Speakers at 27th IAKS Congress

is a Political scientist who, before joining UNDESA, held managerial roles in the private sector in Italy. Bas was an advisor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was the special adviser to the Vice President of the European Commission (Franco Frattini) on human rights, democracy, and social affairs.

is former Executive Director of the German Sports Federation and has contributed numerous Sport for All programs and campaigns in over 30 countries. Bauman’s area targets participation programs and marketing. He holds a seat on the IOC Sport and Active Society Commission. In 2015, he was appointed member of the High-Level Advisory Group of the EU Sport Commissioner.

brings extensive knowledge in stadia, sports masters planning, leisure and convention design planning. Al has led the design of Bankwest Stadium, Australia’s newest rectangular stadium and designed the NSW Rugby League Training Facility at Sydney Olympic Park. Al has taken several board roles and served as a director on the Rugby Union Players Association.

is one of Canada's foremost designers of community recreation facilities and spectator sports venues.  Recently, Conrad developed a set of panel discussions dealing with swimming pools, community facilities, ice facilities, and youth/senior's facilities and programs, which are available on the IAKS website.

provides data to sport, recreation and government organisations, to shape active and healthy communities. His agency has won multiple awards and has grown across Australia and New Zealand, expanding to Canada and the US. Prior, Alex was in project management teams for a series of Commonwealth and Olympic Games, Football and Rugby World Cup bids.

has created successful public spaces across Canada and has been recognized internationally with over 80 awards, including three World Architecture Festival and five IAKS Awards. Darryl has lectured extensively on designing sport and recreation infrastructure for social impact, inclusion and accessibility, wellness, and the future of community recreation.

Javier Dávila de Eusebio is responsible for the strategic development of future sports projects for IDOM worldwide. During the planning and construction of the BAI Centre (Business & Arts International Center) in Vitoria-Gasteiz, he took care of the integrated project and construction management. In 2017, he was head of the Futur Palau Blaugrana project for FC Barcelona.

has extensive experience in delivering viable and sustainable venues and was involved in the London 2012 Olympic project and the transition of the venues for community and commercial activities. Shaun was in the UK Government’s Rio 2016 Advisory Panel, and also for Tokyo 2020 games advising on venue design and legacy planning to government representatives.

is a specialist in social space. His professional focus is community sports and recreation centres. The ambition of his design work is to bring an elevated experience to the connective spaces of his projects, regardless of type, complexity or scale.  His areas of technical expertise include accessibility, sustainability, and arena programming. He teaches in the faculty of Environmental Design at OCAD University, Toronto.

has over 25 years’ experience in the artificial turf industry. Arnoud was the co-founder of the ESTO (European Synthetic Turf Organisation) and its first chairman, and was one of the driving forces towards the merger of what is now the European Synthetic Turf Council. In 2015, Arnoud received the first AMI award for his positive contribution towards the synthetic turf industry.

specialises in indoor and outdoor sports facilities as well as stadiums and gathering spaces. The CEO of the Vienna based architecture firm Raumkunst is President of IAKS Austria and member of the UIA Sports and Leisure work program and Expert Member for Sports Facilities Construction at the Austrian Standards Institute.

is an Associate Principal at Populous in London, with a wealth of experience which includes major arena, stadia, convention centres and mixed-use sports masterplans projects in the UK, US, Europe and the Middle East, recently many of these with a focus on E-sports.

aims to make the world a better place by driving sustainability and innovation at all stages of the project, from concept to delivery. A sustainability professional with over 20 years’ experience, her noteworthy projects include Bankwest Stadium, Melbourne Park, Sydney Football Stadium, and the Darling Harbour Regeneration.

has been active in the field of sports and leisure for decades, who worked in the Netherlands before starting his venture. Paul’s expertise lies in the field sports halls and swimming pools, delivering a range of successful seminars on the topic. Currently, Paul is a member of the International Expert Circle Pools of IAKS.

is an infrastructure planning advisor with a speciality in aquatic and leisure facilities. With over 300 projects nationally, he is interested in maximising community participation and wellbeing by providing barrier-free access. Warren was involved in the planning for the 2006 Melbourne commonwealth games and the 2007 FINA World Championships.

working closely with sport governing bodies such as FINA, UCI, IAAF, and ICF, Mike has extensive knowledge of the requirements for sports facilities and is passionate about the importance of active infrastructure in towns and cities. He sits on the IAKS International Expert Aquatics Circle and is also a representative of the International Union of Architects.

is committed to designing sustainable landscapes and producing innovative designs. Elizabeth has supervised and managed the construction of urban parks and plazas, commercial projects, recreational facilities, housing for the homeless and a range of residential housing throughout New York.

brings more than 25 years of experience as an accomplished architect. Mark has worked with numerous high-profile firms in North America, including Interplan, PBK (now Arch 49), and CEI Architecture (now HDR Architecture). Recognized for his breadth of knowledge in sport and recreation design, Mark sits as Chair of the IAKS Ice Rinks Expert Circle.

develops and promotes technical sport infrastructure worldwide. His project highlights include the IIHF Ice Hockey world championships 2018 in Denmark, the largest public ice skating rinks in Moscow, and the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. Peter grew up in Sweden where he graduated from technical college. When it comes to competitive sport he has often spent his time in the water as swimmer, diver and underwater rugby player.

