Adrian Brudan is a strategy and performance management expert, researcher, and consultant with over 15 years of experience. He has played a pivotal role in designing and delivering The KPI Institute’s core certified programs and leading performance management system implementation projects worldwide.

Currently Vice President within the broader TKI Ecosystem, Adrian is also CEO and Co-Founder of the GPA Unit, where he leads initiatives advancing performance management maturity assessments.

With a strong academic and research background, Adrian is finalizing his PhD, focusing on the impact of maturity assessments on organizational performance.

Cristina is a passionate Strategy and Performance Management Expert. Her professional views are shaped by 14 years of research, advisory, and training in this field, mostly as part of The KPI Institute where she led the research and product development initiatives including premium educational programs, business publications, and academic articles.

Since 2015, Cristina has been involved in developing performance management maturity assessment frameworks. Currently, Cristina is the Head of Innovation & Product Design as well as an Accredited Assessor for the GPA Unit.

Advocating for impactful strategy planning and performance management worldwide, Cristina is advising organizations from North America, Europe, and the GCC on how to successfully integrate best practices in local contexts, with strong experience in complex industries like aviation, governmental regulators, finance, oil&gas, and conglomerates.

Răzvan Arsene is Vice President Quality at Autoliv EMEA, bringing executive experience in quality leadership, operational excellence, and organizational performance within the global automotive safety industry. His expertise encompasses quality management, continuous improvement, organizational transformation, and the development of management capabilities that support consistent operational performance. His leadership experience offers a practical perspective on aligning quality with business strategy, strengthening organizational maturity, and building resilient, high-performing organizations.

Doina Popovici is an experienced consultant specializing in strategic planning, performance management and organizational maturity assessments, with over 10 years of international consultancy experience.

As GPAU Academy Director and Head of Assessment and Accreditation Services, Doina mentors candidates throughout their accreditation journey and supports them in delivering high-quality assessment services to clients, while overseeing alignment with the Institute for Standards and Accreditation’s standards.

Throughout her career, Doina has contributed to the development and delivery of certification programs for professionals worldwide, as well as to the growth of global partnerships with consultancy firms, helping expand access to professional education and organizational assessment and advisory services.

Dr. Teo Gorski is a Strategy and Performance Management Expert with over 12 years of international experience in consulting, advisory, and executive education. As Managing Director MENA and Director of Consulting Services at The KPI Institute, she leads regional operations and advises organizations on Performance Management Systems, KPI Frameworks, and Strategy Execution.

She also serves as Head of Strategic Partnerships & Growth at the GPA Unit, advancing performance maturity across government, corporate, and academic sectors.

Teodora’s expertise spans Strategy, Performance Management, Sustainability, Human Resources, Artificial Intelligence, and Organizational Culture. She has led projects and delivered training in over 15 countries, and authored more than 25 publications on strategy, leadership, sustainability, education, and performance practices.

Dr. Bori Péntek serves as Head of Content & Insights at GPA Unit, leading the development of editorial content focused on performance management maturity.

Her passion for employee well-being through conscious leadership and corporate social responsibility shapes her content, connecting performance optimization with human-centered values.

Bori is also a certified assessor across all five GPA Unit capabilities, with a particular interest in Employee Performance Management and Performance Culture.

She has contributed to audit engagements for Red Sea Global, Riyadh Airport Company, and the General Secretariat of Zakat, Tax and Customs Committees, making performance maturity more accessible and actionable.

Mihai Toma serves as Strategy and Performance Cluster Director at The KPI Institute, focusing on enhancing strategy and performance management practices.

As Strategy and Performance Consultant, he leads projects that support organizations in strengthening strategy planning, execution, and performance management capabilities.

With over 13 years of experience across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia, Mihai has worked across Ministries, Telecommunications, Holding Companies, Oil and Gas, Manufacturing, and Airports.

