PLG Disrupt Summit - Kick Off | Product-Led Growth Hub

PLG Disrupt (AI) Summit Kick Off

Despina Kitsou

AI Product Manager (AIOps) Nokia

Ioannis Papikas

CTO, E-Satisfaction | Lead Product Trainer, Product-Led Hub

Date

Friday, May 16, 2025

10:00 -

10:10 EEST

Track

Speaker

Despina Kitsou

AI Product Manager (AIOps) Nokia

With over 16 years of experience in the ICT and telecom industry, Despina is a Senior Product Line Manager at Nokia. She leads the technical launch of an emerging AI/ML Cloud Native solution for access network nodes. Despina serves as the prime interface towards customers in the European region, representing and advocating the product. She defines and prioritizes product requirements, and influences the product roadmap based on customer input, product portfolio strategy, market trends, competitive intelligence, and knowledge of applicable technologies.

Despina possesses a strong technical background and has a clear understanding and working experience in Agile Scrum software development. She leads cross-functional teams from product inception to product delivery and optimization in multiple regions. Despina also develops and leads business cases for complex or significant proposals for the product. She is passionate about women empowerment and diversity, actively volunteering as an #IAmRemarkable facilitator, Lean In Circle Founder (Women in Product Greece), Nokia StrongHer Project leader, and Google Women Techmakers Ambassador. Additionally, she contributes to the Greek technological ecosystem as a member of the organizing committee of OpenConf conference.

Connect with Despina Kitsou on:

Speaker

Ioannis Papikas

CTO, E-Satisfaction | Lead Product Trainer, Product-Led Hub

Ioannis Papikas has worked as a Product Manager and Product Director over the last 7 years, in both small and big companies, applying product management practices in both delivery and discovery and also leading a group of Product Managers and Product Owners into delivering value. He has coached and mentored multiple Product Managers and companies in the last 4 years. Finally, he is involved in the Product Community in Greece and he is the Lead Product Trainer at the Product-Led Growth Hub, teaching Product Discovery, Strategy, Analytics and Metrics.

Connect with Ioannis Papikas on:

From the Same Track

May, 16, 2025

17:40 -

18:00 EEST

Leveraging AI for Enhanced User Insights and Feature Development

From Hype to Product-Market Fit: Real Lessons in Building AI Products That Stick

The AI boom has unleashed a torrent of possibilities, but turning models and demos into real, user‑trusted solutions remains an uphill battle, especially for organizations not born AI‑first. In this session, I will cut through the noise and share hard‑won lessons on shifting mindsets, choosing the right problems, and steering clear of the traps that derail AI product development. Drawing on personal experience and case studies, I will unpack what it takes to go beyond hype and land on product‑market fit.

Topics include:
AI Mindset Shift for Non‑AI‑Native Companies
Choosing the Right Problems When Tech Outpaces Needs
Avoiding common pitfalls that derail AI product development

Whether you’re defining your first AI use case, rallying cross‑functional teams, or wrestling with the tension between innovation and clarity, this session equips you with the know‑how and real stories to make your AI products stick long after the demo fades.

Deniz Dogan

Senior Product Manager Consultant, Product People GmbH

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May, 16, 2025

17:20 -

17:40 EEST

Implementing AI tools to Automate Repetitive Tasks and Improve Efficiency.

Scaling Human Expertise with AI—Without Sacrificing Wellbeing

As AI capabilities evolve, many companies are re-evaluating how to scale internal operations without overburdening their teams. In this session, we’ll explore how Intelligencia AI has approached this challenge within the context of clinical data curation—a process that involves harmonizing more than 1.5 billion data points on a daily basis.

Rather than framing AI as a replacement for human expertise, Intelligencia focused on designing tools and workflows that support and extend the capacity of their Clinical Data Experts. Over the past two years, this has required deliberate choices about which problems to address with AI, how to balance exploratory research with product strategy, and where the use of large language models (LLMs) added value—or fell short.

This session will cover:
1.Decision-making around build vs. don’t-build when it comes to internal AI tools
2.How product and research teams collaborated to stay aligned
3.What worked, what didn’t, and what’s still in progress when it comes to AI integration
4.Reflections on maintaining team wellbeing in the face of scaling demands

The discussion aims to offer a candid look at the practicalities of embedding AI into operational workflows, with lessons applicable to any team navigating similar trade-offs.

Afroditi Katika

Director of Product, Intelligencia AI

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May, 16, 2025

17:00 -

17:20 EEST

Using AI to Analyze Data and Inform Product Strategies

Transforming AI Solutions into Products

Despite significant investment, 90% of AI models never see production. Why? Because AI isn’t a product—until you deliberately shape it into one.

Too often, AI initiatives falter because they begin as technical experiments disconnected from clear business goals. Teams frequently build sophisticated models without first articulating a precise problem, securing stakeholder alignment, or establishing metrics to measure genuine impact.

In this interactive session, you'll learn how to transform AI concepts into tangible products that deliver measurable business results. Drawing on real-world case studies from the gaming industry and beyond, we'll outline a proven approach to tackling ambiguous AI requests, utilizing data-driven insights to identify meaningful problems, and ensuring AI features integrate seamlessly with your broader product strategy and KPIs.

