Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, is President and Chief Executive Officer of SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management.

With over 300,000 members in 165 countries, SHRM is the largest HR professional association in the world, impacting the lives of 115 million workers every day.

As a global leader on the future of employment, culture and leadership, Mr. Taylor is a sought-after voice on all matters affecting work, workers and the workplace. He is frequently asked to testify before Congress on critical workforce issues and authors a weekly column, “Ask HR,” in USA Today.

Mr. Taylor’s career spans over 20 years as a lawyer, human resources executive and CEO in both the not-for-profit and for-profit space. He has held senior and chief executive roles at IAC/Interactive Corp, Viacom’s Paramount Pictures and Blockbuster Entertainment Group, McGuireWoods LLC, and Compass Group USA. Most recently, Mr. Taylor was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

He is a member of the White House American Workforce Policy Advisory Board and was appointed by President Donald Trump as Chairman of the President’s Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He serves on the boards of the University of Miami, Jobs for America’s Graduates and the American Red Cross and as an adviser to Safe Streets & Second Chances. He is licensed to practice law in Florida, Illinois and Washington, D.C.

Ron Kaufman is the world’s leading educator for uplifting service performance and building service cultures. He helps leaders, teams, and organizations learn how to serve better, care more, and generate new value in the world.

Ron is author of the New York Times bestseller, “Uplifting Service! The Proven Path to Delighting Your Customers, Colleagues and Everyone Else You Meet” and 14 other books on service, business and inspiration.

Ron’s unique approaches to learning and leadership have been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review. For many years, GlobalGurus has ranked Ron the #1 Customer Service Guru in the world.

Rated one of the “Top 25 Who’s Hot” speakers by Speaker magazine, Ron presents insights and best practices from working with clients worldwide for thirty years. His energetic online and on-stage presentations and workshops have inspired millions.

He is founder of a worldwide education and consulting company that enables large and small organizations to delight customers, improve performance, distinguish brands, and build Uplifting Service cultures. In 2020, GlobalGurus ranked Uplifting Service the #1 Customer Service Development Program in the world.

Ron moved to Asia in 1990 to help Singapore Airlines and the government of Singapore create and launch a national service quality training organization.

He is a graduate of Brown University, an avid scuba diver, a founding member of Asia Professional Speakers, and was inducted into the Ultimate Frisbee Hall of Fame for spreading the sport’s “Spirit of the Game” worldwide.

Ron resides in Singapore with his wife Jen. They are committed to uplifting the spirit and practice of service and care in the present and for the future.

Marc helps the world’s biggest brands and most successful companies elevate the quality and impact of their talent. He leads transformational projects globally in industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to consumer products to technology. As the founder and President of the Talent Strategy Group, he leads the firm’s global consulting, education, executive search and publishing businesses.

Marc co-authored the Harvard Business Review Publishing best-selling book One Page Talent Management, often called the “talent management bible.” Companies worldwide apply its discipline of science-based simplicity, accountability and transparency. His most recent book 8 Steps to High Performance (Harvard Business Review Publishing) is quickly reaching best-seller status with its powerful messages about how everyone can elevate their performance.

Marc co-founded the Talent Management Institute at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. It has become the world’s most popular executive education program on talent management with more than 3,000 graduates.

Prior to forming The Talent Strategy Group, Marc served as VP, Talent Management for Avon Products and led Global Leadership Consulting Practice for Aon Hewitt. He was also SVP, Leadership Development for Bank of America and a Congressional Staff Assistant.

Marc has been published in or heard on Fast Company, Financial Times, BBC, Bloomberg Radio, Inc., Harvard Business Review, New York Post, Knowledge@Wharton radio and some of the world’s most popular podcasts. Marc publishes TalentQ magazine which he founded in 2013 to help executives make smarter decisions about how to manage talent.

Marc earned a M.B.A. from the Yale University School of Management and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington.

Achal Khanna is the CEO for SHRM India and Asia Pacific Head for Business Development. SHRM India is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), which is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management with more than 2,90,000 members worldwide.

