Agile-Lean Ireland 2024 conference speakers
Coca Pitzer - Product Leader, Lean & Agile Expert, Design Thinking Practitioner, Trainer, Coach and Mentor - Agile Beer
Playing a pivotal role in driving strategic initiatives and transforming the organization's product portfolio management practices. My responsibilities encompass a wide range of activities aimed at optimizing product delivery, enhancing collaboration, and ensuring alignment with business objectives. In this role, I am successfully guiding the organization through a transformative journey, optimizing portfolio performance, enhancing collaboration, and contributing to overall business success.
Conor Fitzgerald - Engineering Manager - Poppulo
Conor Fitzgerald is a Quality Advocate with over 15 years of experience. He is passionate about whole-team testing and working with teams on quality improvements. Currently, he is working as a Senior Engineering manager at Poppulo in Cork, Ireland.
He has spoken at a number of conferences in recent years, including SoftTestDublin, TestBash, OnlineTestConf, AgileLeanInternational, Romania testing Conference and RebelCon.
Conor is an active member of the test community and is a Co-Founder of the Ministry of Testing Cork.
Previous positions included Test Consultant, Test Lead/Manager, and Automation focused roles. These positions were held in a wide variety of industries from embedded systems to financial systems with companies ranging from startups to large multinationals such as Intel.
Occasionally blogs at conorfi.com
Dee Grey - Chief People Systems Officer - Inclusive Agile - Neurodivergent Shaman
I am a trans non-binary neurodivergent coach and people manager with a history in tech. Since I was 16, I have enjoyed working in tech in various roles, from software engineer to helpdesk technician, to agile coach. My journey has always been influenced by my intersectional identities, and I love sharing how those experiences have shaped who I am today.
I have a Bachelor's of Science degree in Gender Studies with a minor in Computer Science. My non-profit, Inclusive Agile, is the culmination of my career experience in tech, and my deep passion for learning and understanding.
When I'm not coaching individuals and teams into more accountable practices, I spend time with my amazing blended family, watch Marvel movies, play Baldur's Gate 3 (are other games still out there? I've forgotten) and work on improving the world around me every day through witchcraft.
Dinesh Sharma - Delivery Head & Executive Leadership -
A seasoned leader with over 27 years in the IT industry, with a comprehensive blend of strategic leadership and hands-on experience in project, program, and delivery management. With a journey that encompasses over 20 years of project management and a decade of pioneering agile software development and delivery practices. At the heart, a passion for driving delivery excellence, demonstrated through the successful execution of complex, high-risk projects and the integration of cutting-edge technologies like Generative AI.
Held several key leadership positions, championed innovation and excellence across various sectors. The strategic vision has been instrumental in spearheading innovation groups, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and steering organisations through transformative delivery excellence initiatives.
Fred Deichler - Agile Coach & International Speaker - Triforce Agility
For over two decades, Fred has been a technology leader, who has been intuitively following the Scrum values and Agile principles even before discovering them. He has successfully led multiple teams on their Agile journeys, emphasizing the importance of a harmonious balance between people, processes, and tools, and continuously striving for improvement. For Fred, personal growth is as crucial as professional development.
James Doherty - Founder/Managing Director - Sliabh Liag Distillers
James Doherty has led the vision for, and the consequent development of, Sliabh Liag Distillers that has seen two brands established in six focus markets and thirty four additional market opportunities, and the Ardara Distillery funded, designed and built. He has held multiple managing director positions at William Grant & Sons Distillers Ltd, Foster’s and SABMiller. James has operated in over 150 markets and brings an unusual and refreshing mix of the creative and commercial to everything he does and is currently the chair of the Irish Whiskey Association. He is an average golfer, a never was rugby player and an enthusiastic but limited fisherman.
Joanna Koprowicz - Founder - Change Angels
Joanna is an Agile Business Consultant, who is an expert in Business Agility, Agile-Lean Transformation and the Development of High Performing Agile Teams.
Joanna has a masters degree in Project Management, from UCD Michael Smurfit Business School and has a background in technology and business.
