Speakers

Since 2017, he has been working in the IT area at Warsaw City Hall, as a head of the Smart City Projects Unit. On a daily basis, he supervises the implementation of IT systems, in particular digital services focused on increasing the participation of residents. He manages the city’s competence center in the area of smart city, supoorting the creation of inclusive city through ICT. At the beginning of his professional career, he was associated with the e-commerce area, where he managed an interdisciplinary product team. Creator of an innovative sales channel for B2B offers in the group purchasing model. A supporter of the idea of building an open city, transparent and involving residents in the co-governance processes.

Bartosz Bartoszewicz, Deputy Mayor of Gdynia, responsible for life quality. Former Councillor of the City of Gdynia, acted also as the Mayor’s representative for NGOs. Gained his professional experience through implementation of international new technology projects.
Since 2014 he has been responsible e.g. for Gdynia’s education system widely regarded as one of the best in Poland. The above is reflected in students’ achievements, including external exam pass rate.
His responsibilities also include supervision and coordination of activities involving the so-called smart city solutions. Today, Gdynia is an extremely rapidly developing city, perceived as the leader setting standards for the smartest cities in Poland and worldwide.

Graduate of economics, project management and MBA studies (Franklin University). Certified office director (IPMA). Author of the project management policy and methodology at the City Hall, multiple laureates of awards for the best managed project in Poland. Since 2015, he has been developing the Smart City.

Michał Borek – He graduated from the Warsaw School of Economics and the University of Warsaw with a specialization in finance, global business, and management. He has been associated with the building of micromobility in Poland and in the world since 2019. Currently, he is General Manager responsible for the Polish market at Lime – a company providing sustainable transport by contributing electric scooters in over 50 polish cities. He gained his professional experience by running start-ups and working in strategic consulting, mostly in M&A in the banking sector.

Mayor of Tarnow from 1994 to 1998 and again since 2014 to date. Involved in the work of local government since 1990.
He was in the Tarnow City Council for 12 years. He was the city’s mayor from 1994 to 1998, and deputy mayor from 1998 to 2000. Since 2002, he has been a councillor of the Małopolska Province Local Government Council, its vice-chairman from 2005 to 2006, and vice-marshal of the Małopolska Province from 2007 to 2014.
Initiator of the establishment of the State Higher Vocational School in Tarnow and redevelopment of the Tarnow Market Square, Honorary Chairman of the Committee for the Construction of the Monument to the Victims of Stalinism in Tarnow (1998-2000), member of the Programme Council of the Krzysztof Penderecki European Music Centre in Lusławice (2010-2015), President of the Tarnow School Sports Association (2002-2004), Chairman of the Commander-in-chief Jan Tarnowski Foundation Board (1995-2008).
From 2002 to 2007, he was deputy director of the Małopolska Institute of Local Self-Government Administration (MISTiA) in Krakow. Since its inception on 31 August 2020, he has been an active member of the “Yes. Local Governments for Poland.”
He says of himself: “I feel I was meant for self-government, and I also know that self-government was meant for me”.

Smart City and GIS Expert. Author of blog aboutimplementation of Smart City idea in Poland. Author of blog aboutimplementation of Smart City idea in Poland – www.smartcity-expert.eu.
He hasover 10 years of experience in supportinglocaladministration in the implementation of smart technologies. He in particularspecializes in smart citystrategies, digitalspatial management, using of urban data and indicators to assess the city’s performance, ISO37120 and urbangeographicalinformationsystems. He realizedprojects in the field of Smart City Strategy, GIS, e-government, urbansustainable development, urban data analysis and visualization, for amongothers for: Kielce City Hall (winner of manyprestigiousawards for the GIS system, including the awardat the World Smart City Expo in Barcelona), Gliwice City Hall, Dabrowa Gornicza City Hall, Opole City Hall, Toruń City Hall, Urban City Lab in Łódź and Metropolis of Poznań.
As anexternalexpert, he supported the first Polish city chicho btained the ISO37120 “Sustainble Development of Communities: Indicators for City Services and Quality of Life” certificateat the platinumlevelissued by World Council on City Data
He isanauthor of scientificpublicationsamongothers: “Studies of Committee for SpatialEconomy and Regional Planning” of PolishAcademy of Sciences and “Man and Environment” and also the articles published in such magazines as The GIS Professional (USA), Przegląd Komunalny, Inteligentne Miasta i Regiony, Urbanista, Electronic Administration, CAD & GIS.
He is an assistantre search at The University of Science and Art in Katowice (Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Applied Arts; Department of Spatial and Urban Planning Urban Processes and Development Unit) and lecturer at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan.

