Dr. Đorđe Tomić joined we.CONECT Global Leaders GmbH in 2016. As Group Director Production, he is responsible for the program design and overall organization of all 150 annual events. 2011-2016 research associate at Humboldt University Berlin with research focus on contemporary history and digital humanities. Previously employed as research assistant at the German Bundestag for 4 years. Worked for years in various positions in political education as well as a freelance translator and interpreter and external scientific evaluator - among others for the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. He holds a PhD in History from Humboldt University Berlin; he studied History, Social Sciences, Eastern European Studies and German Studies at the Free University Berlin, Humboldt University Berlin, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and the University of Novi Sad.

As President and Co-founder of Proactive Worldwide, Inc., David Kalinowski leads the organization in developing and implementing global strategies and tactics to deliver world-class competitive intelligence research, analysis, training, and consulting services.

In 1995, David co-founded Proactive Worldwide, Inc., a leading specialty market research firm that concentrates heavily on competitive analysis, after spending the prior 5 years with a smaller, boutique consulting firm. In 2024, Proactive Worldwide earned a Gold Stevie Award® with its CI Blueprint® course in the Career and Workforce Readiness Solution category and a Global 100 Award from EMG Publishing as the Best Research & Consulting Firm.

A 34-year Competitive Intelligence (CI) veteran, David is a sought-after, dynamic keynote speaker known for his skills in helping clients recognize and transcend their business and competitive challenges. He has directed over 1,000 global research and consulting engagements for over 200 Fortune 1000 companies to help them gain and maintain a competitive edge covering industries such as Financial Services, Technology, Consumer & Industrial Goods, and Healthcare & Life Sciences.

David received a Business Titan Award in 2023 in Excellence and was inducted as a CI Fellow in the Council of Competitive Intelligence Fellows in 2022. He has deep experience in Competitive Strategy, Benchmarking, Market Entry and Defense, War Gaming, Early Warning, Intelligence Transformation, Counterintelligence, and CI Leadership Training.

David has trained over 3,000 CI practitioners from over 25 countries: US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil, England, Ireland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, India, Thailand, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Egypt and more.

He has co-written two, bestselling books: New Directions: A Competitive Intelligence Tale (2011) and The CI-Driven CEO (2022).

David holds a BS in Political Science/Public Law from Northern Illinois University.

we.CONECT Global Leaders is more than an owner-managed, mid-sized media company based in the heart of Berlin — we are an institution. Founded in August 2011 by a team of passionate B2B conference experts, we've continuously expanded our global footprint. Our reach spans industries, markets, and sectors around the world. As an independent company, we're proud to deliver sustainable, high-quality services that create real value for our clients. At the core of global knowledge, information, and technology communities, we drive connection and collaboration among professionals. Our diverse client base includes organizations from across Germany, Europe, and the globe — and we’re proud to support them every step of the way.

Proactive Worldwide is one of the world's leading specialty market intelligence companies, helping top-tier organizations understand vulnerabilities, better predict market shifts, and plan for growth with confidence. We examine competitors, suppliers, customers, regulatory issues, and more—through advanced competitive, market, and customer intelligence—to deliver a complete picture of the decision-making environment with a far-reaching perspective that uncovers hidden opportunities and key threats. With nearly 30 years of experience, we leverage our proprietary methodology, a deep bench of researchers and analysts, and in-house industry specialists to produce insights that have real impact. Learn more https://www.proactiveworldwide.com/.