Jose Torres CEO Bloom Consulting

Bloom Consulting CEO

www.bloom-consulting.com

Since 2003 Mr. Torres has been advising Countries in the field of Nation Branding and City Branding, working directly with heads of state, directors of National Tourism Organizations and Investment Promotion Agencies.

His clients include Countries, Regions and Cities such as Australia, Costa Rica, Israel, Jamaica, Poland, Sweden, Stockholm and many others spread across all five continents.

Mr. Torres collaborates directly with the World Economic Forum in the matters of Nation Branding and is a guest speaker in some of the most prestigious universities in USA and Europe, such as HARVARD, the London Business School, Stockholm School of Economics and many others, being interviewed by The Economist, BBC, Guardian and CNN.

Since 2011 his company performs a global research project called the Bloom Consulting Country Brand Ranking and most recently the Digital Country Index and the Digital City Index

Sharon Landes-Fischer Acting CEO Tel Aviv Global & Tourism

Sharon Landes-Fischer is acting CEO of Tel Aviv Global, a municipal company, directed toward making the city more accessible to the world and facilitating its quantum leap in the global arena, achieved in cooperation with municipal, national and private partners. The company focuses on three main pillars needed for global economic growth: Tourism, Economic Development and Brand Marketing & Communications. Sharon's position includes formulating the company's global strategy and leading the Tel Aviv brand to new heights. Prior to this position, Sharon held the positions of Deputy CEO and Head of Smart Tourism, and built the city's strategy and support systems for the travel-tech industry. Sharon has a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and a Master's Degree in Management and Marketing. A beach volley-ball enthusiast and the City's volley-ball champion, she lives in Tel Aviv with her husband and two children. 

Keith Tan Chief Executive Singapore Tourism Board

Keith Tan assumed the appointment of Chief Executive of the Singapore Tourism Board on 29 October 2018.

From 2014 to 2018, he served as the Deputy Secretary (Policy) in the Ministry of Defence, where he strengthened Singapore’s international defence partnerships, led MINDEF’s longer-term strategic planning and guided MINDEF’s strategic communications and public engagement efforts.

From 2013 to 2014, Keith was Senior Director of the Public Service Division’s PS21 Office, and concurrently held the appointment of Institute Director in the Institute of Governance and Policy at Singapore’s Civil Service College. Keith also served in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) as Director of the Economics and Strategy Division (2008 - 2010) and the Foreign Economic Policy Division (2010 - 2013). From 2010 to 2013, he led Singapore’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Union, and also served in the negotiating team for the TransPacific Partnership.

Karen Bolinger Strategic Advisor BestCities Global Alliance

Karen Bolinger is a dynamic and experienced strategist and executive leader in the international events, travel, tourism and hospitality services sector.

Karen has made a significant contribution to the visitor economies of several Australian and international cities, and has a unique track record of bringing industry, government policy makers, funders and service organisations together to collaborate and deliver outstanding public value outcomes.

Karen brings a human-centred, engagement rich approach to her work, combined with commercial nous and a comprehensive understanding of Destination Marketing Organisation operating models, business development and market growth strategies.

Karen’s contribution to the sector locally and globally was recognised when Karen was awarded the 2019 Outstanding Contribution to the industry by the Tourism Accommodation Association and 2018 Joint Meetings Industry Council Unity Award, which recognises individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of the business events industry globally. In addition, in 2017 Karen was named in Meetings and Convention Magazine as one of the top 25 leading women in business events globally and a finalist in the 2016 CEO Magazine, Hospitality and Tourism Executive of the Year.

Karen is passionate about the tourism sector becoming a force for economic and social change, re-imagining the way tourism can create more cohesive and inclusive communities, and more vibrant and resilient economies, locally and internationally.

Karen is a champion for women in the workplace and is a founding member on the committee for Not In My Workplace (NIMW), a collective of senior female leaders working together to assist boards and senior management bodies to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. Karen is currently on a “gap” year taking a career break to rejuvenate and rediscover her passion.