PhD (University of Silesia in Katowice). A graduate of the Executive Master of Business Administration studies (Apsley Business School in London and Collegium Humanum in Warsaw) and postgraduate studies in project management at the University of Economics in Wrocław (P2F, AgilePM). In 2018-2021 Deputy Director of the Department of Infrastructure and Communication, Marshal’s Office of the Lubuskie Voivodeship. In December 2021 he started working as the Director of the Development and Innovation Department, where he is responsible, inter alia, for the implementation of the assumptions of the Voivodeship Development Strategy and the Innovation Development Program. He has over 10 years of experience in the implementation of projects financed by the EU funds. In 2017 he started working as an assistant professor at the Department of Regional Policy, Faculty of Economics and Management at the University of Zielona Góra.

Dr. Ing. Manlio Fusco – Head of Smart Ticketing Office – Delivery&Service – Digital Lumada Solutions – Hitachi Rail STS
Master Degree in Electronic Engineering, Scrum Master Certified. More than 10 years on experience in Transportation domain. He won the Hitachi global R&D GOLD Award in 2022 for the project “Invention of Be in – Be out Algorithm for smart ticketing application” .
He manages an international team distributed around the world (Japan, South America, Europe, India). His professional interests include Smart Ticketing, Mobility as a Service, Digital Mobility, Smart Cities.

Dr. Ing. Alessandro De Grazia, Managing Director Hitachi Rail Germany, Group head of Smart Ticketing, based in Munich, Germany
Italian, 43 years old, master degree in Management Engineering and automation, Certified Agile Leadership, married, two young boys. In his career he worked in several industries including network security, high tech and automotive and in companies like Autovista and Apple. Passionate about technology and mobility, he´s leading the smart ticketing and MaaS business as well as the German railway group of Hitachi.

Piotr Grzymowicz, BEng, Phd – a graduate of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the University of Agriculture and Technology in Olsztyn. Doctor of Technical Sciences.
In 2001-2007, he was Deputy Mayor of the City of Olsztyn. The Mayor of Olsztyn since 2009. Until he was elected Mayor of Olsztyn, he was a lecturer at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.
During the presidency of Piotr Grzymowicz, a number of investments were implemented in Olsztyn: the tram search was restored, the shores of Lake Ukiel, the most beautiful parks in Olsztyn were revitalized, the constructed Water Recreation and Sports Center “Aquasfera” was built and tens of kilometers of Olsztyn streets were modernized.
For his activities, Piotr Grzymowicz was honored with the title of the “Leader of the Self-Government 2016” by the Rzeczpospolita daily and the winner of the “Golden Tens” ranking of the “Pearls of the Self-Government 2017”, a website by “Gazeta Prawna”.

CYBERSEC Programme Director, Chief Editor of the European Cybersecurity Journal
Associated with the Institute since February 2020, where she is in charge of, among other things, the organisation of the European Cybersecurity Forum – CYBERSEC, as well as managing the programme activities of the Kosciuszko Institute. Chief Editor of the European Cybersecurity Journal – a specialised publication on cyber security published by the Institute since 2015. Member of the Expert Team on Technology and Democracy at the Stefan Batory Foundation.
Her research interests include the impact of technology on societies, in particular the role of social media and platforms in shaping the political landscape and democracy, as well as cyber diplomacy and internet governance.
She holds an MA degree in American Studies and an MSc in International Relations (specialisation: strategic studies) earned at the Faculty of International and Political Studies, Jagiellonian University.

