities to promote inward investment, support visitor economy, and generate economic growth across the county.

With over a decade's experience in destination marketing, Louisa has led complex marketing and community engagement programmes for major infrastructure and regeneration developments in the Midlands and wider UK.

Irina Tolstousov is a seasoned professional as the Deputy Director for Invest Moldova, boasting a rich history of success in both public and private sectors. With expertise in marketing strategy, public relations, and brand promotion, she stands out as a strong marketing professional, adept communicator, and collaborative team player.

Specializing in the economic field, Irina has actively contributed to European Union projects related to the DCFTA implementation. Notably, she holds the distinctive role as the first and sole individual in Moldova entrusted with managing the country's brand.

At the Invest Moldova Agency, Ms. Tolstousov leads efforts to promote the Republic of Moldova as an investment magnet, export hub, and tourist haven. Her dedication to this unique role is highlighted by her exclusive responsibility for Moldova's comprehensive brand management.

Irina holds a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree in Marketing Management, with her master's thesis focused on the branding of the Republic of Moldova. Additionally, she served as a jury member for the prestigious City Nation Place Awards in 2023, the foremost platform for place builders. This further attests to her influential role in shaping global perceptions of regions and nations.

Sirpa Tsimal is an economic development and foreign direct investment specialist. Currently, she is Director for Investment Promotion at Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE), where she leads the Global Marketing team.

At S-GE, Sirpa focuses her work on emerging technologies and ecosystems such as AI, blockchain, health and robotics in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to Switzerland. Sirpa is a board member of the Home of Blockchain initiative, on the steering committee of the Swiss Biotech Report, and on the advisory board of CityNationPlace. She is a frequent speaker at industry events.

Sirpa has 18+ years of experience working with and leading international teams in marketing communications, business development, market entry and strategic innovation projects. Prior to S-GE, Sirpa was the founder of The Location Lab, an innovation consultancy, and co-founder and Managing Partner at TSIMANN LLC, a communication agency in New York/Washington DC. Sirpa worked as a consultant for various economic development agencies such as BaselArea and Health Industries South Australia. She also ran and scaled the mentorship program at two health tech accelerators, in New York City (ELabNYC) and in the State of Connecticut (ABCT).

Sirpa graduated from the University of Zurich in 2003 with a master’s degree in communication sciences, international law and social anthropology.

Sarah Volberg is the Executive Director, Growth Marketing and Brand Intelligence at Destination Canada, with over two decades of marketing and communications experience. She leads the strategic use of data and insights to guide domestic and global marketing. A passionate advocate for evidence-based decision-making, Sarah champions a test-and-learn culture, rigorous performance systems, and centralized market intelligence. She also spearheaded Destination Canada’s Brand and Marketing Measurement Framework—adopted by Team Canada partners—to position brand equity as a national driver of wealth and well-being.

A recognized leader in Canada’s tourism sector, Andrew was recently appointed President and CEO of Destination Toronto following 18 years with the organization in a range of leadership roles, including Executive Vice President of Destination Development and Chief Marketing Officer. 

A champion and frequent spokesperson for the industry, Andrew just completed a term as Board Chair of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, and also serves on numerous other boards and committees including Destinations International and the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Prior to Destination Toronto, Andrew served as a senior advisor to an Ontario cabinet minister, and spent nine years in communications in the healthcare and biotech industry.