Ivan Jimenez Managing Director Bizkaia Talent

Versatile director and dedicated, with nine years experience as Managing Director in an organization with international expansion and close relationship with all the Basque network of science and technology and building connections with European and worldwide organizations focused on Talent Attraction. With the support of the Department for Economic Development of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, and the largest Basque enterprises, technology and research centres and all the Basques universities, bizkaia:talent was established in 2005 as a non-profit organisation with a clear mission: to foster and facilitate the implementation of the necessary conditions for attracting, connecting and retaining in the Basque Country highly qualified people in the areas of knowledge and innovation.

Participant in many international conferences as speaker and author of different articles in international press about territorial talent management and the different services and tools of Bizkaia Talent as one of the best examples worldwide.

Co-founder of the European Talent Mobility Forum, along with the most advanced Europan organizations working Regionaly in Talent Attraction Management.

Promoter and creator of the “Bebasquetalentnetwork”, the largest network of professionals related to the Basque Country, with more than 14.500 people in more than 100 Countries around the world.

Promoter and creator of the Basque Talent Observatory, Be Basque Career Development and Headhunting support centres, worldwide unique big data and machine learning tools to analyse the labour market for highly qualified professionals and help both professionals and companies to develop their career and talent management.

Promoter and creator of the first Dual Career Centre in the Spanish State. "Bebasque Dual Career Centre"

Entrepreneur and cofounder of Suministros Textiles Etxetik SL

10 years of leadership experience as Area Manager in the business insurance sector, with Spain’s #1 insurance company M.A.P.F.R.E SAS.

Patrick Walsh Head of Talent & Business Intelligence Invest Stockholm

Patrick Hamilton Walsh is an award-winning author and keynote speaker. Working to ensure everyone receives an equal chance in life, he has worked extensively in educating corporations and individuals in the benefits of synergies that derive from a diversified team working toward a collective goal.

Patrick is currently based in Stockholm, Sweden, serving as Head of Talent for the City of Stockholm, advising on European pandemic response leadership, global talent mobility and working to provide solutions to global mega trends.

Patrick spends his spare time backpacking, having travelled to 140 countries across the seven continents building relationships with people of all backgrounds, faith and outlook.

Jonathan Woetzel Director McKinsey Global Institute

Jonathan Woetzel, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company and Director, McKinsey Global Institute, leads McKinsey Global Institute research on China, Asia, and global economic and  business trends. Helps cities and regions create sustainable growth and  supports the transformation of Chinese companies into global leaders. 

Daniel Valverde Country Brand Director Essential Costa Rica

Daniel Valverde Bagnarello has built a career in marketing for over 20 years. He holds both a Master in Digital Marketing and a Master in Management from IE Business School, a seat in the British School of Costa Rica's Advisor Committee, former Secretary of the Latin American Country Brands Counsel and most recently, pursuing a Ph.D in Communication degree at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona.

Although he started in advertising, Daniel's career path has led him over the years from a copywriter’s desk at a BBDO network agency, to the commercial director's seat in one of the most successful company holdings in the Central American region devoted to global trade. Along the way he has skilled in the management of multinational marketing teams praising that success in his field lays on two major pillars: The first, embracing data as the main source to spark creative initiatives. And the second, committing to talent development as a KPI.

Currently, Daniel is the Country Brand Director behind "essential COSTA RICA", the country brand that showed the greatest annual growth in America according to the Bloom Consulting Country Brand Ranking 2017/2018, won Place Brand of the Year at the City Nation Place Awards 2019 and received the Branding Award at the Place Marketing Forum 2020 in Marseille. He also leads the country brand's Technical Unit that comprises representatives from Procomer (Costa Rica's TPA), CINDE (IPA), ICT (Tourism Bureau), COMEX (International Trade Bureau), Culture & Youth Bureau and Costa Rica's Chancellery (Foreign Affairs Bureau).

Laura Aalto CEO Helsinki Marketing

Laura Aalto is CEO of Helsinki Marketing, a company owned by the City of Helsinki, since September 2017. She has more than 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, branding and corporate sponsorship. She served as a Marketing and Communications Director for World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 and Turku, European Capital of Culture 2011.

Laura has been transforming Helsinki Marketing and its business to new strategic framework. She has been leading the company’s change process from a traditional DMO to implementing broader city marketing and brand building. She has been supporting change processes within teams, building new networks and collaboration models. In addition, attention has been paid to employee skills, developing internal processes and changing operating culture.

Laura holds a MA from Helsinki University.