Lee Ali

Lee Ali is the founder of Expo Stars Interactive, an award-winning global trade show performance agency based in UK. Lee and his team now support exhibitors in over 100 cities across 53 countries to optimize their exhibition engagement and achieve measurable results through the provision of strategic consultancy, booth staff training and professional booth staff.

Lee is also a mentor and coach for SME business owners, business psychologist, sales strategist, and an international speaker at industry conferences and exhibitions.

PRESENTATION |

Beyond the Badge

You’re in a room full of industry friends. Familiar faces. Familiar conversations. Or so you think.

Because even in a room full of people you know, there are always new connections waiting to happen. New stories to discover. Fresh ideas hiding behind a badge you’ve seen a hundred times before.

In this session, serendipity becomes the matchmaker. Through a fast-paced, facilitated and high-energy experience, you’ll be paired with different IFES members to spark real conversations beyond the usual event small talk.

Lee Ali and Han will guide the journey with thought-provoking and sometimes unexpected questions designed to uncover the people, passions, experiences and ideas behind the business cards.

Whether you meet someone completely new or discover something surprising about someone you thought you already knew, one thing is guaranteed:

Like Guadalajara last year… it’s going to be a lot of fun.

PRESENTATION |

Advanced Strategies for Mastering Intercultural and Interpersonal Communication

Building on our previous workshop, “Decoding and Mastering Communication Styles to Optimize Your Performance,” at Masterclass Frankfurt, this advanced session delves deeper into the intricacies of both intercultural and interpersonal communication. After building a foundational understanding of communication styles, it’s time to refine your skills and explore advanced strategies to further enhance your interpersonal and professional relationships.

In this engaging and insightful follow-up workshop, Lee will guide you through sophisticated techniques for navigating complex communication scenarios and leveraging cultural and interpersonal diversity to your advantage. You will gain a more profound understanding of how cultural nuances and personal interactions shape communication and learn to apply this knowledge to achieve even greater success in your personal and professional life.

We will explore:

Additionally, this session will focus on:

Join us for this comprehensive session to continue your journey towards mastering both intercultural and interpersonal communication. This workshop is designed to be interactive, with opportunities for discussion, practice, and personalized feedback. Don’t miss this chance to elevate your communication skills to the next level!

Kyriakos Kyriakopoulos

Dr. Kyriakos Kyriakopoulos is Professor of Strategy and Marketing and Academic Director of Executive MBA at ALBA Graduate Business School, the American College of Greece. From 2014 – 2019, he was Associate Dean for all Academic programs of ALBA. Before joining ALBA, he was Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands and Visiting Scholar at University of Wisconsin, at the Business School.
Dr. Kyriakopoulos’ research centers on innovation and customer-centric strategies explored with the lenses of improvisation, market learning, embedded ties, and marketing resources. His work has received scholarships and research grants from the Greek State Fellowship Foundation, METEOR (Maastricht University), and MSI (USA). His research has appeared in leading international journals such as the Journal of Marketing, Organization Studies, Journal of Product Innovation Management, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Journal of Management Studies, Agribusiness and international conferences (e.g., AMA, EMAC, OKLC).
Dr. Kyriakopoulos has taught Competitive Strategy, Customer Centricity, Business Planning, and Marketing Management in BA, MBA and Executive Education programs in Greece and abroad. He has taught executive seminars at several firms such as Philip Morris, Vodafone, Eurobank, Titan, Siemens, Quest, Novo Nordisk, Shell, Sunlight, Athens International Airport, S&B, Mars, Eureco, NN, Ericsson, SOKEE (Greek Exhibition Industry Association). He has also taught in the High Potential Management Program of the Scandinavian Executive Institute (Denmark) with INSEAD.

PRESENTATION |

Improvisation and … all that jazz

Faced with change and surprises, managers have the option to ignore them (at our own cost) or to resort to tested and trusted routines and recipes (usually not suitable in novel situations)
or to improvise. In this session, we explore improvisation as a critical corporate and individual capability using the jazz metaphor in order to attain agility, creativity, and adaptation in todays’ fluid environments.

Marc Lauckhardt

Marc Lauckhardt is a seasoned Creative Director at Holtmann+, bringing over a decade of expertise across marketing, advertising, and live communication. He excels in integrating neuroscience, storytelling, and branding to create immersive experiences for events and product launches.

