Marine Durix-Confrère is a corporate strategy and business development leader at Schaeffler France, with a career spanning automotive markets, key-account leadership, and strategic growth planning. She has worked across commercial development, corporate strategy, and market expansion in a highly competitive industrial environment. Her profile combines operational commercial experience with structured strategic thinking, supporting diversification and long-term positioning for a major European industrial business. Marine is recognized for turning market complexity into clear strategic direction and disciplined business growth.

Valentin Kulikov is a serial entrepreneur and author specializing in customer experience management, customer retention systems, and operational business processes across retail, e-commerce, and real estate. He is the creator of the Customer Happiness Intelligence System (CHIS) methodology and the author of "How to Turn Dissatisfied Customers into Brand Ambassadors" — a practical framework for measurable customer loyalty and predictive customer behavior. Recognized by Velto for Best Customer Experience Book, he represents structured business thinking and applied customer-experience leadership.

Manuel Kliesch is a corporate strategy and business development professional based in Germany, working at CHG-MERIDIAN. He focuses on translating company priorities into structured growth initiatives across strategy, market development, and commercial planning. His work sits at the intersection of corporate strategy and practical business development, supporting decision-making in a European technology and asset-management environment. Manuel is recognized for a disciplined, execution-oriented approach to growth — connecting strategic direction with commercial opportunity and long-term business development.

Alibek Naurzgaliyev is an energetic and charismatic event presenter with more than 10 years of professional experience hosting international exhibitions, festivals, and large-scale concerts across Kazakhstan, CIS countries, and the United States. Skilled in managing multicultural events, engaging diverse audiences, and collaborating with major brands, public figures, and media personalities. Recognized for exceptional stage presence, professionalism, and creativity at the inflection points where performance demands impact.

Frank Nassauer is a strategy and corporate development manager at Deutsche Apotheker- und Ärztebank, where he supports executive leadership in defining strategic goals and running the annual strategy process. His work includes trend analysis, business-area strategy support, and the management of projects that turn strategic decisions into organizational action. With prior experience in group strategy at Deutsche Börse, Frank brings a structured approach to corporate planning in complex financial environments. He is recognized for combining analytical clarity with practical strategy execution.

Inka Engler is a German founder and natural cosmetics professional building TREATS Skincare, a brand focused on restoring skin health through carefully formulated, nature-based products. Her work centers on creating skincare solutions tailored to the needs of darker skin tones, combining formulation expertise with a strong wellness-oriented approach. With training in natural cosmetics and a practical, results-driven product philosophy, Inka focuses on quality, consistency, and honest customer care. She is recognized for bringing a more inclusive and restoration-focused approach to European beauty and wellness.

Giorgia Del Medico is an Italian beauty and wellness founder working at the intersection of skincare science, longevity, and advanced cosmetic innovation. As founder of Recharge Me System and Giokosmetik Italia, she focuses on moving beyond conventional cosmetics toward a more scientific, systemic approach to skin vitality. Her work draws on family heritage in beauty and wellness while introducing research-led methods and new technologies into product development. Giorgia is recognized for combining scientific thinking with practical beauty innovation in the European wellness landscape.

Leila El Allam is a beauty and wellness professional with more than 20 years of experience across hairdressing, aesthetics, and holistic spa treatments. As founder and manager of Trendy by Milano, she has built a premium salon-institute offering combining head spa, aesthetic care, and wellness rituals. Her career across France, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany has shaped a highly service-driven approach to client experience, team leadership, and high-end wellness delivery. Leila is recognized for translating hands-on beauty expertise into structured spa management and a refined, human-centered wellness offering.

Pavel Mishchenko is an IT infrastructure and integrated security specialist with 10+ years of experience delivering reliable, high-responsibility systems for complex operational environments. He has led end-to-end implementation and support of surveillance, access control, and structured cabling solutions, ensuring stable performance, maintainability, and long-term resilience. Pavel is known for integrating legacy setups with new architectures, improving operational continuity, serviceability, and cost-efficiency through disciplined execution and clear technical governance. His hands-on leadership combines practical field expertise with systematic planning, enabling consistent results and trusted delivery across demanding, fast-moving projects.

Alexey Samoilov is a highly qualified automotive systems engineer with over 20 years of professional experience specializing in advanced diagnostics of electric and hybrid vehicles, high-voltage powertrain systems, and digital communication networks. Working with premium OEM platforms including BMW and Mercedes-Benz, he has built a reputation for precision instrumentation, waveform analysis, and resolving complex faults in cyber-physical automotive networks. Holding the title of Kraftfahrzeugtechnikermeister — Master Professional of Automotive Technology — Alexey manages safety-critical high-voltage operations and has successfully trained and graduated 30 apprentices as Certified Automotive Mechatronics Technicians under the German dual education system, contributing directly to the next generation of clean mobility specialists.