She has held the position of Mayor since 9th December 2014. From 2010 to 2014 she was a member of the Town Council. She graduated from the Faculty of Social Science at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (political science, specialization: local government administration).
She started her professional career in the 1980s as an employee of Ostrów Cultural Center. Then, for 10 years she has worked in the media (radio and local and regional press titles). Since 2000, she has been a self-government employee of the Poviat Starost’s Office in Ostrów Wielkopolski.
On November 30, 2014, in the second round of elections, she was elected Mayor of Ostrów Wielkopolski. She run from her own electoral committee “Przyjazny Ostrów” /Friendly Ostrów/. Since 2015, she has been a member of the Team for Functional Metropolitan and Urban Areas as part of the Joint Commission of the Government and Local Government and the Smart City Forum’s Program Council.
In her local government activity Beta Klimek focuses primarily on developing pro- family policy and on acquiring external funds for investments. Equally important for her is the environmental protection. That is why green and blue projects are successfully implemented in Ostrów Wielkopolski. She is the founder of the municipal maternity grant called “miejskie becikowe”, introduced in 2015 in Ostrów Wielkopolski. She also launched the Senior Citizen Card and the Participatory Budget.
She is among the best polish cities mayors in the N15 ranking published in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022 by “Newsweek”.
In 2021, “for managing the city in the spirit of sustainable development and implementing activities for the development of local government in Poland” she received Złoty Klucz / the Gold Key/, a prestigious award of the magazine “Wprost”. In 2022, she took the 1st place in the ranking “Perły Samorządu” / Pearls of local government/ organized by “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna”, in the category of the mayor of the cities up to 100 000 of residents.

Manager of the Smart City Business Line at Comtegra S.A., a business analyst specializing in public administration with extensive experience in consulting, design and implementation. A graduate of the “Digital Transformation” postgraduate studies at the Warsaw School of Economics, she promotes the wide use of modern technologies, digitization of processes and the secondary use of data. She successfully implements ICT solutions in organizations.

Tadeusz Krzakowski – a teacher, a member of local government and long-term Mayor of Legnica
Born on 25 January 1957 in Jelenia Góra, he has been connected with Legnica since the 1980s. He graduated from the Physical Education Academy in Wrocław and completed post-graduate studies in the field of Human Resources Management and Promotion of Local Government Units (Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw) and in the field of Education Administration at the Warsaw School of Economics as well as Management of Educational Institutions at the Baltic School of Humanities. He has been a member of the Union of Polish Teachers since 1982. He started working as a teacher in 1982 at the Consolidated Public School in Pieńsk and then at Primary School No. 18 in Legnica. In 1993 he became the headmaster of the Silesian Piast Integration School Complex in Legnica, which he and his colleagues established from the ground up. For years he was an expert in teacher promotion for the Ministry of National Education.
He has been associated with Legnica’s local government since 1990. From 1990 to 1998 he was a member of the City Council. From 1991 to 1994 he acted as a community member of the Legnica’s government. From 1994 to 1995 he held the position of the President of the City Council in Legnica. From 1998 to 2002 he was Vice President of the Lower Silesian Regional Assembly for the first term of office. In 2002 he was elected by the City Council to be the Mayor of Legnica. In 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 he was elected for subsequent terms of office by universal suffrage.
In 2019 he was elected to the Management Board of the Association of Polish Cities. Before that he had been the President of the Review Panel of the Association of Polish Cities for many years.

Tadeusz Krzakowski was awarded: the Badge of Merit for Legnica Province (1997), the Badge of Merit for Legnica (1999), the Medal of the National Education Commission (1999), the Silver Cross of Merit (2005), the Golden Cross of Merit (2011), the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta for outstanding merits for self-governance (2016).

