Area of Expertise: Leadership development

Dr. Lia S. Bernardo is a distinguished thought leader and innovator in the field of personal development and wellbeing education. With over three decades of experience, Dr. Bernardo has dedicated her career to empowering individuals and organizations to unlock their full potential and thrive in today’s fast-paced world.

As the founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Atma Prema, Dr. Bernardo has developed a reputation for creating highly transformational programs, workshops, and retreats that build on emotional maturity prioritized by holistic wellbeing. Her work is grounded in rigorous research and informed by the latest advancements in behavioral science and inner wisdom.

Dr. Bernardo’s proprietary programs, including “The Self-Love Solution” and “BodyLove” Programs,have garnered international acclaim for their effectiveness in promoting self-awareness, emotional resilience, and self-mastery. Her holistic approach provide participants with practical tools to navigate life’s challenges with grace and resilience.

In addition to her work with individuals, Dr. Bernardo collaborates with leading corporations to design customized wellbeing initiatives that enhance employee engagement, productivity, and overall organizational performance. Her expertise in conscious leadership and organizational culture transformation has made her a sought-after educator for companies seeking to cultivate a culture of wellbeing and resilience. Dr. Bernardo’s passion for empowering others extends beyond her professional endeavors. She is a dedicated advocate for social change and is actively involved in philanthropic initiatives aimed at promoting mental health awareness and education in underserved communities.

Álvaro Fernández, named as Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, is a recognized Brain Health pioneer, keynote speaker and author. For more than 15 years he has led SharpBrains, an independent research firm tracking applied neuroscience and gathering hundreds of scientists, experts, technologists, and practitioners. He has also been quoted by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Reuters, and Associated Press, among others.

Álvaro is the Editor-in-chief of seminal market reports on Brain Health and Innovation and co-authored the influential discussion paper Empowering 8 Billion Minds: Enabling Better Mental Health for All via the Ethical Adoption of Technologies published in the National Academy of Medicine. To help engage a variety of audiences he co-authored the acclaimed books The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness and Cómo Invertir en su Cerebro, translated into multiple languages.

Prior to his work at the frontier of applied neuroscience and mental wellness, Álvaro worked at consulting firm McKinsey & Company, helped Bertelsmann launch one of the first online bookstores in Europe. Additionally, he launched a learning platform at Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, and participated in the turnaround of corporate e-learning company Docent/ SumTotal Systems.

Furthermore, Álvaro has enjoyed serving in several Global Future Councils by the World Economic Forum, in the Global Teacher Prize Academy run by the Varkey Foundation, and in the Global Advisory Board of SEK Education Group, among others.

Besides that background, he holds an MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University and a BA in Economics from Universidad de Deusto.

He is native from Spain, and is an avid skier (alpine and cross-country), tennis player, non-fiction readers, and traveler. Having lived 24 years in the US between the Bay Area, Washington, DC and Boca Raton he and his family recently moved to Madrid, Spain. Born in Bilbao, in the Basque Country, Álvaro is a dual citizen of Spain and the US, and fluent in Spanish and English.

Empowering Minds: Leveraging Brain Science to Unlock Potential in the AI/ Cognitive Era

How can we enhance our core mental capacities to innovate and to thrive in today’s complex and rapidly-changing society and workplace? What can we do to invest in our most precious resource –our human brain– and boost individual and collective resilience? Discover the practical applications of emerging research on brain functioning and neuroplasticity, and learn how everyone can become a lifelong “mental athlete” ready to face professional and personal challenges in the AI/ Cognitive Age.

 Brain Health in 2030: Navigating Neuroplasticity and the Digital Health Market

Brain Health and Mental Health are rapidly-evolving marketplaces, and executives and pioneers should be aware of the far-reaching impact this transformation will have in the near future. Alvaro Fernandez, the CEO of the leading independent market research firm SharpBrains — tracking health and wellness applications of brain science — will discuss the latest market data and forecasts on how digital platforms will revolutionize brain health by 2030. Participants will discover and brainstorm how the growing mainstream demand for “brain fitness” is creating a significant demand and opportunity for web-based, mobile and biometrics-based technology to assess, monitor and enhance cognition and brain functioning.

Luciano is a senior executive expert in corporate strategy, leadership, and people development.

After graduating with honors in nuclear engineering, he followed several management courses at Bocconi, Harvard, Oxford and NYU.

In his long career as a management consultant, he held executive positions in leading multinational companies, being Strategy, Supply Chain Management and CRM Leader at PwC for Spain, Portugal and Italy, then BU Leader for Energy and Life Sciences Industries at Altran Italy and, more recently, Country Manager at CGI Italy.

