World Music Showcase
DELEGATES:
Anca Lupeș
Founder of Mastering the Music Business (MMB) & President of RAW Music
Anca Lupeș is one of Romania's most experienced music industry professionals, with a career spanning media, concert promotion, publishing, and artist management. She is the first Romanian to earn a Master's degree in Music Business from Berklee College of Music, making her a pioneer in music business education in her country. In 2016, she founded Mastering the Music Business (MMB), Romania's leading international music conference and showcase festival, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025. Anca is also the President of RAW Music, an NGO functioning as Romania's official music export office. Through RAW Music, she facilitates international connections and opens doors for Romanian artists at major European festivals like Eurosonic, Glastonbury, and Sziget.
Anna Bakonyi
Social Media & Content Manager at Hangvető
Anna has extensive experience working with cultural projects and NGOs across a wide range of roles, including production manager, project manager, social media strategist, and content manager. Her professional focus has always been to advance the causes she works for by building communication around high-quality content. For over a year and a half, Anna has been working with Hangvető, where she manages social media communication and contributes to the communication strategy and content creation for multiple key initiatives. Her portfolio includes major international cultural projects such as the European showcase platform UPBEAT and the Budapest Ritmo festival.
Arlette Hovinga
That Jazz Girl
Arlette is a publicist and marketing/media director from The Netherlands. Focusing on release- and tour promo, she works all over Europe to represent everything jazz, experimental, world, or indie. When not on the road with colleagues, clients, and friends such as Jason Miles (Marcus Miller, Miles Davis) and she can be found organizing press tours for festivals such as So What’s Next? (NL), Szczecin Jazz Festival (PL), and Sicilia Jazz Festival (IT). In the past, she’s been known to work with The Four Tops, Earth Beat Agency, Matt Bianco, and many others. Her hobby, besides having the best job in the world, involves books, reading, collecting vintage cookbooks, and learning languages.
Araceli Tzigane
Director of Mapamundi Música
Araceli Tzigane began her work in music dissemination in 2000, driven by a passion for sharing the sounds she loves. She is the director of Mapamundi Música, the global management and booking agency she founded in 2007, specializing in outstanding acoustic music from around the world.
Araceli is also the founder and administrator of the Transglobal World Music Chart and co-hosts the radio show Mundofonías with Juan Antonio Vázquez, broadcast in 18 countries. She serves on the board of the European Folk Network and regularly participates as a jury member in international music competitions.
Cesar Andion
PR, Talent Export for Live Nation & Head of The Spanish Wave
Cesar Andion is a music industry veteran with over 38 years of experience, spanning local artist management, record label distribution (Sub Pop, Epitaph), and live promotion. Since 2006, he has been part of Live Nation Spain, where he currently handles PR, Talent, and Export in Madrid. Cesar is the head of "The Spanish Wave", an influential showcase export programme for Spanish talent. He acts as a promoter and director for various projects including AMF, Madrid Music Days, and Dcodelab at Dcode festival. Additionally, he shares his extensive knowledge as a lecturer for the Live Nation Live Music Master at UCM, the Eastern European Music Academy, and other international music platforms.
Cristina Fina
International Development & Partnerships at Puglia Sounds | Medimex
Based in Paris, Cristina Fina has an extensive background in producing and managing international music and film events across Europe. In 1998, she founded La Strada, a Paris-based agency specializing in world and jazz music. Since 2010, she has overseen international development strategies, partnerships, and music export activities for Puglia Sounds. This is the first public initiative in Italy dedicated to developing and internationalizing a regional music sector, established by the Puglia Regional Government. In this role, Cristina also promotes Medimex, Italy’s leading international music festival and conference, positioning music as a strategic industry for economic and cultural growth.
Francesca Cerretani
Event and Office Manager of Europe Jazz Network (EJN)
Francesca Cerretani is the Event and Office Manager of Europe Jazz Network (EJN). She is responsible for managing the network's virtual office, overseeing the production of EJN events, and supporting project leaders in organizing the annual European Jazz Conference. Her role also involves managing the EJN Board administration and assisting the General Manager with grant applications and financial reporting. Francesca holds a degree in Foreign Languages and Literature, with diplomas in translation and digital corporate mediation. Following her work as a translator, she spent over a decade (2001–2013) managing the production of international theatre and music events before joining EJN.
