11 November 2025
The 3rd Coaching & Mentoring Conference in Cyprus
Royal Hall | Nicosia | 08:30 - 14:00
Speakers & Sessions
Culture Shift: From "Know-it-All" to "Learn-it-All" - Coaching as the Engine of Transformation
Aga Bajer
Founder and CEO, CultureBrained®
In a world where the pace of change outstrips the pace of learning, “Know-it-All” cultures have become a liability. They reward certainty over curiosity, expertise over adaptability, and being right over getting better.
For years, organisations have tried to respond by building a “learning mindset” in individuals. Yet even the most growth-minded person will default to self-protection if the wider culture doesn’t support curiosity, risk-taking, and experimentation.
The organisations that will thrive are those able to shift from “Know-it-All” to “Learn-it-All” cultures — where questions matter as much as answers, feedback fuels progress, and mistakes are treated as data, not verdicts.
Coaching is a catalyst for that shift. Beyond one-to-one development, it acts as a cultural engine that rewires how people think, interact, and grow together — making learning constant, curiosity contagious, and adaptability the norm.
Meet Aga Bajer
Aga is a culture strategist, the founder of CultureBrained®, the author of Building and Sustaining a Coaching Culture, and the creator and host of the CultureLab Podcast. For the past 20 years, she has helped organisations pay attention to their culture in ways that deliver meaningful results. From VC-backed start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, Aga has supported leaders to cultivate cultures that scale and enable people to do the best work of their careers. Her career includes senior roles with HayGroup, Korn Ferry, and PwC, before founding her own firm focused on culture work.
Having lived the start-up, scale-up and corporate worlds as both a leadership team member and a founder, Aga brings first-hand experience to her practice. Today, she helps organisations codify, activate and evolve their Culture Playbooks—creating environments where the right culture emerges naturally, by choice rather than by chance.
Evolving Perspectives on Coaching, Leadership & Organisations: What Cyprus might learn from Ireland
by Dr. Colm Murphy
Executive Coach and Team Coach, Praesta Ireland
Using case studies from Ireland of a large semi-state body, an international law firm, and a hotel chain, Colm traces the evolution of leadership over the past 10 years and the role of coaching in that journey. He will highlight how these organisations have leveraged coaching in different ways, as well as share his own development as a coach. While geographically distant, Ireland and Cyprus share similar characteristics in terms of size, historically influential neighbours, and patterns of economic growth. This session offers valuable insights for business leaders, HR professionals, and coaches to apply in their own roles.
Meet Dr. Colm Murphy
Dr. Colm Murphy is an accredited Master Practitioner Coach and Team Coach (EMCC) from Dublin, Ireland, with over twenty years’ experience of designing and delivering coaching and team coaching to global clients across the public and private sectors. He is a partner in Praesta Ireland. Colm is also a member of the faculty at Smurfit Executive Development, University College Dublin, where he teaches on team performance, leadership and coaching. He is an AoEC faculty member on the Systemic Team Coaching Diploma.
Colm has a special interest in team dynamics and completed his Doctoral research on the contribution of team coaching to team effectiveness. He is co-editor of the ‘Team Coaching Casebook’ (Open University Press) and led the global work stream on Team Coaching Accreditation for the EMCC.
The transformational power of attention: Coaching in a Thinking Environment
by Jane Adshead-Grant
Executive Coach | Facilitator | Speaker
In this 30-minute talk, Jane will share her personal journey into coaching and how the Thinking Environment, pioneered by Nancy Kline, has shaped not only her coaching practice but her life as a leader, mother, and facilitator.
In a world overflowing with information and interruption, Jane believes what people want most is to be seen, heard, and understood. This speech will explore how we, as coaches and leaders, can create the conditions for others to think clearly and originally for themselves by offering the rare and powerful gift of generative attention.
This is a session to get inspired, with practical takeaways around four key components of the Thinking Environment: Attention, Equality, Ease, and Appreciation. Real client stories and personal reflections will bring these to life.
The Transformative Power of Generative Attention - In Action
Post-conference workshop by Jane Adshead-Grant (same day; same venue at 14:15)
An invitation to witness the impact of generative attention in practise. During this 60-minute session you will:
- Experience the giving and receiving of generative attention
- Discover practical applications of rounds, thinking pairs and dialogue
- Consider how you can create the conditions for the finest independent thinking in others and yourself
Meet Jane Adshead-Grant
Jane is a master credited coach and global faculty member with Time to Think. Jane brings the thinking environment to life for others through her teaching all courses to the qualifying level and offers supervision to thinking environment practitioners.
