Michael O. Hengartner served as President of the University of Zurich (UZH) from 2014 to 2020, and President of swissuniversities from 2016 to 2020. He has dual Swiss and Canadian citizenship and grew up in Quebec City where he studied biochemistry at the Université Laval. In 1994, Michael O. Hengartner was awarded his doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate H. Robert Horvitz. He then headed a research group at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA. After that, he was appointed Professor at the Institute of Molecular Biology in 2001 and Dean of the Faculty of Science at UZH from 2009 to 2014. Michael O. Hengartner has an Executive MBA at IMD Lausanne and a number of awards for his research and teaching skills.
Hall C (Level 2)
Open
Technological breakthroughs are advancing at an unprecedented pace, driven by the rapid maturation of university-led research and industry partnerships. As fintech innovation accelerates in the areas of AI, digital assets, and digital transformation, collaborations between universities and industry players—combined with the development of real-world use cases—have become essential in empowering next-generation talent, creating new commercial solutions, and enhancing innovation capabilities within financial services. These efforts not only enhance the efficiency of humanitarian aid but also have the potential to address the sector’s most pressing and underfunded challenges.
This panel brings together leaders from academia, banking, and corporate treasury in the humanitarian sector to explore how industry-research collaboration can drive technological transformation, accelerate fintech innovation, and provide real-world experiences to the innovators of tomorrow.