CEO and Board Member of Arena Atlântico, S.A. – one of the owners of MEO rena and MEO Blueticket, S.A., with over 26 years of experience in entertainment, ticketing, and corporate events, as well as in strategy and business, marketing, and sales development.
Vice President at EAA (European Arenas Association) and representative of the South Region, as well as Chairperson of the Iberian Chapter at ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association).

Begoña brings over 18 years of expertise in the Congress industry.
Currently as Director of Client Relations and Business Development - Europe at Kuoni Tumlare Congress, Begoña leads strategic sales and fosters strong partnerships with international clients.
Her career includes leadership roles in business development, sales, and event management across Europe. Holding advanced degrees in Marketing and Tourism, she also shares her expertise as an Associate Professor and actively contributes to industry associations such as ICCA Iberian Chapter.

Juan José is a distinguished business events professional with over 37 years of experience, holding an MBA and deep expertise in project management, business strategies, and association management. Beginning his career in 1987 in the PCO sector, he has ascended to his current role as Global Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of BCO Congresos, where his visionary leadership has elevated the organization into a globally recognized brand in meetings management and business events consulting. A former 1st Vice-President and Treasurer of ICCA (2010–2018) and Co-chair of the Meetings Management Sector since 2024, Juan José has also played a pivotal role as an instructor and author for the ICCASkills program launched in 2021, reflecting his unwavering commitment to fostering industry growth and nurturing talent. Recognized as “Best Event Organizer” in 2009 by the Spanish Association of Hotel Managers, his enduring dedication and transformative contributions continue to shape the business events landscape worldwide

Over the years, Efi has been connecting the dots between teams and projects, destinations and communities, and has extensive hands-on expertise in destination management and the meetings industry.
Currently serving as the Regional Director for Europe at ICCA, she drives sustainable community growth through collaboration, innovation, and ecosystem stewardship. Efi's experience includes roles at the Greek National Tourism Organisation, IATA in Spain, This is Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau in Greece. She thrives when working in nimble teams, organizations with human-centered cultures, diverse environments, and on projects developed with a forward-looking mindset.

Alejandro García Fernández is a software engineer and researcher with a strong academic foundation and a proven track record in artificial intelligence and software engineering. Holding a master’s degree in artificial intelligence and machine learning, he is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Seville, where his research focuses on optimizing pricing-driven development and operation of software-as-a-service (SaaS) products and other service-oriented environments. His work has earned international recognition, including a Distinguished Paper recognition and the Best Student Paper Award at the 22nd International Conference on Service-Oriented Computing (ICSOC 2024), a leading global event in the field. Beyond academia, Alejandro is actively engaged in innovative projects spanning machine learning, quantum software development, and cloud engineering, leveraging AI tools to enhance efficiency and tackle diverse challenges. He also mentors undergraduate and master’s students, guiding their research and technical implementations. With his solid technical expertise and passion for innovation, Alejandro aims to extend the transformative potential of AI to new domains, such as the meetings industry, demonstrating its ability to streamline workflows and optimize processes at all organizational levels.

As the Chief Sales Officer at bnetwork, my role is to drive innovation in strategic sales and marketing communications. With over half a decade of leadership within the business events & travel industry, my focus has been on fostering new business development and launching impactful marketing campaigns. Our team's collaborative efforts have advanced the company's position in the hospitality and events sector.

Sara Correia founded Springevents in her twenties with the vision of transforming hostess services into a benchmark of professionalism. Over the past 22 years, she has led the company to become the go-to provider for multilingual congress support, expanding internationally with teams working in Barcelona, Copenhagen, Vienna, Amsterdam and Lisbon.
A relentless self-learner, Sara developed a deep passion for Artificial Intelligence in 2022, teaching herself how to build no-code AI solutions to streamline operations at Springevents. To refine and validate her expertise, she completed the Managing with AI for Business Professionals program at a prestigious university, reinforcing what she had already mastered through hands-on experience.
Never one to stay still, Sara also explored the world of digital fashion design, learning to create clothing patterns in Clo3D and launching an online store specializing in PDF patterns for swimwear.
Beyond her professional pursuits, she is passionate about family, travel, and, of course, cats.

With two years of experience at Visit Porto and North of Portugal - Convention & Visitors Bureau, João Lemos plays a key role in international promotion within the Meeting Industry department. His main focus is working closely with international associations to attract conferences, congresses, and business events to Porto and the North of Portugal.
Through strategic engagement and collaboration with global stakeholders, João actively contributes to positioning the region as a top destination for international events. His work involves building strong relationships with associations, supporting bids for major events, and showcasing Porto & North’s world-class infrastructure, venues, and unique cultural appeal.
With a passion for business tourism and destination marketing, João is committed to fostering international connections and ensuring the region’s continued success in the global MICE industry.

For over 20 years, Kate has worked in research and project management across both the public and private sectors, delivering insights through publications, consultancy, and presentations. In recent years, she has been part of SFA Connect, a business tourism consultancy specialising in research and lead generation for venues and DMOs. Her focus is on identifying high-value conference opportunities, qualifying and prioritising prospects, and nurturing a pipeline of relevant leads by leveraging data from their own and ICCA database, playing a key role in driving business tourism success for clients.

With nearly two decades of experience in marketing, event planning, and strategic project management, I am passionate about crafting innovative, sustainable solutions that drive measurable impact. As Marketing Director at CIMGLOBAL, I lead initiatives like the India Association Congress, integrating sustainability, innovation, and branding excellence. My journey across six countries—from Lithuania to the UAE and India and now Portugal—has shaped a unique cross-cultural perspective, enriched by travels to 40+ countries. Despite my experience, I approach each day as a beginner, continuously learning, unlearning, and re-learning to stay adaptable and inspired in an ever-evolving industry.

Mariana is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in luxury hospitality, business events, and destination development. As the Coordinator for the ICCA Congress 2025 in Porto, she is committed to fostering collaboration and innovation in the meetings and events industry.

Her expertise spans strategic tourism development, enhancing airline connectivity, and strengthening Porto and the North’s global appeal. Passionate about sustainable tourism and social impact, Mariana works closely with local and international stakeholders to create meaningful initiatives that benefit both the industry and the community.

Amanda Lee is Marketing Manager for Simpleview, a Granicus Company. A Chartered Marketer with over 16 years of experience in destination marketing across public and prviate sector organisations, Amanda brings her extensive experience working within DMOs, BIDs and Chambers of Commerce to her role, where she shares tourism industry insights and digital marketing advice.
She has a strong understanding of the importance of events in driving tourism, having led the delivery of large-scale music events, sporting events and conferences throughout her career. Most recently, she has been involved in organising Simpleview’s EMEA Summit, an annual conference that brings together education, tourism insights and marketing trends for destination marketers. Passionate about building connections and fostering positive relationships, she is an advocate of knowledge sharing and mentoring. Amanda also shares her expertise as a Trustee of a local theatre company in her home city of Plymouth, UK.

Mònica Molina, a seasoned expert with 20 years in sustainable and accessible tourism, drives impactful change. Holding a PhD in Geography and Tourism, she seamlessly bridges academia and practice as a consultant, educator, and university lecturer. As Relationship Manager for Spain and Portugal and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Specialist at the Global Destinations Sustainability Movement, she champions inclusive tourism. Through her consultancy, DEI Consultoria, she empowers the tourism and events sector with social sustainability strategies. Fueled by a passion for innovation, particularly in AI and Blockchain, Monica cultivates strategic partnerships to shape the future of responsible travel.