International Leadership Summit

Susi O’Neill works at the intersection of emerging technologies and communications, helping forward-thinking leaders build trust so tech adoption works for people and business.

She delivers keynotes, podcasts and workshops for brands like Bank of America, Swift and Finastra. Recognized as one of the top 50 global women in content, she’s authored whitepapers on frontier tech, cybersecurity, digital twins and women in AI. She shares insights through her newsletter and podcast, Rethinking The Hype Cycle.

She brings clarity, humor and real-world perspective to help leaders move past the hype and lead with confidence.

As a record-breaking polar explorer, Ben Saunders learned early that success in the world’s most unforgiving environments has less to do with heroics and more to do with leadership, preparation, and trust. Those hard-earned lessons—facing fear, self-doubt, and relentless adversity while pursuing goals few believe are possible—are what define him today as Founder & CEO of Arctic Research and Development, where he continues to lead teams through uncertainty. On stage, Ben draws directly from these experiences, connecting polar expeditions to the real challenges faced by leaders and organizations around the world.

Ben’s achievements as a polar explorer sit at the outer limits of human endeavor: he holds the unbroken world record for the longest human-powered polar journey in history, a 108-day, 1,800-mile return journey to the South Pole (69 consecutive marathons, dragging 200kg/440lbs of supplies). He’s the youngest person to ski solo to the North Pole, spending 72 days alone on the Arctic Ocean in the worst conditions in 25 years, and the third person in history to ski solo to both poles.

Despite these extremes, Ben describes his record journey as “a tough camping trip,” reflecting the understated humor and honesty that define his leadership style and make him an exceptional speaker. He often notes that he “spent more time in spreadsheets than on skis for twenty years,” meticulously planning for trips. That discipline prepared him for his next frontier: building and leading a fast-growing, venture-backed technology company. Today, as CEO, Ben applies the same expedition-tested principles of controlling the controllables, learning through failure, and taking risks.

Labeled a “Master Storyteller” by TED, his three main-stage talks have been viewed over five million times. Through stunning visuals and real-time journal entries, he takes audiences into the unknown — and shows them surprising parallels to their own challenges. His combination of achievement and authenticity helps organizations of all sizes unlock their own potential.

China expert Fred Sengers (1968) is a publicist, speaker, and moderator. He is a frequent guest on radio and television when it comes to providing context and analysis of news from China. He publishes background articles, writes columns and opinion pieces, and gives guest lectures at universities and universities of applied sciences. In addition, he is a highly valued moderator and speaker at conferences and seminars. Last year, his book Journey Through China in 48 Days was published.

Blake Bozeman, MAS, serves as Vice President of Sales at SAGE Quick Technologies, where he leads both distributor and supplier sales teams, driving strategic growth and alignment across all channels for overall success. Known for his collaborative leadership style and results-driven approach, Blake has built a reputation for strengthening partnerships, accelerating revenue, and delivering meaningful value to staff, members, and customers. With more than two decades of experience in the promotional products industry, Blake brings a well-rounded perspective shaped by roles spanning in sales management, business development, and association leadership. Prior to joining SAGE in 2014, he held key positions with PPAI and a leading industry supplier, giving him unique insight into the challenges and opportunities across all sides of the industry. A passionate advocate for innovation, relationship building, and the continued evolution of the promotional products space.

Alistair Mylchreest is Strategy Director at Sourcing City, right at the centre of the UK promotional merchandise industry. 

He’s spent over 20 years helping businesses grow across print-on-demand, promotional products, and e-commerce tech, including senior roles at Kornit Digital, where he worked across international markets, scaling demand and building commercially effective go-to-market strategies. 

Today, he leads strategy at Sourcing City, focusing on how data, software, and industry networks come together to drive smarter, faster ways of sourcing and selling. 

He’s known for cutting through the noise, focusing on what actually works, and occasionally saying the thing everyone else is politely avoiding. 

Elizabeth Wimbush is PPAI’s first-ever Director of Sustainability & Responsibility, bringing over a decade of experience from her days at Canadian distributors Rightsleeve and Genumark, where she led supply chain, sustainability and vendor management. Before joining the promo world, she ran a fair-trade organic cafe & bakery in Toronto that prioritized community and minimizing waste. When she’s not supporting members in their sustainability journeys she’s probably outside - on a motorcycle, in the ocean or learning how to be the best beekeeper these pollinators could ask for.    

Richard Davis is the CEO and co-founder of 51toCarbonZero, a venture backed climate technology platform that empowers companies to set, accelerate, and deliver their carbon strategies. 

With more than 20 years of experience, Richard has been at the forefront of embedding sustainability into core business strategy. He has advised global brands – including LVMH, Carrefour, GSK, Renault-Trucks and MoMa  – on building impactful sustainability programs that align commercial performance with environmental responsibility. 

Before launching 51toCarbonZero, Richard was the Global Chief of Business Strategy at Dentsu, a Nikkei-listed communications giant, where he led strategic transformation across multiple markets. 

Richard holds a postgraduate qualification in Sustainable Business from the University of Cambridge (2009) and an MBA from Bayes Business School in London (2012).  

He lives in London with his wife and two children and grew up in Milan enjoying what he believes is the best coffee on the planet. 

Caspar ter Horst is co-founder of ProductIP,  where he connects innovation, regulation, and real-world execution across European markets. With a sharp eye for product compliance and a deep understanding of non-food consumer goods, he helps businesses navigate complexity and turn regulatory challenges into competitive advantage. Known for his energetic and thought-provoking style, Caspar brings a unique mix of strategic insight, practical experience, and humor to the stage—challenging audiences to rethink how products, partnerships, and ecosystems evolve in a rapidly changing world. 

