Dr. Konstantinos Tsanis is Investment Director at the Hellenic Center of Defence Innovation, venture capital and fintech expert, angel investor, and digital transformation leader. Co-founder of Africa's first digital bank (ALAT by WEMA), he has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of fintech and technology investments across emerging markets.
Previously, he led global fintech investments at the World Bank Group, managed VC investments in the MENA region for the London Stock Exchange Group, and drove business development for Bloomberg LP. His expertise spans venture capital, digital strategy, innovation policy, and startup ecosystem development.
With extensive experience in government digitalization, policy advisory, and board leadership, he remains an active angel investor and academic contributor, focusing on dual-use technologies and tech advancement in developing countries.
He is passionate about leveraging technology, finance, and policy to drive innovation and economic transformation, shaping the next wave of global investment and digital evolution.
Dr. Heather C. Webb is an Assistant Professor at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) in Dubai, UAE, specializing in fintech, innovation systems, sustainability, strategy, and entrepreneurship. She holds a PhD in Management from the University of Edinburgh, where her research focused on mobile payment sectoral systems
of innovation in the UK and India. With over a decade of teaching experience, she has developed and led courses in strategic marketing, international marketing, project management, quality tools, innovation, Lean, Six Sigma, negotiations, and entrepreneurial marketing. She has been recognized for the Best Teaching Advisor award and serves as the system-wide course lead for Lean. In addition to her role at HCT, she has served as a visiting lecturer and adjunct faculty at several international institutions and has mentored students at both undergraduate and MBA levels.
An active researcher and author, she has published extensively in high-impact journals, including Government Information Quarterly, IEEE Access, and the Journal
of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, with a focus on fintech innovation, cybersecurity, sustainability, and mental health policy. She has secured multiple research grants totaling over 486,800 AED and is the editor of several academic books, including The Palgrave Handbook of fintech in Africa and Middle East. As a conference organizer, journal reviewer, and speaker, she has presented at leading academic conferences such as the Strategic Management Society Annual Conference and Academy of International Business. Before transitioning into academia, she held leadership roles in financial services and escrow management in the United States. She brings a global perspective to her research and teaching, remaining committed to fostering innovation and advancing knowledge in digital finance and sustainability.
Dr. Amira Kaddour is an Associate Professor at the National School of Sciences and Advanced Technologies--Carthage University Tunisia. She has joined since August 2023 the Financial Management Department--College of Business at King Khalid University. She is a Principal Researcher for Inclusive and Sustainable Ecosystems. She is an editor of books and papers covering finance, fintech, digital transformations, and green transition in addition to inclusion toward sustainable development.
She is a senior expert in fintech, sustainable finance, and inclusive development (MED MSMEs program--EU, Includovate AFD, etc.). She was the scientific coordinator of Elite Innovation College Cambridge, UK. She has initiated the collaboration between ENSTAB Carthage University Tunisia and WIPO -UN for the master's degree "Innovation Engineering and Technology Transfer," and she is the former director of the program. She is a member of the director board of different African associations (Africa fintech Network) and international knowledge organizations (ISKO MAGHREB). She has given numerous talks and received international awards.
Professor Olayinka David-West is an esteemed academic and thought leader with expertise in the intersection of business management and technology. With an illustrious career spanning several decades in IT and financial services, she has made significant contributions to academia, research, and the advancement of business practices and policies through her insightful analyses and strategic thinking.
As the Dean of Lagos Business School (LBS), she brings visionary leadership to one of Africa's premier business institutions. She is passionate about digital transformation and inclusive finance and has held critical positions at prestigious institutions. At LBS, she has served as a faculty member, faculty director, academic director, associate dean, and accreditation lead, propelling the school to attain international accreditations and global rankings. Her research and practice engagements focus on the transformative impact of technology on business models, strategy, and organizational dynamics alongside policy interventions toward digitally transformed businesses and society.
Her thought leadership focuses on the transformative impact of technology on business and operating models and organizational strategy. Since 2015, she has led the Sustainable and Inclusive Digital and Financial Services (SIDFS) initiative, fostering research, advocacy, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement in the digital and financial services ecosystems to improve financial access and digital transformation efforts, among others.
She is Certified in Cyber Risk Governance, Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT), and a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). She is a member of the Fintech Association of Nigeria and is widely regarded as an expert in financial inclusion and digital innovation. She also mentors young women in STEM and has been recognized as among the leading women in Nigeria's financial technology industry.
