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Sissi Lignou
CEO AFEA (Greece) | IAPCO President Elect – President HAPCO & DES
Sissi Lygnou has more than 20 years of experience in the Meetings Industry and has been involved in the bidding and organisation process of major events worldwide.
Born in Athens, Greece; Sissi graduated from the German School of Athens where she studied Business Administration & Economics. In 2001 she joined the PR & Communications team of the Athens 2004 Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, where she was promoted to Communications Manager of the Olympic & Paralympic Village. In 2004, Sissi was appointed by the family-owned company AFEA; a leading global organisation in the Meetings Industry and corporate travel sector, where she holds the position of CEO.
She has been active at IAPCO through various positions, such as Edgineer, Ambassador, member of the Editorial Committee, speaker at WebEdge and other activities.
In 2021, Sissi was elected as an IAPCO Council Member and is now IAPCO President Elect. She has served on the Council of her National Association of PCO’s (HAPCO & DES) since 2007, first as Secretary General and elected as President in 2021.
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Nicola McGrane
CEO, Conference Partners International & Event Partners, Ireland IAPCO European Director of Education / Founder and co-chair AIPCO
Nicola McGrane, CEO of Conference Partners International and Event Partners Ireland, established the company in 1998. A passionate advocate for developing the business tourism industry in the Ireland, UK and abroad, Nicola is accredited with 5 years’ Board involvement with IAPCO and is currently the IAPCO European Director of Education, as well as founding member and current co-chair of the AIPCO.
Driven by passion and enthusiasm, the key values which underpin Nicola’s approach are quality, trust and integrity. She takes a ‘hands on’ approach to her business and is regarded as a leading lateral thinker with an innovative approach to problem solving and event delivery across the globe.
Renowned for her ability to identify opportunities, her creative thinking and strategic advice has been sought at the highest level by numerous corporations, associations and industry bodies.
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Mathias Posch
President, International Conference Services
Mathias Posch is Chairman and President of International Conference Services (ICS). With its Headquarters in Vancouver, Canada and branch offices in Toronto, Denver, London, Vienna, Barcelona, Singapore and Tokyo, the company manages conferences around the globe – in 38 countries on 6 continents thus far.
Mathias is the past Chair of IAPCO Training Academy. He is a respected industry expert and has been invited to speak at numerous international and national conferences around the globe.
Further he also serves on a number of Advisory Boards and consults international scientific and medical associations on their global strategy.
Alexandre Teixeira
Coordinator of the CAIS Center in Porto
Psychologist since 2004, with Specialty in Clinical Psychology and Advanced Specialty in Community Psychology.
Portuguese Psychologists Order - Professional Card nº 3994,
From 2005 to 2016, I've worked as a Community Psychologist in a multidisciplinary team that intervened in the progressive autonomy of individuals with active consumption of psychotropic substances, living in poor neighbourhoods in Porto.
From 2016 to 2021 I was Technical Coordinator of the Social Services, at Norte Vida association, also in Porto. Intervening with fragile social groups, such as isolated and/or dependent elderly people, people in situations of severe economic need, homeless people and/or with chemical dependencies.
For almost 15 years I've been a Trainer and Scientific Coordinator in several post-graduation offers in the field of social and community interventions.
I was a member of the Working Group on Psychologist Intervention in the Community (Portuguese Psychologists Order)
Since 2021, I'm the Coordinator of CAIS Porto and the CAIS Recicla Project, whose intervention is aimed at the progressive autonomy and empowerment of people experiencing homelessness.
Ana Sá
Human Design Analyst and Guide
I'M A PEOPLE'S PERSON!
Always passionate about people, the motto that guides my life is "TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS!", helping them to get closer to THEIR BEST, in order to achieve Happiness, Alignment and Balance!
PhD in Psychology, but eternal learner & curious. Along my professional career (of 25 years), I always looked for ways to improve Human behavior and results - mine and of others... and I found HUMAN DESIGN, a tool that permits humans to be aligned with their TRUE selves, and make best decisions, so now I do Human Design sessions and trainings.
Working with different organizations, I focused in developing their soft skills trough Human Behavior and Sales, Coaching processes, Training, Consultancy, HR Redesign, etc.
I delivered more than 40 000 hours as a certified trainer, in areas like Leadership, Motivation, Time Management, Communication, Conflict Management, Team Management, NLP, Sales, Negotiation, Commercial Prospecting, among others, and Training of Trainers.
I coached (Life, Business and Executive) over 600 people.
I teach in two colleges - Porto Business School and IPAM.
Ellen Franck
Partner, Meetagain - Council Member, IAPCO
Ellen Franck is a Key Account Manager at Meetagain, a Professional Congress Organizer (PCO) based in Stockholm, Sweden. She was born and raised in Stockholm and embarked on a life-changing journey when she moved alone to the United States at the age of 20 to pursue her studies. She graduated from California Lutheran University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication. After graduating, Ellen's work experience included being sponsored to stay and work in the United States for a tech company, where she specialized in digital marketing and public relations for four years. Two years ago, Ellen became a Partner at Meetagain, where she works primarily in strategy and operations. Her professional goals include expanding the company's innovative capabilities and positioning it as a thought leader in the industry. Ellen is also passionate about promoting women's entrepreneurship. In her free time, Ellen enjoys traveling, and she recently received a certificate in studying contemporary art.
Mariana Sousa Pavão
Porto Convention Bureau & Visit Porto & North
With over a decade of experience in luxury hospitality, business events, and destination development, Mariana has been committed to driving collaboration and innovation within the meetings and events industry. As a key contributor to the success of Porto and North, Portugal’s fastest-growing region, she has played an essential role in enhancing its global appeal and establishing it as a leading destination.
Her expertise includes securing airline connectivity, boosting tourism flows, and developing strategic tourism products. Mariana’s work is defined by meaningful collaborations with local and international stakeholders, always aiming to create initiatives that leave a lasting legacy for the community.
Passionate about social impact and community-building, Mariana focuses on projects that promote inclusivity, foster knowledge exchange, and empower local communities. By championing sustainable tourism and authentic, experience-driven projects, she strives to ensure that the meetings industry not only delivers economic benefits but also creates meaningful opportunities for people and places.
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EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
AIM Group International – Porto Office
Edifício Brasília, Praça Mouzinho Albuquerque 113, 5º
4100-359 Porto
+351 213 245 040
+351 965 033 674 - Nélia Marques da Fonte
