Professor Johan Stahre is affiliated with Chalmers University of Technology, where he leads the Division of Production Systems and serves as Assistant Head of Department. His expertise spans industrial digitalization, automation, and the human role in future manufacturing systems. Codirector of Produktion2030 (2013–present) Central figure in EIT Manufacturing development (2016–present) Chalmers representative in European Factories of the Future Research Organisation His research focuses on: Manufacturing resilience and uncertainty navigation Human-Robot Collaboration in restricted environments 5G-enabled smart maintenance systems Sustainability through digital servitization Skill gaps in Industry 4.0/5.0 Computer vision applications in assembly systems Recent publications highlight trends in immersive technologies for manufacturing and resilience frameworks. While no formal awards are listed, his leadership in national and European innovation programs underscores his impact.
Professor Chris Bilton is a Professor of Creative Industries at the University of Warwick's Faculty of Arts, specifically within the Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies. He currently serves as the director of the BA in Media and Creative Industries and is the Warwick academic lead on the CreaTech Frontiers project, a collaboration between Warwick, Coventry, Birmingham and Birmingham City Universities together with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Previously, he directed the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies from 2008 until 2014 and founded the MA in Creative and Media Enterprises program, which he led from 1999 until 2008. Professor Bilton completed his PhD at the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies in 1998, examining cultural democracy in the UK and the US from 1870 to 1990. Before joining Warwick in 1997, he worked for ten years in the cultural sector, touring Britain and Europe as a writer, performer and manager with Balloonatics Theatre Company and serving as Arts Development Officer for City of Westminster Arts Council in London. His research focuses on the management of creative and media businesses, alternative approaches to organization, employment and strategy formation in the cultural sector, cultural democracy and community arts, creativity theory, and particularly the negative consequences of 'creativity' for organizations and individuals. Professor Bilton is currently working on two major projects: a book about myths of creativity on film with Professor Jo Garde-Hansen, and research exploring impacts of Covid, welfare policies and Universal Basic Income upon creative work and workers across Europe. His most recent publications include Cultural Management: a research overview (Routledge 2023) and Creativities: the What, How, Where, Who and Why of the Creative Process (Edward Elgar 2022) with Stephen Cummings and dt ogilvie. Professor Bilton's scholarly output reveals an evolving trajectory from early work on creative strategy and management toward more nuanced examinations of cultural management frameworks across three generations (1.0-3.0), with increasing attention to the complexities of creative work in digital environments and the paradoxical nature of creativity itself. His influential concept of 'uncreativity' challenges conventional wisdom about creative work by examining its shadow side and negative consequences. Professor Bilton serves on the editorial board for the International Journal of Cultural Policy and has edited special editions on 'Creativity and Cultural Policy'. His research has been supported by organizations including the AHRC, Arts Council England, and NESTA, particularly for the Happenstance Project which investigated the effects of digital innovation on organizational culture in three arts organizations. With over twenty years of experience teaching in the field, Professor Bilton has supervised eleven PhD students to completion on diverse topics ranging from autonomous work in the Korean television industry to creativity in video games and cultural entrepreneurship. He currently teaches three modules on the BA in Media and Creative Industries program: Media Cultural and Creative Industries (year 1), Media and Cultural Management (year 2), and Leadership for Innovation (year 3). He co-hosts the Media Whatever podcast with Dr. Carolina Bandinelli and is a founding member of the Warwick Creative Exchange, a network facilitating knowledge exchange between cultural organizations and Warwick academics.
Sunil Aryal is an Associate Professor of Data Science at the School of Information Technology, Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Australia. He received his PhD and Master by Research degrees from Monash University Australia and has published over 70 papers in top-tier international venues in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Data Mining. Dr. Aryal's educational background includes: Graduate Certificate of Higher Education Learning and Teaching, Deakin University (2020) PhD in Computer Science, Monash University (2017) Master of Information Technology (Research), Monash University (2012) Master of Information Technology (Coursework), University of Southern Queensland (2008) Bachelor of Information Technology, Purbanchal University, Nepal (2005) His primary research interests focus on making Machine Learning and Data Mining algorithms robust and flexible to handle heterogeneous, noisy and uncertain data in real-world problems. His work spans across several specific areas including anomaly detection, clustering, kernel/similarity-based learning, ensemble methods, learning from limited data, reinforcement learning, natural language processing, and computer vision. Dr. Aryal is particularly interested in applying these techniques to solve challenges in Defence, National Intelligence, Engineering, Manufacturing, Healthcare and Education. Dr. Aryal co-leads the Machine Learning for Decision Support (MLDS) Research Group at Deakin University and has secured over AUD 4.5 million in external research funding. His research is supported by diverse organizations including US and Australia Defence Agencies, the Australian Office of National Intelligence, Worksafe Victoria, the Victorian State Department of Education and Training, the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) UAE, and Table Tennis Australia (TTA). His notable awards include multiple Deakin University research and teaching awards, the Australian Postgraduate Award for his PhD studies, and several student travel awards during his doctoral candidature. Dr. Aryal actively supervises numerous PhD and Master's students and has contributed significantly to teaching in various courses at Deakin University and previously at Federation University. He serves on several university committees and contributes to the research community as a reviewer, program committee member, and editor for various journals and conferences.