She developed a career in Agile consulting and leadership development, working on bringing positive change across a wide range of organisations and sectors; the Public Sector, Financial Sector including Insurance and Banking, Gaming, Aviation, E-learning, Tourism and Travel.
She holds numerous Agile certifications and is an approved provider of Agile & Lean Training and Consulting by Enterprise Ireland, IDA and Local Enterprise Office. She’s also an Authorised Instructor with the International Consortium for Agile.
She has helped coordinate Agile-Lean events internationally and is a board member of Agile-Lean Ireland. Joanna is a very active member of the Global Agile Community. In 2018-2019 she was on the European Scrum Gathering Team with Scrum Alliance.
Kieran Neeson - Agile Coach -
An experienced Lean Agile Practitioner with 20+ years experience in informatics product discovery and development.
A background in science combined with a keen interest in GAA team performance and analysis gained from volunteering with Mayobridge, Co Down have shaped his people-first approach to Coaching and continuous improvement. Employing the scientific method, systems thinking, empiricism and behavioral science with a focus on optimizing for Outcomes and cohesion across Value, Tech and Teams at all levels.
Kieran recently achieved the advanced ICAgile-Certified Expert in Enterprise Coaching and is currently Agile Coach at ESW in Dublin where he is trying to help the organisation and teams to improve performance towards sooner delivery of value and be happier doing it.
Louisa Andrianopoulou - Global Technology Enterprise Transformation Coach -
With over 17 years in large-scale business transformation, Louisa excels in steering companies through significant change initiatives. Holding an MSc in Project and Programme Management, Louisa blends academic insights with practical experience. As an Enterprise Transformation Coach at JP Morgan, Louisa has led successful tech-driven and cultural shifts, significantly boosting operational efficiency and profitability. An advocate for agile methodologies, Louisa is known for translating complex concepts into actionable strategies, making her a sought-after speaker. Louisa's engaging delivery and real-world case studies provide invaluable insights into effective business agility and transformation strategies.
Lucía Saura Corella - Agile Program Manager Data and Analytics -
I am qualified in leadership, process improvement, and team management, holding relevant certifications: - Harvard Organisational Leadership
- Core Leadership
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
- PRINCE2
- Advanced Scrum Master
- SAFe
- Scaled Professional Scrum (Nexus)
- Scrum Master
- Product Owner.
I posses technical knowledge due to my Higher Diploma in Computing Science.
Matt Sims - Founder & Host of the Ever-So-Lean Podcast
Matt Sims is a distinguished figure in continuous improvement and organisational transformation, renowned for his unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. With a career spanning diverse roles and global initiatives, Matt has established himself as a trailblazer in driving tangible results and fostering growth.
Beginning his journey humbly on the front line at Royal Mail, over a fourteen-year period Matt quickly rose through the ranks, leading business transformation and modernisation efforts with a focus on operational excellence. His tenure at Amazon further solidified his reputation, where he held numerous senior positions spearheaded global initiatives and earned recognition for his strategic prowess and people-centric approach.
Yet, Matt's impact extends beyond his impressive resume. His genuine passion for continuous improvement, empowering others and driving meaningful change has been the hallmark of his career. Believing in the power of continuous improvement and transformative leadership, Matt remains dedicated to pushing boundaries and pioneering new approaches to learning and development.
In addition to his ground-breaking initiatives, Matt is the creator of the Ever-So-Lean Podcast, a platform dedicated to thought-provoking discussions on transformation, leadership and continuous improvement. With a global reach in more than ninety countries, and tens of thousands of downloads, the Ever-So-Lean Podcast has become a beacon of inspiration for individuals and organisations worldwide. Notably, the Ever-So-Lean Podcast was nominated for ‘Best Business Podcast at the 2023 UK Podcast Awards’, a testament to its quality and relevance in the business landscape.
As Matt embarks on the next chapter of his journey, he is dedicated to developing the Ever-So-Lean Learning Series. This series offers certificated continuous improvement education, drawing from Matt's extensive learnings and employing a learn-by-doing approach. Additionally, he is leading the creation of the ground-breaking Ever-So-Lean Rising Stars series, catering to the eleven to sixteen-year-old demographic. This initiative aims to equip young learners with continuous improvement skills essential for the modern working world.