An international speaker and trainer, he has delivered advisory and training programs in more than 30 countries, supporting executives and practitioners in applying KPI best practices and implementing holistic performance management systems.

Vice President of the European Parliament, on behalf of the Greens EFA group. An independent second term politician representing Romania in the European Parliament. Previously, a long time diplomat and European official, with a career spanning close to 20 years since Romania’s accession to the EU.

Economist, diplomat and public policy analyst by training, with vast experience working on European and transatlantic issues, including trade negotiations, EU policies and agreements, and emerging data and digital policy issues.

A graduate of policy management at Georgetown University and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, he aims to contribute to better public decision-making, while performing his duties in dynamic and international environments, using foreign languages, management and technical skills.

Dr. Aurel Brudan is the Founder and CEO of The KPI Institute, a global authority in performance measurement and improvement. A recognised researcher and consultant, he has published over 300 research outputs, 100 books, and developed a database of 8,000+ KPIs across 16 functional areas.

His advisory work has supported major management system implementations across Europe, Australia, the USA, and the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia, he has supported the certification of over 6,900 professionals.

As an educator, Dr. Brudan has delivered executive education programmes worldwide, helping organisations strengthen strategy execution and decision-making. His advisory portfolio includes Saudi Aramco, Public Investment Fund, National Australia Bank, the UAE’s Executive Council, and the Royal Commission for Al-Ula.

Alyn Bailey is a C-suite strategy and transformation leader with 20 years of experience driving global strategies and large-scale organizational change.

With a decade in Big Four consulting and a track record across multiple sectors worldwide, Alyn specializes in building transformation roadmaps and leading complex change initiatives.

Known for uniting people around shared goals, Alyn has successfully led projects in strategy development, organizational design and restructuring, operational efficiency, capability building, ESG, M&A, culture change, supply chain, finance and HR transformations, and innovation.

Badreddin Alharithy is a seasoned Strategy and Transformation Expert with over 15 years of experience leading complex transformation initiatives across the public and private sectors. Currently serving at Albawani Holding, he drives strategic planning, performance management, and organizational excellence.

His background combines industrial engineering with an executive MBA from ESSEC Business School, France. He has led the establishment of strategy offices and enterprise PMOs and overseen major programs aligned with Vision 2030.

A former Director at PwC and current Vice Chair of the IASP Strategy Experts Council, Badreddin bridges global strategy frameworks with practical execution in the Saudi and Gulf context.

Ahmed has delivered training courses, workshops, conference presentations, business simulations, and webinars focused on Human Resources, KPIs, organizational improvement, and performance management. He has trained more than 4,200 professionals across Saudi Arabia and GCC countries.

Through Lessons Learned Management Consulting and its HR World initiative, Ahmed supports organizations in building high-performing, sustainable, and future-ready workplaces while helping develop the next generation of HR leaders.

Dr. Najim Dost is Associate Director, Strategic Planning & Performance at Canadian Forces Morale & Welfare Services (CFMWS). A Harvard-trained economist with a PhD in International Studies, he has over two decades of experience in strategic planning, performance measurement, and program evaluation. Before joining CFMWS in 2016, he worked in the international development field with organizations like the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the US State Department, and US Institute of Peace.

Dr. Saleh Yousif Al-Ansari is a strategy and performance management consultant with more than 18 years of experience in corporate strategy, strategy execution, Balanced Scorecards, KPIs, OKRs, and strategic human resources. He is currently CEO of Alansari Consulting and previously held senior roles in organizational development, workforce planning, and strategic planning in Bahrain.

He holds a PhD in Innovation Management, focused on national innovation strategies, systems, and economic competitiveness, as well as an MBA in Strategic Human Resources Management. His work has included strategy and performance projects for government and private-sector organizations across Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Kamal Albagoury is a UAE Government Excellence Expert and institutional transformation strategist with more than 18 years of leadership experience across the UAE and GCC. His expertise spans government excellence, governance, institutional performance, ISO systems, human capital development, and organizational transformation.