Key takeaways include:
Practical strategies for shifting from AI experimentation to impactful products
Methods to define and track AI success metrics that genuinely matter
Techniques for aligning AI initiatives with overarching product and business objectives

Natalia Skarlatou

ΑΙ Product Manager, Kaizen Gaming

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May, 16, 2025

16:30 -

17:00 EEST

Using AI to Analyze Data and Inform Product Strategies

From Haystack to Insights: Three Ways AI is Transforming Product Analytics

AI is rewriting the rules of product analytics—turning chaos into clarity. In this session, we’ll explore how AI automates data workflows, ensures trusted insights through smart observability, and unlocks access for all via natural language. The result? Faster decisions, deeper personalization, and product growth driven by intelligence, not guesswork.

Mahdi Karabiben

Senior Product Manager, Sifflet

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May, 16, 2025

16:00 -

16:30 EEST

Making AI work in Global Product Organizations

This session will explore how Engel & Völkers is - a global real estate brokerage operating in 35 markets - face the challenges of modernizing a large, distributed organization by driving digital transformation across legacy platforms, while simultaneously introducing AI-powered tools to enhance customer satisfaction and organizational efficiency. Learnings will be shared from real-world experience in aligning global product strategy, navigating change management, and delivering measurable value at scale.

Benjamin Hanrieder

Chief Technology Officer, Engel & Völkers

Philipp Kanape

Global Head of Product & Product Design, Engel & Völkers

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May, 16, 2025

15:15 -

16:00 EEST

Leveraging AI for Enhanced User Insights and Feature Development

From Insight to Impact: Supercharging Product Development with AI (Part II)

Great product management isn’t just about reacting to feedback—it’s about anticipating needs before they’re voiced. As AI capabilities accelerate, the role of the product manager is evolving into one that blends intuition, experimentation, and technical fluency.

In this session, Ioannis Papikas offers a practical deep dive into what it means to lead AI-driven product development in 2025. From gathering the right data and framing the right problems, to running experiments and validating solutions, this is a crash course in building intelligent products that users love—and trust.

What to expect:
1.A walkthrough of the AI product lifecycle—from idea to implementation
2.Techniques for integrating AI into the discovery and validation process
3.Strategies for balancing innovation with usability and impact
4.Tools and mindsets to help PMs lead in fast-moving, high-uncertainty environments

Whether you’re launching your first AI feature or scaling existing capabilities, this session will help you reframe your approach—and lead from a step ahead.

Ioannis Papikas

CTO, E-Satisfaction | Lead Product Trainer, Product-Led Hub

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May, 16, 2025

14:15 -

15:15 EEST

Lunch Break

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May, 16, 2025

13:30 -

14:15 EEST

Leveraging AI for Enhanced User Insights and Feature Development

From Insight to Impact: Supercharging Product Development with AI

Ioannis Papikas

CTO, E-Satisfaction | Lead Product Trainer, Product-Led Hub

Share this Session

May, 16, 2025

13:20 -

13:30 EEST

AI Product Management

[New Course Launch] Becoming an AI-Ready Product Leader

We introduce our comprehensive training program designed to equip professionals with the skills and mindset needed to lead AI-driven product development. As AI continues to reshape industries, the ability to bridge technical capabilities with business strategy has never been more critical.

We will showcase how the course offers a structured, end-to-end journey through the key pillars of AI Product Management—from foundational AI concepts and development workflows to strategic planning, success metrics, and ethical considerations.Built for product managers, aspiring AI leads, and business professionals looking to confidently navigate the complexities of building and managing AI products.

Ioannis Papikas

CTO, E-Satisfaction | Lead Product Trainer, Product-Led Hub

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May, 16, 2025

13:10 -

13:20 EEST

Generative AI

[New Course Launch] Build Your Own GenAI App with RAG & KAG

Introduction of our new intensive, project-based course designed to fast-track your journey into the world of Generative AI. Tailored for engineers, technical product leaders, and AI practitioners, the course blends essential theory with hands-on experience—focusing on Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and Knowledge-Augmented Generation (KAG) as core capabilities for building AI-native products.

You’ll get an inside look at how the course is structured, what tools and methods are covered, and the kinds of real-world use cases you’ll be able to tackle. Most importantly, we’ll show how each course student will walk away with a fully functional, personalized GenAI prototype—ready to expand, iterate, or deploy.

John Michailidis

Head of Big Data & Engineering, Synthetica PC

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May, 16, 2025

12:40 -

13:10 EEST

Leveraging AI for Enhanced User Insights and Feature Development

Code Governance in the Age of AI

As development accelerates in the age of AI, traditional approaches to code governance are struggling to keep up. With everything now expressed as code, organizations face growing complexity, fragmentation, and risk. Manual controls and scattered processes no longer scale.

This session advocates for a robust and embedded governance model that fits how modern teams build and ship software. Instead of slowing things down, governance should support fast, secure, and reliable delivery—built into workflows from the start, not bolted on after the fact.

If you're navigating the tension between speed and standards or looking to modernize your governance approach without getting in the way of innovation, this talk offers practical, grounded insights.

Christos Galanopoulos

DevOps Engineer, Performance Technologies

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May, 16, 2025

12:10 -

12:40 EEST

Coffee Break

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May, 16, 2025

11:40 -

12:10 EEST

Using AI to Analyze Data and Inform Product Strategies

Machine Learning on a Customer Experience Mission

The online betting industry is a steeply growing form of digital entertainment in Greece. Thousands of users are registering, navigating and playing within a wide variety of betting products.