Matt’s commitment to inspiring lifelong learning and fostering a culture of excellence remains unwavering. With a wealth of experience and a passion for driving meaningful change, Matt Sims continues to redefine what it means to be a lean leader in the modern business world.
Pino Decandia - Agile Coach -
I like organizations and the complex mechanisms that govern them.
From business architectures to processes, from words to behaviors, I deal with business change. As an Enterprise Agile Coach, I combine the Agile Manifesto principles with specific expertise and experience in medium to significant realities and transformation processes. I am pragmatic and concrete-oriented.
I believe that:
- People can change; they do not oppose change but offer their vision. To be respected.
- Needs are the basis of behavior; if I want to help, I must allow them to be expressed clearly. And I must be the first to state my needs.
- Ideological battles are meaningless; it matters more to understand the problem and what can be done to solve it.
Confortable with all the stances of an Agile Coach, Coach or a consultant, a trainer or a mentor. Often in a leadership and reference roles in the organization.
More than 100 teams coached over about 15 years of Agile Coach experience.
Worked in 20+ big companies in their Agile transformation journey.
Co-founder and host of Scrum Breakfast Club Milano
Partner at Agile Reloaded
Speaker and member of local communities
Raymond Rozeman - Agile Coach -
Experienced agile practitioner (Agile coach, Scrum Master, Product Owner). I take an inclusive and holistic approach to change and transformation drawing inspiration from domains such as psychology, systems thinking and complexity theory. I enable teams and organizations to own the agile journey with a strong focus on getting things Done.
Robert Meaney - Senior Director of Engineering - Glofox
Rob Meaney is passionate about learning better ways of solving problems for people with people and software. He works with organisations to cultivate an environment in which teams are both happy and successful. Rob’s approach to software product development helped take Irish startups Trustev, Poppulo and Glofox to acquisition.
Currently, he’s working as Senior Director of Engineering for Glofox. Rob is co-author of “A team guide to testability” with Ash Winter, a keynote speaker, co-founder of Ministry of Test Cork and organiser of RebelCon.
Previously he has held positions as Head of Testing, Test Manager, Automation Architect and Test Engineer with companies of varying sizes, from large multinationals like Intel, Ericsson & EMC to early-stage startups like Trustev.
Sabrina Staunton - Executive member - WITS
Sabrina works as a leader in the technology sector, she brings over 15 years of expertise in global technology and financial services, specializing in strategic leadership for digital transformation employee engagement learning & development & D&I.
Her passion lies in fostering talent and promoting diversity within the industry, a commitment that earned her lots of recognition and industry awards. Beyond her career she is deeply involved in community and industry initiatives, serving as a mentor and advocate for underrepresented groups in technology along with being an Executive member of WITS. She's an EMCC qualified coach with a focus on scaling and driving customer outcomes with various methods, toolkits and styles. She has a unique perspective to drive organizational success and foster innovation to deliver best in class employee and customer outcomes.
Savita Pahuja - Founder -
Savita Pahuja is a seasoned Agile Coach, Trainer, and Mentor with a rich background in catalyzing
change and fostering growth within organizations. Savita is a catalyst for transformation with a
dynamic career spanning startups and large financial institutions in diverse, multicultural settings.
As a Certified Enterprise Coach (CEC), Certified Team Coach (CTC) from Scrum Alliance, and a
Professional Certified Coach (PCC) accredited by the International Coach Federation, Savita
brings a wealth of expertise in coaching and mentoring. Her coaching portfolio extends from
enterprise and team coaching to leadership development and facilitating workshops to align
visions and achieve strategic business outcomes.
But what truly sets Savita apart is her unwavering dedication to Product Thinking. With an innate
ability to weave innovation and Agile principles into product development, she empowers teams
to craft not just products but winning solutions. Savita's commitment to crafting Agile products
that resonate with users and bring value instills confidence in her ability to drive successful
product development.
