Panelists
Mariella Camilleri
Finance expert with over 30 years of leadership experience in banking, media, and publishing. As President of Business and Professional Women (BPW) Malta and a member of Malta’s Consultative Council for Women’s Rights, she drives gender equality and international cooperation. She has led major projects in M&A, restructuring, and business growth.
Gordana Ćorić
MSc, is the owner of Festina Lente, a consultancy providing business advisory and training, and a Senior Lecturer at VERN’ University in Zagreb. She mentors in entrepreneurship incubators and holds a master’s in entrepreneurship, currently pursuing a PhD. With broad experience across Europe, she focuses on mentoring, training, and consulting in social entrepreneurship, innovation, and business ethics—supporting students, startups, and job seekers.
Marko Divjak
PhD, is an Assistant Professor and researcher at DOBA, with over 10 years of experience in teaching psychology and research methodology. His research centres on positive psychology in education. He helped shape DOBA’s online learning and psychology programs and contributes to Erasmus+ projects BE WELL and ASAP, focusing on student well-being and digital learning.
Milena Đukanović
Montenegrin electro engineer, professor, head of the SMART Innovation centre at the University of Montenegro and award-winning designer blending technology, fashion, and innovation. Through her brand Midju_accessories, Milena merges tradition with innovation by turning cultural stories into 3D-printed fashion. Her award-winning work has been showcased globally, reflecting a unique blend of technical skill and artistic vision.
Marina Letonja
Has a background in business and management with a specialization in entrepreneurship. Her research focuses on family business, women entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, startups, and the development of impactful sustainable business models. She holds an M.Sc. in accounting and a PhD in the field of family businesses and their innovativeness. She has extensive experience with national and international development and research projects and the internationalisation of HEIs
Matej Rus
A startup ecosystem leader and venture designer who helps regional startups and scaleups grow through strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking. He is the director of Venture Factory and lectures Entrepreneurship at the University of Maribor, Slovenia, contributing to the development of the Slovenian and CEE startup ecosystem.
Živa Veingerl Čič
An Associate Professor and researcher at DOBA Business School in Maribor, Slovenia, where she teaches courses in human resource management, leadership, and organizational psychology. She actively participates in international projects such as BE WELL, VR4Skills, and DIG AGE, co-developing innovative approaches to enhance digital competences, well-being, and employee development. Her work combines academic excellence with practical solutions for the challenges of the modern workplace.
Mateja Geder
The head of project office and international collaboration at DOBA Business School in Maribor, Slovenia and the coordinator of the FEM-Up and SMART project. With a strong background in managing international projects, her research and development focus includes fostering university-business collaboration, exploring innovation ecosystems, and addressing career competence development to align with labour market demands.