On the other hand data sets consist the trace of customer journeys and preferences for decision makers who need to deeply understand customer needs in order to launch new products, features or commercial actions.

The explosion of data volume and complexity puts machine learning in the "poll position" for actionable insights delivery, fast and relevant proactive B to C actions and data driven product optimizations. In that context "real business life" examples are displayed to showcase how Segmentation Models drive product and promotion relevance, how Propensity Models drive the speed of proactive CRM and how Forecasting Models drive Marketing Investment Mix optimization.

In this session we will showcase how machine learning has become for OPAP a day to day reality, upgrading constantly the online customer experience.

George Marinakos

Head of Online Data Analytics & Insights, OPAP

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May, 16, 2025

11:10 -

11:40 EEST

Implementing AI tools to Automate Repetitive Tasks and Improve Efficiency.

Vertical AI Agents: Unlocking Industry-Specific Intelligence

As AI agents evolve, their true power lies not in generalization but in verticalization—tailoring AI to deeply understand and transform industry-specific workflows. In this session, Jacob George Director of Product, Founders Factory will explore how vertical AI agents are reshaping industries by embedding intelligence directly into core operations. Drawing from my work in AI-driven therapy for speech & language disorders (Ogma) and AI-powered insurance claims automation (InsureAI), I will showcase how specialized agents can enhance efficiency, accessibility, and scalability.

From revolutionizing clinical workflows to automating claims processing, vertical AI agents are moving beyond generic automation to domain expertise—augmenting professionals, improving outcomes, and unlocking new economic models. But scaling these agents requires more than just fine-tuned models; it demands robust data pipelines, industry-aligned design, and human-in-the-loop intelligence.

This session will provide a framework for building and deploying vertical AI agents across sectors—demonstrating how AI’s next frontier is not just intelligence, but specialization.

Jacob George

Director of Product, Founders Factory

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May, 16, 2025

10:40 -

11:10 EEST

Leveraging AI for Enhanced User Insights and Feature Development

AI in Business - Insights from the Frontlines

Artificial Intelligence isn’t a futuristic concept — it’s here, reshaping businesses operations and the way we work. In this session, we take you behind the scenes of AI in finance, sharing real-world lessons from our journey at XM. From revolutionizing client engagement with AI-powered chatbots to optimizing customer experience, we explore how AI is transforming the brokerage industry and beyond. Deploying AI at scale comes with challenges — from managing hallucinations to balancing cost, speed, and accuracy. We’ll dive into some key insights, pitfalls to avoid, and the trade-offs every company must navigate. Join us as we cut through the hype, uncover the realities of AI adoption, and highlight the strategic choices that will define the future of financial services.

Pooya Charmarai Tohidi

Senior Project Manager, ΧΜ

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May, 16, 2025

10:10 -

10:40 EEST

Using AI to Analyze Data and Inform Product Strategies

Becoming the Iron Man of Product Management: Unleashing AI & LLM Superpowers

Step into the future of product management with an Iron Man twist! In this session, we will explore how different innovative tools supercharge product development teams worldwide. I will share the agentic AI workflows I use to drive efficiency, spark creativity, and generate game-changing value for companies.

Like Tony Stark’s transformative journey, you will discover how to harness AI to revolutionize your product management approach. This session is designed to inspire, empower, and equip you with actionable strategies to excel as a product manager and builder. Whether you are refining your innovation process or scaling your development efforts, join us and unlock a new era of success in the digital age. Prepare to be challenged, transformed, and ready to lead with the power of AI. Walk away with the mindset and tools to revolutionize your career and drive innovation forward.

Mike Pilawski

Head of Products (SVP), Commercial Solutions, Miro

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May, 16, 2025

09:10 -

10:00 EEST

Registration

Share this Session

May, 30, 2024

17:40 -

18:00 EEST

Product Design

Rebooting the Future: Modernizing Legacy Systems

Dive into the complexities of updating legacy systems and discover strategies for a smooth transition to modern platforms. This session will equip attendees with an in-depth comprehension of the challenges associated with updating legacy systems and provide them with practical strategies to facilitate successful change. Specifically we will delve into:
1. Engel & Völkers Case Study: Analyze the company's transition from outdated to scalable systems, with a focus on their worldwide CRM overhaul and the insights gained.
2. Team Management in Digital Transformations: Discover effective leadership techniques and team management strategies during digital changes, along with essential practices for overcoming these obstacles.
3. Choosing Modernization Solutions: Discuss the selection of appropriate modernization approaches, taking into account standards and criteria essential for triumphant transformations.
4. Measuring Success Post-Transformation: Investigate methods for assessing and improving the impact of modernization efforts, ensuring ongoing enhancement through feedback and data analysis.

Philipp Kanape

Global Head of Product & Product Design, Engel & Völkers

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May, 30, 2024

17:20 -

17:40 EEST

Leadership

Unleashing the Power of Collaboration: Amplifying Results Through Shared Leadership

Engineering and Product Management are two sides of the same coin. The success of one depends on the success of the other. Therefore, it’s urgent that we abandon the framework where these two roles coexist as separate functions and look at it as One Team, with complementing skills.
This session will guide you through the model used by OutSystems engineering, making sure that Engineering and Product Management are in lockstep with regard to strategy, roadmap, allocation, and execution.
A model of a unified team is a big transformation step and requires a big change in mindset, so we’ll focus on organization and people management, strategy definition, prioritization sources and models, data-driven decision-making, and the key ceremonies that you and your team should implement.

