Theme: Breaking Boundaries

Breaking Boundaries shows various ways in which single people, groups, movements or organisations have dared to think and go beyond what was considered possible. Whether it has been unthinkable, inappropriate or simply considered unachievable, it has been done or maybe it is still ahead of us. With this concept our audience could experience the many ways in which people have driven and will continue to drive revolutions of their very own kinds.

Hotelschool The Hague
Brusselselaan 2
The Hague, Zuid-Holland, 2587 AH
Netherlands

Allard Sjollema

Investor in GreenTech and Hospitality in South East Asia

Allard started his career with Makro, working in 10 countries across Western & Eastern Europe and South America. He then joined Tesco in China before becoming CEO of Courts Malaysia, an electronic and furniture retailer with over 60 stores. Subsequently he founded GCN Group Asia, a niche consultancy firm advising major retailers across Asia. He is currently co-owner of FreeThe Seed, a green tech company in Malaysia, and MyWarung Restaurants in Bali, Indonesia. Allard studied Law at Rijksuniversiteit Leiden and has an MBA from The University of Pittsburgh.

Armen Melkonian

Last phase student at Hotelschool The Hague

Armen Melkonian is a 30 year old LYCar student at Hotelschool The Hague. He will be talking about the power of persistence, pulling examples from personal experiences in life. During his talk he touches upon struggles that might be common for some. Lastly, he will be sharing his ways of breaking boundaries hoping to inspire others.

Julia Skupchenko

Award-winning entrepreneur and innovator

Julia Skupchenko is an award-winning entrepreneur and innovator. In 2019 she co-founded AlterContacts, the Think Tank for Sustainable Development, with two key missions: Eradicate Ignorance and Empower Entrepreneurship. During the pandemic, when all the plans got interrupted, she had to find a new way to support entrepreneurs. Julia started Lockdown Economy, a non-profit grassroots initiative to help small business owners to overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis. In a few months, run purely on the enthusiasm of volunteers with no budget or support, Lockdown Economy reached thousands of entrepreneurs in more than 25 countries; earned the Gold Award as “Hero of the Year 2020: Helping others during COVID” in Women World Awards; and got recognition from the United Nations as Acceleration Action towards Sustainable Development Goals.

Leonard Crijns

Passionate and relentlessly driven Entrepreneur

Leonard is a passionate and relentlessly driven Entrepreneur. His strengths lie in imagination and forward thinking; installing constant energy and inspiration to a project, resulting in an ever changing and quality product. His studies from Hotel School The Hague, and Master in Entrepreneurship from Lund University in Sweden form the groundwork of knowledge and understanding not only of the hospitality and business industries - but more notably the voids within them in which to create unique opportunities.

Tommy Sherif

Writer, storyteller, theater maker and a political activist

Tommy Sherif is an Egyptian political refugee living in the Netherlands since 2015. I'm a writer, storyteller, theater maker and a political activist. His talk highlight the importance of words and how strong they can be.