He has contributed to 23+ strategic projects, conducted 50+ strategic audits, and trained more than 5,000 professionals. His work includes supporting government entities in implementing excellence systems, strengthening governance and performance, and developing sustainable institutional capabilities. He is also the author of Excellence Management in Islam.

Dr. Eng. Malek Ghazo is a senior management consultant, trainer, and researcher specializing in Circular Economy, sustainability, organizational excellence, and performance management. With 15+ years of experience across the Middle East and Europe, he has advised governments and organizations on strategy, performance, KPIs, benchmarking, sustainability, and continuous improvement. He holds a PhD in Circular Economy, Sustainability and Excellence from the University of Pécs, alongside an MSc in Engineering and Management from the University of Exeter.

Pietro is Professor of Business Performance and Innovation at Warwick Business School, where he leads the Operations Management group and the cross-disciplinary Spotlight on the Future of Business, Manufacturing & Innovation. His work bridges academic research and real-world impact — helping organisations turn strategy into action, drive innovation, and improve performance in complex, fast-changing environments.

Over the past 20 years, he has worked with more than 60 organisations worldwide — including Astra Zeneca, BP, Emirates, Jaguar Land Rover, Shell, the UK Cabinet Office and several government agencies in the GCC — as a consultant, mentor, and facilitator. He brings a highly interactive approach to his consulting and executive education work, combining practical experience with state-of-the-art research and methods.

Carmine Bianchi is Professor of Business and Public Management in the Department of Political Sciences at the University of Palermo (Italy), where he coordinates the CED4 System Dynamics Group and serves on the Scientific Board of the Center for Sustainability & Ecological Transition. He is also scientific director of the doctoral track in Public Management. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at Case Western Reserve University’s Center for Community Health Integration in Cleveland (USA), as an Affiliated Faculty Fellow at the University of Baltimore (USA), and as an Adjunct Professor at Universitas Indonesia.

His research and consulting focus on Dynamic Performance Governance, Outcome-based Performance Management, One Health, and facilitated system dynamics modeling to support integrated policy analysis, cross-sector collaboration, and place-based value creation.

Cristina Bleoca is a senior Operations, Supply Chain, and Procurement Consultant with over 20 years of experience across the automotive, FMCG, retail, wholesale, and distribution sectors. Her expertise spans operational transformation, strategic sourcing, supplier performance management, logistics optimisation, and KPI-driven performance improvement.

As a long-standing collaborator of The KPI Institute, she has delivered consulting and training programmes in Supply Chain Management, Procurement Performance, Supplier Performance Management, and Customer Service Excellence. She combines hands-on management experience with strategic thinking to help organisations improve efficiency, reduce costs, strengthen supplier partnerships, and achieve measurable business results.

Dr. Mahmoud Sharaf is the CEO of the Global Intelligence Association Training Institute, with over 15 years of experience in strategic planning, operational leadership, project management, training, and consultancy. He holds a PhD in Project Management and an MBA from Cairo University and is certified as a PMP, RMP, ACP, and ECBA. His experience spans sectors including oil and gas, technology, healthcare, finance, government, and education. His expertise includes organizational performance, leadership development, and strategic management, alongside experience in international accreditation and ISO management system implementation.

Karla Eidem, PMP, PMI-PMOCP, is Global Head of Transformation & Project Delivery at Project Management Institute (PMI). She leads PMI’s enterprise project portfolio and transformation initiatives, connecting strategy, investment, execution and organizational change. Her experience spans project management, transformation and regional leadership across multiple industries and geographies.

In Beyond Delivery: How Project Management Turns Strategy into Value, Karla will share insights from PMI’s project success research and her experience leading transformation to explore how organizations can move beyond traditional delivery measures, strengthen the connection between strategy and execution, and build the capabilities needed to turn projects into measurable value.