Carlos Sousa

VP of Engineering, Outsystems

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May, 30, 2024

17:10 -

17:50 EEST

Leadership

[Roundtable Discussion] Structuring and Developing your Tech Teams

Managing individual contributors is an entirely different task from managing managers. As a senior leader, suddenly, your role is to work on the system rather than in the system, and you need to set up the structures that allow you to effectively lead your teams and craft fair progression and development pathways. This high-level management requires a drastic change in skillset and a shift of mindset, and this session will help you successfully structure and develop your teams and manage other managers.

This interactive session will give you frameworks to help you:
1. Effectively calibrate performance in your organization
2. Define success for your reports and set realistic growth targets
3.Support your managers as they transition to leadership.

Gerald Lewis

Head of Strategy, Innovation, Business Partnering, PMO, VMO and Enterprise Architecture, Coca-Cola Hellenic

David Andrade

VP Engineering, OpenBet

George Nikolaropoulos

CTO, Natech Banking Solutions

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May, 30, 2024

17:00 -

18:00 EEST

DevOps

Unleashing the Power of Azure: Revolutionizing Cloud Platform Engineering

Join this compelling workshop led by Athanasios Kataras, the Global Azure Cloud Engineering Lead at Mondelēz International. The session will concentrate on the transition from on-premises infrastructure to data centers and then to the cloud.

The workshop will highlight Agile/DevOps methodologies as essential for a seamless move to cloud services. We shall also examine the shift-left strategy within the cloud era and its potential to transform your development workflow.

We shall discuss various cloud services that can enable your enterprise to adopt this strategy effectively. Moreover, we will investigate the Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) and its role in designing solutions on the Azure cloud platform. Attendees will obtain an understanding of the prescriptive architecture that CAF offers, aiding your journey to cloud adoption.

To ensure smooth application of CAF, we will introduce terraform, an influential infrastructure-as-code tool. Through practical engagement, participants will learn to deploy CAF using terraform, equipping them to confidently integrate these practices into their projects.

Athanasios Kataras

Global Azure Cloud Engineering Lead, Mondelēz International

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May, 30, 2024

17:00 -

18:30 EEST

Artificial Intelligence

Transforming Quality Assurance with Generative AI

As the QA landscape undergoes this revolutionary transformation with the integration of Generative AI, it is apparent that we are embarking on a new era of software testing. The evolution of QA showcases the industry’s relentless pursuit of efficiency, accuracy, and comprehensive coverage. In this workshop we will go through example of such systems nowdays like Github Copilot and ChatGPT and provide practical examples how they can be used for developing a more coprehensive testing strategy for React Components and UI testing. While these AI aids can generate code snippets, human guidance is crucial for refining and validating the suggested tests. It discusses the evolution of AI tools, including GitHub's TestPilot and Copilot X, and raises privacy concerns related to cloud-based solutions.

Giannis Papadakis

Head of QA, Snappi

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May, 30, 2024

17:00 -

17:20 EEST

Engineering Leadership

Back in the Loop: The Importance of Staying Technical in Leadership

One of the toughest challenges you face as an engineering leader is that your team’s technical knowledge can continuously diverge from your own.

It can become easy to lose touch because you spend so little time solving technical issues or dealing with the problems facing engineers day-to-day.

This talk will explore how you can overcome this challenge, why it’s important to invest time in your technical skills, how to get it done when you’re inundated with meetings, and why getting back in the loop could be the key to making better decisions and building a stronger team.

James Da Costa

VP of Engineering, Clint

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May, 30, 2024

16:40 -

17:00 EEST

Product-Led Growth

Using Metrics and UX Diagnostics to Optimize Product-Led Onboarding

In this session, Michal Mike Pilawski, Chief Product Officer (CPO) at Lokalize, will discuss the metrics, frameworks, and UX diagnostics he uses to pinpoint issues in the sign-up and onboarding process. He will outline his approach for identifying growth optimization opportunities when joining new companies. Additionally, he will offer strategies to assist product designers and managers in finding the best solutions to these problems.

Mike Pilawski

Head of Products (SVP), Commercial Solutions, Miro

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May, 30, 2024

16:30 -

17:10 EEST

Culture

[Roundtable Discussion] How to Create an Inclusive Culture and Improve Recruitment Diversity in Tech

This roundtable discussiom aims to provide guidance on how to foster an inclusive culture and enhance recruitment diversity within the tech industry. By implementing these strategies, companies can create a more welcoming environment for individuals from diverse backgrounds, leading to improved innovation, productivity, and overall success.

Key Points of Discussion
1) How do you create a culture that values diversity and promotes inclusivity? Which are the methods that help to encourage open dialogue, respect different perspectives, and provide opportunities for professional growth and development?
2) What are some challenges that tech businesses often face in becoming a more inclusive brand? How can you implement unbiased hiring practices? What actions can you take to enhance the inclusiveness and accessibility of your recruitment processes?
3) How can tech leaders embrace the value of inclusion as a driver for growth and success in the tech industry and encompass different perspectives, experiences, and ideas?
4) How can you establish Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives and develop specific initiatives and programs aimed at increasing diversity within the organization?
5) How do you regularly monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of diversity and inclusion efforts?