Dr. Catherine Lou is an Associate Professor in supply chain and logistics at Victoria University Business School, part of the College of Arts, Business, Law, Education & IT. She serves as Discipline Leader for Transformative Research in Policy, Economy and Business at the Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities, and is the Global Head of the WiLAT Capacity Building Centre. Her academic journey began at Victoria University where she completed her PhD in Supply Chain Optimisation in 2015, after which she joined as a lecturer. Dr. Lou's educational background includes: PhD in Supply Chain Optimisation, Victoria University (2015) Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education, Victoria University (2018) MSc, BUAA, China (2010) Dr. Lou's research spans multiple interdisciplinary areas with a strong emphasis on quantitative approaches including optimisation modelling, statistics, and advanced data analysis. Her primary research areas include Supply Chain Management (focusing on sustainability, operations management, and risk management), Green Tourism and Visitor Economy, Leadership and Diversity initiatives, International Education, and Business Information Systems. Her work consistently integrates quantitative methods to address complex challenges in sustainable development and supply chain optimization, with particular attention to practical applications that benefit industry and society. Dr. Lou's publication portfolio demonstrates a clear trajectory toward increasingly interdisciplinary research that bridges supply chain management with sustainability, social justice, and wellbeing. Her recent work shows a growing emphasis on regional disparities in green manufacturing, social procurement systems, and the intersection of international student experiences with mental health. The thematic evolution of her research reflects a deepening commitment to addressing complex societal challenges through supply chain innovation, with publications appearing in D1 (top 5%) and Q1 journals across multiple disciplines. Dr. Lou has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing her contributions to academia and professional practice: International Student of the Year - Postgraduate by Victoria State (2013) VU Outstanding Student Alumni Award (2015) Young Professional of the Year award by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Australia (2018) Excellence in Women's Leadership (Supply Chain Education) Award at the IEOM conference (2024) As an active researcher and mentor, Dr. Lou has secured over $$1.3$$ million in competitive research funding from diverse sources including international foundations, national and state government agencies, philanthropic organizations, and industry partners. She currently supervises multiple PhD students across various topics including AI adoption in SMEs, ESG activities, environmental sustainability in sports, and insurtech innovation. Her leadership extends to significant roles in professional organizations, particularly as Australia Chairperson and Global Vice Chairperson for Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT), where she champions initiatives that foster diversity and inclusion worldwide. Dr. Lou plays a pivotal role in the WiLAT Capacity Building Centre, leading global initiatives that develop leadership capabilities and promote gender diversity in the logistics and transport sector. Her work bridges academic research with practical industry applications, creating meaningful impact across multiple sectors including tourism, infrastructure, and international education, with alignment to UN Sustainable Development Goals including Partnerships for the Goals, Good Health and Well Being, Industry Innovation and Infrastructure, and Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Dr. Riccardo Natoli is a Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance at the Victoria University Business School (VUBS), Victoria University, and a certified Chartered Accountant (CA). He has held leadership roles including Deputy Director (Research Training) at the Institute of Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities (ISILC) from 2020-2021, HDR Coordinator in VUBS (2019), and Postgraduate Coordinator in VUBS (2017-2018). His research spans corporate governance, economic development, tourism economics, and social procurement, with over 40 peer-reviewed publications in high-ranking journals. Education: PhD, Victoria University, Australia, 2008 Bachelor of Business (Economics) (First Class Honors), Victoria University, Australia, 2000 Bachelor of Arts, La Trobe University, Australia, 1994 Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education, Victoria University, Australia, 2018 Research Interests: Natoli's work focuses on corporate governance in emerging markets (Vietnam, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, UAE), economic progress