Götz Bühler
Artistic Advisor to the jazzahead! trade fair, conference and festival
Götz Bühler, music journalist and author, radio/TV presenter of the “Jazz thing Mixtape” on ByteFM and OneJazz.net as well as the German Jazzprize, is the Artistic Advisor to the jazzahead! trade fair, conference and festival. Held annually in Bremen, Germany, the jazzahead! is the world’s largest gathering for the Jazz industry, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026 with Sweden as its partner country.
Irakli Mikiani
Co-founder of One Caucasus NGO
Irakli Mikiani is a youth policy entrepreneur, cultural manager, and co-founder of One Caucasus NGO. This interdisciplinary platform and festival connects people across Georgia, the Caucasus, and Europe through art, music, education, and civic collaboration. Based in Mestia, Irakli focuses on creating inclusive, participatory spaces for young people, artists, and local communities to co-create social and cultural initiatives. His work is centered on borderland cooperation, creative education, and using culture as a powerful tool for dialogue and long-term regional connection. Additionally, he develops innovative youth and technology initiatives that link local community development with international networks.
Jan Hoozee
Artistic director and programmer of Trefpunt Festival
Jan Hoozee was born and raised in Ghent, Belgium, where he studied cultural anthropology and cultural management. He is a DJ, amateur musician and radio producer. He used to run the internationally acclaimed world music record label Zephyrus Records and produced more than 20 albums. Currently Jan is the artistic director and programmer of Trefpunt Festival, and the main organizer of the Ghent Festivities (Belgium), a ten-day city festival attracting more than 1.5 million people.
Trefpunt Festival is still the core, the soul, the biggest and most diverse organizer of the huge open air event, the Ghent Festivities, bringing local and international artists in world music, jazz, folk, pop, rock and hiphop, as well as street theater, circus, dance, visual arts and debates.
Jan Hoozee / Trefpunt is the leading partner of Sounds Of Europe, a collaboration project funded by Creative Europe of 13 festivals from 11 countries that gives opportunities to bands from around Europe and exchanges expertise through residencies and sessions around Europe.
Juan Antonio Vázquez
Director of Mundofonías Radio
Juan Antonio Vázquez is the director of Mundofonías Radio and the driving force behind the award-winning show Mundofonías, broadcast on over 50 stations across 18 countries worldwide. On Spain’s National Radio (RNE), he produces the shows Mil Mundos on Radio Clásica and Radio 5, having produced content for the public broadcaster since 2008. Juan Antonio is also the co-founder and co-director of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a global network of world music journalists, and the creator of LIMúR (Iberian Roots Music Chart). He regularly serves as a jury member for prestigious international awards and charts, including Premios MIN, Sori Frontier, Folkspot Denmark, and the Balkan World Music Chart.
Lusine Voskanyan
Founder of Oberton & Creative Producer
Lusine Voskanyan is a music industry strategist from Armenia with 15 years of experience in artist management, international strategy, and creative production. She founded Oberton, Armenia's first specialized music management company and independent label (Oberton Records), pioneering sustainable music export and connecting local acts with global stages in over 30 countries. In 2025, she launched the Armenian Music Network to strengthen the local music ecosystem. Lusine is a member of the 2026 Keychange Talent Leadership Cohort and was part of Armenia's first WOMEX delegation. She is also an award-winning film and music video producer, earning the Best Producer Award (2023) for her short film 250 km.
Marina Roveta
Artist Manager & Founder of Producciones Submarinas
Marina Roveta is a Spanish artist manager and the founder of Producciones Submarinas, a boutique management agency based in Spain. With 20 years of experience in the music industry, she focuses on strategic career development and international touring across Europe, North America, and Asia for acoustic and pop artists like Pipo Romero and David Otero. Marina is a regular participant at top international industry events, including WOMEX, BIME, APAP, and Jazzahead!. Committed to fostering the next generation of professionals, she served as a mentor in the European Music Managers Alliance (EMMA) EMMpower programme in 2025 and continues her mentorship role within the UPBEAT x EMMA initiative.
Matyáš Hradil
Head of Production at Czech Music Crossroads
Matyáš Hradil is currently a student at Palacký University Olomouc and serves as the Head of Production for Czech Music Crossroads. He is also a key member of the production teams behind major Czech cultural events, including the multi-genre open-air ART&LIFE Festival in the Streets and the renowned Colours of Ostrava. Through Czech Music Crossroads, Matyáš works on presenting local roots, acoustic, folk, fusion, and jazz music from the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and rotating guest countries to an international audience of promoters and journalists. He also coordinates the event's extensive conference and speed-meeting networking sessions.
