Contribution: Keynote Speech
Breaking the Deadlock: The Power of Non-Verbal Communication
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Personally approached at the tender age of 23 to join the FBI, Joe Navarro became one of the youngest agents ever to join the renowned investigative agency. He went on to spend the next 25 years at the FBI, working both as an agent and supervisor in the areas of counterintelligence and counterterrorism. Through his work he was able to study, refine and apply the science of nonverbal communications. His acumen in this field and his success as a spy-catcher, led Joe to train FBI agents and the intelligence community.

Retiring from the FBI in 2003, and meeting overwhelming demand for his notable insights into human behavior, Joe has dedicated himself to speaking and consulting with major corporations worldwide.

​Today Joe is recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on the application and use of nonverbal communications in business.

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Contribution: Keynote Speech
TBA

Michael D. Watkins, PhD, a globally recognized expert in the field of leadership, IMD Professor of Leadership and Organisational Change. Over his career, he has designed and led world class programs at IMD, INSEAD, and Harvard Business School. He is a Thinkers50-ranked management influencer (2019 to present) and was inducted into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame in 2023, in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the field of management thinking. Watkins was a member of the faculty of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. While there, he began to teach negotiation to senior leaders in the national security community.

These experiences led him to co-author "Breakthrough International Negotiation," which combines the diplomacy case studies and analysis, and which won the CPR Institute’s Prize for best book in the field of negotiation in 2001.

Michael is best known for his global bestseller, "The First 90 Days," the classic reference for leaders in transition, which has sold 2 million copies and is translated in 27 languages.

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Contribution: Keynote Speech
TBA

Jennifer Jordan is a social psychologist and is Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour at IMD.

Professor Jordan's teaching, research, and consulting focus on the areas of digital leadership, ethics, influence, and power. Professor Jordan has received specialized training and certifications in lie- and truthfulness-detection, as well as in conflict resolution within organizations.

Professor Jordan received her doctoral degree and two masters degrees (Masters of Philosophy and Masters of Science in Psychology) from Yale University. She is a member of the editorial board of the journals Leadership Quarterly and Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.

Contribution: Keynote Speech
Leading Through Deadlock

“Matthias Schranner is one of the best negotiators worldwide”
– Forbes

Negotiation expert Matthias Schranner was originally trained by the police and the FBI as a lead negotiator for high-stakes situations. For the past 20 years, he and his team at the Schranner Negotiation Institute have been advising clients including the UN, global corporations and political parties in difficult negotiations. His proprietary Schranner Concept® is used by numerous Fortune 500 companies worldwide to succeed in difficult negotiations.

Olivia Kinghorst is an international moderator and MC with a decade of experience in the news and media industry. She has been invited to host on stages across Europe and Asia at some of the world’s leading business and tech events from the World Economic Forum, Forbes Women’s Summit in Zurich to the LEGO Idea Conference. As a journalist, Olivia worked as a TV anchor for CNN Money Switzerland and was also a senior editor at Forbes in Switzerland.She was born and raised in Sydney, Australia and currently resides in Zurich, Switzerland. Olivia completed her Masters in Journalism at Columbia University in New York.

Contribution: Fireside Chat
Navigating the Complexity of Multi-Party Agreements

Stefaan De Rynck is an EU official, currently serving as Principal Adviser to the Director General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in the European Commission. He was Head of the European Commission Representation in Belgium and, before that, Senior Advisor to EU Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier. He published a book on the Brexit negotiations, "Inside the Deal - How the EU Got Brexit Done" (AgendaPublishing, 2023). In the Commission, he was a Head of Unit in various departments (Financial Markets and Regulation, Single Market, and Communications) and Spokesperson for the Convention on the Future of Europe (2001-2004) and for Transport policy. He has a PhD in Political and Social Sciences from the European University Institute (Florence) and has published in academic journals on the creation of the EU’s banking union, cohesion policy, employment, education and environment policy. De Rynck teaches on EU decision-making at KULeuven University.

Contribution: Workshop
Shaping Negotiations with Game Theory: Strategies Before You Enter the Room

Dr. Sebastian Moritz is an expert in game theory and strategic negotiations. He helps organizations in the public and private sectors gain a decisive edge by applying game-theoretic principles to negotiation strategy and decision-making in high-stake scenarios. By focusing on strategic preparation, he enables his clients to shape negotiations before they begin. With a PhD in supply chain management specializing in high-risk decision-making, he combines academic rigor with real-world impact. The projects he has supported have been recognized with prestigious awards for their innovative approaches and tangible impact.

About TWS Partners:

TWS Partners are economic problem solvers and enable companies to make business decisions with the maximum level of certainty.

The company works on high-stakes strategic challenges for clients. With 2,900 successful projects under their belt, TWS Partners has proven performance in nearly all sectors – from automotive and telecommunications to pharmaceuticals and public health, all across the globe.

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Contribution: Workshop
Shaping Negotiations with Game Theory: Strategies Before You Enter the Room

Patrick Meine is responsible for complex projects, particularly in procurement and sales negotiations. With a strong background in game theory and a proven track record across various industries, he advises multinational market leaders. He consults clients in high-stakes negotiations in different settings and the preceding strategy development. Furthermore, he helps clients establish organizational prerequisites to achieve greater success via negotiation excellence. He holds a degree in Business Administration from LMU Munich, where he specialized in innovation and technology management.

About TWS Partners:

TWS Partners are economic problem solvers and enable companies to make business decisions with the maximum level of certainty.

The company works on high-stakes strategic challenges for clients. With 2,900 successful projects under their belt, TWS Partners has proven performance in nearly all sectors – from automotive and telecommunications to pharmaceuticals and public health, all across the globe.

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Contribution: Breakout Session

Advanced Psychology of Negotiations

Doctor of Psychology, international corporate consultant, and provider of psychology-based methodology for tough negotiations, conflict management, and leadership.

Klaus has extensive experience in leadership coaching and training across Europe, the US, and Asia; he has instructed numerous Fortune 500 managers in leadership, negotiation, change management, and conflict resolution. Additionally, he served as a coach for international managers at INSEAD Business School in Paris.

Contribution: Breakout Session
Identifying and Managing Risk in Complex Negotiations

David Hughes is an Executive Director at Schranner Consulting, the leading consultancy specializing in difficult negotiations. In this role, David advises global organizations on their most challenging negotiations. ​

He has firsthand insight into the latest negotiation complexities and the multifaceted challenges defining contemporary business negotiations across industries such as Automotive, Consulting, FMCG, Tech, Pharmaceutical, and others.​

David holds a Master’s degree in Politics, Philosophy and Management from Lancaster University, UK.​

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