measurement (HDI, RIE index), tourism SME resilience, and social procurement. His research aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 11 (Sustainable Cities), 9 (Industry), 8 (Decent Work), and 3 (Good Health), emphasizing practical policy applications through empirical analysis of Australia, Southeast Asia, and Middle Eastern data. Publication Trends: His 12 most recent articles (2011-2025) reveal evolving focus from progress measurement (2011-2016) to tourism resilience (2021-2024) and social procurement/green manufacturing (2025). Key disciplines include economics, finance, and public policy, with subfields spanning corporate governance mechanisms, innovation in SMEs, sustainable manufacturing, and crisis communication. Recent work integrates UN SDGs into empirical frameworks for policy design. Scientific Awards: No specific awards, prizes, or fellowships were mentioned in the source material. Supervision and Grants: Natoli has supervised 15 doctoral students to completion across corporate governance, tourism, and accounting education topics. He secured $1.8 million in competitive research grants, including $1.5 million externally (DFAT, Victorian Higher Education Fund, CAANZ). Current projects include Embrace (DFAT, 2023-2025) on social value in international development and Social Procurement Capacity Building for SMEs (2023) in Melbourne’s West. Labs and Teams: As part of the Institute of Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities (ISILC), he collaborates with cross-disciplinary teams on sustainable urban development, working with Victorian government agencies and industry partners to translate research into policy through frameworks like RESET (tourism resilience) and social value creation for infrastructure.
Matthias Stürmer serves as a Professor at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) within the School of Management and Head of the Institute for Public Sector Transformation (IPST). He concurrently holds a lecturer position at the University of Bern. His professional identity centers on Swiss digital governance initiatives, with active leadership roles in @Parldigi, @DigitalImpactCH, @CH_Open, and @OpendataCH advocating for open source, open data, and transparent public sector innovation. His research program bridges legal technology and digital governance, specializing in multilingual (German/French/Italian) processing of Swiss jurisprudence. Core focus areas include developing AI systems for judicial summarization and criticality prediction, advancing digital sovereignty frameworks, and analyzing sustainable public procurement practices. He investigates the tension between open justice principles and privacy preservation in court documentation, while pioneering methods for anonymizing legal texts against re-identification threats from large language models. Stürmer's publication trajectory reveals a strategic shift toward legal AI applications since 2020, with 12 of his 15 most recent works addressing multilingual legal processing challenges. His scholarship consistently targets Swiss institutional contexts, creating specialized datasets like Multilegalpile and Lextreme while examining practical implementation barriers for open source adoption in public administration. As director of IPST at BFH, he leads institutional efforts to transform public sector services through open standards and collaborative governance models. His team develops practical frameworks for digital sovereignty implementation and sustainable ICT procurement, directly influencing Swiss federal policies on open data and public sector technology adoption.
Stephan Haller is a Professor of Business Information Sciences at the Institute Public Sector Transformation, part of the Business School at Bern University of Applied Sciences. He leads research in data-driven public sector innovation, focusing on Smart Cities, Urban Digital Twins, IoT, and Linked Open Data. With over 30 years of experience in software and IoT research, he has managed EU-funded projects and evaluates technology applications for public value creation. His academic work bridges technical innovation with governance strategies, emphasizing participatory methods and digital transformation in municipalities. Education: M.Sc. Computer Science from ETH Zurich (1993). Professional Experience includes roles at SAP (1994–2012) and leadership in EU IoT projects since 2004. He currently heads projects like the Innovation Booster Swiss Smart Cities and InoVille 4.0, developing smart governance platforms for municipalities. Language skills include German (native), English (fluent), and Japanese (intermediate). Research Projects: Focuses on creating open platforms for strategic municipal governance, digital twin applications, and IoT in public services. His work addresses stakeholder engagement, technology adoption barriers, and ethical considerations in smart city development.