Maria Skiathiti

Emea Partner, Commercial Lead at Microsoft

Elena Aktypi

Managing Director, We Lead

Eleftheria Despoinara

Data & AI Director | I&D Lead, Accenture

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May, 30, 2024

16:00 -

17:00 EEST

S/W Development

Python from Dev to Prod: A Non-Miserable Story

Buckle up for a non-miserable ride through the Python development journey! In this talk, we'll navigate the path from coding bliss to production pragmatism. Uncover strategies, pitfalls, tools, and tales of triumph as we transform your Python development saga into a genuinely enjoyable experience, from development to production.

Antonis Kalipetis

Software Engineer, Platform.sh - Co-Founder, LOGIC

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May, 30, 2024

16:00 -

16:30 EEST

Culture

Expanding the Narrative: The Broader Impact of 'Women in Tech'

Join us for an insightful discussion on harnessing the power of diversity of thought in software innovation and product development. Discover how embracing diverse perspectives leads to a variety of outcomes, ensuring that products and solutions are inclusive and representative of the populations they serve.

45% of women exit the tech industry within 8 years of entry. Uncover the root causes behind this trend through real-life examples and explore strategies to address these challenges. Learn how fostering inclusivity will not only benefit women but contribute to a more diverse and welcoming tech industry for all.

Anny Tzivanaki

Online Operations Director, Intralot

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May, 30, 2024

16:00 -

16:40 EEST

Team Management

[Panel Discussion] Product Excellence: A Myth, a Reality or an Investment Gone Bad?

You created a scalable tech team that generates impact internally. You enhanced your strategy with innovative products that will (hopefully) deliver the expected ROI.

Did you at the same time invest in the role of product or just bypass this new hire, due to the rising costs and budget cuts? Even if you did, did you offer your product organization a seat at the table? Did you anticipate user experience as one of the key growth drivers?

These are just some of the questions we will answer in this fireside chat where we will delve into why a strong product team can be the heart of an innovative company along with how to we ensure that they have the resources and influence needed to succeed.

Giannis Paraschos

Head of Sportsbook Product, Novibet

Sam Depoortere

VP of Product, Openbet

Luca Criscuolo

Ex-Head of Regional Product Europe, Ebay

Fabrice des Mazery

Ex-CPO, Tripadvisor

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May, 30, 2024

15:00 -

16:00 EEST

Networking Break

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May, 30, 2024

14:30 -

15:10 EEST

Artificial Intelligence

[Roundtable Discussion] Unleashing the Power of A.I.: Navigating the Ethical Frontier in Product Development and Software Engineering

In this roundtable session, we will explore the ethical considerations surrounding artificial intelligence (A.I.) in product development. As A.I. continues to advance and become more integrated into our daily lives, it is crucial to examine the potential ethical implications that arise from its use.

During this session, participants will engage in a collaborative discussion to address questions such as:
1) How can we ensure that A.I. algorithms are fair and unbiased?
2) What are the potential risks and consequences of relying heavily on A.I. in product development?
3) How can we balance innovation and progress with ethical considerations? Through sharing insights, experiences, and best practices, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the ethical challenges associated with A.I. in product development.

Gerasimos Mileounis

Data & AI Managing Director, Accenture

Iordanis Paraskevas

Group director of Data Management & Analytics, PPC SA

Stelios Mantas

Partner at Deloitte, Deloitte Digital Lead

Panos Bassios

Digital, Data & Analytics Director, MSD

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May, 30, 2024

14:25 -

15:00 EEST

Leadership

How to Lead Global Technology Teams

We're set to explore the complexities of leading a global technology team, discussing challenges and victories in managing across time zones, which can foster collaboration and innovation. Our talk will cover how a global tech team interacts with different business sectors, each with unique demands, making leadership both challenging and fulfilling.

We'll go beyond theory, offering tangible tips for leaders to drive customer satisfaction—a key indicator of success in tech. We’ll also look at how to encourage team growth and learning, creating a culture where every member, from new recruits to executives, contributes to continuous improvement.

David Andrade

VP Engineering, OpenBet

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May, 30, 2024

14:05 -

14:25 EEST

Product-Led Growth

Using Product Data & Insights to Deliver Value & Drive Business Outcomes

Modern software teams know the importance of measuring product usage, but product-led organizations go one step further, leveraging those insights to build better customer experiences and deliver ROI for their companies.

Product-led companies break down data silos and use product insights to inform strategy up to the executive level. Data is the common language across the organization, and each department monitors usage and behavioral insights to ensure the product delivers maximum value to the customer.

Join Brian Walsh, SVP and GM of products and platform at Pendo, to learn how to leverage product data throughout your organization to drive business outcomes.

Brian Walsh

SVP Product, GM, Core Products and Platform, Pendo

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May, 30, 2024

14:00 -

17:00 EEST

Artificial Intelligence

Retrieval-Augmented Generation for Talking with your Private Data Using LLM

In this presentation, we will introduce the Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture. This technique uses natural language capabilities of Large Language Model (LLM) to query a private database. You can literally ask question about your data, without the need to fine-tune an LLM. In the lab session we will design a RAG system in Python using Langchain, an open source framework. We will store private documents in a vector database (i.e. Elasticsearch) and ask questions using natural language thanks to the usage of an LLM (e.g. ChatGPT).