Savita lives by the motto, "The gladdest moment in my life is a departure into unknown lands," a
testament to her fearless approach to change and her passion for embracing the unknown. This
inspiring attitude is what fuels her transformative journeys for individuals and organizations.
Connect with Savita:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savitapahuja/
Website: https://coachingsaga.com/
Stefan Stojković - Domain Production Lead - PlayStudios Europe
Throughout his professional career, he has held different positions such as Project Manager, Program Manager, Team Leader, Startup COO, Process Auditor, Scrum Master, and Agile Coach.
Today, he is in the gaming industry, working with an amazing team at Playstudios, on a new Tetris® game.
For Stefan, gaming isn’t just about entertainment; it’s about engagement and learning. He sees an opportunity to blend fun and education to create a thrilling adventure in learning. Stefan believes that gaming holds the key to breaking traditional barriers in education, and he is implementing all its elements into his educational materials. The transformative impact of gamified learning experiences on individuals and societies is what drives him, as he believes in innovative, accessible, and inclusive learning solutions that can shape a brighter future.
He is a true Change Agent, an Agile Coach, a promoter of continuous improvement, a LEGO® Serious Play® certified Facilitator, a Management 3.0 and Lean Change facilitator, and someone who uses all of his resources and knowledge to tailor learning materials, turning learning into a journey rather than just a destination. This, combined with Gamification, makes for an absolutely perfect match.
Stephanie Gasche - Agile Transformation Coach -
Originally from Austria, Stephanie has lived, studied and worked in Germany, France, California and the UK. With degrees in English, History and International Business Management, Stephanie’s out-of-the-box thinking and strong values led her to embrace the Agile movement in 2012. Since then, she has spread and scaled the Agile mindset and methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean Start-Up, Design Sprints or Design Thinking within multinational corporations and SMEs in the DACH region. Stephanie’s commitment extends beyond corporate environment, as she has founded two social impact start-ups and worked as an intercultural trainer aiding refugees in their integration into Austrian society. These valuable experiences seamlessly flow into her role as an independent Agile Consultant when coaching intercultural and internationally distributed teams.
Stuart Munton - Chief for Group Delivery - AND Digital
Community and Curiosity are Stuart’s core values which have led him through his 20+ year digital career. Starting with pivotal Agile and Digital transformations for major players like ASDA / Walmart and the NHS, he became an agile advocate back in 2004.
Stuart joined AND Digital as a 10 person start-up in 2014 and led the set-up and evolution of their way of working as they have grown to 1500+ consultants. He has honed practices for ~50 of AND’s clients across various industries - Retail, eCommerce, Insurance, Leisure, Hospitality, Media, Publishing etc.
Currently, as Chief for Group Delivery, Stuart guides evolution in practices across Agile, Scaled, and Programme Delivery. He also leads AND’s ‘Standards’ Programme that is mixing the best of external approaches with the innovation from within AND’s Digital’s community..
Alongside AND, Stuart co-founded the Agile Reading meet-up, creating a space for agile enthusiasts since 2020 and has been speaking at international conferences (e.g. Agile on the Beach, ACE Krakow, XP2023 Amsterdam, ScanAgile etc.) from 2021 onwards.
Stuart lives with his family in Reading Berkshire where he is a coach and semi-retired player at his local rugby club and is a lifelong Leicester Tigers rugby team fan.
Tom Siebeneicher - Agile Transformation Leader - Xebia
As a Principal Transformation Consultant at Xebia, I'm on a mission to lead large-scale organizations into future ways of working with organisational excellence. With over nine years of experience, I've been pivotal in driving transformation across industries like pharma and aviation. I had the great opportunity to support expanding operations in the USA and drive projects across continents. My journey has been enriched by a sabbatical, deepening my fascination with cross-cultural, international projects and intercultural working dynamics.
Vít Samek - Director of Engineering - Mews
Bio to Follow
Will Moranvil - Director of Product Development -
I have extensive engineering experience in the semiconductor and the medical device industries. I have expertise in system integration required to develop software enabled electromechanical products. I have a passion for building and developing multi-disciplinary teams.
