The Exchange is one of the most distinctive events in the AGBC calendar, bringing together members and guests who are passionate about sharing ideas, experiences, and perspectives that matter to them. This year’s programme explores a diverse range of topics, from artificial intelligence and space exploration to entrepreneurship, personal finance, and community impact.
Alongside our featured speakers, we are also introducing a new World Café format, creating opportunities for participants to join informal discussions, exchange insights, and explore topics of mutual interest in a highly interactive setting.
Whether you come to learn something new, challenge your thinking, expand your network, or simply enjoy an evening of stimulating conversation, we hope you leave inspired by the ideas, stories, and experiences shared by our community.
This year’s programme naturally falls into three themes:
AI & Technology
- Paul Salazar – Back to the Moon
- Sebastian Wrobel – AI in Education and Negotiation
- McElory Hoffmann / Johan van der Merwe – “AI Agents”
- Elisabeth Schlag-Lawrence – AI is a Tool, Not Your Strategy
- Brod Justice – Become AI Literate in 20 Minutes
Business & Entrepreneurship
- Marc Ritter – Starting and Running a Business
- Sascha Liebhardt – The Psychology and Truth About Money
- Paulina de los Santos – How to Start a Podcast
Community & Personal Impact
- Robert Summers – Overcoming Resistance to Change
- Naomi Isaacs – Living Without Set Goals
- Fritz Lebowsky – Emotional Energy
- Takuya Kamiyama– Running for Charity
World Café Sessions
New for 2026, our World Café format offers a series of informal, participant-led discussions where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, share experiences, and explore ideas in greater depth.
Unlike a traditional presentation, the World Café invites you to join the discussion, ask questions, exchange ideas, and help shape the conversation.
Speakers
Paul Salazar
“Back to the Moon: The newly updated Artemis program to land on the Moon by 2028”
Entrepreneur and amateur astronomer Paul Salazar sits at a cross-section of different paths in life. Stemming from Mexican and Armenian roots, he’s a native of Los Angeles. His 40-year software and tech career led him up the California coastline to Silicon Valley before diverting across the globe to Munich, Germany. Despite Paul’s journeys across our planet, he’s always had his eyes on the skies. His passion for astronomy is something that he wants to share with the world around him. A natural teacher, he wants to not only improve the world but enrich it; it is Paul’s ultimate goal to use his knowledge, passion, and zest for the stars as a driving force for minds (young and old) around him.
Marc Ritter
“Starting and running a company in Germany”
Marc Ritter is a neuroscientist, coach, and co-founder of AWE Wellness, an online mental health platform spanning Canada, US and Germany, whose primary aim is to address the alarming rise in mental health disorders amongst adolescents and young adults related to technology and screen use. In addition to his work with AWE, Marc is a consultant focused on bridging the gap for European companies looking to expand their presence in the Americas (North and South America).
Elisabeth Schlag-Lawrence
“AI is a Tool, Not Your Strategy”
Elisabeth Schlag-Lawrence is a senior transformation executive and Managing Partner at CatalystProcurement, Munich. With 35+ years of leadership experience, she has led transformations across Life Sciences, Manufacturing, FMCG, Media, and Consulting, most recently at Bayer.
Having held senior roles across the USA, Asia, and the Middle East, Elisabeth believes sustainable outcomes depend on aligning people, process, and technology. Today, she advises on transformation, executive coaching, and AI adoption.
McElory Hoffmann and Johan van der Merwe
“AI Agents”
Dr. McElory Hoffmann is CEO and Founder of Praelexis, where he helps organisations translate AI, machine learning, and emerging technologies into practical business value. He works across strategy, innovation, and implementation, guiding leaders to identify high-impact opportunities and build solutions that are commercially relevant, technically sound, and responsibly governed.
Dr. Johan van der Merwe is AI Strategist and responsible AI specialist at Praelexis. He helps executives across financial services, health, agriculture, retail, the public sector, and education identify business cases and deliver classical ML, generative AI, and agentic AI solutions. His PhD in ethics, MBA on sustainable value frameworks, and research on auditing and governing AI ground his work in accountable, long-term outcomes.
Sebastian Wrobel
“AI in Education and Negotiation”
Sebastian Wrobel is a trainer, keynote speaker, and business advisor with over 25 years of experience in companies like Siemens, MAN Truck & Bus, and Steelcase.
What drives him is a simple idea: knowledge only creates value when it can be applied – which is why his sessions are practical, interactive, and sometimes a little unconventional.
In his talk, Sebastian shows how AI can help you learn faster and negotiate smarter – whether you’re closing a deal, negotiating your salary, or just trying to win the next family discussion.
Sascha Liebhardt
“The Psychology and Truth about Money”
Sascha wears many hats: educator, entrepreneur, business leader, and passionate supporter of fresh ideas. As Founder and Chancellor of New European College in Munich, he loves connecting academic knowledge with real-world experience. With an international background and a curious mindset, he inspires people to think differently, keep learning, and embrace new opportunities.
World Café Facilitators
Brod Justice
“Become AI Literate in 20 minutes”
Brod Justice is a Munich-based CTO, business owner, and economist specializing in AI and IT. With over 30 years of experience, he leads ChatBar AI Pte and Business Landing Ltd, providing custom software and enterprise solutions. An expert witness for software source code and former European Commission advisor, Brod combines a background in psychology, AI and Unix/Linux to consult on digital strategy. He joined the AGBC in 2021 and is an active professional in the Munich tech scene.
Fritz Lebowsky
“Reflecting on Emotional Energy”
Dr. Fritz Lebowsky received a PhD degree in electrical engineering from the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany. He became profoundly curious about investigating astonishing human performance in visual perception. As a result, he is passionate about exploring concepts of creating harmony between human social-emotional intelligence and artificial intelligence technology enabling a more easily sustainable human future, better together.
Robert Summers
“Overcoming Resistance to Change”
Robert C. Summers is a facilitator, coach, and trainer based in Augsburg, Germany. For over 20 years, he has helped teams and organizations navigate conflict, unblock decisions, and have the conversations that actually matter — without escalation, without blame, but with clarity. He works under the brand rcsworks and has a background in linguistics, political science, and journalism.
Naomi Susan Isaacs
“Living Without Set Goals”
Since moving from the UK to Germany in 1968, Naomi has built a diverse career spanning business, jazz singing, vocal coaching, and mentoring. Since 1984, she has helped people from business, politics, the arts, and beyond strengthen their stage presence and audience impact. She also offers Tarot readings in English and German internationally. Naomi is passionate about inspiring people to embrace unconventional ideas and enrich their personal and professional journeys.
Paulina de los Santos
“How To Start a Podcast”
Paulina de los Santos is a Texas native who moved to Munich in 2016 for a master’s degree at TUM and quickly found a second home in Germany. In 2025, she launched The Pod Abroad, a podcast exploring culture, migration, and the realities of building a life in another country. In its first year, the show reached more than 825,000 views, nearly 4,000 subscribers, and featured guests from 16 countries across 6 continents.
Takuya Kamiyama
“Running for Charity”
Takuya has been a resident of Munich since 2016 and a member of AGBC Munich since 2017.
Having come to Munich first to carry out scientific research at the Technical University, he has been managing projects at a global consultancy firm since 2021.
One of his activities aside from work is his participation in charity runs – since 2019 – mainly in Munich.