Enrico Zimuel

Tech Lead & Principal Software Engineer, Elastic

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May, 30, 2024

14:00 -

14:30 EEST

Artificial Intelligence

[Use Case] Leveraging AI for Strategic Innovation

AI is often seen as just a buzzword. But it can become a real advantage if we let our strategy lead the way, not the other way around. To make AI work for us, we need clear goals, a focus on what will really impact our business, and a good grasp of what AI can and can't do. We also need to know our stuff, have solid basics like infrastructure, and measure how well things are going. Plus, we can't forget about bringing in people who know AI inside out.

On the flip side, just chasing the newest tech trends, copying competitors without thinking, ignoring the basics, changing plans too often because of AI, and getting caught up in the hype - these are mistakes we should avoid.

In this session, we'll talk about how to change our thinking to follow the successful approach, not the unsuccessful one. And we'll look at how to use AI the right way, thinking about ethics too. These will be our key lessons.

Konstantinos Papakonstantinou

Head of AI, Kaizen Gaming

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May, 30, 2024

14:00 -

15:00 EEST

S/W Development

Developer Portals: How to Implement Backstage to Boost your Team Productivity

In this presentation, Marcel Hild, Architect for Red Hat Developer Hub, explores the implementation of Backstage to enhance productivity in developer teams. The focus extends beyond the widely recognized Software Catalog and Templates to cover essential features of the Backstage core platform, illustrating its comprehensive capability as a developer portal framework. Marcel will discuss the strategic advantages of integrating Backstage for Internal Developer Portals (IDP), challenging the notion that its utility is confined to cataloging or templating. <br
Drawing on experiences from introducing Backstage to a large, globally distributed engineering team, Marcel will share insights into the Proof of Concept, deployment, and onboarding processes. The presentation will cover effective practices for ensuring the platform's performance and reliability, including the automation of misconfiguration detection and the application of observability techniques to evaluate the success of Backstage adoption. This session aims to provide a nuanced understanding of how Backstage can serve as a pivotal tool in optimizing developer workflows and infrastructure management.

Marcel Hild

Sr. Software Architect, Red Hat

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May, 30, 2024

13:45 -

14:05 EEST

Personal Development

Charting Your Course: Thriving in the PM Career Journey as a Company' State Evolves

The evolution of a company can be roughly drafted into four stages: Discovery, Growth, Maturity, Decline. Each stage requires different product management skills and activities. Therefore, being aware of the company’s stage can help make better decisions and, especially, set our own expectations about our product leadership role.

Having worked in booming start-ups in the Growth phase, product led organizations in companies in the Maturity and in the Decline phases and mentored early-stage entrepreneurs in the Discovery Luca will reflect his own learnings and provide recommendations on how product leaders can better shape their own role and their team in each phase.

Luca Criscuolo

Ex-Head of Regional Product Europe, Ebay

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May, 30, 2024

13:25 -

13:45 EEST

PM Leadership

Act Like an Owner, Challenge Like a VC

Product management is teeming with methods like Lean Canvas, RICE, and OKRs, crucial for planning and running tech projects. Yet, a shift towards valuing profitability over unchecked growth is changing the game.

Startups and tech firms are adjusting their strategies to focus on revenue and sustainable growth in response to economic shifts. This means we need to rethink our roles within companies and the broader market.

In this session, Fabrice des Mazery, Chief Product Officer at Tripadvisor, will share insights on transforming tech solutions from cost centers into profit generators. He will provide strategies and real-life examples to help products become key sources of profit along with a guide to product managers and tech experts in a business world that now requires judicious investment and expenditure.

Fabrice des Mazery

Ex-CPO, Tripadvisor

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May, 30, 2024

13:00 -

13:45 EEST

Roadmapping

Your Guide to Roadmapping: How to Unleash Customer-Facing Skills & Craft an Irresistible Product Roadmap

This workshop will instruct participants on creating a customer-centric roadmap, essential for business prosperity. Participants will acquire skills to comprehend customer needs, prioritize satisfaction, and foster robust relationships. Through interactive exercises, attendees will learn to tailor presentations to address customer challenges and enhance credibility.

The session offers methods to simplify technical information for clients, encompassing lucid communication strategies, case analyses, and practical activities. Attendees will also master addressing customer concerns and expectations, thereby improving transparency and fostering relationships via role-playing and discourse. Strategies for engaging with customer inquiries and resistance will be covered, with an emphasis on active listening and empathetic interaction, as well as managing question-and-answer sessions efficiently.

Conclusively, attendees will develop practical skills to promote a customer-focused strategy, refine presentations, elucidate technical matters, address concerns, and navigate objections.

Despina Kitsou

AI Product Manager (AIOps) Nokia

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May, 30, 2024

13:00 -

14:00 EEST

S/W Architecture

Patterns of Legacy Displacement

Every organization, from six-month-old startups to 30-year industry giants, has legacy systems. These systems hold your company's history but can also block the shift to a modern digital business. We've spent the last two decades helping companies revamp these old systems. We've learned what works and seen many attempts that don't.