Dr. Mike Duignan
Founder & Chair of the Centre for Events & Festivals
Dr Mike Duignan is the Founder and Chair of the Centre for Events & Festivals, the international professional body for the events industry. He is a Professor at the University of Paris 1 and Editor-in-Chief of the Event Management Journal. Internationally recognized for his expertise on the planning, impacts, and legacies of major events, Mike studies how governments and communities can maximize the long-term value of hosting large-scale sports, cultural, and business events. Over two decades, he has advised and researched globally, evaluating events across economic, environmental, and cultural dimensions. He previously directed the UK Olympic Studies Centre and held senior academic and research roles at the University of Surrey and University of Central Florida.
Pascal Dorban
Jazz Broadcaster, Journalist & Curator
Pascal Dorban is a passionate jazz enthusiast with over 25 years of experience curating and leading the Jazz.com programme for Radio ARA in Luxembourg. As the artistic director of the show, he has shaped its identity and deeply contributed to the local and European jazz community. Throughout his career, Pascal has developed a rich appreciation for both historical and contemporary jazz, focusing closely on live performances and emerging musical talents. Alongside his radio career, he is a dedicated music journalist, regularly contributing festival reviews and industry insights to established platforms like Jazzjournal.co.uk and couleursjazz.fr, reflecting a lifelong commitment to connecting global audiences with the diversity of jazz.
Patricia Pascal
Founder of Jazznewblood & Senior Producer at Tomorrow's Warriors
Patricia Pascal is a London-based music professional with over 20 years of experience as a manager, producer, and talent booker, specializing in Jazz and World Music. She is the long-time manager of internationally acclaimed artist Carmen Souza. In 2015, Patricia founded Jazznewblood.org, a platform showcasing youth jazz talent, which includes the JazznewbloodALIVE showcase at the EFG London Jazz Festival and a UK-broadcasted radio show. In 2022, she joined Tomorrow’s Warriors as Senior Producer and Emerging Artist Programme Lead, creating development pathways for young musicians. She also heads their International Outreach Projects, collaborating with European institutions like Belgium's Brosella Festival and France's Jazz à Tours to foster cross-cultural partnerships.
Paul Pace
Lead Music Programmer & Legacy Manager at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
Paul Pace is the Lead Music Programmer and Legacy Manager at the world-famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London’s Soho. A respected figure in the UK jazz scene with over 30 years of experience, Paul has been a key booker at Ronnie Scott’s for 16 years, driven by a lifelong passion for live music. Throughout his career, he also promoted live jazz at SpiceJazz Soho for 25 years and managed Ray’s Jazz at Foyles for six years. Paul has fostered numerous collaborations with artists from Europe and the US. He is also a semi-professional singer, an avid record collector, and in 2008, he received the prestigious Parliamentary Jazz Award for Services to Jazz.
Petra Hradilová
Director of Czech Music Crossroads and ART&LIFE Festival
Petra Hradilová has been an active leader in the Czech cultural scene for over 20 years. She is the director of two major events in Ostrava: the international Czech Music Crossroads showcase festival and conference, and the multi-genre ART&LIFE Festival in the Streets. Under her leadership, Czech Music Crossroads presents roots, acoustic, folk, fusion, and jazz music from the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and international guests (including Taiwan and Estonia) to global professionals and journalists. Meanwhile, the ART&LIFE Festival is a free open-air event drawing over 20,000 visitors with its vibrant program of international music, street theatre, and giant puppets.
Tatev Mkrtumyan
Program Director at Oberton Music & Co-founder of Armenian Music Network
Tatev Mkrtumyan is a communications and cultural management professional with nearly a decade of experience across international organizations, tech companies, and the music industry. As Program Director at Oberton Music Company—Armenia’s first specialized music management and production firm—she drives international partnerships and strategic programs. She is also the co-founder and Program Director of the Armenian Music Network, dedicated to strengthening Armenia’s music ecosystem through professional exchange and institutional cooperation. Tatev focuses on building sustainable creative systems and has actively represented the Armenian music sector at major global platforms including WOMEX, MaMa Music & Convention, Yerevan Music Week, and the U.S. Department of State's Center Stage program.
