Job Function: Expert Partner

Álvaro Fernández, named as Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, is a recognized Brain Health pioneer, keynote speaker and author. For more than 15 years he has led SharpBrains, an independent research firm tracking applied neuroscience and gathering hundreds of scientists, experts, technologists, and practitioners. He has also been quoted by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Reuters, and Associated Press, among others.

Álvaro is the Editor-in-chief of seminal market reports on Brain Health and Innovation and co-authored the influential discussion paper Empowering 8 Billion Minds: Enabling Better Mental Health for All via the Ethical Adoption of Technologies published in the National Academy of Medicine. To help engage a variety of audiences he co-authored the acclaimed books The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness and Cómo Invertir en su Cerebro, translated into multiple languages.

Prior to his work at the frontier of applied neuroscience and mental wellness, Álvaro worked at consulting firm McKinsey & Company, helped Bertelsmann launch one of the first online bookstores in Europe. Additionally, he launched a learning platform at Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, and participated in the turnaround of corporate e-learning company Docent/ SumTotal Systems.

Furthermore, Álvaro has enjoyed serving in several Global Future Councils by the World Economic Forum, in the Global Teacher Prize Academy run by the Varkey Foundation, and in the Global Advisory Board of SEK Education Group, among others.

Besides that background, he holds an MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University and a BA in Economics from Universidad de Deusto.

He is native from Spain, and is an avid skier (alpine and cross-country), tennis player, non-fiction readers, and traveler. Having lived 24 years in the US between the Bay Area, Washington, DC and Boca Raton he and his family recently moved to Madrid, Spain. Born in Bilbao, in the Basque Country, Álvaro is a dual citizen of Spain and the US, and fluent in Spanish and English.

Empowering Minds: Leveraging Brain Science to Unlock Potential in the AI/ Cognitive Era

How can we enhance our core mental capacities to innovate and to thrive in today’s complex and rapidly-changing society and workplace? What can we do to invest in our most precious resource –our human brain– and boost individual and collective resilience? Discover the practical applications of emerging research on brain functioning and neuroplasticity, and learn how everyone can become a lifelong “mental athlete” ready to face professional and personal challenges in the AI/ Cognitive Age.

 Brain Health in 2030: Navigating Neuroplasticity and the Digital Health Market

Brain Health and Mental Health are rapidly-evolving marketplaces, and executives and pioneers should be aware of the far-reaching impact this transformation will have in the near future. Alvaro Fernandez, the CEO of the leading independent market research firm SharpBrains — tracking health and wellness applications of brain science — will discuss the latest market data and forecasts on how digital platforms will revolutionize brain health by 2030. Participants will discover and brainstorm how the growing mainstream demand for “brain fitness” is creating a significant demand and opportunity for web-based, mobile and biometrics-based technology to assess, monitor and enhance cognition and brain functioning.

Álvaro Fernaández, named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, is a Brain Health expert, speaker, and writer. For over 15 years, he’s led SharpBrains, a research group studying how brains work in everyday life, bringing together lots of scientists, experts, and tech folks. He’s been mentioned in big newspapers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Álvaro writes important reports about Brain Health and Innovation and has written papers on helping everyone’s mental health using new technologies. He’s written cool books like The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness, translated into many languages.

Before he became deeply involved in brain-related projects, Álvaro was busy helping start online bookstores and launching learning platforms. Additionally, he joined councils and groups that aimed to make the world a better place.

Álvaro Fernández went to Stanford University and got a BA in Economics from a university in Spain.

He loves skiing, tennis, reading non-fiction, and exploring new places. After living in the US for a long time, he and his family moved back to Spain. He’s from Bilbao and speaks Spanish and English fluently.

Lisa Neuberger Fernandez is a sustainability strategist, social innovator, and thought leader. She is Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at SharpBrains Advisors, a boutique consultancy offering strategic advisory and ‘innovation as a service’ in partnership with Axialent to high growth, purpose driven organizations.

