Dr. Abulfas Garayev held the position of Minister of Culture from 2018 to 2020,[1] Minister of Culture and Tourism from 2006 to 2018, Minister of Youth, Sport and Tourism from 2001 to 2006, Minister of Youth and Sport from 1994-2001.

Prior to his appointments, he was CEO of “Improtex Commerce” company (1992-1994), worked as a lecturer at the Academy of Political Science and State Administration from 1992 till 1993. Mr. Garayev began his career as an instructor of Organizational Department of Youth League, held several managing portfolios within the organization, from 1981-1985 served as a head of section in Youth League Steering Committee.

Mr. Garayev received his PhD in philosophy and culture from the Academy of Social Sciences, Moscow-Russia (1992) and degree from University of Foreign Languages and Pedagogy, Baku, Azerbaijan in 1978. He worked as chair of the Organizing Committee of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue held this position Baku starting from 2011 in partnership with UNESCO, UN Alliance of Civilizations, UNWTO, Council of Europe and ISESCO and co-chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission on cooperation between Azerbaijan and Cuba from 2009.

During his term as minister of Culture and Tourism, he was the chair of the 6^th Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers (2009 – 2011), headed OIC Tourism Ministers Conference (2006–2008), TURKSOY Permanent Council of Culture Ministers (2009), UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for intangible Cultural Heritage (2013) and CIS Council on Cultural Cooperation. Dr. Garayev was appointed chair of National Organizing Committee of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations 7^th Global Forum held 25 – 27 April 2016 in Baku.

He also worked as the President of the ISESCO General Conference for 2015 – 2018 years as well as chair of the National Commission for ISESCO. He was a member of UNWTO Executive Council and vice-chair of the National Commission of Azerbaijan for UNESCO. Mr. Garayev has received Honorary Degree of Doctor of Arts (Hon Darts) from the Coventry University in UK in recognition of his inspirational support to the Baku Process for intercultural dialogue.

Policymaker, regulator, and enabler of the fast-growing Egyptian tourism industry. Custodian of Egypt’s antiquities, and archeological heritages and museums.

Previously, a 30-year banker, and a leader of change and innovation in one of emerging markets’ most respected companies.

Key roles included, Chief Executive Officer of Retail Banking, Chairman of the Non-Banking Financial Services Subsidiary, and a Member of the Executive Management Committee at CIB, Group CFO at CIB, Chairman of Corplease – the leading lease finance company in Egypt, Chairman of Falcon Group – Egypt’s largest security company, Managing Director of CI-Capital Investment Banking, Head of Research at CIBC, Head of Financial Institutions Group at CIB Corporate Banking, and the first head of strategic planning at CIB.

Started banking career in 1993 in CIB branches.

Holder of MBA degree at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Elected Board Director at the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, and an independent, non-executive board director at Egypt’s Domestic Trade Development Agency, EGYPTAIR Holding Company, and Egypt’s IT Industry Development Agency.

Tshoganetso Carl-Ponoesele is the Acting Chief Executive Officer – Botswana Tourism Organisation. Ms. Carl is currently leading the BTO team in resuscitating the Botswana’s tourism product’ source markets and penetrating the new markets; optimising the tourism value chain; as well as harnessing opportunities to accelerate the recovery of the tourism sector from the ramifications of COVID-19.

Register to attend
Tuesday 8 November
WTM ExCel – Insight Stage
from 15:20 to 17:30

Register to attend
Wednesday 9 November
Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel
from 09:30 to 17:30

Register to attend
Tuesday 8 November
WTM ExCel – Insight Stage
from 15:20 to 17:30

Register to attend
Wednesday 9 November
Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel
from 09:30 to 17:30

Register to attend
Tuesday 8 November
WTM ExCel – Insight Stage
from 15:20 to 17:30

Register to attend
Wednesday 9 November
Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel
from 09:30 to 17:30

Maryana traveled by herself around the country during 2003 – 2006 and studied Ukraine from small villages to big cities while creating a web-site about vacations in Ukraine Nezabarom.com.ua. She worked in the hospitality industry of three largest tourism centers – Lviv, Odesa and Kyiv.

• From June 2020 started a promotion company «Travel Ukraine» in order to develop domestic tourism in Ukraine.
• As from 3 March 2020, Chairperson of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine Spent over 17 years working in the tourism sector, convention industry and marketing
• 2016 – 2018 Director at LME «Lviv Centre for Tourism Development»
• 2013 – 2015 Head of the Division of Tourism Agencies and Travel Bureau at Ltd «Slupskyi»
• 2011 – 2012 Deputy Head of the Department – Head of Tourism Division at Department of Culture and Tourism at Odesa City Council
• 2007 – 2009 Head of the Advertisement Division at «Initia Events»(Kyiv)

Aradhana is a global expert on the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. Her executive, entrepreneurial and board career spans over two decades, five continents and 75+ countries. She is currently the CEO of Aptamind Partners, a private client advisory that advises governments and businesses on using tourism as a force for good and she is the former Managing Director of Tourism at NEOM which is the US$ 500 Billion land of the future in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

A sought-after Board Member she has an active portfolio of board roles both in private and listed companies which includes being the Chair of the Red Sea Advisory board in Saudi Arabia, Board Member of World Tourism Forum in Lucerne Switzerland as well as Board Member of the leisure arm of a multi asset listed holding company.

She speaks widely on sustainable tourism, tourism of the future, women in leadership and has participated in global policy discussions in United Nations bodies, the WEF as well as the G20 apart from all major tourism Summits. She has studied at Ecole Hotelier de Lausanne in Switzerland, Cornell University in US and INSEAD in France.

Tsvetan (Atanasov) Simeonov has been working at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for more than 40 years now, starting his professional experience as a specialist-jurist in various departments of the Chamber such as the Trade Register Directorate, Law Department etc. He was elected BCCI’s President in June 2009.

He is a member of the following national and international professional bodies: EMPLOYERS’ DELEGATION OF THE R.BULGARIA WITH THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION-Geneva, BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THE EUROPEAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (EUROCHAMBRES – Brussels), ORGANIZATION OF THE BLACK SEA ECONOMIC COOPERATION BUSINESS COUNCIL (BSEC BC) AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR TRIPARTITE COOPERATION AT THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, ARBITRATOR AT BCCI’s ARBITRATION COURT etc.

Tsvetan Simeonov was born in Bulgaria and has studied Law in Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridsky”. He graduated in 1979 getting an M.A Degree in Law. His post graduate qualifications include International Arbitration and Commercial Law. He also specialized in Labour Law and Social Relations at the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, Turin.

Apart from his native Bulgarian, he speaks English and Russian fluently and basic Spanish.