Prof. Jannis Angelis is a Visiting Professor at ISM and a Docent/Reader in Operations Strategy at Indek. Previously, he held roles at Cambridge Judge Business School, Warwick, and Stockholm, and served as a country champion for teaching excellence at Oxford University’s education society. His academic journey includes a PhD in operations management from Cambridge, MPhil in political economy (Cambridge), MA in China studies from SOAS, and an MSc in international relations from Stockholm. His research focuses on the intersection of technology and management, exploring areas such as blockchain applications in supply chains, circular economy strategies for EV batteries, and digital transformation in manufacturing. Notable contributions include studies on blockchain in food supply chains, DLT ecosystems, and lean operational excellence, as evidenced by his receipt of the Shingo Prize and Skinner/Voss best paper awards. Angelis has supervised 9 PhDs and 400 student projects, secured €1.4m in grants, and led major research initiatives. His professional experience spans roles at the ILO, venture capital firms, and international consultancies like ITC (WTO/UNCTAD). He currently leads research at the Gunilla Bradley Centre and IFN Research Institute, focusing on digitalization and operational excellence. Teaching Awards: Four teaching awards, including recognition for pedagogical innovation. Research Grants: Over €1.4m secured, with leadership in three major projects. Labs/Teams: Active in the Gunilla Bradley Centre (Digitalisation) and IFN Research Institute (Industrial Economics).
Dr. Yunpeng Zhang is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor at University College Dublin's School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy since November 2022. He holds a PhD in Human Geography (2015) and an MSc in Urban Management and Development (2009) from the University of Edinburgh and Erasmus University Rotterdam, respectively. His research focuses on urban-centric transformations under neoliberal financial capitalism, particularly socio-spatial justice, speculative urbanization, land financialization, and digital platform-urbanization intersections in China. He advocates for grounded, critical urban theories challenging Western centrism and investigates temporal politics in megaprojects and state-authoritarian dynamics. Recent publications explore topics like Wuxi's environmental policies, Nanjing's gentrification mechanisms, and Yangzhou's feature town developments. These works analyze land commodification, displacement ethics, and state-society conflicts. Scientific recognition includes the 2025 Influential Paper Nomination at China's National Science and Technology Forum, highlighting his contributions to urban political economy debates. Dr. Zhang supervises research projects on digital platforms, rural land markets, and socio-spatial inequality in China and the Global South. He is involved in international collaborations on urban regeneration and platform capitalism.
Dr. Zenon Michaelides is Reader in Business Analytics (equivalent to Associate Professor) at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. With extensive industry experience, he bridges academic research with applied digital transformation in enterprise contexts. His research examines digital transformation, business analytics, supply chain optimization, and Industry 4.0 technologies. Michaelides leads knowledge transfer partnerships worth over £1.2M, collaborating with aerospace, retail, and public sector organizations. As Deputy Head of Research Ethics and Governance, he oversees compliance frameworks. He represents the university in SAP/AWS/Celonis academic partnerships. His publications emphasize practical applications: sustainability reporting, lean management in developing economies, big data in SCM, and RFID/e-business systems. Recent work analyzes organizational drivers for sustainable manufacturing and social value in procurement. He teaches postgraduate/executive courses on analytics, Industry 4.0, and digital leadership. His TEDx talk on cloud computing/ERP reflects commitment to translating technical concepts for broader audiences.
Oliver Gassmann is a Full Professor of Technology Management with a focus on Innovation Management at the University of St. Gallen (HSG). He leads the Institute for Technology and Innovation Management (ITEM-HSG), specializing in research areas such as business model innovation, open innovation, pharmaceutical R&D efficiency, and digital sustainability. His work bridges strategic management and innovation ecosystems, emphasizing collaborative advantage in volatile markets. **Education & Affiliations**: While formal educational details are not explicitly stated, his position as a Full Professor implies advanced academic credentials in technology or business management. His primary affiliation is with ITEM-HSG, where he contributes to executive education programs and industry partnerships. **Research Interests**: Gassmann’s research explores how organizations innovate in dynamic environments, particularly in pharmaceuticals, digital platforms, and sustainability. Key themes include R&D productivity, AI-driven innovation, open innovation frameworks, and the governance of innovation ecosystems. He advocates for collaborative strategies to address challenges like VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) in business and science. **Publications Trends**: Recent work focuses on pharmaceutical R&D benchmarks, AI’s role in business models, and platform ecosystems. His 2025 studies analyze FDA approval trends and Web3 implications for trust in digital platforms. Earlier publications (2020–2024) address smart cities, patent management in VUCA contexts, and frugal innovation strategies. **Advising & Grants**: Supervised notable students like Charlotte-Katharina Lekkas and Maximilian Böger. His grants and projects likely involve industry collaborations, though specific funding details are not provided here. He actively contributes to policy discussions on intellectual property and innovation policy. **Labs & Teams**: Oversees ITEM-HSG’s research initiatives, including studies on innovation ecosystems and digital transformation. His team collaborates with pharmaceutical companies, tech firms, and public institutions to develop actionable frameworks for innovation management.