Lisa has twenty-five years of experience leading global strategy and innovation teams to deliver value for business and society as Managing Director at Accenture, Head of Sustainability at a cleantech startup, and Senior Advisor to the World Bank.

She advised pioneers at Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and multilaterals on how to apply technology and innovative business models for sustainable and inclusive growth. She launched social businesses, shaped and implemented sustainability strategies, and built purpose-driven collaboration platforms to upskill thousands.

Recognized as an Unusual Pioneer by Yunus Social Business and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, she holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and a Master’s from the Fletcher School at Tufts.

She enjoys unlocking human potential teaching at IE University, mentoring youth and social entrepreneurs, and hosting #rebalancetothrive workshops. She recently moved to Madrid with her family and loves to ‘walk and talk’ in beautiful places, sing jazz, and play tennis.

Borja is a successful entrepreneur and intrapreneur, and is a recognized expert in the field of innovation. Starting as an entrepreneur very early in his career, he then created and grew new successful businesses while working in companies such as DHL, Altran, Capgemini or frog design​.

He has also helped blue-chip companies in creating new products, services, solutions, and businesses, as well as becoming more innovative organizations, implementing all innovation processes and methodologies. He’s been Vice President of Capgemini Invent and frog design, the iconic brand noted for disrupting so many markets.

He was also the founder and leader of the Altran Innovation World Class Center, and ACIE, the official certification agency for innovation in Spain. He is now involved in launching new ventures merging Innovation and social and environmental Impact.

Borja is an awarded innovation professor at IE Business School, and has written seminal books in his field, including the first-ever Innovation dictionary published in any language.

Borja holds an Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from MIT-Sloan, an Executive MBA from IE Business School, an Honors Degree in Business Administration from Humberside University and ESIC, and has pursued studies in Civil Engineering and Political Science at UNED.

In his spare time, you can find him piloting light experimental aircraft around Madrid, Spain, where he resides with his family.

Paloma brings over three decades of experience in the IT sector. Currently, she serves as the President & General Manager for Xerox Spain, a position she’s held for 11 years, and has been the Southern Europe President for the past two. Her leadership has spanned managing multicultural teams in intricate business landscapes.

She previously managed Xerox Large Accounts, Distribution Channels and Outsourcing & Services organizations, acquiring an extensive operational and business transformation experience. She also hold the Human Resources Director position, which gave her a broaden vision of an organization and reinforced her focus on people as the key company asset.

A stellar communicator, Paloma possesses extensive board experience in both the corporate and non-profit sectors. Since March 2015, she’s been a non-executive board member at Spain’s insurance company, Mutua Pelayo. And as of January 2022, she joined the advisory councils of PROA, a communication and reputation management consultancy, and CEG, Spain’s management excellence club.

Her educational milestones include a degree in Information Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid, she is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and has participated in several leadership and executive development programs at Insead Executive Education (Fontainebleau, Francia), High Performance Center Development (London, UK) and Centre for Creative Leadership (North Carolina, USA).

Based in Madrid, Paloma is a proud mother of three and is married. She is celebrated for her enthusiasm, commitment to diversity, networking prowess, and championing inclusion and equal opportunities. In recognition of her work, she was honored with the “Women Leadership Award” by the Spanish Federation of Women Managers and Entrepreneurs in 2018.

For more than 12 years, Mirea has been at the forefront of applying behavioral science in the financial industry. She held senior positions at the Dutch Central Bank and ING Bank. At these institutions, she was responsible for building behavioral risk capabilities from scratch. She is well-known for her expertise, thought leadership, and her ability to implement behavioral change strategies that deliver results.

Mirea is considered a pioneer, as she was the first psychologist ever appointed by a central bank to use her specific skillset in supervision. For 6.5 years, she spearheaded numerous culture inspections under the Dutch Central Bank’s (DNB) supervision on Behavior & Culture – the well-known Dutch Approach that is globally considered as one of the most successful post-financial crisis innovations in supervision. She collaborated with global regulators, including those from the ECB, the US, Australia, and Asia.