Sarah Magill
Performer, Writer & Member of COP5000 Theatre Collective
Sarah Magill is a Berlin-based rapper, performer, and writer. She spent several years as a member of the band Two Times Twice, performing across Germany and Poland, and continues to integrate rap into her theatre work, most recently with Apocalypse Heroes! at Theater Brotfabrik in Berlin. Sarah served as the director of the ReflektorTV project at the 48 Stunden Neukölln arts festival and is an active member of the theatre collective COP5000. Alongside her journalism and copywriting work, she authors the Substack newsletter Small Expectations and is currently working on her first book.
Olivier Rey
Director of Babel Music XP
Olivier Rey has been a musician for over 20 years and an activist in the music world for more than 30 years, organizing major French festivals. He is now Director of Babel Music XP, the economic and cultural forum for contemporary world music held in Marseille. A Mediterranean crossroads for contemporary world music, the event takes place every year in March and brings together the entire music industry around an international trade show, professional meetings and a festival.
Nikola Sadzak
Technology Professional & Cultural Project Contributor
Nikola Sadzak is a Berlin-based engineer and physicist who builds data platforms and cloud systems for industrial and financial clients. He holds a PhD in quantum physics from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, where he spent years developing nanoscale sensors for magnetic field imaging before transitioning into the tech sector. Alongside his engineering career, Nikola is an active contributor to cultural projects as a member of the art association Reflektor Neukölln in Berlin. He has also participated as a performer in their ReflektorTV project during the annual 48 Stunden Neukölln arts festival.
Michał Żak
Visual Artist & Filmmaker
Michał Żak is a Berlin-based visual artist and filmmaker working across photography, video, art direction, and socially engaged projects. His work explores complex socio-political themes, memory, human rights, and informal education. He frequently collaborates with artists, musicians, theatres, NGOs, and cultural institutions across Poland and Germany to create impactful visual narratives. Additionally, Michał is the host and founder of Listen to Your Art, a popular monthly meetup in Berlin designed for artists, networking, and creative exchange.
Maxwell Wright
Co-founder & Creative Director of TEDxBerkleeValencia, Founder of Formentera Jazz Festival
Maxwell Wright is an entertainment industry veteran, international musician, and creative entrepreneur with over two decades of global experience. As a member of the Latin Grammy-winning group Ojos de Brujo, he toured the world, performing at iconic venues like the Sydney Opera House and Glastonbury. Max holds a Master's in Music Business from Berklee College of Music, where he later worked for over a decade as a career advisor and event producer. He co-founded TEDxBerkleeValencia and founded both the Formentera Jazz Festival and Menorca Groove Festival in Spain. Currently based in the Netherlands, Max teaches at Wisseloord Academy, works as a booking agent, and runs Royal Sonora, a platform providing music production for global brands like Sony PlayStation and MotoGP.
Margarita Borisova
Music Journalist and PR of Jazz Plus Concerts
Margarita Borisova is a freelance music journalist based in Sofia and a coordinator in many musical projects, a long-term PR of Jazz Plus Concerts (since 2004) and the owner and music consultant in the oldest vinyl and CD shop in Sofia - “Dukyan Meloman” (since 1994). The store is focused in retailing and distributing the production of the European independent labels like ECM, Act, Enja, World Circuit, Karonte, Wagram. Together with Yavor Ganchev Margarita Borisova has conceptualized and put on stage three crossover projects: Estruna - Arcángel and New Bulgarian Voices, a 2018 Latin Grammy winner, the guitar duo The Storytellers: Cenk Erdogan and Antonio Forcione and Roberto Fonseca and New Bulgarian Voices. She has been a jury at the Jazz Eñe Festival 2017 in Madrid, Spain, led a radio show at RFI Sofia and a weekly jazz review column in the period 2000-2010.
József Halmen
F-Cat Productions, Co-Founder & Owner at Stairway Booking
József Halmen (also known by his stage name vekt) is a Transylvanian-born booking agent, promoter, and concert organizer currently based in Berlin. He is the co-founder and owner of Stairway Booking and works with F-Cat Productions. With over a decade of experience as a DJ and producer, József has played numerous clubs and events. His musical production spans genres such as house, tribal, acid, organic house, ethnic house, downtempo, and trip-hop. Currently, his creative focus is dedicated to his electronic solo project, "vekt".
