Rita Cosby
Renowned journalist, Emmy Award winner, bestselling writer, and an energetic motivational speaker. For many years she has been hosting programs on leading TV stations such as FOX News Channel and NBC. She’s the special correspondent of CBS Inside Edition publishing house. She has interviewed over twenty world leaders and well-known journalists. She won an Emmy Award three times as well as Matrix and Jacks Anderson Awards and was titled ‘funny and fearless woman’ by Cosmopolitan.The first journalist to reach prisoners in Guantánamo. A host of worldwide broadcasted National Memorial Day Parade. Author of bestselling novels such as Blonde Ambition, Quiet Hero: Secrets From My Father’s Past dedicated to the memory of RyszardKossobudzki – a soldier of the Home Army. Honored with the Lech Wałęsa Freedom Award.
Serge Ferre
Businessman and expert on telecommunications. Graduated MBA on ESSEC, a graduate of Toronto University and Paris University. He’s Vice-chairman of Nokia Multimedia Group Strategy and Chief Executive Officer of NOKIA France. He advises multinational companies in France, Poland, Netherlands, Finland, United States, Russia, Mexico and Switzerland on subjects such as media communication, telecommunications and Internet. He cooperates with companies such as NfWare Sunnyvale (US), CDNVideo-Wangsu (China) and Mandblue (France). Currently he is a consultant to renowned Parisian Incubators, among others Station F, Orange Fab France, Numa& Drahi Innovation@Polytechnique. He cooperates with the Skolkovo Foundation. He lives in the United States, Belgium, and France.
Bartosz Skwarczek
President and co-founder of G2A.COM, a global company operating in the field of e-commerce and Fin-Tech. A graduate of two Harvard managerial programs. He graduated in management at AGH University of Science and Technology and finance at the Warsaw School of Economics. He has been the president of G2A.COM for years. Under his leadership, the company has become a global corporation employing around 600 people from 33 countries and serving over 19 million clients from around the world. In addition, he is a member of the Facebook Poland Client Advisory Board, GOOGLE Next Gen CEO Club. He is a member of the Blockchain Tech Congress Program Council. Winner of numerous prizes and awards, among others The Gold Medal awarded from the Polish Business Club and the Podkarpackie Economic Award in the Manager category. He was awarded the Digital Shaper Award in the Innovations & Technologies category awarded by the Digital Poland Foundation. Privately he is passionate about sport and achievement psychology.
Grażyna Piotrowska-Oliwa
A manager with over twenty years of professional experience, entrepreneur and investor. A graduate of the National School of Public Administration in Warsaw and the Academy of Music in Katowice and an MBA in French INSEAD. Professionally associated primarily with the telecommunications sector. During her professional career she was, among others Executive Director for Strategy, Development and Wholesale Offer at Telekomunikacja Polska, President of the Management Board of PTKCentertel (Orange network operator), Member of the Management Board for Sales at PKNOrlen, President of the Management Board of Polish Mining and Gas Extraction Company. Currently, she is the president of the board of Virgin Mobile Polska. In addition, she engages in educational initiatives and competitions, including Mentors 4 Starters, Lean in STEM. She is the chairman of the jury at the Virgin Mobile Academy – the educational program of Virgin Mobile Polska, supporting business projects in such areas as culture and art.
Marta Półtorak
An entrepreneur with many years of experience in the plastics processing industry. President of the Management Board of MarmaPolskieFolie, existing since 1991, and the President of the Management Board of Develop Investment – the owner of the MILLENIUM HALL Cultural and Trade Center – the largest multi-purpose complex in the capital of Podkarpacie. Marta Półtorak received the title of “Woman Entrepreneur 2010 Podkarpacie” in the category of Economic Activity, and also won the ranking “100 Business Women 2015” according to the daily “PulsBiznesu”. In 2017, she won the Gold Medal of the Academy of Polish Success for outstanding achievements in the production of industrial films and contribution to the economic development of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Patron, co-organizer and originator of numerous pro-social and charity activities. She financed the construction of the Polish House in Nepal for victims of an earthquake, she supported the stay of a group of children from Ukraine in Poland, and also undertook a number of other initiatives.