Achal is responsible for leading the India operations of SHRM, as well as Asia Pacific operations including Middle-East. She serves on the global SHRM Leadership Team and is responsible for building the brand, expanding its business and developing professional relationships with government agencies, and other HR and business associations in the region.

Achal has over 30 years of work experience. Prior to joining SHRM, she was Managing Director for Kelly India operations; Vice President for GE; and Country Manager for Polaroid India. She has also worked with Dupont, ITC and Cosmo Group in various capacities.

She is a recipient of the “Best Women Executive in India” award.

Achal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics; a Master’s Degree in English Literature and she is an MBA from Delhi.

Mr. Holmes’ career spans over 30 years and six countries, where he has undertaken organisational consulting projects across a range of geographies and industries including: industrial, consumer and healthcare. 

In his current roles he is responsible for META, overseeing seven offices and the full spectrum of consulting services of Korn Ferry and leading the professional search & interim business across EMEA. Prior to his current position (from 2011) he was the Managing Director for Korn Ferry’s Korean business for 10 years.

Previously, Mr. Holmes was a consultant with Carre, Orban & Partners which merged with Korn Ferry in 1993 where he initially focused on the consumer goods and healthcare sectors. After the merger, he broadened his practice to cover transnational work across a range of industries in Northern Europe. Mr. Holmes has served as a resident consultant in India, Russia, Singapore and South Korea, where he was responsible for growing the Firm’s business.

During his four years as the Managing Director in Russia, Mr. Holmes successfully made Korn Ferry the leading executive search firm in the Russian market, while personally undertaking projects throughout Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, principally in the Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

Subsequently, he managed the Firm’s offices in Mumbai and New Delhi for three years as Managing Director of India. After that, he led the ASEAN practice from Singapore before moving to Seoul.

A British citizen, Mr. Holmes holds a bachelor’s degree of science (with honours) in Geology.

Abdullah ALZahrani is a passionate and innovative consultant, entrepreneur, and people enthusiast with over 18 years of diverse business experience in the Saudi market. He is the founder and CEO of Tharwah, one of the fastest growing management consulting firms in Saudi Arabia, specializing in human capital advisory services.

Abdullah has a proven track record of delivering comprehensive and customized solutions to clients in various industries, including government, semi-government, and private sector. He has expertise in areas such as talent management, organization development, change management, and psychometric assessments.

He holds a master’s degree in human resources and industrial relations and multiple professional certifications from global bodies. Abdullah’s vision is to make Tharwah the top center of expertise in human capital development services in the region, enabling clients and empowering their human capital to achieve their full potential.

Roberto Croci is currently the Director of Value Creation & Transformation at the Public Investment Fund (PIF) in Riyadh-KSA. Prior to this role, he was the Managing Director of Microsoft for Startups in the MEA region with a vision to drive innovation and develop market-defining ideas in the Middle East. He previously served as Regional Head, Google Marketing Platforms – EMEA Emerging Markets (Middle East, Turkey, Israel, Russia, Africa), having started in Google Milan & London (6 months each), then promoted and transferred to Paris & Singapore and then to Dubai. He has been Awarded and Nominated twice by Google for “Best Coaching Manager” and “Best Googler Inspiring Hero” in 2018 and 2016, respectively.

He is also an active conference speaker and panelist, especially around VC Investing and MENA Growth. He regularly speaks at prominent universities and within local school systems. Roberto is passionate about mentoring young people and helping them develop an entrepreneurial mindset to find solutions to problems they see in their community, country, or across the globe.

In his personal world, Roberto enjoys reading hardcover books, hiking, running, and spending time with his family, and he has summited K2, the second-highest mountain in the world. 

Roberto has earned his Industrial Engineering Degree from Politecnico di Milano. He also did his Master in Business and Management from Duke University in 3 locations (US, UK, Singapore). Along with this, he has earned EMBA from Harvard Business School as well focused on leadership, change, and innovation.