has a keen interest in how sports and structures can enhance cities and communities. His passion is reflected by his projects which include the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Emirates Stadium for Arsenal FC and the Olympic Stadium for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Tom has given a range of conferences around the world on the sustainability of sports and entertainment buildings.

completed his MBA and Ph.D. in economic sciences at University St.Gallen (Switzerland) and has worked for four years at strategy consultants Bain & Company in Zurich, Munich and London. In 2001, he became Managing Director of the Swiss family business Kannewischer Management AG. Stefan was appointed by Dr Thomas Bach to the IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission.

has 15 years of experience in the development and production of off-highway machinery. As an electrical engineer, he brings an enlightening perspective of electromobility and sustainability to the field of mechanical engineering. His wide-ranging expertise in the fields of mechanical engineering, hydraulics, ergonomics, electronics and electrical engineering has led to the development of future-oriented products.

is experienced in leading the design and delivery of high-profile leisure and education projects, including sports facilities that challenge traditional models to being forth innovation in the sector. An advocate for using design principles to promote healthy lifestyles and stronger communities, Irina was named a Generation 4 Change Future Leader in 2018.

manages the sports facilities in the Municipality of Gladsaxe which is located in the east of Denmark. Gladsaxe has about 70,000 inhabitants and stretches over 25 km². Holger is Vice President of the Danish Association for Sports Facilities bringing together owners, operators and managers of sports facilities in Denmark with the purpose of contributing to innovation in and the development and planning of sports facilities. Since its founding, Holger sits on the board of IAKS Nordic.

specialises in the promotion and advocacy of Sport for All and physical activity, with special insight on the topics of Active Cities and Traditional Sports and Games. Jean has been a consultant to various Sport for All initiatives in many countries and has been invited as a speaker to congresses and seminars worldwide.

was awarded Architect of Year RIBA NE Region 2015. He has been a tutor at Cardiff College of Interior Design, an RIBA awards judge and an advisor to Sport England and European Sports Governing bodies as well as Olympic Authorities. He has been responsible for some of the UK’s leading sports and leisure buildings and is dedicated to delivering long-term, high-quality solutions that inspire people to be active and enjoy themselves.

is a certified DGNB- consultant in urban development, and an expert in energy efficiency, circular design, and strategies for energy-neutrality. Lasse strengthens 3XN’s lead role in sustainability, sharpening the debate concerning urban areas. As Chairman of the Board at CradlePeople, Lasse intends to create awareness about circularity for waste-free communities around the world.

is a consultant at the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark. Casper has a master’s degree in landscape management and has 15 years of experience developing strategies and policies for outdoor facilities. Furthermore, he has been involved in a wide-scale national mapping and analysis of facilities for outdoor sports in Denmark.

is a fellow of the Canadian Socierty of Landscape Architects with over thirty-five years‘ experience in community and public realm projects. She is known for her project leadership skills, community participation processes and innovative design solutions that bring people and nature closer. Margot’s projects range from large-scale master planning to urban design projects.

is passionate about building projects creating places that are future proof and bring a communal sense. Ola’s expertise lies in building projects connected to the sports, outdoor and cultural sector. Ola has been part of advising teams for municipalities, grassroots, and sports clubs to realize their goals, creating meaningful venues for leisure pursuits.

brings an in-depth knowledge of critical functional planning requirements, which helps her to meet the diverse needs of participants ranging from world class athletes to the everyday fitness enthusiast. Colleen‘s diverse portfolio includes collegiate sports and recreation facilities across the USA. In 2020 she was named a Power Player by Sports Business Journal.

graduated in law. After working as a lawyer and a political advisor he was elected in 2019. Located in the Basque Country, northern Spain, Vitoria-Gasteiz has around 250.000 inhabitants and 14 community centres spread across the neighbourhoods. Each of them offers an extensive public cultural, sports and leisure programme.

joined BASF SE Ludwigshafen and worked in the central department for environmental protection, health and safety. Recently, Cornelia joined Morton Extrusions technology as a Managing Director, which today is part of Tarkett Sports and one of the largest producers of artificial turf fibres for sports applications worldwide.

is in charge of implementing the IOC Sustainability Strategy and the IOC Legacy Strategic Approach. With over 10 years’ of experience, Marie headed the consulting practice of the SchlumbergerSema company, now under the name ATOS, a major Olympic Games technology partner. She holds an MBA and an MSc in Management and is closely connected with the academic world. 

has been in the sport and recreation industry for 35 years. Managing facilities, parks and open space, museums and leisure services have provided him with insights into planning and facilities that are practical and realistic. Martin specializes in using synthetic sports surfaces to encourage people to be active and is recognised as one of the predominant advisors on surfaces in the world.

heads GAME’s ambitious innovation agenda centred around exploring the potential for using street sport as a catalyst for sustainable development. Before moving to the NGO sector, Marie worked for several years as a political advisor to decision-makers in Demark and European Parliament. Marie spearheaded GAME’s IAKS IOC Gold medal-winning facility GAME - Streetmekka Viborg.

is a development consultant in LOA’s Team Sports. With over 13 years, he has a wide variety of successful projects behind him. Oliver has considerable experience with advising clients, local active groups and clubs, and consulting architects and other specialists to provide innovative, creative meeting places for leisure pursuits of the present and the future.

brings 25 years of community recreation experience that focuses on the design of comprehensive spaces. Framing design solutions around social, technical, and environmental challenges, Ted strives to advance the architecture of community and recreation projects that ‘Elevate the Civic Experience’.