Ruben Berecke is a finance and M&A professional serving as Partner and M&A Director at Tippenhauer Group GmbH. His work focuses on mergers and acquisitions, strategic financial advisory, and succession planning for growing businesses. With experience in cross-border transactions and long-term value creation, he represents the kind of strategic leadership recognized by the Velto European Awards. As a Velto winner, Ruben reflects excellence in business growth, financial clarity, and high-level execution.

Senior Manager in M&A at Deloitte with hands-on deal support and transaction advisory experience. Strong fit for a nomination centered on professional M&A execution, diligence discipline, and corporate deal process leadership.

Senior Enterprise Business Architect at Aetna with TOGAF certification and deep experience in EA governance, process redesign, systems implementation, and aligning business strategy with technology enablement in complex healthcare operations.

Global Business Development Manager at USSI Global with experience supporting international commercial growth across network, broadcast, and digital service markets. Strong fit for hands-on cross-border business development recognition.

Oleksii Kovernikov is an entrepreneur specializing in international trade and B2B wholesale distribution in the jewelry industry, focused on reliable cross-border sourcing and market-aligned assortment planning for business clients. He develops and executes practical procurement and logistics workflows that help partner companies secure in-demand gold jewelry products, improve sell-through, and maintain stable supply across multiple EU markets. Oleksii is known for translating customer demand and market signals into clear, actionable purchasing decisions—combining disciplined vendor coordination and documentation with end-to-end control from sourcing to delivery and client support. His results-oriented approach supports dependable fulfillment, long-term B2B partnerships, and consistent operational performance across diverse cross-border projects.

Purvi Bargotra is an operations leader working in AI-driven business systems and process design. She is recognized for building scalable internal workflows, improving operational clarity, and integrating AI-enabled tools to support efficient business growth.

Victoria Clotet is the founder and CEO of Influsfera, an AI-powered market research platform built to make strategic business intelligence faster and more accessible. Her work focuses on using technology to simplify complex research processes and support stronger decision-making. Velto recognizes her contribution to practical, product-led digital innovation. As a Velto winner, Victoria represents applied AI, entrepreneurial execution, and forward-looking transformation.

Shashank Gupta is a cloud migration and modernization architect with over 14 years of experience designing and leading hybrid and multi-cloud transformation programs. He specializes in AWS and Azure migration strategy, cloud readiness assessment, infrastructure modernization, and security-focused architecture. His work has helped organizations improve operational efficiency, reduce infrastructure costs, and accelerate cloud adoption across complex enterprise environments.

Taiwo Shotunde is a strategy and digital infrastructure professional working at the intersection of connectivity, enterprise systems, and transformation planning. Her background combines strategic thinking with practical understanding of large-scale digital environments. Velto recognizes her for contributing to the infrastructure and strategic foundations that enable meaningful digital progress. As a Velto winner, Taiwo represents thoughtful, high-level leadership in digital transformation.

Alexandra Ulven is an AI product manager focused on building and scaling digital products with strong strategic direction. She is recognized for leading AI-driven product initiatives from early concept to execution, with particular strength in agentic systems and user-centered product design.

Shubhi Saxena is a product leader focused on building AI-powered customer and employee experience solutions. She has led the launch of Voice AI, Agent QA, and front-office AI products designed to improve service quality, automation, and user satisfaction. Her work stands out for translating advanced AI capabilities into practical, high-impact customer experience improvements at scale.

Hélène Huby is the founder and CEO of The Exploration Company, building a European space technology business focused on scalable, high-impact industrial innovation. Velto recognizes her for combining strategic leadership, technical depth, and long-term vision in sectors where innovation, resilience, and sustainable industrial capability matter most.

Niklas Östberg is the co-founder and CEO of Delivery Hero, where he has led the company’s growth across multiple international markets and operating models. Velto recognizes him for turning strategic scale, operational complexity, and sustained expansion into a globally relevant business platform.

Christian Reber is a serial founder behind products including Wunderlist, Pitch, and Superlist, with a strong track record in software product design and digital work transformation. Velto recognizes him for shaping modern productivity through digital tools that translate technical innovation into practical business adoption.

Mette Lykke is the CEO of Too Good To Go and a Danish entrepreneur known for building technology-enabled businesses with measurable social relevance. Velto recognizes her for leading sustainability through scalable consumer infrastructure, operational growth, and clear market impact.

Guillaume Pousaz is the founder and CEO of Checkout.com, a global payments company built around enterprise-grade digital commerce infrastructure. Velto recognizes him for combining strategic execution, technical understanding, and international business growth in one of the world’s most competitive markets.

Tobias Lütke is the CEO and co-founder of Shopify and a product-minded technology leader with deep roots in software engineering. Velto recognizes him for building digital infrastructure that enables business transformation at scale and for driving practical adoption of AI-native workflows.

Stina Ehrensvard is the founder of Yubico and a leading voice in digital identity and authentication. Velto recognizes her for advancing secure digital transformation through products and standards that strengthen trust, resilience, and usability across the modern internet.