In our talk, we'll share several successful strategies for updating legacy systems and some common mistakes to avoid. We'll go over specific methods, when they work best, and how you might use or steer clear of them, with real-life examples. The session includes insights from collaborative work with experts like Martin Fowler, James Lewis, and Ian Cartwright.

Rob Horn

Technical Principal Consultant, Thoughtworks

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May, 30, 2024

12:50 -

13:25 EEST

Personal Development

Decision Making - The First 5000 Years

In a time when everything is important, a good decision making process is the one key tool in your box to stay sane. You need to decide, with confidence, where you spend your time, where your team is spending theirs, and what priorities to sacrifice for others.

Join Matthias on a journey of a young founder, making decisions on a whim and without any kind of structure, always reacting rather than responding, to becoming an executive that’s much more confident in his decision making. We’ll look at how you can pull yourself out of a reactive decision making mode that causes utter stress constantly, to both you and your team, and make decisions with a high level of confidence and transparency. We’ll talk about what ingredients you need in place for your decision making to flow without you really having to do anything, with just a dash of laziness and looking towards what the future might behold, both good and bad (and neutral).

Mathias Meyer

Founding Partner & Executive Coach, The Intentional Organization

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May, 30, 2024

12:15 -

13:00 EEST

User Experience

Evaluating User Experience in Observability: Metrics & Methodologies

During this session, we'll investigate strategies for assessing the user experience of observability tools. We will be exploring essential UX metrics, various research methodologies and key instruments employed to establish a baseline and benchmark the iterative implementation of new functionalities over time. The focus will be on a user-centered approach, covering aspects from early incident detection to mitigation, to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of user experience quality in observability platforms.

Sotiris Sotiropoulos

Principal UX Consultant & Co-Founder, Zanshin Labs

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May, 30, 2024

12:00 -

14:00 EEST

Artificial Intelligence

Demystifying AI for Software Engineering

Software engineers are increasingly integrating machine learning (ML) into application development to create innovative solutions. Our in-depth workshop is designed for those eager to enhance their technical skills, covering machine learning and deep learning theories and practical applications. Attendees will learn through interactive lectures and hands-on activities, tackling topics like data preprocessing, feature selection, model building, and algorithm optimization. They'll also explore deep learning architectures such as neural networks.

By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped to build ML models for their applications, making data-driven decisions and crafting intelligent software. This experience provides a foundation for anyone aiming to specialize in ML or improve their current applications' features. The workshop is an opportunity for both experienced engineers and novices to stay current with AI and ML technological advancements.

Marion Nikoloudaki

Head of Data, Analytics, AI/ML ITT Inc.

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May, 30, 2024

12:00 -

13:00 EEST

Artificial Intelligence

Debugging Chronicles: Navigating S/W Challenges and the AI Revolution

Every software engineer has stories of bug hunting or spending hours unraveling the root cause of a system failure. In this journey, we delve into a selection of these tales, aiming to extract key ideas, concepts, and hints for improvement. Additionally, we'll explore the impact of debugging and issue resolution on products, and take a glimpse into the future by discussing potential offerings from advancements in AI.

Stavros Kontopoulos

Principal Software Engineer, Red Hat

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May, 30, 2024

12:10 -

12:50 EEST

Team Management

[Panel Discussion] Addressing the Elephant in the Room: A Blueprint to Achieve Product & Engineering Harmony

Digital transformation has accelerated. Especially now with AI technologies taking over across a plethora of domains - within and beyond tech.

At the same time the demand for skilled tech talent across the board increases and new digital products are produced at bulk - without necessarily prioritizing customer experience.

And the question remains the same: How can tech leaders prioritize new product development and deliver scalable products without breaking the bank? What is the role of Product Management in the equation?

In this fireside chat we will delve into the collaboration between product and technology teams,and spotlight best practices for seamless department interaction, essential for effective communication and project success. The discussion will cover the importance of a shared understanding of priorities, beyond just aligning schedules, but appreciating strategic direction and critical milestones for cohesive product development.

Christos Pateritsas

Head of Software Development, XM

Alexandros Pappas

Chief Experience Officer, Novibet

Iasonas Antonopoulos

Head of Vodafone Business Products & CEO, Vodafone Innovus

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May, 30, 2024

11:30 -

12:15 EEST

Product Metrics

How to Measure your Product Success with KPI Trees

Measuring the success of a product is crucial for any business strategy. This workshop will focus on utilizing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and KPI trees to effectively measure product success.

A KPI tree is a structured visualization tool that breaks down overall business or product objectives into specific, measurable metrics. It resembles a tree, with a main objective as the trunk, key results as limbs, and individual KPIs as branches.

The benefits of using KPI trees include clarity, focus, alignment, and easier issue identification. By breaking down objectives, teams gain a clear understanding of what needs to be achieved and can concentrate efforts on improving metrics that directly impact higher-level goals. KPI trees also ensure alignment among employees and facilitate the diagnosis of issues at a granular level.

Sofia Michili

Group Product Manager, Hotjar

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May, 30, 2024

11:15 -

12:00 EEST

Product Strategy

Scaling with Purpose: Crafting a Resilient Product Strategy

In the whirlwind of growth, how do we ensure our products scale with intention and clarity? This illuminating session delves into the art of scaling products without losing sight of their foundational essence. We’ll explore the paramount importance of anchoring product strategies firmly in the company’s overarching vision. By understanding and internalizing this vision, we can craft holistic product strategies that serve as robust blueprints for the journey ahead.

