Speakers
Sissi Lignou
President & CEO, AFEA Congress
IAPCO President
Board Member, Immediate Past President, HAPCO & DES
Born in Athens, Sissi Lignou brings over two decades of dynamic experience in the Meetings & Events Industry. Her professional journey began in 2001 with the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, an experience that sparked her passion for large-scale event organization. In 2004, she joined the family-owned business, AFEA Congress, where she has since risen to the role of CEO and President of the Board, leading one of Greece’s most established Professional Congress Organizers (PCOs).
Since 2021, Sissi has deepened her involvement in the global Meetings Industry, driven by a strategic vision for its future. This personal and professional commitment led to her election to the IAPCO Council in 2021, with re-election in February 2023. In February 2024, she was elected IAPCO President-Elect and formally stepped into the role of IAPCO President at the 2025 Annual Meeting & General Assembly in Taiwan, beginning a two-year term (2025–2027).
A dedicated contributor to the industry, Sissi has volunteered with IAPCO since 2010 and has played a vital role in shaping its direction.
Nationally, she has been an active leader within HAPCO & DES, Greece’s association of PCOs and Event Specialists, serving on the Council since 2007. She held the role of President for the term 2022–2025 and was re-elected to the HAPCO & DES Board in May 2025, now serving from the position of a Board Member.
She is a member of IAPCO Training Academy, and serves as IAPCO Faculty Member, speaker & mentor for various national and international bodies and committees.
Her journey reflects not only a rich professional background but also a profound enthusiasm and advocacy for the Meetings Industry—especially since 2021, when her commitment to its growth and transformation became a central focus of her career.
Nicola McGrane
CEO Conference Partners International & Event Partners, Ireland IAPCO European Director of Education, Founder & Co-chair AIPCO
Nicola McGrane is the Founder and CEO of Conference Partners International (CPI) Event Partners Ireland, organisations she established in 1998 and has since grown into two of Europe’s leading multi-award-winning PCO and event-management companies. Over 25+ years, she has delivered and overseen over 500+ international conferences across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.
Nicola is widely recognised as an influential voice in the global meetings and business-events industry. She served five years on the board of IAPCO and now holds the role of the European Regional Representative, of IAPCO’s Training Academy, shaping professional standards and talent development worldwide. She is a founding member and past chair of AIPCO, and chairperson of INCON, the global partnership of international PCO firms where she plays a central role in strategic development, best-practice sharing and international collaboration.
Known for her hands-on leadership, strategic insight and creative problem-solving, Nicola brings a values-driven approach grounded in quality, trust and integrity. Her ability to identify opportunities, elevate client ambitions and deliver complex events with precision has made her a trusted adviser to associations, corporations, universities and government bodies globally.
Mathias Posch
President, International Conference Services
Mathias Posch is the Chairman and President of International Conference Services (ICS), a global leader in professional conference management. Headquartered in Canada, ICS operates offices in the US, UK, EU, Singapore and Japan, delivering conferences in over 40 countries across six continents—and counting. Over the past 20 years, Mathias has grown ICS into a truly international player in the meetings and events industry, building a strong global team, expanding its client base worldwide, and broadening the company’s services. Under his leadership, ICS has been at the forefront of the industry, continuously evolving its conference and association management services to meet changing needs and environments, as well as delivering large virtual conferences since 2011.
A Past President of IAPCO, he currently chairs the IAPCO Accreditation Committee and serves on the Board of INCON. He also previously chaired the IAPCO Training Academy, where he played a pivotal role in shaping and designing its current education offering.
With a deeply international outlook, Mathias has lived and built businesses in North America, Europe and Asia, giving him a uniquely global perspective. A respected industry authority, he is a frequent speaker at major conferences around the world and advises scientific and medical associations on global strategy and organizational development.
Keynote Speaker
Tobias Degsell
Tobias Degsell is one of Sweden’s most popular keynote speakers, renowned for his ability to see the bigger picture through the smallest details. With analytical precision and a solution-oriented mindset, he has become a sought-after voice both in Sweden and internationally. Beyond the stage, Tobias works globally with companies and organizations, helping them break free from conventional thinking.
The session for IAPCO Edge, “Collaboration and Its Contribution to Excellence”, draws on his unique insights from the Nobel Prize and over a decade of experience across business, the public sector, and civil society.
We can’t wait to see you!
IAPCO EDGE Stockholm
18-21 January 2026
Nordic Light Hotel
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Professional Congress Organiser
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