Achieving Business Success
through Creativity
“
OFFICIAL EVENT OF
GLOBAL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WEEK
Happiness is not in the mere possession of
money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the
thrill of creative effort.
”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Inauguration Day, 1933
Creativity, a quality more traditionally
associated with artistic endeavours, has
been slow to find its acknowledged place in
the business world. Yet any entrepreneur can
attest to the creative power required to build
an organisation where none existed before.
But if creativity is integral to business, and to
entrepreneurship in particular, how exactly
does it occur? Where does this unicornlike creature come from, and what exotic
conditions will help it thrive in captivity?
In this time of ongoing uncertainty and
change, it’s become clear that creativity is
an important key for successfully navigating
the emerging paradigm of work. The new
paradigm is based on new foundations principles; values; belief systems; ways of
thinking, perceiving and interacting; and
whole-brain practices.
New ideas, innovations, inventions, systems
and structures depend on accessing and
intelligently applying new levels of creativity.
At this day-long event, we will explore and
experience multiple dimensions of applied
creativity for thriving in the new world of
work.
This one of a kind conference is for
entrepreneurs, leaders, executives, managers,
facilitators, trainers, HR practitioners,
consultants, coaches and anyone who wants
to be more innovative, adaptive, resilient and
expressive in the changing world of work or
facilitate that for others.
Organised by:
In collaboration with: The Edward de Bono
Institute for the Design & Development of Thinking
www.leadevents.com.mt
Achieving Business Success
through Creativity
OFFICIAL EVENT OF
GLOBAL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WEEK
As the global economy continues in its uncertain ways, with businesses struggling to stay afloat, it is clear
that creativity is the driver for them to emerge successful and thrive. Creativity is applied to the principles
and values, manner of thinking and work processes design.
During this day-conference, we will discuss and explore the various aspects of creativity as it is applied to
this new environment in which businesses operate.
We invite you to join our prestigious panel of speakers made up of leaders in creative thinking and innovation
as applied to organization change and development, the use of social media and leadership style.
The event will focus on:
•
Triggering and using creativity at the workplace as individuals, business units and organization-wide;
•
Designing organization structures to encourage creativity and innovation;
•
Applying creativity in practice.
We have planned a day that is full of activities which will put you in creative-thinking mode, through
discussion, learning, discovering, networking and collaborating. We promise that you will leave the
event in a creative frame of mind and eager to apply these thought processes at the workplace.
Organised by:
In collaboration with: The Edward de Bono
Institute for the Design & Development of Thinking
www.leadevents.com.mt
Achieving Business Success
through Creativity
OFFICIAL EVENT OF
GLOBAL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WEEK
AGENDA
09:15
Welcome Message
09:30
Key Note Speech - Creativity and Innovation Management
10:00
Presentation - Trust in Creativity
10:30
Networking coffee break
11:00
Panel Discussion - Creativity in Business
12:00
Networking Lunch
13:00
Energiser Session
13:30
Break Out Session 1
Norman Cristina, LEAD Events
Leonie Baldacchino, University of Malta
Dr. Sandra Dingli - Senior Lecturer and Director of The Edward de Bono Institute
Michaela M. Reiter
Doing the Indispensable: Creativity in Business
Shirley Pulis Xerxen & Margaret Mangion 14:45
Alex Grech, Strategy Works
Break Out Session 2
Musical concepts applied to business
Norman Cristina, LEAD Events
16:00
Re-thinking social media
Business outside the box - Some lateral
perspectives - Joseph Woods, EuroMed Connect
Close of Conference
Organised by:
In collaboration with: The Edward de Bono
Institute for the Design & Development of Thinking
www.leadevents.com.mt
Achieving Business Success
through Creativity
OFFICIAL EVENT OF
GLOBAL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WEEK
SPEAKERS
ALEX GRECH
Alex Grech is a business strategist, change agent and academic. After qualifying as a Chartered
Accountant from the London School of Accountancy, Alex held senior management positions
within the European HQs of Reuters and Hitachi Data Systems. Over a 10-year period, Alex
gained significant change management experience in technology and cross-border projects
in Europe and the USA. In Autumn 1994, Alex joined MEU, the consultancy organisation
attached to the Office of the Prime Minister. As a Managing Consultant, Alex developed and
implemented change programmes in cultural heritage, tourism, public infrastructure and
telecoms. After serving as Director Strategic Business Development at Go between 1998 and
1999, Alex set up StrategyWorks, a boutique management consulting firm.
Over the past 12 years, Alex has advised CEOs, CIOs and senior managers in multinationals, public organisations, corporates and
internet start-ups primarily in the ICT, Telecoms, Education, Tourism & Culture sectors. Alex was also the founding Chairman
of Heritage Malta and has recently been working on Valletta’s bid for the European Capital of Culture in 2018. Alex is currently
completing doctoral research on social media and power at the University of Hull. He is a member of Rheingold U, the online
co-learning network set up by Internet visionary Howard Rheingold.