Mike helps organizations clarify and execute their strategy. He does this by working with senior teams, facilitating their decision making and cascading the strategic intent. Mike spent 15 years in business, holding positions in production management, strategy and acquisitions, IT, HR, commercial and general management, including directorship positions in subsidiary companies. He gained his PhD from the University of Cambridge. He has spent his academic career working with companies and public sector organizations supporting senior management teams through the process of clarifying and executing their strategy. Until recently, he directed the UK Government’s Project Leadership Programme. Mike is Professor of Business Performance Emeritus at Cranfield University. He is a Chartered Management Accountant and a Chartered Engineer.

Global Operations & Supply Chain executive with 15+ years of experience leading end-to-end transformations across Europe, USA and Asia. Expert in S&OP design, operational excellence, logistics strategy and data-driven decision making. Recognized for building high-performing, collaborative ecosystems and navigating complex, fast-changing environments with clarity, structure, and influence rather than authority.

Cross-cultural leader with operational experience in Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Romania, USA and proven ability to align stakeholders at executive level, drive efficiency, reduce costs, and scale global processes. Awarded Women in Supply Chain – Rising Star 2024 for outstanding contributions to global supply chain innovation.

Al currently serves as a Board Director for the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education, and from June 2025 to March 2026 served as interim President & CEO. From 2014-2025, Al served as President and CEO of the Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the Institute for Performance Excellence. The mission of the Baldrige Foundation is to promote organizational performance excellence in the United States and throughout the world. Al graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA Degree in Management from Capital University, and holds an MA Degree in International Relations from Salve Regina University. He was also a National Security Fellow at the J.F.K. School of Government, Harvard University.

Samantha Trindade is Managing Director of EFQM Middle East, working with public and private sector organisations to strengthen performance and turn strategic ambition into measurable progress. Her work spans organisational assessment, recognition, capability building and transformation, bringing EFQM’s global framework into regional contexts. An EFQM Certified Assessor, Samantha works with leaders to use assessment insights to identify priorities, guide improvement and demonstrate results.

Lukasz Kulaga is Director of Corporate Planning at Red Sea Global, where he leads enterprise strategy, long-term business planning, and strategic initiatives to align organizational priorities and drive measurable impact. With international experience across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, he brings expertise in digital transformation, operating model design, and performance improvement. His work focuses on strengthening strategic execution, organizational agility, and sustainable growth through effective governance and performance management.

Majed Al-Rasheed is Corporate Performance Lead at Red Sea Global, responsible for KPI and target selection, performance monitoring, and enterprise reporting. With a background in Industrial and Systems Engineering, he previously worked with Riyadh Airports, KPMG, and the Digital Government Authority. At Red Sea Global, he has strengthened the Corporate Performance Framework by introducing group-wide performance practices, expanding dashboard coverage and visualization, and streamlining key processes to support data-driven decision-making and organizational excellence.

Petar Dimovski is Director of the Leadership Academy at LEORON and a full-spectrum L&D consultant who leads major development projects from concept to completion across the GCC. With 15+ years in business development, L&D consulting and project management, he works with clients in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Europe and the US, linking learning strategy to measurable business results. Petar drives large-scale strategic moves and multi-stage leadership initiatives, built on complete development journeys: TNAs, competency-based learning paths and graduate programs. He works consultatively, starting from each client’s strategic priorities and people challenges, and owns every stage, from diagnosis and design to execution and evaluation.

Professor Andrey Pavlov, PhD, MBA is Professor of Strategy and Performance and Head of Strategy Group at Cranfield School of Management, UK. He teaches on postgraduate and executive programmes, helping students and business leaders think through various issues shaping organizational performance and strategic change. His research is inspired by the complex systems perspective and examines the impact of managerial interventions on organizational change. His work has been published in leading academic journals, his book on the limits of performance measurement was shortlisted for the CMI Management Book of the Year, and he is a regular speaker at national and international conferences. His current interests are centred around the role of philosophy and humanities in leadership development.