Legnica is his home. “I am proud of the city. Being an inhabitant of Legnica means dialogue and cooperation with inhabitants. I always try to work with people and for people, for the common good of the whole community of the city.”

Prof. Piotr Lorens – Ph.D., DSc., urban planner. Gdańsk City Architect; Head of the Department of Urban Design and Regional Planning at the Faculty of Architecture, Gdansk University of Technology. Completed post-graduate studies (as Fulbright Fellow) at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His professional interests include urban planning and regeneration processes, with a special focus on waterfront areas and public spaces. Active as a guest lecturer and visiting professor at numerous universities as well as conducting professional career with a focus on planning and management of the urban regeneration projects. For many years involved in planning for the regeneration of the Young City in Gdansk – the large-scale urban project located on the site of the former Gdansk shipyard. Associated with the Polish Academy of Sciences, ICOMOS, TICCIH, ISOCARP, and Society of Polish Town Planners.

Michal Lakomski is the Mayor’s Proxy for Smart City and the Director of Digitalization and Cybersecurity for the city of Poznan. A graduate of the Poznan University and a respected smart city expert. Michal has been the driving force behind Poznan’s digital transformation since 2017. Responsible for the implementation of innovative systems and e-services for both the residents of Poznan and the employees of Poznan City Hall. Michal is a champion of innovation with a keen interest in open data and new technologies. He is a regular speaker at national and international conferences.

Małgorzata Mańka-Szulik, PhD, Mayor of Zabrze since 2006. In 2015 she was elected as the Chairman of the Board of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union. She participated in works on forming the GZM Metropolis. She is a mathematician. She graduated from the University of Silesia in Katowice. She completed postgraduate studies in management and computer science at the Silesian University of Technology. She obtained a PhD in political science at the Pedagogical University of Krakow. By the decision of the Senate of the University of Economics in 2013 she became a member of the Convention of the University of Economics in Katowice. She is the author of publications in the field of: management of external and internal communication of a local government unit and the use of IT solutions in the social communication process of a local government unit. Previously Małgorzata Mańka-Szulik, PhD initiated the creation
of Poland’s first municipal art school: School of Arts in Zabrze.

On the 21st of December 2018 appointed as the First Deputy Mayor of Wrocław, supervising the Department of City Development and Strategy and as a representative for international affairs. Responsible for creation and implementation of strategic studies for the city, agglomeration, region in the 2050 perspective. In charge of urban planning and land use plans, architecture, construction administration, city aesthetics, monument preservation, economic development, geodesy and land cadastre, sustainable development, blue/green deal, energy. Representative of the city and associations in governmental projects.

In the position since December 2014. Higher education – Poznań University of Technology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, major: construction, specialty: technology and construction organization; postgraduate studies at the Wrocław University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture, urban planning and spatial planning. Hobbies: swimming, music, movies, books.

The Dutch founder of Rowerado rode his bike throughout large parts of Europe until he found out that he could perfectly combine his cycling experience with his extensive experience in building infrastructure in Polish cities and that his nationality would rather be an asset in doing so. He decided to solve extensive problems with bicycle parking in Poland and in this way promote the accessibility of city centers, improve the quality of life and promote sustainable development. His startup Rowerado is the exclusive distributor of Bikeep smart parking systems in Poland. He is deeply convinced that these solutions are the best way to achieve these goals.

A graduate of Politechnika Lubelska (the Lublin University of Technology), financial management specialist with extensive experience gained in managerial positions in the private enterprise sector. Since 2014, he has been working for the second term as the Mayor of Jaroslaw. His priorities are infrastructure investments, which have a very strong impact on the city’s development, external funds, constant contact with residents, e.g. during individual talks in the town hall, or regular meetings in individual city districts organized twice a year. The most important activities of the mayor also include the continuous development of the Civic Budget, improving the quality of the educational system, enriching the city’s cultural and sports life, as well as promoting the tourist potential of the city.

