Speakers at Management Academy 2022

Meet the speakers of Management Academy 2022

Thursday, the 20th of october 2022

Ljubica Knežević Cvelbar Linkedin 

full professor at the School of Business and Economics, University of Ljubljana 

Ljubica Kneževic Cvelbar (PhD) is full professor at the School of Business and Economics, University of Ljubljana and a visiting professor at more than 30 universities worldwide. She holds a PhD in Economics at University of Ljubljana, while her expertise is in the fields of tourism economics and sustainable development. Ljubica has 15 years of academic and professional experience as a professor, researcher and consultant. She has been involved as a researcher or consultant in more than 70 projects, research and consulting projects for national governments. She has published more than 50 papers in refereed tourism journals including top-tier Journals. Her research work had made significant impact on sustainable tourism development globally and was awarded with most prominent international scientific awards in tourism including Tea Sinclair Award. Ljubica also serves as Editorial Board Member in six international academic Journals and is member of AIEST (Worldwide network of tourism experts). 

Tomislav Čeh Linkedin

PKF hospitality group Zagreb, Managing Director

Tomislav Čeh has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality and tourism industry. He joined the PKF hospitality group in 2018 and is based in Zagreb as Managing Director. Before joining the PKF hospitality group, Tomislav worked for several years as General Manager and Managing Director in different hotel companies. He started his professional carrier at Globtour travel agency in Czechia as the head of finance and controlling. Later, he was Managing Director of Globtour Prague and after that, Managing Director of its mother company in Slovenia. He gained further experience heading the company that manages the natural and cultural heritage sites Postojna cave and Predjama castle in Slovenia. In his capacity as Managing Director of LifeClass Hotels & Spa, Portorož, Slovenia, he was also involved in the redevelopment of the Kempinski Palace Portorož in Slovenia. The last position he held was Managing Director of Union Hotels. Tomislav graduated from the Faculty of Economics, University of Maribor, Slovenia. As part of his continued education pursuits, he completed the General Managers Program at Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York.Tomislav is a lifetime member of the Cornell Hotel Society and a member of the European Hotel Managers Association (EHMA).

Patrick Torrent Linkedin

executive Director of the Catalan Tourism Board

From 2005 to 2009 Patrick Torrent was the General Deputy Director of the Consortium Turisme de Catalunya and Deputy Director of the Catalan Tourist Board form 2010. Currently he is the Executive Director of the Catalan Tourist Board. He has participated actively in the creation of the new Catalan Tourist Board and stimulated the definition of two Strategic Plans of Tourism in Catalonia (2005-2010 and 2013-2016). He has also coordinated the two Tourism Marketing Plans of Catalonia (2013-2016 and 2018-2022). He was appointed Secretary of the Open University of Catalonia Foundation in 2010 and Patron from 2009 to 2011. He has been Associate Teacher at different universities and speaker and organizer of several symposiums, seminars, workshops and forums focused on tourism and its marketing. He has been President of NECSTouR, the Network of European Regions for Sustainable and Competitive Tourism, gathering 38 associated Tourism Authorities and 36 associate organisations, for six years 2016-2021. Currently he is the Vice President of NECSTouR. 

Aleš Pevc Linkedin 

head of the Technology Office at the Technology Park Ljubljana   

Aleš Pevc is the Head of the Technology Office at the Technology Park Ljubljana and has been working in the field of project management, implementation of creative technologies and development of digital business models for more than 20 years. He has founded and led 4 different startups in the past. Currently, he focuses on innovation and the development of an innovation ecosystem with labs for augmented and virtual reality, as well as a lab for smart and digital solutions. He is co-founder of the Blockchain Data Trust Dih. He has also worked on some of the biggest cutting edge techologies projects, such as the metaverse for the Slovenian EU Presidency and the I feel NFT project for the Dubai Expo. 

Matjaž Požlep Linkedin

the founder and CEO of Art Rebel 9 

Matjaž Požlep studied at the Faculty of Architecture in Ljubljana, where he graduated in 1990 in the field of computer-aided architectural design. During his studies, he worked as graphics editor of the Tribuna newspaper, and in the 1980s he worked as CAD manager in an architectural firm in Milan, responsible for the introduction of computer-aided design. Since 1991, he has worked as co-founder and executive and creative director at Arxel Tribe (computer games), Komakino, Propeler and Pakt Media (production houses) in Ljubljana, Milan, Paris and Zagreb. He is the founder and CEO of Art Rebel 9 - pioneers in the creative use of advanced technologies, currently researching and applying new media (XR) and designing and implementing platforms and products in the fields of culture, tourism, industry and advertising. He has received numerous awards at home and abroad. 

Sonja Ifko Linkedin

an architect, associate professor at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Ljubljana 

Dr. Sonja Ifko is an architect, associate professor at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Ljubljana. Her research and expertise focus on the protection of cultural heritage. She focuses on the preservation of the heritage of industrialisation and modernism, the adapted re-use and interpretation of heritage. She is a lecturer in Heritage Interpretation at the Master's and Doctoral programmes in Architecture. She is the author of more than 30 heritage interpretation projects and museum exhibitions. She is the Chairperson of the Slovenian National Committee of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) and Slovenia's national representative to TICCIH (International Council for the Conservation of Industrial Heritage). 

Lars H. Olsen Linkedin 

master of Public Management - Strategic Management and senior advisor 

Lars H. Olsen is Master of Public Management – ​​Strategic Management from Odense University and a senior advisor at Destination Wadden Sea (Destination Vadehavskysten) with responsibility for strategic development, international relations, and board advisory. As CEO of the Knowledge Centre for Coastal Tourism, Lars was one of the architects behind the consolidation of Danish tourism. In his career, Lars has held leadership positions in the private and public sector, including as City Manager in Fanø Municipality.

Aleksandra Berberih Slana Linkedin

director of the Zagreb City Museum

Dr Aleksandra Berberih-Slana holds a PhD in modern history. In 2006 she took over the management of the Museum of National Liberation in Maribor, which she headed for 16 years. She was President of the Presidency of the Community of Museums of Slovenia for 7 years and a member of the Board of NEMO - Network of European Museum Organisations for 3 years. In June 2022 she took over as Director of the Zagreb City Museum.