Speakers & Panelists – Friday October 18, 2024

As we finalize the list of speakers and panelists, this page will be updated with information about them.


Fireside Chat | Accelerating Drug Development


Panel – What could be the impact of Artificial Intelligence on university-level education and professional training?

The panel will be moderated by Mathieu Aguesse, CEO of Schoolab and teacher at Berkeley University (Centrale Nantes Alumni).

The panelists will grapple with questions such as:

  • What are the challenges and opportunities that the rise of AI brings to your environment?
  • What are the differences between US and European education and professional training that may either reinforce or mitigate the risks associated with using AI?
  • Is the speed of change triggering a difference in how you decide what / how to translate this into curriculums?
  • Are there things we will not teach anymore or that we will be able to teach at all or better thanks to AI?

Sandeep Mangaraj

Managing Director, US Fintech, Microsoft

Thomas Maurer

Dean, Ecole Centrale de Lille

Soulaymane Kachani

Senior Vice-Provost and Professor, Columbia University

Pierre Dubuc

Co-Founder and CEO, Openclassrooms


Fireside Chat – A Another angle to diversity: neurodiversity.

Lessons from building a global capability in a for-profit environment and why this will matter even more in the future. Moderator to be announced.

Hiren Shukla

Automation & Innovation / Neuro-Diverse Center of Excellence Leader, EY


Fireside Chat – How is the traditional mission of international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations evolving due to climate change?

Jean-Christian Jung, Managing Partner at Global Sustainable Future (GSF) and impact entrepreneur, will be moderating the conversation.

Farah Gheriss

International Monetary Fund – Deputy Chief – Office of Innovation and Change


Panel Discussion – What does it take to successfully scale in the US?

What does it take to successfully launch and grow in the US when you are a non-US company or when your founding team is not native to the US? This question is not easily answered. Some people have done it and and it takes a village to successfully scale-up a promising startup or enter the US market efficiently. The panel will be moderated by Sandrine Mottin, partner at PwC in the US focused on Digital and Technology Innovation.

  • Example of a success story in scaling up a business in the US for a non-native
  • What are the key differences between the French and US market practices leaders should bear in mind when considering the US market
  • How much do one needs to adjust the product offer for the US?
  • What support system is available to reduce the risks involved in launching on the US market?

Pierrick Joliveau

Founder, The Openside Flanker

Stephan Grynwajc

Managing Partner, The Transatlantic Lawyer

Paul Bensabat

Serial entrepreneur, Angel Investor and Conseiller du Commerce Extérieur

Armando Biondi

Co-founder of Unkover & Breadcrumbs; Angel Investor