He was born on June 2, 1959 in Kępno. He graduated from the Agricultural Academy in Poznań, the Poznań School of Banking, postgraduate studies in local government administration and management at the Poznań University of Economics and MBA studies. Member and chairman of many Supervisory Boards of limited liability companies and joint stock companies.
Lecturer at the Kalisz Academy and the Higher School of Management Personnel in Konin, where he is a doctoral student.
From 1990 to 2010 and again since 2014, he has been the Mayor of the City and Commune of Kępno.
In the period from May 2012 to July 2012, Deputy Director for Renewable Energy – Energomontaż-Południe S.A. in Katowice, and from August 2012 to March 2013 – deputy managing director of Energomontaż-Południe S.A. in Katowice.
In the years 2013-2014, he was the Deputy Mayor of the Town and Commune of Wieruszów.
In the period from 1998 to 2002, he was the vice-chairman of the Kępiński County Council. In the years 2000-2021, the President of the Board of the Municipal and Communal Branch of the Polish Volunteer Fire Brigade in Kępno.
In the years 2000-2003, a member of the Monitoring Committee of the Government Contract for the Wielkopolska Region, from 2017 a deputy member of the committee. Member of the Poviat Labor Market Council since 2015. Member of the Management Board of the Association of Polish Cities since 2015.
From January 26, 2020, alternate member of the EU Committee of the Regions.
Badges and awards:
– Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta,
– Gold Cross of Merit, – Silver Cross of Merit,
– Independence Centenary Medal – Badge of Honor for Merits to the Wielkopolska Province,
– Gold Medal for Services to the Fire Brigade, – “The Silver Ring of St. Józef “,
– awarded by the Voivode of Wielkopolska and the Provincial Conservator of Monuments for the care of monuments in the Wielkopolska Province,
– laureate of many awards and distinctions awarded by national sports and cultural organizations, laureate of the international distinction awarded by the Kępiński Club of Amazons.
– Silver Umbrella – award of the Polish Chamber of Commerce

Pawel Seluk has joined Hitachi Europe Limited in January 2022. He is responsible for developing new business opportunities in CEE region in area of Hitachi’s products / solutions / services with particular focus on mobility sector and railway systems. 
  
For last 15 years Pawel has been working in transportation industry in Poland, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and UK, performing duties as Operations Director, Maintenance Manager, Head of Department and Project Manager. He has a broad experience in operations management, vehicle maintenance, and development of IT solutions (e.g. for transportation or asset management systems) which he gained while supporting global (Hitachi, Genesee & Wyoming) and nation-wide companies (Freightliner, Saudi Arabia Railways).

Mr. Maciej Staszak joined Emitel in July of 2015. He has many years of experience in TV and telecommunication branches and Worked in managerial positions in many companies: Cyfrowy Polsat, Polkomtel, ATM, Eutelsat Polska, TP EmiTel and Vector
Since 2002 he is cooperating with Polish and international institutions in the matter of implementing on-ground digital television in Poland. Through years he has successfully carried out many telecommunication and media projects. He also has a rich experience in many fields: sales, introducing new products to the market, development, creating strategies and leading large teams.Graduate of the Electronics, Telecommunication and Informatics Department on Gdańsk University of Technology.

Marek Szczepański, Ph.D.
At Bank Ochrony Środowiska SA (BOŚ Bank – the Polish ‘green bank’) Marek holds two positions: Director for EU Funds and Public Programmes Department and Director for Cooperation with Municipalities Director for EU Funds and Public Programmes in.
Marek has over 25 years of professional experience including over 20 years in the positions associated with the EU funds programming and distribution. Before joining BOŚ Bank this year, he worked in private sector (as independent expert and CEO of the consulting company dealing with EU funds). He also worked as Managing Director in Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK – the state development bank). Marek also worked in public sector – in Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Economy and Polish Agency of Enterprise Development.