Florence Mosnier is the General Manager of the IPPAG Cooperative, a global network of leading branded merchandise companies spanning 35 countries. She has supported and guided this international community for over 15 years, giving her a unique 360° understanding of the industry: from suppliers to distributors to end-clients. At IPPAG, she leads the development of the group’s vision, governance, and collaborative initiatives, with a strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and member engagement. She has been instrumental in positioning IPPAG member companies as industry Changemakers, launching ambitious programs such as the “Better Life Circle” product guidance initiative, designed to support IPPAG members and partners in navigating ESG challenges and opportunities. Florence is known for her ability to bridge business performance with humancentred leadership, creating the conditions for meaningful exchange and long-term impact across a diverse, global community.

Will started his career in Russia working on events and raves, moved into the agency world working with the likes of Burger King, Disney, Unilever, Diageo, Coca-Cola, across PR, retail, experiential shopper, CX, commerce and brand activation with Exposure, Draft, Ogilvy, Geometry, VML and WPP.   

Now Global CEO of Prominate Group, where Merch is Magic! All about to helping those around him aim higher and go further. 

Dropped out of school aged nine. Fired by McDonald’s at sixteen. If failure is the route to success, Will Rust got off to a flying start. Somewhere along the way Will discovered that creativity was the only thing he was any good at, and he’s never really stopped. 

Thirty years later he’s led agencies and brand teams across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Built brands from scratch. Rebuilt ones that had lost their way. Made some work he’s genuinely proud of, and won a few shiny things along the way. Right now he’s Chief Creative Officer at Prominate Group, one of the world’s largest branded merchandise networks.  

People are exhausted by screens. They’re drowning in AI-generated content that looks polished and means nothing. The answer isn’t better targeting. It’s physicality. A beautifully made object, worn or carried or kept, is a cultural signal. It earns its place in someone’s life rather than interrupting it.  

He’s also a UEFA licensed football coach. He manages a team of local teenage boys, which has taught him more about leadership than any boardroom ever has. 

Melissa is the Chief Marketing Officer for PPAI. She has held global leadership roles across go-to-market strategy, brand development, value creation, innovation and partnerships in a variety of industries. In addition to her roles within two different promotional products suppliers, she has also worked with well-known brands developing advertising campaigns and marketing strategies. She previously served as an at-large director on the PPAI Board from 2022 to 2024 and prior to that, the PPAI Strategic Foresight and Promotional Products Education Foundation committees.  A versatile leader who is experienced leading through successful change transformations, including rebranding and acquisitions, she’s keenly focused on stakeholder engagement with a collaborative approach.

Ralf Uwe Schneider, Gesamtverband der Werbeartikelwirtschaft e.V. (GWW), Managing Director. Having worked in the promotional products industry since 1992, he has gained experience and expertise in management roles across virtually all key players in the sector – including small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations, as a distributor, German manufacturer and importer/decorator, and within the PSI network – which he now applies to the successful development of the German and European trade association landscape.

I was almost born in the industry! My parents actually created their company when i was 5, and i enjoyed discovering new innovative and incredible products every time they came back from business fairs! I joined the company +30 years ago straight after my business school and have been enjoying it ever since. I’ve always had a foot into innovation, registered several models and patents, and developing IT solutions. Over the last years, as one of the Directors and co founders of Synneo, the leading promotional product Agency in France, I‘ve been mainly in charge of CSR, Business Development, and Al. 

Tom Robey, British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA), where he leads on events, research, and member engagement. He specializes in bringing the industry together—delivering insights, experiences, and initiatives that support growth for both suppliers and distributors. Passionate about collaboration, Tom is focused on strengthening the UK promotional merchandise community. 

Vicki Ostrom is a foresight strategist, futurist, and trend analyst who helps organizations translate signals of change into future-ready strategy. Her work sits at the intersection of strategic foresight, trend intelligence, and innovation, helping leaders move beyond trend reporting to make stronger product, brand, and business decisions. 

Known for connecting macro shifts—such as sustainability, AI, changing consumer behavior, and global instability—to practical commercial action, Vicki brings a systems-level lens to identifying emerging opportunities and building long-term relevance. Her approach combines pattern recognition, scenario thinking, and futures-based frameworks that help organizations grow because of change—not despite it. 

She is a supporting member of the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies and is continuing her studies in strategic foresight through Hyper Island in collaboration with CIFS. Vicki regularly works with leaders and teams to turn insight into action—transforming signals into sales and strategy into future readiness. 

Ellen Tucker, CAE, MAS, is the Vice President of Revenue and Expositions at PPAI and has been with the Association for over 10 years.  She spearheads PPAI’s entire revenue stream, oversees professional development initiatives and orchestrates the industry’s largest trade show, The PPAI Expo.

Samantha Kates is a seasoned executive with a passion for driving transformation, building highperforming teams, and elevating brand experiences. As President of Spector & Co., one of the industry’s leading suppliers, she oversees sales, customer service, marketing, and product development, guiding the company through a period of bold evolution and renewed focus on customer connection. 

With over two decades of experience in the promotional products space, Samantha has held senior leadership roles at companies across the industry spectrum—from suppliers to platforms to distributors—including commonsku, Charles River Apparel, and iPROMOTEu. Her deep understanding of the market and her relentless focus on strategic growth have made her a respected voice across the industry. 

Samantha joined Spector & Co. in 2022 as Chief Sales Officer and was promoted to President in 2024. 

As a newly elected PPAI Board member, Samantha brings a strong operational mindset, a clear vision for the future, and a deep belief in the power of this industry to connect, inspire, and grow.