Brenda murphy
Dr Brenda Murphy is Senior Lecturer at the University of Malta. She supports student research
& runs academic & practical study units across several disciplines (e.g. Creativity & Innovation,
Media & Cultural Studies, Sociology, Psychology etc.) & in several Faculties, at undergraduate &
postgraduate levels. She also runs training courses in professional development for Advertising
professionals & other Media practitioners around gender issues in the media industry.
Born in Irel&, & educated in Irel& & London, she has worked in the advertising industry in London
& Dublin, has been an invited speaker at International Advertising Association’s [IAA] (Malta)
& has chaired the Gender Advisory Committee at the Malta Broadcasting Authority.She is a
member of European Network of Equal Opportunities in Broadcasting (EON), an EU network on
equality in the media, & is a member of ECREA (European Communication Research &Education
Association).
cathy Farlam
From the earliest days of her career, Cathy was going to build new projects – she was a lecturer
in fine art at the University of Cape Town and was the first artist ever to manage negotiating
the use of the famous Cape Town Castle as a venue for an exhibition. It was towards the end of
apartheid and Cathy reframed the venue’s use to the bewilderment of its military occupiers!
She is a co-founder of Omnicor Africa and now, Omnicor Europe and whilst other pregnant
women were learning to breathe, she was writing psychometric exams so that she could
understand the things she was selling a little better. She has a Masters degree in Philosophy
of Art, double Honours degrees in Art and Psychology and is one of the fastest readers we’ve
ever seen (faster now that she has a Kindle!). A self-confessed luddite, she has become an
expert in competency applications and various other technical areas, all without ever a nice
word about her computer!
Organised by:
In collaboration with: The Edward de Bono
Institute for the Design & Development of Thinking
www.leadevents.com.mt
Achieving Business Success
through Creativity
OFFICIAL EVENT OF
GLOBAL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WEEK
david xuereb
David Xuereb Graduated from the University of Malta in Architecture and Civil Engineering in
1991 and then from the Imperial College, University of London in Structural Engineering in
1993.
He is the founder of the professional practice David Xuereb & Associates and is today the
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Q.P.Management, a professional organization
that provides all round professional services to the Built Environment in Malta, Africa, Europe
and the Middle East including Architecture, Design, Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical
and Environmental engineering, Design, Project and Cost management .
David lectures at the University of Malta, is a director of the Building Industry Consultative Council (BICC), Council Member of
the Chamber of Commerce Enterprise and Industry and Chairperson of the Chamber’s Energy and Environment Committee
concerned with areas of energy policies, resource conservation and renewable resources, waste management, resource
management etc.. David is also a Council member of the Malta Climate Change Adaptation Consultative Committee and a
board member in a Foundation for Education school and a Trustee at the Foundation Vincenzo Bugeja.
JAMES GRECH
James Grech is managing partner of Insight Internal Auditors, a small firm specialised in
providing internal auditing services to private & public entities.
James graduated with a Bachelor of Accountancy (Honours) degree from the University of
Malta in 2003. James is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a practising certificate for
external audits. He is also qualified as Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) & member
of ISACA. James is also a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and member of the Institute of Internal
Auditing (US).
James has a passion for continuous education and networking and has considerable experience in organising industry-specific
conferences and other specialised professional events and workshops. James has attracted a small complement of people
forming the dynamic team of LEAD Events. James inspires the people around him to be fully committed, creatively inspired
lateral thinkers who willingly tag themselves to their clients operations and immerse themselves in the assignments they have.
jeffrey romano
As part of his Masters’ dissertation, Jeffrey has recently interviewed over 20 professionals
involved in finance on the perception of Creativity and Innovation in Malta’s financial
services industry.
As a professional Jeffrey has been involved in the start-up phase of an open innovation
network. In addition, he is the owner of the Business Professionals in Malta brand and
operates as the community’s moderator. Jeffrey is also the Marketing manager of Clever
Solutions Ltd, a family-owned IT Solutions company.
Organised by:
In collaboration with: The Edward de Bono
Institute for the Design & Development of Thinking
www.leadevents.com.mt
Achieving Business Success
through Creativity
OFFICIAL EVENT OF
GLOBAL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WEEK
JOSEPH wOODS
Joseph G. Woods has over 25 years of experience in providing training and business
development consultancy services to various public, private sector and voluntary
organizations both in Malta and Europe. From 2004 to 2011 he worked at the World Centre
for New thinking, a Foundation set-up by Dr. Edward de bono the developer of lateral
thinking. In 2009 he was one of the keynote speakers at the closing conference of the
European Year for Creativity and Innovation in Stockholm, Sweden.
He has conducted training in creative thinking in Italy, Latvia,Bulgaria, Poland and Malta.
Apart from providing training he is also very active in European Union projects and has
developed project concepts which were eventually funded.
Leonie Baldacchino
Leonie Baldacchino graduated from the University of Malta with an Honours Degree in
Psychology, followed by a Distinction for a Master of Arts in Creativity and Innovation.
