Jeffrey A. Kappen is Founder and Managing Partner at Bâton Global, a research-driven advisory firm working in the areas of strategy, leadership, and innovation. This includes serving as an advisor and consultant to private and public sector organizations supporting them with the development and execution of their global strategies, leadership development programs, and market analysis. Additionally, Jeff also directs Bâton Global’s global research practice. His sector expertise includes agriculture, education, and energy. His regional expertise has focused on emerging markets, especially in Central / South East Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Concurrent to his role at Bâton Global (b|G), Jeff is also an Associate Professor of Management and International Business at Drake University. In addition to teaching in the areas of leadership, management, global studies, and sustainable development, Jeff maintains an active research agenda on the formation of transnational partnerships, the influence of culture and religion on business, and diversity in organizations, and the resolution of issues resulting from socio-cultural differences. Jeff is also serving as acting director of the Principal Center for Global Citizenship and the Nelson Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs, (through which he manages the international co-curricular programming of the university), and as chair of the nation’s largest chapter of the Academy of International Business.

Jeff holds a B.A. with honors in International Relations, French, and Russian from Beloit College, a Master in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, and a Ph.D. in Management and Organization Studies from the University of Massachusetts.

Yannis A. Pollalis, is a professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Piraeus, Greece since 1999. He holds a PhD in Business Strategy & MIS from the University of Pittsburgh, an MBA from the University of Scranton and a BSc in Economics from the University of Piraeus. During 1993-1999 he was a professor of Strategic Information Systems at Syracuse University, while collaborating in research projects with the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication.

For the last 25 years he has served as a Keynote & Motivational Speaker and a consultant in Strategic Management, Marketing & Branding, Leadership, Digital Transformation & Disruption, Growth Mindset, Motivation, Emotional Intelligence and Train-the-Trainer workshops. He is also the founder of the M.Sc. Program in Economic & Business Strategy at the University of Piraeus in Greece. He is also the founder and director of the Research & Training Center in Digital Transformation & Strategic Leadership (iLEADS Lab).

Professor Pollalis teaches in undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs, as well as, in executive development & training courses and has received numerous Teaching Excellence Awards. He has published 17 books in the areas of management, strategic planning, information management, e-business, marketing, organizational behavior and corporate strategy. His research has been funded by the Onassis Public Benefit Foundation, NATO’s Science & Research Program and the European Network for SMEs Research.

Dr. Stylianides Christodoulos, CEng, BSc Chemical Engineering (University College, London); MS, Industrial Engineering & Management; PhD Industrial Engineering & Management (North Dakota State University); Associate Professor, Director of the HRM & OB Programme, (Master in Human Resource Management & Organizational Behavior), CIIM.

Dr Stylianides has been with CIIM since 1991, first as an Assistant Professor and then as an Associate Professor and Director of the Master in Public Sector Management and since 2009 Director of the MSc HRM & OB. He is teaching Total Quality Management (TQM), Operations Management and Project Management courses.

Dr. Stylianides has worked for more that eight years with Hellenic Mining Co. Ltd and Hellenic Chemical Industries Ltd holding various positions including Plant Manager for the Phosphoric Acid Plant and the Fertilizer Bagging Plant. He has worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management at the North Dakota State University, teaching Operations Management and Quality Control.

Dr. Stylianides has also worked as a researcher for a World Bank report on Environmental Policy in Cyprus and did research on Environmental Management, including strict pollution control, water pricing, and infrastructure financing. He was the Operations Manager of the Robert Perkins Engineering Computer Centre for Advance Technology and has been a consultant to several companies in North Dakota and Minnesota in the area of Quality Management. Dr Stylianides was a member of the committee evaluating proposed incubator projects submitted to the Cyprus Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He is an active member of the Project Management Institute, USA and was a presenter of its workshop on Quality Management at its annual conferences. He is a certified project manager with AMP and PRINCE, UK.

Courses: Total Quality Management; Project Management; Operations Management