David Ganly

CEO Future Learning

David Ganly is the founder and director of Future Learning, Ireland’s first fully tech-enhanced English school. With a background in Engineering and over a decade as a secondary school teacher, he was one of the first to introduce iPads into Irish classrooms. This project became a national success. Today, with an MSc in Technology & Learning from Trinity College Dublin, David leads Future Learning’s innovative programs, combining English and 21st-century skills for adults, as well as STEAM and AI for young learners, making a real impact in how education meets technology.

Susanne Hendrickson

VP of Global Partnerships and Client Relations

Susanne Hendrickson serves as the VP of Global Partnerships and Client Experience, where she plays a pivotal role in driving client success and satisfaction. With a hands-on approach, Susanne collaborates closely with the sales and account management teams to streamline workflows and enhance operational efficiencies. Known for being highly communicative and results-driven, she focuses on delivering tailored solutions that meet the diverse needs of her company’s clients. Her commitment to strengthening partnerships ensures the company exceeds their expectations.

Nicoletta Pinto

Global Partnerships Strategist at GuardMe Europe

Nicoletta Pinto brings extensive experience in business development within the international education sector, with a strong focus on building long-term partnerships and supporting institutional growth. Since 2017, she has served as Global Partnerships Strategist at GuardMe International Insurance, where she plays a key role in developing strategic collaborations and providing tailored insurance solutions for students, schools, and agencies worldwide.

Before this, from 2008 to 2017, Nicoletta held the position of Area Manager Director at Ideal Education Group, where she led international recruitment initiatives and strengthened the organization’s presence across key global markets.

Pablo Martinez

President ASEPROCE and CEO Ad Astra

Pablo Martinez de Velasco is the President of ASEPROCE, the Spanish Association of Promoters of Courses Abroad founded in 1987, he is also founder and CEO of Ad Astra Estudios Internacionales, which has been sending Spanish students to study around the world for nearly 30 years.

Thomas Butler

Head of Education

Thomas Butler is Head of Education at TransferMate, driving innovation in payment solutions for the education sector. He leads teams focused on developing seamless, secure systems that simplify how institutions, platforms and students send and receive international payments. Under his guidance, TransferMate powers collections in over 140 currencies across more than 200 countries, with fully regulated infrastructure and integrations via APIs, white-label platforms and embedded solutions.

Thomas works with both educational institutions and software partners to reduce bank fees, improve FX rates, automate reconciliation, cut administration and enhance transparency — all to improve the payment experience and financial operations in education globally.

Shoko Doherty

CEO of Celtic English Academy / Chair of English UK

Shoko Doherty is the CEO of Celtic English Academy in Cardiff, accredited by the British Council. Over the past 20 years, the school has welcomed more than 16,000 students from 50+ countries. Shoko is the Chair of English UK, is recognised as a Welsh Government Export Exemplar and Export Champion for the UK Government.

Shoko, an award-winning leader in workplace fairness, is a Qualified Facilitator for the AFS Global Competence Certificate. With expertise in international education and strategic planning, she promotes inclusivity, sustainability, and well-being. Shoko is committed to positioning Wales and the UK as prime destinations for study and tourism.

João Lopes

Corporate Account Executive at Hubspot - Education Sector in EMEA

João Lopes works with higher education institutions across EMEA, helping them adopt HubSpot as an AI-powered platform for student success. With a history in higher education, he understands the unique challenges facing admissions, marketing, and digital teams, and helps them implement CRM and automation strategies that modernise engagement. His focus is on developing education-focused solutions that enhance the student experience at scale.

Before Hubspot, João also worked in the Higher Education sector, representing a highly ranked International University and Business School for over 7 years in multiple capacities, including Business Development, Career Management Centre, and Student Recruitment.

Sebastian Moeferdt

Principal Solutions Engineer at HubSpot

Sebastian Moeferdt is a Solutions Engineer at HubSpot with over eight years of experience helping customers in the Education and Corporate sectors. His work focuses on aligning client processes and systems with HubSpot’s CRM platform to ensure organizations get maximum value from their tech stack. Whether integrating external tools or optimizing internal workflows, Sebastian brings a consultative, customer-first approach to every engagement.

John DeFranco

CEO

As CEO of ILAC Education Group and a first-generation Canadian, John DeFranco is passionate about creating opportunities for international students to “Dream Big” in Canada. A graduate of Western University with a degree in business, John spent most of his career in retail and service organizations. He has held several executive leadership roles, including Chief Commercial Officer at Staples Canada, where he co-led a multi-year transformation which strengthened the brand and helped it grow into a working and learning company made for the changing needs of today’s entrepreneurs, teachers, parents and students.

John was also President of PetSmart Canada where his leadership propelled the organization forward and made it the largest and fastest growing pet retailer in Canada. John also spent 13 years at Home Depot Canada in progressive roles in Store Development, Merchandising and Strategic Planning.

More industry leaders will be revealed soon.

We’re finalizing our expert lineup. Stay tuned!