Melanie Ryan

Chief Executive Officer, Unearthodox

Melanie Ryan is the founding CEO of Unearthodox, launched in 2023 as a ‘thinkubator’ dedicated to catalysing, connecting and partnering around the world so that innovation helps transform systems for nature (including people) and a healthier planet. She has worked for over two decades across Australia, South-East Asia, Europe, universities and global collaborations. Her experience spans private, public, not-for-profit sectors and academia. Her collaborative work on systems change, equity, regeneration, facilitation and innovation has been published internationally, including in Nature Sustainability. She has supported partnerships with WWF, UNEP-WCMC, DFAT, the private sector, and others. She grounds her leadership in motherhood, yoga, nature, travel, reading, podcasts and meeting inspiring people in everyday life.

The Speakers

Meet the thought leaders and innovators shaping the future of the well-being economy.

Beatrice of York

Founder, By-Eq Limited and Trustee & Co-Founder, The Big Change Charitable Trust

Beatrice of York

Founder, By-Eq Limited and Trustee & Co-Founder, The Big Change Charitable Trust

Beatrice York founded By – Eq Limited in 2022, an advisory organisation focused on adding more exceptional emotional intelligence in an age of artificial intelligence. Beatrice York is an Executive in Residence at Liontree advisors, working to support Liontree with their global growth strategy. Beatrice is advisor to Scale.ai and Healwell Ai, an AI healthcare tech solution.

Beatrice is a trustee and co-founder of The Big Change Charitable Trust, which identifies and supports charitable projects throughout the UK, to reimagine education. Beatrice is a champion of women in leadership and has worked and spoken at a range of events across the world working to promote role models for positive leadership development. She is dyslexic and as such, is a champion for neurodiversity in the workplace as well a supporter of a range of organizations working with dyslexia.

Beatrice is also Patron of a variety of education and leadership-focused organisations. She is a board member of Opus, a not-for-profit membership organisation for the next generation. Beatrice joined the Generation Connect Global Visionaries Board of The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies.

Omar Ben Yedder

Group Publisher and MD, IC Publications

Omar Ben Yedder

Group Publisher and MD, IC Publications

Profile bio coming soon.

Amanda Xu

Practitioner, OCTAVE Living

Amanda Xu

Practitioner, OCTAVE Living

Amanda Xu is a seasoned yoga instructor and wellness guide whose journey began in 2009. After years of teaching, managing a yoga studio, and returning to deeper self-practice, she expanded her exploration into the realms of traditional Chinese wisdom, Buddhist philosophy, and Taoist techniques. Since 2016, Amanda has immersed herself in a variety of integrative mind-body-spirit modalities, including sound therapy, breathwork, water dance therapy, and Reiki.

Her path is rooted in the belief that inward exploration is essential in today’s fast-paced world. With a gentle yet grounded approach, Amanda weaves together movement, traditional practices, sound bowl and gong resonance, and energetic healing to help others return to presence and inner alignment.

Amanda invites participants into a shared journey of reflection, embodiment, and self-discovery – empowering individuals to reconnect with their inner worlds through the harmonizing power of breath, movement, and sound.

Will.i.am

Founder, FYI

Will.i.am

Founder, FYI

Profile bio coming soon.

Frederic Werner

Chief Strategy and Ops, AI for Good, ITU

Frederic Werner

Chief Strategy and Ops, AI for Good, ITU

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, Frederic Werner is a recognized leader at the intersection of artificial intelligence, technology, and global development. As the Chief of Strategic Engagement at ITU, the United Nations’ specialized agency for Digital Technologies, and Chief of Strategy and Operations for AI for Good, Frederic drives initiatives that shape the future of AI’s role in solving humanity’s greatest challenges.

Frederic is a co-creator of the United Nations AI for Good Global Summit, a landmark platform connecting AI innovators with real-world problem owners to collectively advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Under his stewardship, AI for Good has become a global hub for innovation, collaboration, and actionable solutions, redefining how AI is used for social good.

At ITU, Frederic leads transformative strategic initiatives, driving global collaboration in digital transformation and standards development to address critical challenges. His leadership ensures the organization remains a leader in setting international standards and leveraging AI to advance the SDGs.

Before joining ITU, Frederic held pivotal roles that shaped global ICT collaboration. As Communications & Program Director of ETIS in Brussels, he established a pan-European network of CIOs and cybersecurity leaders. Earlier, as Head of Marketing and Communications at the European Organization for Conformity Assessment, he spearheaded capacity-building projects with the European Commission, strengthening ICT infrastructures in EU candidate countries.

A recognized figure in the AI sphere, Frederic is a regular keynote speaker and panellist at global tech and AI events, such as Davos, Vivatech, SXSW, World AI Festival Cannes, AI Africa Expo, World AI Summit Amsterdam, AWS Reinvent and GITEX to name a few. His insights on AI capacity building, governance and standards have led to numerous interviews and features across international media, books, and podcasts.

Academically, Frederic holds a B.A. in Business & Human Resources Management with a Communications Minor from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, an MBA in International Business from United Business Institutes, a Technical MBA in Telecoms Technology from Informa Telecoms, and a certificate from the MIT Sloan School of Management on AI’s Business Strategy Implications.

Having lived in diverse countries such as Belgium, Senegal, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Austria, Turkey, Hungary, and Switzerland, Frederic brings a unique and global perspective to his partnerships and collaborations.

Sam Warach

Founder, NextStep Health and Angel Investor

Sam Warach

Founder, NextStep Health and Angel Investor

Kaye Vitug

Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Unlocking Eve

Kaye Vitug

Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Unlocking Eve

Kaye Vitug is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Unlocking Eve, a foundation developing and advancing a new paradigm of Integrated Leadership through original research, global engagement, and new metrics and tools that redefine how leadership is practiced and measured. Their work is supported by an ecosystem of partners and grounded in real-world experience, powered by a growing global community of leaders committed to reshaping leadership.

Kaye is also a former global healthcare and finance executive, with over two decades of leadership experience across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Most recently, she served as CFO of US Roche Diagnostics and held senior finance and strategy roles at Roche Group headquarters.

Kaye currently serves on multiple nonprofit and advisory boards and focuses her work at the intersection of leadership, healthcare and education.

Adela Villanueva

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, TIO (The Impact Office)

Adela Villanueva

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, TIO (The Impact Office)

Adela is an experienced executive, entrepreneur, and impact investor at the intersection of innovation, technology, systemic collaboration and sustainability. She co-founded The Impact Office (TIO), a collective of families investing for change and positive impact . A seeker & practitioner of wisdom, she embodies the unity of opposites, blending pragmatism & spirituality, intellect & intuition, external collaboration & inner work.