He served on the Board of Directors for the post-merger integration of PricewaterhouseCoopers Spain, and on the management committees of PwC Italy and CGI Spain, Latam and Italy.

With his knowledge and expertise in boardroom consulting, he has led remarkable corporate programs for Fortune 500 companies, focusing on lean organization, cultural change and digital transformation.
Fluent in English, Spanish and Italian, he boasts a multicultural experience.

At Axialent, Luciano supports large international accounts in their leadership development programs, applying Conscious Business values and tools, and contributes to Axialent’s growth strategy in Italy and South Europe.

Married with two children, he practices sports, such as marathon running, swimming, and skiing, and has a passion for travel and wine tasting, being a professional certified sommelier.

Stefaan is the founder of the Global Curiosity Institute where he and his team are supporting professionals, teams and organisations to foster a mindset of curiosity.
 
He started his career in investment consulting in China. From there he moved to set up the executive education arm of a major business school in Shanghai, China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), which he ran for 5 years. Subsequently, he moved to the corporate side and set up global learning teams and innovative corporate universities for Nokia (China/Finland), Agfa Healthcare (Belgium), Philips (the Netherlands), Flipkart (India), Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia) and Cognizant (UK). His last role was that of Chief Learning Officer for Cognizant, where he overlooked the learning and development for over 300k associates across the globe. He has been globally recognized for his innovative approach to learning, people and technology.
 
Stefaan has a Master’s degree in Economics and in Chinese, together with postgraduate degrees in Marxist Economics from China, Cross-Cultural Management from France and an Executive MBA from Rutgers University. He is a certified ACS and NLP coach. A Belgian national, Stefaan has been married for 25 years to Jeltje Peletier: a successful psychotherapist, coach and yoga teacher. Together they have 4 children: Rik, Femke, Koen and Menko. He practices meditation daily, is a marathon runner and is currently pursuing a masters degree in philosophy.
 
To learn more about the institute click here: https://www.globalcuriosityinstitute.com/

Until recently, Annie was the Global Head of Culture and Client Marketing for UBS Investment Bank and held a similar role at Goldman Sachs. Although unusual to find these two roles in one person, Annie has always seen them as connected disciplines, as high-performing cultures and employee engagement drive success with clients and ultimately, brand and reputation. Annie is now focused on culture transformation and ‘C’ Suite leadership coaching, making positive behavior change happen for the individual, the team, the Executive board, and the whole organization.

Annie uses the latest developments in neuroscience and our understanding of how the brain works and impacts behavior to help drive organizational performance by creating places where people thrive, not merely survive, shaping the culture her clients need to successfully implement their business strategy. Annie is also an international speaker on culture, conduct, D+I, and employee engagement.

Prior to this, Annie ran her own consulting firm, with clients that included London 2012, helping to jump start a culture for the London Organising Committee of the Olympics and Paralympics Games (LOCOG), Goldman Sachs, and GAM, a specialist investment management firm. In her earlier career, Annie worked in a number of senior branding, marketing and communication roles, including organizations such as BP, the Ministry of Defense, the Prime Ministers Press Office (under the Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher), and The London Stock Exchange.  She is also an experienced coach and mentor, having trained with The Performance Consultants and a Mental Health Ambassador (MHFA).

Annie was a former Trustee and Chair of Borough Market and currently Chairs the Board of Governors for The Bridge Academy and a Non-Executive director of Rungway Ltd. Other interests are food and sport. She likes skiing, hiking/scrambling, is passionate about wine, and has achieved a distinction in WSET 3.

Annie holds a BA Combined Honors degree in History & Politics from the University of Exeter and a Leadership qualification from IMD, Lausanne.

 

Márcio Marcos is a world citizen passionate about people and teams. Since May 2024, Márcio is an Associate Partner at Axialent.

He began working in the engineering field, but soon he focused on the development of suppliers and deals in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. At the outset of his professional career, he realized that to develop and grow business efficiently, people and business challenges must be aligned. His strength lies in quickly adapting to the environment to develop solutions that accelerate the organizational change process.

He is a coach, manager, advisor, and facilitator in leadership, negotiation, and cultural transformation areas, with extensive professional experience in several European, Latin American, and Asian countries.

His background in human and organizational development comprises multiple industries and includes clients such as Wal-Mart, Toyota, Audi, Unilever, HSBC, BSH, Vale, Ericsson, Santander, and IFF.

