Taru Pilvi
Designing renewal – courage to renew yourself comes from excitement
Taru Pilvi is an expert at renewal with a strong entrepreneurial background combining the best from both startup and academic world. Taru has a long experience in senior role at Valio being in charge of renewal of their innovation portfolio, and applying her specialty to create micro environments of inspiration and hungry for renewal, and combining that environment to strong, result-oriented business. Her personal passion for renewal guided Taru to start her own business where she helps startups develop and maintain their ability to renew themselves.
Taru’s theme is to increase excitement and courage in individuals through simple yet inventive procedures. The excitement and courage in a work community can only be increased through individuals, qualities that are vital for renewal.
Taru has worked as a speaker at countless events both in front of international corporate world, as well as science communities. In her keynotes she inspires and excites but also gives concrete examples and stories on how renewal has been incited within corporations, communities and individuals.
Paul Jones
Paul Jones is Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the School of Management at Swansea University, UK.
Professor Jones has worked in further and higher education for over 27 years at Carmarthenshire College, Glamorgan University (now University of South Wales), Plymouth University, Coventry University before joining Swansea University in 2018. Professor Jones is an active researcher in the entrepreneurship and small business management fields and has published many edited books, academic journals, book chapters and conference papers. He has published his work in leading international journals such as Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, International Small Business Journal, Omega and the Journal of Business Research. Professor Jones is currently Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research and Associate Editor of the International Journal of Management Education. He is Series Editor of Emerald Book Series Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship Research. He sits on the board of trustees for the Institute of Higher Education and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Head of Business Department
Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
F2021 Business Unit of Assessment Lead
School of Management
Swansea University
Bay Campus, Fabian Way
Swansea, SA1 8EN
Wales, UK
Editor in Chief: International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research
Associate Editor: International Journal of Management Education
Book Series Editor: Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship Research
Current Calls for Journal Special issue papers
International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal: Sports, fitness and lifestyle entrepreneurship
Knowledge Management Research and Practice: Knowledge Spillovers and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Current calls for Book Chapters
University and Entrepreneurship: Meeting the Educational and Social Challenges
Muhammad Ashfaq
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq is widely recognized as an outstanding and experienced business and finance expert with more than 13 years of international experience. He is the Program Director of the bachelor study program Digital Business (B.A.) and teaches Finance, Digital Business Models, and Accounting at IUBH University of Applied Sciences in Germany. He is also visiting faculty member at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany. His research interests include Digital Transformation, Islamic Finance, Emerging Markets and Global Financial System.
Prof. Ashfaq is the author of the book “Islamic Banking and Finance in Europe: the Case of Germany and United Kingdom”. Prof. Ashfaq has spoken on the topic of Islamic banking and finance, digital transformation, business ethics, sustainable development goals at conferences in more than 30 countries worldwide, and has served as a peer-review referee for a number of international conferences and journals.
Prof. Ashfaq earned his doctor of philosophy from the University of Tübingen Germany and holds an MBA in Financial Management from Coburg University in Germany. He was awarded the Young Scholars Research Award by the Bilkent University, Turkey in 2015 for his cutting-edge research contribution in Islamic finance. He was also awarded prestigious LGFW (Baden Württenberg Government Germany) scholarship for his Ph.D. at University of Tübingen, Germany.