Dr. Shahriar Kaisar is the Deputy Head of the Department of Accounting, Information Systems and Supply Chain at RMIT University, Australia. He holds a PhD from Monash University and a master's degree from the University of Saskatchewan. His research focuses on data analytics, cybersecurity, AI, health informatics, ad-hoc networks, and emerging technologies. Dr. Kaisar has held academic roles in Australia, Canada, and Bangladesh. Research Interests: His work spans generative AI in education, cyberthreat detection, health informatics, and decentralized networking. Notable projects include frameworks for cybersecurity in power grids and AI-driven decision-making systems. Teaching & Supervision: He supervises PhD students on topics like platform economy value creation and AI-driven cybersecurity. Taught courses include Digital Business Security, Practical Cybersecurity in Business, and Networking in Business. Awards: No specific awards are listed, but his work appears in top-tier journals such as Journal of Information Security and Applications and Future Generation Computer Systems . Collaborations: Active in global research networks, with a focus on interdisciplinary projects involving industry 5.0, sustainable cities (UN SDG 11), and smart infrastructure.
Ann Charlott Pedersen is a Professor at the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), within the Faculty of Economics and Management. Her work focuses on supply chain management, lean strategies, and inter-organizational networks. She holds a doctoral degree from NTNU (1996). Her research explores business network dynamics, strategic supplier development, and the integration of digital technologies with lean practices. Key themes include resource heterogeneity management, network foresighting, and triadic relationship analysis in manufacturing contexts. Over 30 years of academic contributions span journals like Industrial Marketing Management and Journal of Business Research . Pedersen collaborates widely, with frequent co-authorship on topics such as supplier network initiatives, lean implementation, and start-up customer relationship strategies. Her teaching includes advanced courses on strategic supply chain management and business network leadership at the master’s level.
Prof. Dr. Ingmar Ickerott is a faculty member at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, affiliated with the School of Management, Kultur und Technik (MKT, Campus Lingen) under the University management department. His academic career spans over two decades, focusing on logistics management, digitalization in supply chains, and smart technology applications like Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality . Academic Background : Diplom-Kaufmann in Business Administration (2001), Ph.D. in Economics (2006). Professional Roles : Senior Project Manager at arvato (2008–2010), Professor since 2010, Dean of MKT since 2019, Vice President for Digitalization since 2019. His research emphasizes logistics innovation , Lean Management , and digital solutions in rural healthcare . Key projects include Land.Digital (2019–2022) and LEAN 4.0 (Erasmus+, 2019–2021). Publications since 2004 cover agent-based simulation , Smart Device economics , and AR in logistics . He actively lectures on topics like Logistics 4.0 and Digital Onboarding . Projects & Grants : Land.Digital : €165,000+ (Erasmus+), 2019–2021. Dorfgemeinschaft 2.0 : €1.46M (BMBF), 2015–2021. Glasshouse : €208,557 (BMBF), 2015–2019.
Professor Geoff Simmons is a faculty member at the Department of Hospitality, Tourism & Events Management within the Ulster University Business School, based at the Coleraine campus in Room L214. His research focuses on marketing strategies in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly in agri-food industries, exploring the integration of market intelligence and big data to enhance business performance. He also examines consumer behavior, brand governance, and the impact of strategic orientation on innovation and new product development. His work frequently bridges theory and practice, addressing challenges in e-commerce adoption and the application of digital tools like loyalty card data in SME marketing. Professor Simmons has received notable recognition for his research, including the Best Paper in Conference Award at the Emerging Themes in Business Research Conference (2014) and the Best Paper Award-Research Methodology at the Irish Academy of Management Conference (2012). He has supervised three doctoral students, contributing to their research on topics such as marketing capability development and brand governance in digital environments. His research narrative highlights a commitment to advancing marketing practices in SMEs through strategic insights and data-driven approaches. He has collaborated on interdisciplinary projects within the Business and Management Research team at Ulster University, exploring themes like urban governance and innovation adoption in emerging markets. Professor Simmons is actively involved in academic communities, presenting at conferences like the Academy of Marketing Science and European Institute of Retailing and Services Studies. His work often emphasizes the interplay between technological advancements and traditional marketing frameworks, advocating for adaptive strategies in evolving business landscapes.