After DNB, Mirea worked as Global Head of Behavioral Risk Management at ING for 5 years. Here, she was responsible for the identification and assessment of behavioral risks and directed the business towards effective mitigation of these risks. She built this capability, which is now an integrated part of ING’s risk function and strategic decision-making.

Mirea studied organizational psychology and holds a doctor’s degree in Behavioral Sciences. She is the chief editor and lead author of the highly influential handbook – Supervision of Behavior & Culture. She is a thought leader in the field of Behavioral Risk Management and is frequently invited as a keynote speaker.

Mirea lives in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She is married and has two children. In her spare time, she enjoys her family, friends, reading books, and playing sports, especially basketball with her kids.

Alex has 17 years of experience in the field of Business and around 8 in B2B Sales Management consulting. Alex’s approach involves crafting a strategy grounded in the company’s mission. He excels at translating overarching visions into actionable plans to meet organizational objectives.

Starting his career, Alex worked primarily with multinationals from various sectors, including Biofuels, Oils, Engineering, and Software (Tech). He also has experience with SMBs and has taken on roles as an entrepreneur.

Along with joining Axialent, Alex is a Managing Partner at Raisethebar.tech, a hybrid consultancy and training company helping founders, owners, and executive teams grow. The focus is always on the individual, developing their position, and aligning the team to hyper-grow your company.

Previously, Alex set up two different entrepreneurial ventures and is involved in several startups and SMBs as a mentor and minority shareholder. As an Executive Director, Alex showcased exceptional leadership qualities, demonstrating a remarkable talent for crafting and executing visionary strategies that propel organizations to new heights. Under Alex’s leadership, CTAIMA Group not only met but consistently exceeded expectations, establishing industry benchmarks and earning accolades for excellence. This success culminated in a purchase by a PE group.

Alongside his vast Sales experience in the B2B space for consultative sales, Alex possesses a deep understanding of people and their development. He finds it intrinsically rewarding to aid in their growth.

Alex holds a degree in chemistry from URV in Tarragona, located in one of the most significant chemical hubs in Southern Europe. He also pursued an MBA from the same university. More recently, he completed an Executive Program on General Management (PDD) at IESE Business School.

Based in Barcelona, Spain, where he was born and raised, Alex brings to the table extensive work experience from across Europe — including Spain, Germany, Italy, and Belgium — as well as Southeast Asia, with stints in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Outside his professional commitments, Alex is passionate about sports, with a particular love for fitness and marathon running. He’s also keen on exploring facets of business, leadership, and talent management.

Pablo is a consultant, facilitator, coach and keynote speaker with more than 20 years of experience in leadership development and effectiveness. He has worked with an important number of executives from organizations in Mexico, the United States, Spain, France, Canada, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, the Caribbean, Central America and the Southern Cone.

In his work, Pablo incorporates principles stemming from conversational competences, brain preferences, the discovery of talents, strengths and skills, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), Immunity to Change, empathic listening, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence and personal leadership. He combines the personal, team and organizational dimension to the work with his clients, based on his extensive experience in the field of leadership and effectiveness.

With certifications in time management, principles-based leadership, project management, strategic planning, constructive negotiation, executive coaching and different diagnostic tools, Pablo also integrates these disciplines in his program designs to customize them to the needs of each organization, aiming to understand them systemically and propose solutions that effectively impact business results.

As a mentor of other facilitators and coaches, in the last years, he has led different TTT programs in organizational talent development.

Pablo received a Master of Science and Ph.D. in physiology in Paris and a master’s degree in Latin American literature in Venezuela. He has published numerous papers for national and international scientific magazines.

In 1987, Pablo married his wife, Cristina, with whom he has since lived in Venezuela, France, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. They have one son, Pablo Javier, who is 25 years old.