Mayor of the City of Podkowa Leśna since 2014.
Member of the Management Board of the Warsaw Metropolis Association, delegate of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, member of the Monitoring Committee of the Regional Operational Program of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship for 2014-2020, leader of the Project to establish the “Masovian Fiber-Optics Union” and member of the Smart City Forum Programme Board, member of the Project Steering Committee ZONE (Integrated Low Emission Reduction System).
He graduated from the Warsaw University of Technology. He studied at the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and the Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences. He completed post-graduate studies in Construction Management at the Faculty of Civil Engineering. He has a Certificate of the Polish Association of Construction Managers recognized by the Chartered Institute of Building. He graduated in Real Estate Management from the University of Real Estate Management at the Faculty of Economics.
For many years he has been interested in the activities of local government, the essence of local governance and strategic management in local government units. He is very willing to participate in various cultural, social and charity initiatives which serve the development of the local community.
Mayor Artur Tusiński’s work towards the development of the city found recognition among independent bodies. In 2019 and 2020, he was awarded 1st and 3rd prizes for the best financial management in Poland in the category of municipalities in the Local Government Financial Ranking. In addition, he was twice awarded second prize in the Best-Run Local Governments in Poland ranking by “Rzeczpospolita” in the category of urban and urban-rural-municipalities. In 2020 Podkowa Leśna took the first prize in the nationwide Ranking of Local Governments called “Education-friendly places”. Also in 2020, the jury of the international Innovation in Politics competition awarded the Mayor of the City, Artur Tusiński, for his innovative pro-environmental activities, in particular for his approach to water retention in the process of road construction.

Maria Wasiak – Polish lawyer, legal adviser, in 1998 deputy governor of Radom district, in the years 2011-2012 president of PKP SA (Polish State Railways), Minister of Infrastructure and Development in 2014-2015.
She graduated from the University of Warsaw with a master degree in Law and Administration. She completed judicial application, made judgements as a court assessor, and in 1990 she became a legal adviser.
She is also a graduate of the Wielkopolska Business School at the Poznań University of Economics.
In 1998 she was a Deputy Governor of Radom, the last in the history of the province.
Until 2014 she held various leading positions in the structures of the Polish State Railways.
She became a vice-chairwoman of the Community of European Railways and Railway Infrastructure Managers in Brussels, a member of the Executive Council of the International Union of Railways in Paris and a member
of the Conference of General Directors of Railways of the Organization for Cooperation of Railways in Warsaw.
On 22 September 2014 she was nominated for post of the Minister of Infrastructure and Development in the government led by Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz. She held this position until 16 November 2015.
In 2016 she was designated for the function of a deputy mayor of Bydgoszcz responsible for the European Funds Department, Integrated Development Department, the Energy Management Team and the Municipal Urban Development Office.

PhD in History, museologist (holder of the highest title in Polish museology – certified curator), lawyer. Academic lecturer in the field of law. He also completed post-graduate public relations studies as well as property valuation and completed apprenticeship required for the position of real estate appraiser. Between 2004-2015 director of the Museum of Ceramic Techniques in Koło. During this period the museum received numerous awards.
Awarded honorary badge “For the merits towards Wielkopolska voivodship”.
Since November 23rd, 2018 the Mayor of Koło.

Partner relationship and InPost Green City expert. In Group Integer.pl, he is responsible for working with local governments, state institutions and non-governmental organizations through the management and development of the “InPost Green City” copyright program. The objective of the program dedicated to cities is to pursue a green, sustainable development policy by implementing specific green initiatives and smart city actions serving the city’s inhabitants.
Experience in the area of building partnerships and developing CSR and ESG projects has been gaining for over 10 years, successfully implementing projects in the fields of science, higher education and finance, and participating as a speaker and trainer in key sectoral events. In previous years, director of education projects at the Warsaw Institute of Banking, president of the Students’ Parliament of the Republic of Poland, member of the Presidium of the Polish Accreditation Committee. Co-author of a series of interviews with the rectors of Polish universities on cooperation of science with business published in the Miesięcznik Finansowy Bank.