Our Speakers in 2023

Lisa Opel

About Lisa:
Lisa Opel, a multilingual author born in Germany, raised in Portugal, and educated in England, has revolutionised the world of literature with her captivating erotic works. Combining light-heartedness, education, and taboo exploration, Lisa’s writing rekindles passion and encourages open dialogue. Her diverse background, from working in offices to factories and a fetish shop, has provided her with profound insights into human desire. Featured on esteemed platforms such as WDR, Spiegel Online, SIXX, and global podcasts, Lisa aims to introduce a new genre of literature to unassuming audiences. Additionally, she serves as a strong advocate for struggling mothers, helping them navigate personal transformation. Lisa challenges societal norms, encouraging a deeper understanding of
long-term relationships and inspiring individuals to embrace their desires. Join Lisa Opel as she unlocks the power of love through her transformative words!

About her talk:
Sex is good (and healthy!), not a taboo. If your libido has decided to take a breather, don’t worry – Lisa is here to guide your journey of rediscovery with her personal story and insights. Even if your sex life is thriving, Lisa’s talk will remind you not to take it for granted, as even a blazing flame can benefit from some stoking. With her guidance, you’ll venture beyond the bedroom’s borders, embracing curiosity and fantasies. Remember, it’s okay to acknowledge that sometimes libido takes a backseat. You’re not alone; many share this experience. The silver lining? Pleasure can be rekindled, and your sexual evolution begins today!

Samira Peseschkian

About Samira:
Having pursued a career in medicine, Samira witnessed the immense impact chronic pain can have on individuals and their families. As both a medical professional and a former chronic pain patient, Samira possesses a unique perspective of knowing what it feels like to go through pain and how to treat it. She explores in her writing and talks about the connections between pain and the brain, and the interplay between the mind and body making this complex topic accessible to a wide audience.
Throughout her personal journey as a chronic patient, Samira experienced firsthand the physical, psychological and emotional challenges that accompany a patient. Motivated by a desire to alleviate suffering and empower patients, she embarked on a journey to explore the complexities of chronic pain and its management. As an advocate for patient education, Samira strives to raise awareness about chronic pain, dispelling misconceptions and promoting a compassionate understanding of those living with this condition.

About her talk:
Does our body communicate with us? And if yes how does it do this? Drawing from her personal journey with chronic illness and her expertise as a medical doctor, Samira shares a powerful message about the profound interplay between the body and the psyche, offering insights into what happens in the brain. Join us as she takes us on a path of learning to listen to the signals our bodies send, encouraging a harmonious relationship between our physical and mental selves.
Get ready to discover what your body would say if it could speak

Silvia Wiesner

About Silvia:
Silvia is a force of positive energy that is contagious. Driven by the idea of leadership for a better world, Silvia works as a Leadership Advisor at Egon Zehnder, consulting top executive and non-executive teams on human answers to complex problems. 
She is an active DE&I ally, named one of the “Top 100 Women for Diversity” in Germany, who has been forging partnerships across the world on behalf of European Women on Boards, a non-profit organization involved in the sign-off and implementation of the EU Directive on Women on Boards. She is also a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and contributes to various WEF initiatives such as “Defining and Building the Metaverse”. 
Silvia held leadership positions in Marketing, Sales, and General Management at Unilever before deciding for a career pivot and moving from working in the Consumer Goods industry to consulting. 
Silvia was born in Austria, where she grew up and studied business administration. Today, she lives with her family in Hamburg.

About her talk:
It’s time to stop sleepwalking into our future and to be intentional about what you are doing or who you are being with.
Deciding to make a change for a living may feel like a huge challenge or even a setback, but who wouldn’t want to work with something they are passionate about? Especially since we are not only getting older, but also staying in the labour market for longer.
Silvia will share her enlightening tale of life transitions and explore why pivots build stronger leaders. A great reminder to stay bold in your life; perhaps now is the time to make a shift?

Jesko von Werthern

About Jesko:
Jesko was born and raised in Taunus. He is a finisher of The Transcontinental Race, Transatlantic Way Bike Race, Race through Poland, Bikepacking Transgermany, Mainfrankengraveller, Greffelründsche and many other long-distance rides. Taunus Bikepacking was born out of his idea to create a local long-distance training loop and has evolved into a yearly event since 2018, when a bunch of friends rode the track in self-supported style for the first time.

About his talk:
Why do we choose to do hard things? It’s a question Jesko often asks himself when he’s out on his bike. Jesko is a long-distance cyclist who loves to challenge himself. When he’s out on his bike for thousands of kilometres, he’s all on his own-no support cars,no aid stations, just him and his bike.