He is an environmental processes engineer, graduated from Berlin Technological University, and is trained and certified in Barrett, coaching, shadow coaching, NLP, Gestalt Therapy, mentoring, counseling, management models, meditation techniques, and biohacking.

He has lived in seven cities in three countries and currently lives in Barcelona, Spain, with his wife and his two children.

Edvard is a consultant with more than 35 years of experience in projects of strategic alignment and change management. He is a professor of human resources in Master of Business Administration and Graduate courses in the areas of leadership and people management as well as in team development at FIA USP, and power and influence at FDC. He was a professor of leadership at São Paulo Business School.

He is a specialist in cultural transformation, building leadership development processes, including executive coaching, tailor-made solutions in programs of training and preparation of leaders, deepening self-awareness and work environment awareness.

Edvard has worked in the human resources area for more than 20 years. He worked in companies such as TRW do Brasil, Saab Scania do Brasil, Brosol – Bromberg e Solex, Corporação Bonfiglioli, Grupo Bompreço and Editora Abril.

He is a psychologist, specialized in human resources administration by FGV/SP and post-graduated in business administration. Edvard holds credits from the Masters of Science in Management by the California American University. He has studied leading organizational change at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Pia brings over 15 years of experience leading global leadership and cultural transformation programs. As a strong advocate of Conscious Business, she actively promotes and lives these principles every day. Her commitment to excellence has been recognized with awards in 2008 and 2012 for delivering outstanding experiences to her clients at Axialent.

Her journey has taken her across Northern Africa, Latin America, and Scandinavia, helping her gain a deep understanding of different cultures and ability to adapt to new environments. Pia is a multilingual consultant with a keen understanding of cultural dynamics, allowing her to engage effectively across different cultures. Her approach emphasizes on empathy and respect, fostering collaborative environments that drive results. With a strong ability to anticipate and address organizational needs, she consistently delivers value-driven outcomes aligned with strategic goals.

Pia has worked in areas like Diagnostics, where she specialized in quantitative and qualitative research and assessment tools. In 2013, she moved into client-facing roles, working with European and global accounts across industries such as financial services, telecommunications, consumer goods, government and non-profit organizations. Her key strengths include strategic planning, instructional design, and leading cultural change processes.

She holds a master’s degree in Development Studies from Uppsala University and a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from Stockholm University. Pia is also certified in Adaptive Mindset for Agility® from The Social Intelligence Company, and Life Styles Inventory from Human Synergistics.

Currently based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pia enjoys practicing Pilates and Tai Chi in her spare time, as well as spending quality time with her family and friends.

Ekin runs programs to take leaders and teams to the next performance level. Her expertise includes leadership vevelopment, high performing teams and culture transformation with a systemic focus (Systems Theory). She is a certified coach by Axialent, and Conscious Business Center by Fred Kofman.

Her election to often navigate outside of her comfort zone has been an accelerator for growth throughout her life journey. She has ten years of experience accompanying leaders and teams on their development journey to boost effectiveness. Her clients include multinationals from the financial, social media, airline, and consumer goods industries.

Her 20+ years professional career also includes managerial roles for big brands such as Telefonica, Kellogg, and Ernst & Young in diverse countries. She has a unique set of skills that combines technical, business and human systems skills: She is an industrial engineer, with an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University, and a masters degree in systemic family therapy.

She is multicultural and multilingual. Currently, she lives in Mexico City with her family.

Horacio has broad experience in implementing changes and generating great impact on customer companies.

Horacio served as training management at Organización Techint, training hundreds of leaders and professionals for more than six years, within the context of complex change processes, mergers and acquisitions. More recently, Horacio was for almost a decade corporate manager of the human resources department of Grupo Clarín, leading the learning and change process and the executive remuneration practices.

As part of an integral change management strategy, Horacio promoted the application of the “Six Sigma” Process Improvement methodology at Grupo Clarín. To this end, he specialized and received a “Black Belt” from the Technological Institute of Buenos Aires (ITBA).

Horacio is the co-author of “Transformando,” a book on change experiences in Argentine corporations. He has also regularly contributed organizational learning content to MateriaBiz.com, a management and academic website. A professor of several postgraduate programs at different Argentine universities, he is currently professor of “Cultural Change and Organizational Learning” of the “Master in Organizational Coaching” program at the Universidad del Salvador.

Horacio holds a degree in industrial engineering from the University of Buenos Aires. He is a senior coach certified by the Technological Institute of Buenos Aires and of the LLC of Fred Kofman.

In his spare time, Horacio occasionally composes music and writes and performs in theater comedies.