Edyta Rogowska-Żak
Free Voice–Free Mind | Producer & Manager, ROXSA Festival
Edyta Rogowska-Żak is a Berlin-based Polish artist, educator, and cultural manager with a Master’s in Sociology. She leads the musical project Duxius, blending theatre and music into a genre she calls "Polish Future Retro," which focuses on emotional and social awareness. Her debut album, Remanence (2022), fuses multilingual lyrics across genres, and her work has been recognized by Music Export Poland. Edyta also runs the "Free Voice-Free Mind" workshop, a transformative experience focused on voice, body, and mental well-being, emphasizing breath control, resonance, and stress reduction. Additionally, she manages and produces the ROXSA Festival in Bad Sülze, a cultural event dedicated to revitalizing the town through art, community engagement, and creativity.
Tsvetan Tsvetanov
Alarma Punk Jazz
Tsvetan Tsvetanov has been a radio host of shows about "music that is rarely heard on the Bulgarian airwaves" since 1996 (since 2002 on the Bulgarian National Radio). He has been organizing concerts since 2008 under the name "Alarma Punk Jazz", most of which are broadcasted live on the BNR's cultural program "Hristo Botev". His shows have featured the first (and sometimes only) interviews in Bulgaria with musicians such as John Hassell, Alamailman Vasarat, Ali Farka Toure, Huun Huur Tu, Akira Sakata, Henry Threadgill, Accordion Tribe, Jivan Gasparyan, Charlie Hayden, etc. 90% of all African artists who have played in Bulgaria in recent years gave their first concerts in our country at his invitation (Vieux Farka Toure, Boubacar Traore, King Ayisoba, Noura Mint Seymali, Ukandanz, Bombino, Tamikrest, ect.). In his radio shows, traditional and contemporary world music live in symbiosis with free jazz, gothic blues, electronic avant-garde, experimental genres, literature, cinema, etc.
Tanya Ivanova
Jazz FM, Bulgaria
Tanya Ivanova is a radio host, music journalist, and broadcaster with 25 years of experience at Jazz FM Bulgaria. She hosts the daily programme “Afternoon Improvisations”, featuring jazz news, artist interviews, and premieres of new music. Over the years, she has interviewed many of the world's leading jazz musicians, including Chick Corea, Christian McBride, Eliane Elias, Marcus Miller, Branford Marsalis, Linda May Han Oh, Kurt Elling, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Jason Moran and many others. Tanya has hosted the Bansko Jazz Festival and moderated public discussion at the Apollonia Festival of Arts. She also writes about music and culture for leading Bulgarian media.
Petar Ganev
Senior Fellow at the Institute for Market Economics (IME)
Petar Ganev is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Market Economics (IME). His research focuses on economic development, public finance, regional growth, free markets, and income inequality. He is also a dedicated researcher of the Austrian School of Economics. Petar served as the Chairman of the Board of the Bulgarian Macroeconomic Association (2016–2017) and is currently a member of the Supervisory Board of PFC Levski. He has authored numerous articles on economic policy and analysis, and actively directs the student and educational initiatives at IME.
Margarita Katsarova
Expert at Visit Sofia
As a tourism graduate, Margarita Katsarova’s work at Visit Sofia is dedicated to shaping Sofia as an inspiring and forward-looking destination for both business and cultural travel. Her passion lies in utilizing tourism as a force for meaningful connection, cultural understanding, and positive impact. Through strategic destination branding and tourism development, she advocates for sustainable experiences that deeply connect people, culture, and purpose on a global map.
Elena Chardakliyska
Mastercard
Elena Chardakliyska leads Mastercard’s Data & Services sales across Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo. In this role, she drives the adoption of advanced solutions in data, cybersecurity, personalization, and loyalty for financial institutions, merchants, and public sector clients. Prior to joining Mastercard, she worked at McKinsey & Company in the Middle East. Elena holds an MBA from INSEAD and a BA from Harvard University.
Boriana Dimitrova
Alpha Research
Dr. Boriana Dimitrova is a well-known sociologist with extensive experience in the field of social and political research. She heads Alpha Research’s social, political, and electoral studies and has authored numerous publications in both Bulgarian and foreign academic editions. She holds a PhD in sociology and has specialized in political and electoral sociology at CNRS (France), as well as in new methods in social sciences at Yale University (USA).