These strategies then evolve into clear, actionable product goals, ensuring that every milestone achieved aligns seamlessly with the larger purpose. And finally, we’ll discuss how to design and implement solutions that echo these goals, offering tangible value to users. Join us for an insightful discourse on creating resilient product strategies that resonate with purpose, ensuring meaningful growth and impact.

Ilias Pappas

Head of Product, Agroknow

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May, 30, 2024

11:05 -

11:40 EEST

Team Management

Managing in a Post-Agile World

The success rate of software projects has more than doubled since the introduction of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development 23 years ago. Despite this, developers and their managers are increasingly turning their backs on so-called "Agile" just when we need it most. And the sad thing is that they are right; Agile is no longer agile. Let's look at what went wrong, and let's start a discussion about reapplying the core values of the Manifesto and reclaiming the benefits of agility for individuals, teams, and organizations.

David Thomas

Author of The Pragmatic Programmer

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May, 30, 2024

10:45 -

11:05 EEST

Team Management

Do your Teams Deliver Software or Value?

In the dynamic environment of SaaS companies, addressing software complexity is paramount for engineering leaders. Subsequently, the emphasis shifts from simple software delivery to generating genuine value. This session by George Nikolaropoulos, SVP of Engineering at GWI will highlight user-centric development, agile methodologies, and data-driven decision-making as essential for delivering not only software but also substantial, enduring value to users.

George Nikolaropoulos

CTO, Natech Banking Solutions

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May, 30, 2024

10:10 -

10:45 EEST

Product & Engineering Alignment

Engineering & Product Strategy: A Common Roadmap to Enhanced ROI and User Experience

Engineering and product strategy, when seamlessly integrated, forge a roadmap that significantly enhances Return on Investment (ROI) and user experience. This synergy begins with a deep understanding of the user's needs, which informs the development of products that not only meet but exceed expectations.

In this session we will dive into how engineering excellence ensures that these products are not only innovative but also reliable and scalable, thus maximizing their market potential. Moreover, we will examine how a cohesive strategy aligns technological advancements with business objectives, facilitating efficient resource allocation and streamlined development processes.

Attendees will see how this results in accelerated time-to-market and reduced costs, directly impacting ROI positively. The convergence of engineering prowess and strategic product vision creates a virtuous cycle, where enhanced ROI and user satisfaction drive each other in a continuous loop of improvement and success.

Vangelis Kalloudis

Sr. Product Manager, Kaizen Gaming

George Pagomenos

Technology Manager, Kaizen Gaming

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May, 30, 2024

09:50 -

10:10 EEST

Product Strategy

Scaling Globally: Striking the Ideal Balance Between Expansion and Local Customization

Join Amber Clifford as she explores the product strategy fundamental to a critical business decision: international expansion. In this session, Amber will outline her methodology for initiating new markets from a product perspective. She will concentrate on the strategies she utilizes to decide between hyper-localization and a scaled approach. Acquire invaluable knowledge from her broad expertise as an expert in international expansion, with work experience spanning more than 120 countries and territories with organizations such as Uber Eats and Disney+.

Amber Clifford

Founder, Murai International Consulting (Ex-Disney+, Ex-Uber)

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May, 30, 2024

09:30 -

09:50 EEST

Product Leadership

The Path To CPO

A comprehensive guide exploring various career trajectories for Product Managers, delving into the essential skills and experience necessary to ascend to a leadership role within the realm of product management. This session will provide insights on how to develop strategic thinking, effective communication, stakeholder management, and decision-making abilities to excel in the dynamic field of product management. Additionally, it will cover the importance of continuous learning, adaptability, and staying updated with industry trends to stay competitive and advance in your career as a Product Manager.

Mihalis Rikakis

CEO, Dikaio.ai

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April, 21, 2023

12:40 -

13:00 EEST

S/W Engineering

Product & Engineering Alignment and Other Babel Tower Stories

Product and engineering alignment is often one of the biggest challenges in a company's growth journey, and it can sometimes feel like everyone is speaking a different language. In this talk, we will explore the many stories of the babel tower that can occur when product and engineering teams don't communicate effectively, and we will discuss strategies for bridging the gap. From both the product and engineering sides, we will dive into how empathy is the key to effective collaboration. We will explore how product-oriented engineers can better understand the business and user needs, and how tech-oriented product managers can better understand the constraints and possibilities of the technology. We will discuss where to draw the lines between responsibilities, and how to work together to create solutions that meet everyone's needs.

Antonis Kalipetis

Software Engineer, Platform.sh - Co-Founder, LOGIC

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April, 21, 2023

11:20 -

11:40 EEST

S/W Engineering

5 Rules for Tackling Software Complexity: An antidote to chaos

Growing a tech business can be hard, really hard. But many companies have successfully tackled all these technical (and not) challenges that appear when you start to grow beyond what you were prepared for. This talk will focus on the technical challenges of building complex software solutions and how we can finally tame the beast of complexity using old and new research regarding running software development teams.

George Nikolaropoulos

CTO, Natech Banking Solutions

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