With a diploma in Art Direction from Miami Ad School Europe (2011), Marc is known for his innovative approach, blending creativity with strategic leadership. His work bridges the gap between brand development and live communication, positioning him as a forward-thinking leader in the modern creative industry.

PRESENTATION |

Rewiring Creativity: How AI and Neuroscience are Revolutionizing Storytelling

In a world where creativity is increasingly driven by technological advancements, AI and neuroscience are transforming how we tell stories and unlock new levels of creative potential. Whether used independently or together, AI provides powerful tools to enhance focus, streamline workflows, and spark innovation, while insights from neuroscience reveal how our brains naturally craft narratives and generate ideas.

This speech will explore how these groundbreaking approaches can elevate storytelling, enabling us to break through cognitive limitations and think more expansively.

Join us to discover how AI and brain science are shaping the future of creativity, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the creative industries.

Han Leenhouts

Keynote Speaker & Exhibition Expert

Professional Summary
Han Leenhouts, founder of Sales & Pepper, is a distinguished international keynote speaker and trainer specialized in exhibition performance, sales training, and live communication. With over 30 years of hands-on industry experience, including more than a decade in stand building, Han has personally guided thousands of companies globally towards measurable exhibition success.

Key Expertise

• Exhibition and trade show performance training
• Visitor engagement and exhibitor strategies
• Storytelling and presentation skills
• Pitch development and execution
• Mindset selling and value-based sales

PRESENTATION |

Beyond the Badge

You’re in a room full of industry friends. Familiar faces. Familiar conversations. Or so you think.

Because even in a room full of people you know, there are always new connections waiting to happen. New stories to discover. Fresh ideas hiding behind a badge you’ve seen a hundred times before.

In this session, serendipity becomes the matchmaker. Through a fast-paced, facilitated and high-energy experience, you’ll be paired with different IFES members to spark real conversations beyond the usual event small talk.

Lee Ali and Han will guide the journey with thought-provoking and sometimes unexpected questions designed to uncover the people, passions, experiences and ideas behind the business cards.

Whether you meet someone completely new or discover something surprising about someone you thought you already knew, one thing is guaranteed:

Like Guadalajara last year… it’s going to be a lot of fun.

PRESENTATION |

Boothmanship – The Art of Engaging Visitors

Why Boothmanship Matters
A well-designed booth attracts attention, but it’s the interactions with your booth staff that truly make a lasting impact. This workshop will show how effective boothmanship turns visitors into lasting business connections.

Enhance Customer Experience
Friendly, knowledgeable staff elevate visitor experiences and build long-term relationships, ensuring repeat business and referrals.

Takeaways: 

• Learn how well-trained staff boost exhibition success.
• Add value to your services with boothmanship training.
• Gain practical tools to enhance booth staff performance and elevate your exhibition presence.

Format: Interactive workshop with case studies and hands-on scenarios.

Master boothmanship to drive future business!

Sissi Lignou

Sissi has more than 20 years of experience in the Meetings Industry.

Born in Athens, Greece, Sissi is the CEO and President of the Board of AFEA Congress, a long-standing PCO in Greece.

Her passion for the Industry led her to the decision to voluntarily support it, already in her early career. She has served on the Council of Greece’s National Association of PCO’s (HAPCO & DES) since 2007, first as Secretary General and then as the elected President for a 3-year mandate (2022-2025).

Since AFEA became an IAPCO Member in 2009, Sissi has been active, representing the Association, in various positions and committees as well as a Faculty Member and member of IAPCO’s Training Academy.

In 2021, Sissi was elected to IAPCO Council for a 2-year mandate and re-elected in February 2023 with her major project focusing on one of IAPCO’s key strategic priorities, Advocacy. In February 2024, Sissi was nominated and elected IAPCO President-Elect, and is taking over the role of IAPCO President in 2025 for a 2-year mandate.

Sissi is the driving force behind the new IAPCO Advocacy Committee’s strategy which will drive increased engagement with associations, PCOs and influencers moving forward.

She is a speaker and a mentor for various national and international Organizations in and outside of Greece.

She has been married to Jiannis since 2008 and together they have a beautiful 14 year old daughter, Alexandra.

*HAPCO&DES – Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers & Destination Event Specialists

*IAPCO – International Association of Professional Congress Organizers