Jane has over 35 years’ experience within people focused roles in professional and financial services. Her experience includes Director of her own coaching practice, and HR Executive within European and US Investment Banks and an International Law Firm where she was responsible for the strategy and implementation of resourcing and development of people across front line businesses. Jane’s work is
underpinned with post graduate diplomas in Human Resources Management and
Psychological Coaching. Jane is also author of "The Listening Coach – Coach yourself through the elements of listening that are critical in life business and our communities and Are you listening, or just waiting to speak? – The secret to propelling your business relationships.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeadsheadgrant/
From Teams to Systems: Leading Together in a Polycrisis World
Tania Hodgkinson
Executive & Systemic Team Coach
Naysan Firoozman
Head of Consulting & COO at Renewal Associates Ltd
In a time of polycrisis - where climate disruption, economic volatility, and social fragmentation intersect -organizations are being stretched beyond the capacity of any single team to respond. What’s needed now is not just stronger teams, but stronger systems of collaboration.
This interactive keynote introduces Systemic Team of Teams Coaching (STOTC) - an integrative approach that helps leaders and coaches build coherence, trust, and value across interdependent teams and stakeholders.
Through practical, table-based exercises, participants will experience what it means to think and act as a “team of teams.” Drawing on the Five Disciplines framework and global case examples, the session explores how to work across difference, clarify shared purpose, and shift from isolated effort to collective intelligence. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of STOTC—and a practical action to apply in your organization. Whether you’re a leader or coach, this session will challenge how you collaborate—and inspire how you lead.
Meet Tania Hodgkinson & Naysan Firoozmand
Tania Hodgkinson is a certified Senior Practitioner (EMCC) in team and individual coaching and a Systemic Transformation Partner. She works with executive teams at inflection points to reduce friction, align around purpose, and embed adaptive leadership habits. Her background includes major transformation programs across energy, transport, and finance, and contributions to Exponential Organizations 2.0, Team of Teams Coaching, and the German edition of the International Coach Federation Handbook Coach Werden.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tania-hodgkinson/
Naysan Firoozmand is a Chartered Psychologist and global leadership and OD expert with over 20 years’ experience. As Head of Consultancy and COO, he has led high value-creating teams and systemic change journeys across industries. A regular conference speaker, he combines psychological depth, strategic clarity, and a collaborative mindset to help leaders and coaches think and lead beyond silos—for long-term cultural and systemic impact.
AI Won’t Break Coaching - But It Changes the Game
Rebecca Rutschmann
AI Coaching Innovator, Viva la Coaching Co-Founder
AI isn’t breaking coaching but reshaping what coaching means. In this keynote, Rebecca Rutschmann challenges HR leaders and coaches to confront the challenges AI exposes, rethink what truly counts in coaching and learning, and how we can shape the future to lead with trust and responsibility.
Coaching Reinvented in the Age of AI: What Do We Keep, What Do We Change?
Post-conference workshop by Rebecca Rutschmann (same day; same venue at 15:30)
This interactive workshop invites you to explore how AI is not breaking but reshaping what coaching means and maybe reinventing something new. Building on Rebecca Rutschmann’s keynote, we’ll use real-world tensions such as directive vs. non-directive coaching, authenticity, empathy, access, and professional ethics as a mirror for our own assumptions.
Together, we’ll ask:
- What kind of coaching is your coaching?
- What do we need to protect, adapt, or let go of in the AI age?
- How can we lead this shift with integrity and trust?
Through guided reflection, small group dialogue, and a collaborative “AI Coaching Compass,” this workshop offers space to rethink the future of coaching together, and with responsibility. Leave with new language, clarity, and courage to shape what's next.
Meet Rebecca Rutschmann
Rebecca Rutschmann is an AI Coaching innovator specializing in the intersection of coaching and artificial intelligence. She is co-founder of Viva la Coaching Academy, where she promotes AI literacy in coaching and corporate learning and also leads the development of AI-based coaching tools with external partners. Rutschmann focuses on ethical AI integration in coaching practice and contributes to global research initiatives advancing responsible and human-centered use of AI in professional development.
GOLD SPONSOR
XM
Founded in 2009, XM is a global leader in shaping the future of online trading and driving tech-powered financial innovation. With over 1,500 experts working collaboratively across multiple offices and remote locations worldwide, the XM Group is committed to staying at the forefront of its industry.
Headquartered in Cyprus, XM drives innovation by incorporating cutting-edge technologies including AI and state-of-the-art tools, delivering exceptional services for its over 10 million clients worldwide, all while transforming the work experience for its dynamic global team.
Guided by its core values, Big. Fair. Human., XM is consistently being recognised with international distinctions, including the Investors in People Platinum accreditation and certifications from Great Place To Work®, for offering world-class benefits that prioritise both the personal and professional success of its employees. XM is thrilled to rank 3rd in the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For™ in Europe 2024 list, in the large companies' category, a remarkable achievement that reflects our commitment to creating a truly exceptional workplace experience.
SILVER SPONSORS
Bionic Electronics
Bionic Electronics is a seasoned provider of turn-key IT solutions and support to businesses across Cyprus, with over 30 years of market experience. Their expertise encompasses a vast range of technological services, ensuring businesses stay competitive through efficient technology use. They prioritize continuous training for their team, ensuring they're updated with the latest industry technologies. Bionic's journey began in 1990, and over the years, they have significantly expanded their services and partnerships with global vendors. Their commitment is reflected in their high-quality support and consultations, providing a robust foundation for their clients to achieve their business objectives.
Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus (HRDA)
The HRDA is a semi-government organisation with a tripartite Board of Directors.
MISSION: The HRDA’s mission is to create the prerequisites for the planned and systematic training and development of Cyprus´s human resources, at all levels and in all sectors, for meeting the economy´s needs within the state’s socio-economic policies.
VISION: The HRDA’s vision is the continuous enrichment of the human resources of Cyprus with the appropriate knowledge and skills, in order to respond effectively to the constantly changing conditions of the economy and the labour market and to contribute to the strengthening of the competitiveness and the increase of productivity of the enterprises/organisations.
Primetel
Primetel is a leading telecommunications provider in Cyprus, offering a comprehensive range of communication solutions to personal, business, and wholesale customers.
It provides complete solutions in mobile and fixed telephony, internet, television, and a range of innovative digital services, with over 250,000 subscribers relying on it for their communication needs, technology solutions, and entertainment.
Established in 2003, the company operates its own Next Generation Mobile Network and an extensive fiber optic network that spans all major cities in Cyprus. Additionally, Primetel owns and operates an ISO-certified Landing Station and Data Centre hosting two submarine cables, Hawk and Tamares, which connect Cyprus to the international telecommunications network.
The high-performance international network of Primetel has points-of-presence in Germany, Greece, Russia, and the United Kingdom, offering robust network connectivity, data communications, and IP-based services to its diverse clientele.
SUPPORTERS
CDBBANK
Founded in 1963, cdbbank (The Cyprus Development Bank P.C. Ltd) is today one of the country’s niche financial institutions dedicated to satisfying the needs of domestic and international clients. cdbbank offers a wide range of specialized financial services and products, designed to accommodate the sophisticated requirements of its clientele which consists of corporate and institutional clients and high net worth individuals.
The Bank’s vision is to be the reference Bank for the business community. Relying on its long-term experience and high level of expertise, cdbbank aspires to establish a long-term relationship of trust with its clients, always delivering excellence and value.
Kratis Training and Consulting Ltd
Kratis was established in 2005. The core work of Kratis comprises of Training, Consulting Services and exploitation of Research Projects and Initiatives which cover a wide range of corporate activities in diverse business sectors and industry segments. Kratis is a boutique training and consulting organization that specializes in Human Factors, Human Error and Organizational Behaviour.
We would describe our approach as very client-centered with a thorough needs analysis process, that helps us customise our services to the needs of our clients. The recent Training and Consulting engagement of Kratis worldwide reveals cooperation with plenty of reputable International and regional organisations.
Finally, Kratis has been participating in various European Union research projects since our very beginning in 2005. Our involvement in such projects has helped us a lot in expanding our knowledge in the subjects that we are involved in and we are always open in considering new revolutionary ideas.
Mentormatic
Mentormatic is an AI-powered mentoring and coaching platform supporting both structured programs and individual relationships. Grounded in entrepreneurial management and research, it delivers psychosocial-based matching, KPI-driven progress tracking, and in-app calendar and chat functionalities.
The platform ensures accountability, visibility, and traceability, benefiting mentees, mentors, and program managers alike. Mentees receive personalized insights and milestone monitoring, while mentors and coaches consolidate their practice and enhance professional development through AI-assisted self-reflection journaling and planning. Program managers gain improved onboarding and matchmaking experience, with stakeholders easily tracked on dashboards.
Trusted by organizations like SuperCharger Ventures, Bcombinator, and Impulse4Women, Mentormatic blends research-backed tools and a transparent interface to accelerate professional growth and mentoring outcomes. Its intuitive design and evidence-based approach create measurable impact, making mentoring more scalable, inclusive, and effective for individuals and organizations.
SGBCy
SGBCy has the capability of servicing its clients on a local and international scale, providing financial and advisory services to facilitate mainly individual or corporate projects outside and inside Cyprus, while still benefiting from Cyprus favourable economic environment.
Corporate and international banking is one of the core business lines that SGBCy is specialised in. SGBCy is particularly active in dealing with large, medium and small sized corporate clients, offering professional expertise in all fields of financial services, providing the most innovative global financial solutions to suit all business needs and offering also a highly diversified range of competitive services and products.
SGBCY provides high standard banking services to different range of customers (mainly high net worth individuals and corporate customers) such as fixed deposit and current accounts, business loans and overdrafts, mortgage and other loans, credit and debit cards, payments, letters of Credit and Guarantee.
We also offer the ability to manage personal and business accounts online and carry out transactions 24 hours through our secured and easy to use mobile application and online banking services.
Institutional Supporter
Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB)
The Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB) is the most representative national employer organization, politically independent, with a mission to promote and support the benefits of Cypriot businesses in Cyprus, in the European Union (EU) and internationally.