He will explain how he motivates himself and overcomes challenges on his solitary bike expeditions because it’s not just about being physically strong; it’s about knowing how to manage your energy and, most importantly, taking care of yourself.He believes that overcoming hard times will give you the confidence to believe in yourself and may also give you the courage to make a bold choice.

Niraj Naik

About Niraj:
A Remarkable Journey from Pharmacist to Wellness Pioneer. Niraj’s story is nothing short of inspirational. Starting his career as a community pharmacist, he embarked on a transformative path that led him to become the founder of SOMA Breath, a globally acclaimed breathwork movement. A personal battle with an autoimmune disease ignited his passion for holistic health and breathwork, enabling him to heal himself. His mission is to address global issues, from depression to chronic diseases, by empowering individuals to find natural highs, happiness, and health. Under Niraj’s guidance, SOMA Breath has become a pioneering force in global breathwork, with over 2000 certified instructors. His unique breathwork techniques are endorsed by wellness luminaries like Ben Greenfield, Marisa Peer, Vishen Lakhiani, and Dave Asprey. Notably, Cambridge University neurologists are studying his methods. Beyond breathwork, Niraj’s influence extends to creating music and audio tracks for the Wim Hof Method courses and app. In collaboration with Rituals, he co-created a revolutionary immersive meditation technology, the world’s first Mind Spa. Also known as “The Renegade Pharmacist,” Niraj is featured in global media and numerous podcasts. Niraj Naik’s journey transforms personal adversity into a global wellness revolution, one breath at a time.

About his talk:
Have you ever thought about whether you’re breathing correctly? Now you’re probably thinking, is there a right and a wrong way to breathe? Yes, there is. You do it all the time, maybe without even noticing it, but that doesn’t mean that you are doing it properly. Niraj is the visionary behind SOMA Breath, and he’ll guide you through the art of breathing correctly, explaining all the benefits it has—and the list is long. Take a breath with us and discover new techniques on how to breathe for a better life.

Lissi Muschol

About Lissi:
Lissi grew up in a large, vivid, and colourful family, which is probably why she likes people so much. She learned to accept that humans have conflicting needs and feelings. In fact, she believes that conflicts can be huge chances for personal development, genuine relationships, and healthy work environments. Originally Lissi comes from the world of international cinema, where she worked in leading positions on many different (and often daring) arthouse probjects. Over time, the question of how we can create a sustainable and healthy working culture became increasingly important to her. She became a certified mediator, systemic coach and consultant for organisational and individual change. With her program “Creating Culture” (“Kultur Schaffen”) and other workshops and trainings, she is now dedicated to fostering sustainable and future-
oriented collaboration. She guides individuals and companies through change processes and supports teams in conflict situations.

About her talk:
It is impossible to live a life free of conflict. Whether it be with an annoying colleague, an overbearing boss, an unfair friend, or maybe a self-absorbed boyfriend or girlfriend, conflict is an inescapable part of life’s narrative. But wouldn’t it be wonderful to learn the tools to find the courage to navigate through conflicts ?

Lissi works today as a mediator after having worked in the international film industry for many years. In her TEDx talk, she will help you discover the confidence needed to face conflicts head-on, instead of ignoring or running away from them – a seemingly simpler yet ultimately less effective approach for dealing with unpleasant situations.

Emilia Roig

About Emilia:
Emilia Roig is a bestselling author and political scientist. She is dedicated to inspiring people to divest from systems of oppression and to shift collective consciousness. She has taught at universities in France, Germany, and the U.S. on intersectionality theory, postcolonial studies, critical race theory, queer feminism, and international and European law. Prior to her PhD, she worked extensively on human rights issues at the UN in Tanzania and Uganda, at the GIZ in Cambodia, and at Amnesty International in Germany – and then decided to leave the field of international development to focus on social justice in Europe. She founded the Center for Intersectional Justice (CIJ) in 2017 and was Executive Director until 2024. She was a jury member of the German Nonfiction Prize in 2020, was appointed Ashoka Fellow in 2019, and received the Edition F Award in 2021. She was elected “Most Influential Woman of the Year” in the Impact of Diversity Award in 2022.


About her talk:
Have you considered if our marriage is coming to an end? In today’s society, we constantly talk about how to save your marriage and how to find a husband. What if we start talking about the less glamorous aspects of it? The ones our patriarchal society keeps untold. To understand the present, we need to comprehend the past. Emilie will challenge your perspective on marriage by looking at the structural foundations of our society both past and current – and perhaps it will impact the future.

Photo Credits: Mohamed Badarne

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