Maximilian Viessmann leads Viessmann Generations Group, where he works across industrial growth, energy transition, and long-horizon business building. Velto recognizes him for connecting strategic leadership with industrial relevance in sectors shaping the future of sustainable infrastructure.

Daniel Brown is a co-founder of Flix and an executive known for building large-scale mobility and organizational systems across international markets. Velto recognizes him for translating digital business architecture, strategic growth, and execution discipline into a category-defining company.

Anne Boden is the founder of Starling Bank and a fintech leader known for building digital banking around clarity, usability, and operational discipline. Velto recognizes her for combining strategic business growth with technology-led change in financial services.

Daniel Ek is the founder and executive chairman of Spotify, one of Europe’s most influential digital platforms. Velto recognizes him for building a technology-driven business that reshaped how digital products scale globally through data, platform design, and long-term strategic execution.

Sebastian Siemiatkowski is the co-founder and CEO of Klarna, where he has led the company’s international expansion across payments, retail, and financial technology. Velto recognizes him for combining strategic growth, operational scale, and category-defining market leadership.

Roman Makeev is a game architect whose work has contributed to the evolution of mobile open-world multiplayer games. As the creator and driving force behind Grand Hustle, one of the first free-to-play GTA-like open-world experiences on mobile, he introduced a scalable online world that influenced the direction of the genre. Velto recognizes him for Excellence in Mobile Multiplayer Design, acknowledging his outstanding contribution to innovation in mobile multiplayer game development.

Ilkka Paananen is the CEO and co-founder of Supercell, a global digital entertainment company known for scalable products and disciplined long-term growth. Velto recognizes him for building technology-led businesses with strong product vision, international relevance, and sustainable execution.

Taavet Hinrikus is an entrepreneur and investor best known for co-founding Wise and helping build one of Europe’s strongest international fintech businesses. Velto recognizes him for cross-border business strategy, category disruption, and durable entrepreneurial execution.

Timo Rein is the co-founder and president of Pipedrive, a CRM platform built around practical sales performance and scalable business growth. Velto recognizes him for turning operational insight into a globally relevant SaaS business with strong commercial clarity.

Altair Jilgildiyev is an industrial safety and energy sector expert with 20+ years leading H2S hazard mitigation, gas detection, and emergency response across high-risk oil and gas operations. As Regional Executive Manager for MSA — The Safety Company across Central Asia and the Caspian, he has deployed U.S.-origin safety technologies alongside operators including Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Shell. Velto recognizes him for advancing workforce protection and operational safety in mission-critical energy environments.

Julian Teicke is a founder and investor who has built and scaled multiple venture-backed businesses across insurance, technology, and startup development. Velto recognizes him for strategic company building, market expansion, and long-term business leadership.

Verena Pausder is a German entrepreneur and investor working across innovation, education, and future-focused business development. Velto recognizes her for leadership that connects entrepreneurship, ecosystem building, and long-horizon strategic relevance.

Thomas Plantenga is the CEO of Vinted, where he has led the growth of one of Europe’s strongest circular marketplace businesses. Velto recognizes him for creating scalable consumer platforms built around smarter usage, stronger value creation, and sustainable market behavior.

Pip Murray is the founder and CEO of Pip & Nut, a consumer brand built around product quality, brand identity, and responsible growth. Velto recognizes her for combining category innovation, consumer trust, and modern business execution in a highly competitive market.

Sacha Michaud is a co-founder of Glovo and an entrepreneur with extensive experience in digital marketplaces and international scaling. Velto recognizes him for building high-growth platform businesses through market expansion, operational structure, and strong strategic positioning.

Janie Parker is a senior operations leader with deep experience in global supply, manufacturing strategy, and process optimization. Velto recognizes her for combining operational excellence, strategic transformation, and execution discipline in business environments where scale and reliability are essential.

Olivier Colliou is a U.S.-based executive working at the intersection of connected health technology, device innovation, and product engineering. Velto recognizes him for turning complex technical development into practical digital health solutions with clear business and user relevance.

Kavya Marupaka is a U.S.-based product-focused professional with experience in business analysis, delivery structure, and cross-functional coordination. Velto recognizes her for supporting digital initiatives through strong analytical discipline, product alignment, and practical execution.

Kumar Persaud is an engineering and manufacturing leader in advanced technology production, with experience in optical systems and high-precision operations. Velto recognizes him for maintaining operational quality and technical consistency in environments where innovation depends on execution rigor.

Jillian Foley is a U.S.-based project leader working on environmental and infrastructure-related delivery with a practical, execution-focused mindset. Velto recognizes her for bringing structure, accountability, and sustainable project coordination to work that depends on reliable outcomes.

Justin Weber is a financial investigations and forensic accounting professional working on complex business matters that require analytical precision and disciplined review. Velto recognizes him for contributing strategic financial clarity and trusted expertise in environments where evidence, detail, and sound judgment are critical.