A resolute leader with over 12 years of proven results using operational and leadership strengths to solve specific and complex challenges through planning and implementation of strategies, structures, programs, and processes to enhance organizational culture, engagement and change readiness in alignment with the company’s mission and values. Abdulrahman is extremely talented at developing transformational initiatives in all core HR functions, including building/re-staffing organizations, standardizing performance management practices, overhauling recruiting standards, and restructuring benefits programs.

In Abdulrahman’s current role, he spends his days developing the culture, structure, and capabilities that support the next stage of growth at the Institute of Public Administration. Abdulrahman has a proven track record of diverse experience in translating a deep understanding of the business into human capital plans that build employee engagement, strengthen leader capabilities, and optimize organizational effectiveness.

With a Master of Arts degree focused on Teaching International Languages and Adult Education from California State University, Abdulrahman truly believes in the importance of continuous education and individual growth. Skilled in HR Consulting, HR Transformation, Change Management, Organizational Effectiveness & Culture, and Building Centers of Excellence.

Hilal Al Jadidi is a distinguished professional with a wealth of expertise in Human Capital Management, specializing in consulting, business development, HR strategic planning, organizational development and design, project management, and Human Resources policies and rewards. He currently serves as the Chief People & Change officer at OMRAN Group, Oman’s leading tourism development company. In this role, Hilal is instrumental in steering the development and management of the organization’s human capital, executing a robust human resources strategy that aligns with OMRAN Group’s overall business plan and strategic direction.

With nearly 2 decades of extensive experience in the field, Hilal has held pivotal roles within the Human Capital function during his tenure at Takatuf Oman, where he significantly contributed to succession planning, talent management, change management, and organizational performance improvement initiatives. His career trajectory includes working with both local and global companies across diverse industries such as Oil & Gas, Telecom, and leadership roles in consulting businesses, providing him with valuable insights and a broad spectrum of expertise.

Hilal’s academic credentials are equally progressive. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Sultan Qaboos University. Further enhancing his academic prowess, he has attained a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Management from Edinburgh Business School. Hilal is a recognized authority in his field, holding prestigious certifications such as the Senior Certified Professional (SCP-SHRM) from the Society for Human Resource Management and the Senior Professional in Human Resources International (SPHRi) from the Human Resource Certification Institute. His commitment to the field is further demonstrated by his contributions as a global item writer for the SHRM certification program for two consecutive cycles.

Under Hilal’s leadership, OMRAN Group has launched significant initiatives like the “Leadership Development Academy,” aimed at developing leaders within the tourism sector and supporting competencies in the hospitality industry. His strategic vision has also been pivotal in the success of the #IAmTourism strategy, encompassing various training and development initiatives designed to bolster Omani talent in the tourism and hospitality industries.

Hilal’s professional journey is marked by his dedication to enhancing organizational performance through innovative HR practices and his ability to adapt and lead in diverse business environments. His contributions have not only elevated the HR standards at OMRAN Group

Susan is an internationally recognized Speaker, award-winning Talent Development Expert, and Author. In the last 20+ years Susan has spoken in over 40 countries on 6 continents, developed and trained over 500 workshops and helped over 150,000 people around the world transform their personal and professional lives.

Susan specializes in Training Architecture to improve the performance of people, custom designing programs in The Art of Persuasion, Leading with Emotional Intelligence, Managing Generations in the Workplace and, Resilience, to name a few. She has worked with such organizations as Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Philips, Medronic, and SABIC to design global training programs that raise individual and organizational performance. Her experience ranges from Healthcare, Medical Devices, Banking, Mining, Pharma, Timber, Oil & Gas as well as training the Ministers of several foreign nations.

Susan is an Instructional Designer and Master Trainer. Global Training Transformation’s programs have won the CSTD Gold Award for Excellence in Training (Vendor Category) as well as having a Leadership Program custom designed for a Central Asian client named as one of the top 5 Leadership programs in the world by HR.com