At present she is reading for a PhD in Entrepreneurship at Warwick University Business School
(UK), as well as lecturing on entrepreneurship, psychology, creativity and innovation at The
Edward de Bono Institute for the Design and Development of Thinking, University of Malta. She
is involved in the coordination and organisation of various entrepreneurship-related incentives
at University of Malta, including the Global Entrepreneurship Week hosted locally by The
Edward de Bono Institute, and the Entrepreneurship stream on the Degree Plus programme.
Leonie has lectured on creative thinking and entrepreneurship at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, and has
delivered numerous presentations and workshops on entrepreneurship, opportunity identification, creativity and innovation
to a variety of organisations.
mARGARET MANGION
Dr. Margaret Mangion lectures in creativity and innovation at the Edward de Bono Institute
for the Design and Development of Thinking at the University of Malta. Prior to joining the
University of Malta, Dr. Mangion held various posts in the private sector and the public
sector. Her work experience was further enhanced through employment at a global Blue
Chip company in England.
She read for her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Communication Studies at the
University of Malta which she followed with a Post Graduate Certificate in Education. After
starting her teaching career, Dr. Mangion pursued an MBA at the Maastricht School of
Management. She has completed a doctorate in social sciences at the University of Leicester.
Organised by:
In collaboration with: The Edward de Bono
Institute for the Design & Development of Thinking
www.leadevents.com.mt
Achieving Business Success
through Creativity
OFFICIAL EVENT OF
GLOBAL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WEEK
Michaela Reiter
Ms. Michaela Reiter graduated from the Johannes Kepler University Linz in 2011 with a
degree in Business and Economics and another degree in Social Economics.
At present she is reading a Master in Creativity and Innovation at the Edward de Bono
Institute for the Design and Development of Thinking at the University of Malta. Her field of
research for her Master Dissertation is the impact of active trust-building on group creativity
in organisational settings.
NORMAN CRISTINA
Despite being a full sciences student, Norman Cristina exposed himself to the major areas of
“languages”, “the arts” as well as “finance” right from teen age years; with a complimenting
interest in history and geography that remained present over time, and served well at the
right moments.
From the side-lines, Music (the most international language) and its education took on a
more prominent role in Norman’s life, around the turn of the century, launching him into the
education sector with the other subject areas to support a rich and open-minded approach
to the main subject and to life.
As of recent years, besides growing his personal private-tuition within Music, for which he operates a singular philosophy of
tailor-made music study programmes and lessons on location, Norman also extended his work experience to include dramateaching, kids-entertainment, company profile writing, the development of lectures and/or workshops (with a focus on Music)
and games for themed events.
PETER GRECH
Peter started BRND WGN from a spare bedroom on the 4th of July 2006, after resigning as
Group Head of Marketing for a leading winery.
As Head of Strategy he can be mostly found dashing in and out of presentations and meetings
on his motor bike or Toyota iQ. He is allergic to ties, suits and lactose and is addicted to
calling spontaneous meetings which everybody hates him for. He loves chocolate, interior
design and power tools and has recently taken up diving.
Peter has a brother and three sisters, is married to a half Swede and has two fear-less kids.
Organised by:
In collaboration with: The Edward de Bono
Institute for the Design & Development of Thinking
www.leadevents.com.mt
Achieving Business Success
through Creativity
OFFICIAL EVENT OF
GLOBAL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WEEK
Dr Sandra M. Dingli
Dr Sandra M. Dingli is Director of The Edward de Bono Institute for the Design and
Development of Thinking at the University of Malta. As a Senior Lecturer she conducts
workshops and delivers lectures on creativity and innovation management, foresight, the
de Bono thinking techniques, philosophy of mind and philosophy of artificial intelligence
to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Sandra was instrumental in setting up the
Institute in collaboration with Professor Edward de Bono in October 1992. She has been
invited to various countries to deliver presentations and workshops. These include Malaysia,
Finland, the United Kingdom, France, Denmark and Slovenia.
In 2004 Sandra designed and launched a new postgraduate degree, a Master in Creativity
and Innovation, at the University of Malta (www.um.edu.mt/create). Sandra has organised
five International Conferences on Creative Thinking at the University of Malta.
SHIRELY PULIS XERXEN
Ms Shirley Pulis Xerxen obtained a Master of Arts in Creativity and Innovation from the
University of Malta.
Shirley currently lectures at the University of Malta on thinking systems and innovation,
creativity and entrepreneurship and is a visiting lecturer at the Euromed Management
school in France.
Shirley’s work experience includes seven years teaching thinking in Maltese State schools and
regularly provides workshops and training in creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship
with diverse local and international organizations, including NGO’s, Local Councils, schools
and other private corporations. Shirley is currently reading for a PhD in management studies
at the University of Exeter.
Organised by:
In collaboration with: The Edward de Bono
Institute for the Design & Development of Thinking
www.leadevents.com.mt