Zbigniew Inglot
Doctor of natural sciences, physicist, president of the board INGLOT Sp. z o.o. – one of the leading producers of colored cosmetics in the world. He has been associated with INGLOT since 2000. Initially, he was the Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Since 2016, he has been the President of the Management Board, supporting the company in international development and overseeing the company’s finances. A graduate of the Jagiellonian University. As an academic teacher he worked, among others at the Institute of Physics of the Jagiellonian University and the College of Administration and Management in Przemyśl. He conducted independent research at the University of Göttingen. In his scientific work he focused on issues related to the use of various nuclear techniques in the study of oxidation processes. Author of several scientific works. A member of the American Physical Society (APS). Privately, he is interested in developing countries, and in particular in activities related to raising the levels of health and education.
Antoni Stasch
Professor and Rector of the European Academy of Technology and Management in Oedheim, in the Land of Baden-Württemberg, chairman of the Scientific Council of the European Business Club – consultative organization accredited to the UN Economic and Social Council. For many years he has been an expert at the Foundation for International Economic Cooperation of the German Federal Government. He comes from the Catholic University of John Paul II in Lublin, at which in the years 2004-2015 he was the Director of the Economic Institute and Head of the Department of Electronic Economics. In 2007-2015 he was a visiting professor at the Institute of Organization Management in Industry “ORGMASZ”, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Ministry of Finance. He helped in the implementation of numerous business projects for both large corporations as well as small and medium-sized enterprises.
Robert Korzeniowski
Athlete, walker, four-time Olympic champion, three-time world champion and two-time European champion, former world record holder in sport walking, the most titled Polish athlete in terms of Olympic titles. For many years he has been a promoter of athletics. He was the director of CracoviaMaraton. In the years 2005-2009, the head of the TVP sports editorial board, and then the director of TVP Sport, the thematic channel of Telewizja Polska. In the years 2011-2012, he was the advisor of UEFA Events for Marketing and PR of the Club Prestige business package program for UEFA EURO 2012. Currently, he is the director of the Sports Market Insurance Office in the brokerage company Mentor S.A. and chairman of the Council of the Active Rehabilitation Foundation and the Sports Foundation of Poland. Member of the IAAF Walk Committee and the International PKOL Committee. Twice he won the Sport Review Poll (1998, 2000).
Józef Wancer
Banker, graduate of economics at City College at the University of New York and management at Webster University in Vienna. For nearly 25 years, he worked for Citibank as vice president and in managerial positions. He was an independent consultant who participated in the creation of Citibank in Warsaw. In 1992, he organized the Agri-Industrial Bank, and in 1993-1994 he was the general director of Legler Polonia, a member of the Supervisory Board of Powszechny Bank Kredytowy (PBK), vice president and president of the Management Board of Raiffeisen Centrobank in Warsaw. In the years 2000-2010 he was the president of Bank BPH. He has been with Bank BGŻ since September 2013, where he was the president of the board. In 2015, he was the president of the management board of Bank BGŻ BNP Paribas. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Bank BGŻ BNP Paribas S.A.
Gheorghe Marian Cristescu
A businessman operating in the hotel industry for over twenty years. He began his professional experience at the Radisson SAS hotel in Szczecin. For 10 years he was associated with the Orbis Hotel Group, where he worked, among others in Warsaw’s Ibis and Krakow’s Novotel Center. He was the general director of the French Hotel in Krakow, then a regional sales manager for Orbis in Northern Poland, as well as the national sales director. In 2011, he started working for the Best Western hotel chain. He won, among others the title of the Man of the Year 2012 in the hotel industry awarded by the magazine “Hotelier”. Currently, he is the President of the Management Board of Chopin Airport Development. He fluently speaks Romanian, Polish, English and Spanish. In addition to work, he is interested in sport, history and geography.
Tadeusz Markowski
Professor of technical sciences, engineer and constructor, rector of the University of Technology of IgnacyŁukasiewicz in Rzeszów in the terms 1999-2002, 2002-2005 and 2016-2020. PhD in technical sciences in the discipline of construction and operation of machines obtained in 1978 at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Technology in Poznań, in 1992 he received a postdoctoral degree, and in 1999 by order of the President of the Republic of Poland he obtained the title of professor of technical sciences as the first graduate of the University of Technology Rzeszow. He remained faithful to his home university – University of Technology in Rzeszów, where he went through all levels of his professional career. He has a very numerous and rich scientific output; is the author and co-author of several monographs, scripts, numerous patents and over 200 publications.
