Keynote Speakers

Dr. Ilan Alon (Ph.D., Kent State University, USA) is Professor of Strategy and International Marketing at the University of Agder. Prior to that he also had research positions in Harvard University, Georgetown University (USA) and University of International Business and Economics (China). Alon is a researcher in the field of international business with a focus on internationalization, modes of entry, political risk, cultural intelligence and emerging markets. Ilan Alon's publications have appeared in the Harvard Business Review, Management International Review, International Business Review, Journal of International Marketing, International Marketing Review and others.  His books were published by Palgrave, Routledge, McGraw-Hill among other imprints. In addition to being a professor, Alon is the Head of International Affairs for the School of Business and Law at the University of Agder, and leader of the Emerging Markets research group.  He is also Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Emerging Markets and the European Journal of International Management. Ilan Alon has worked with government bodies, non-profit organizations, multinational companies and international associations on various projects ranging from capacity development at the macro level to international business development at the firm or project level. Clients include USAID, illy, Darden, Disney, and others. Ilan Alon has been a frequent speaker on various international networks including National Public Radio (USA), Voice of America (USA), RTV (Russia), Dagens Næringsliv (Norway).

Dr. Sencer Imer was born in Ankara in 1942. After the completion of his earlier education, he was sent to Germany under a Turkish state scholarship in 1960 to do his higher education. He graduated from the Technical University of Berlin in 1968 as a metallurgical engineer with a diploma. In 1973 he received his PhD in the field of metallurgy at the same university. Between 1974 and 1982 he was a member of the faculty as a researcher and as a lecturer at the Technical University of Berlin. He then first worked as an expert at the UN, as an advisor at the State Planning Organization and as an advisor to various ministers between 1982 and 1988. In the following period, he was in the top management of various privately-owned or state-owned large heavy-industry companies such as Erdemir, the Turkish Iron and Steel Works, Sivas Iron and Steel Works etc. as a general manager, head of board of directors, board member etc. Since 1992, he has been a faculty member of various universities such as Ankara, Hacettepe, TOBB ETU, Aksaray, Ufuk and Antalya AKEV. He is currently working as a professor at Hacettepe and Ufuk Universities. He teaches economics and comparative economics courses in international relations departments of various universities. Professor Dr. Sencer Imer has also been a founding member of the board of directors of the Turkish-German vocational education foundation since 1995.