Wergiliusz Gołąbek
Doctor of humanities, musician, manager, rector of the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów. He was the Head of the Polish Chamber Philharmonic in Gdańsk, and in 1990-2006 he was the General Director of the Philharmonic of Artur Malawski in Rzeszów and the Music Director of the Łańcut Festival. He is valued by the music community for his managerial activity and effectiveness in obtaining additional funds from sponsors, thanks to which he maintained the Philharmonic’s activities at a high level. For many years associated with the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów, where he held the positions of: Vice-Rector for Teaching (2007-2012), Vice-Rector for Development and Cooperation (2012-2016). From September 2016 he has been the Rector of the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów. A scholarship holder of the American government, Vice President of the Conference of Polish Philharmonic Directors, winner of the Ministry of Culture Award. Decorated with the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and the Gloria Artis Medal.
Sylwester Czopek
Professor of historical sciences, archaeologist and museologist. Connected with the University of Rzeszów since its inception. A graduate of archeology at the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin. He received his doctorate at the IHKM PAN in Warsaw (1989). He received a postdoctoral degree in 1996 at the Jagiellonian University. Since 2003 he has had a professorship title. In 2015 he became a correspondent member of the Polish Academy of Learning. He has been a member of the Pra- and Protohistoric Sciences Committee of the National Academy of Sciences for four terms. In 2012-2015 he was the president of the National Society for the Preservation of Archaeological Heritage. He is an expert of the National Science Center. At the University of Rzeszów, he was the Director of the Institute of Archeology (2001-2008), Dean of the Department of Sociology and History (2008-2012), Vice-Rector for Science (2012-2016). Currently, he is the Rector of the University of Rzeszów for the 2016-2020 term. On January 19, 2019, he was awarded the title of Honorary and Meritorious Citizen of the City of Rzeszów.
Jerzy Krzanowski
Co-founder and vice-president of Nowy Styl Group – European leader and expert in office space equipment. He manages the investment and purchasing division, responsible for, among others, controlling suppliers and strategic and innovative company ventures. Involved in the development of the Podkarpackie business and supporting young talents, including through the Fundacjaim. JanuszKorczak. In 2015, he was honored by Dziennik Gazeta Prawna with the title “Visionary 2015”. In 2016, he was awarded the title of “Leader of Tomorrow” of the ICAN Institute. Since 2014, it has been listed on the “100 Richest Poles” list of Forbes magazine. He loves nordic walking – he admits that the best ideas come to him during outdoor activities.
Roman Paszke
Sailor, traveler, yacht builder. He has been an active sea sailor for over forty years. The originator and organizer of large Polish and international sailing projects. He has sailed crew and alone over about 370 thousand km on cruises and regattas. Winner and participant in many international regatta, including: KielerWoche, Sardinia Cup, Rolex Cup. Multiple Polish Champion in marine classes. Honorary Ambassador of the Polish Chamber of Business, Founder of the RACE 2000 Association, Sailor of the month according to the SEA HORSE sailing magazine (2001) and the Sailor of the 50th anniversary according to the ranking of the Pomeranian Sailing Association (2016). In addition, he conducts motivational classes for leading Polish and international companies and corporations, and is a guest lecturer in sports marketing at the Jagiellonian University. Author of the book Birds of the Oceans.
Stanisław Kluza
Doctor of Economics, creator and chairman of the Financial Supervision Commission in 2006-2011, graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics. In 2006 he was the Minister of Finance and Deputy Minister of Finance. He worked professionally, among others in such companies as: Unilever (Polish branch), McKinsey & Company (1998-1999), Bank GospodarkiŻywnościowej (2002-2006). He was the president of Bank OchronyŚrodowiska (2016-17), as well as chief economist and director of the analytical department in Bank Gospodarki Żywnościowej (2002-2006). Since 1994, she has been a research worker at the Warsaw School of Economics. Author of numerous presentations and papers on the supervision of the financial market and macroeconomic analysis. Professionally interested in issues such as: monetary policy, statistics, econometrics, macroeconomics, banking and business climate research.
Marek Langner
Professor of biophysics, head of the Biophysics Laboratory of Lipid Aggregates, working every day at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Wrocław University of Technology. He conducted many years of research on liposomal drug carriers and biophysics of lipid membranes. These works were carried out by universities in Poland and the USA. Author of over ninety scientific dissertations on issues in the field of research on guided drug carriers, biosensors and biophysics of lipid membranes. Co-founder of two nanomedical preparations and a prototype line for the production of nano-drugs. Co-owner of Lipid Systems sp. z o.o. Laureate of numerous competitions. Honored with prizes and awards for scientific activity. Promoter of many master’s and doctoral theses.
Janusz Diemko
A businessman with several years of experience in the payment and consulting industry. A graduate of the University of London (University College) and a member of the Association of Treasurers of Great Britain (ACT). He provided consulting and advisory services for Innova Capital. Professionally engaged, among others, in obtaining financing and market analyses for Polish and foreign companies. In the years 1998-2006 he was associated with Euronet, and in the years 2006-14 he was the President of the Management Board of First Data Polska S.A. In this company he conducted the POLCARD sales process and coordinated the company’s implementation into global corporate structures. Currently a member of the Supervisory Board of CREPolskieePłatności S.A., in which he was the president of the board in 2016-2018. From 2014, partner and investor in the Angel Hedgehog Fund investing in e-commerce / ICT companies at an early stage of development. In his free time, he plays the accordion and squash.
Rafał Kalisz
Businessman experienced in the field of ICT systems and fiber optics telecommunications. Chairman of the Board of FIBRAIN company and the football club Stal Rzeszów S.A. For many years he was Vice-chairman of FIBRAIN and ZEMEW companies. Responsible for coming up with and execution of ideas with the help of European funds, taking care of the most crucial clients, enhancing the company’s efficiency, setting sale plans and achieving sales department goals. His current responsibility is to set goals for the company’s development, managing the entirety of the group and supervision of the sales and strategy departments. He’s also an author of many analyses and technical and economical articles regarding development of new Fiber Optics Systems. He has participated in many expert debates both in Poland and abroad.
Michał Czechowski
Entrepreneur with several years of experience in the field of new technologies, optimization of sales processes, payments and delivery. A graduate of the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology and Executive MBA at Kozminski University. He worked at KLOSNowoczesneTechnologieBankowe, where he was responsible for R & D and sales for the 15 largest banks in Poland. Co-founder of NoaTech – a company providing modern self-service solutions. He is currently the President of the Management Board of Swipbox Polska. Author of many projects of new technologies, including self-service solutions, which were the first to appear on the local market. Speaker at numerous and important national conferences.
Michał Abramczyk
Real estate expert, financier, Graduate of the European Law Students’ Association. He has been developing his several years of experience as a leader in the financial market. He worked as an adviser and later a real estate expert at Noble Bank. He gained knowledge and skills while working for Deloitte Tax Advisory, BPH RE, Idea Expert, All Money, Home Broker, Open Finance. From 2010, he was involved in the Noble Securities Brokerage House, in which he co-founded the Investment Banking Department. Co-founder of Dom Maklerski Michael / Ström. Currently, he is the Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Michael / Ström and a Member of the Supervisory Board of Paymento Financial S.A. Participant in projects on the subject of bond issues, and privately a traveler and discoverer of new flavors.
Stanisław Mazur
Doctor, specialist in internal medicine and cardiologist. Founder and President of the Medical CenterMEDYK – the first private healthcare provider in the city of Rzeszów. A graduate of the Medical Academy in Lublin. A recognized specialist and pioneer of pro-health initiatives. Since 1981, he has been actively involved in internal medicine and cardiology. He worked for 10 years in the Provincial Integrated Hospital at ul. Chopin in Rzeszów, and then for 15 years in the Provincial Hospital No. 2 in Rzeszów. He completed scholarships in Hamburg and Philadelphia. He is the author of several scientific publications. In 2013, he received the title of Meritorious for the Rzeszów University of Technology. In 2014, he was awarded the title of Meritorious for the City of Rzeszów, and in 2015 the title of Meritorious for the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. In 2017, he received an award from the hands of the Mayor of Strzyżów for his services to this town. For several years he has been a member of the Management Board of the Podkarpackie Branch of the Polish Cardiac Society.
Henryk Sobolewski
Architect and creator of the exhibition and congress center of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at the Cracow University of Technology. In the years 1979-1994 he was professionally associated with the Design and Construction Office of the MIASTOPROJEKT – Rzeszów General Construction Office, where he created projects such as the didactic and scientific team of KUL No. 1 in Stalowa Wola, Housing estate at ul. Staszica in Sanok, Complex of buildings of the Primary School No. 5. In 1994, he founded the Original Design Studio “DOM”. Among the achievements of the studio, the following projects can be mentioned: the Complex of the State Higher Vocational School in Jarosław, the University Library in StalowaWola, the State College of Eastern Europe in Przemyśl, Car Sales Salon with the WATKEM Fuel Station, the ZimowitHotel in Rzeszów. Winner of competitions and design awards. Privately, he is passionate about travel, history, conservation of monuments and art.
