GIGS 3rd Annual Conference 2024
GIGS 3rd Annual Conference 2024
Keynote Speakers
Alexandre Arrobio
Country Manager for Tunisia
The World Bank
Patrick de Cambourg
Chair, EFRAG Sustainability Reporting Board
European Financial Reporting Advisory Group
Olivier Scaillet
Managing Director of GFRI
Senior Chair, Professor of Probability & Statistics
Swiss Finance Institute & University of Geneva
Elizabeth Demers
Professor of Financial Reporting & Co-Director
CPA Ontario Centre for Sustainability Reporting and Performance Management
University of Waterloo
Call for Papers
EMBRACING A NEW ERA: DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN VALUE CREATION
We are thrilled to announce the upcoming GIGS 3rd Annual Conference (2024) which will take place on the enchanting city of Hammamet, Tunisia.
The different disciplines of financial economics and accounting are experiencing a seismic shift as digital technologies revolutionize the landscape. The incorporation of advanced analytics, machine learning, blockchain, and other cutting-edge technologies holds the promise of transforming traditional practices, enhancing decision-making, and reshaping the industry's future. In an era where financial resilience and environmental sustainability are increasingly interlinked, the contributions of accounting and finance are critical.
This conference is designed to delve into the reinvention of these fields within the digital transformation of financial economics and accounting. We invite scholars, professionals, and students to illuminate innovative practices, pioneering research, and paradigm-altering frameworks within these disciplines. The GIGS Summer Symposium offers an exceptional platform for individuals from accounting, finance, management, leadership, economics, entrepreneurship, sustainability, supply chain, and information technology to converge in a refreshing and inspiring environment. It encourages stimulating transdisciplinary dialogues and debates, propelling our scholarship to new pinnacles. And what better setting to rekindle old friendships, forge new ones, and mutually inspire than the stunning beaches and azure skies of Carthage, Tunisia.
Topics of interest include:
- Digital Transformation in Finance:
- Fintech Innovation and Financial Services:
- Sustainability and Ethical Finance:
- Financial Literacy, Financial Inclusion, and Financial Resilience:
- Regulatory Compliance and Reporting:
- Ethics, Transparency, and Accountability:
- Value Creation and Stakeholder Engagement:
- Emerging Trends and Challenges:
Because GIGS aims to promote an integrative and interdisciplinary understanding, education and practical implementation of state-of-the-art systems of governance and sustainable development and to allow scholars the freedom to explore without the constraints of formatting and robustness tests, we invite you to select the paper you want to present. Should you present, you will be paired with another renowned scholar who will discuss your paper. In return, please commit to discuss one or two papers. We believe this unconventional approach for encouraging each other to bring out and share those not-quite-finished papers in a supportive setting creates an atmosphere and excitement that spills over to interchanges that continue long after the conference ends.
Key Dates:
- Early-bird registration deadline: February 29, 2024
- Submission deadline: March 31, 2024
- Acceptance decisions: on a rolling basis, starting from March 15, 2024
- Registration deadline for presenters: April 30, 2024
GIGS Doctoral/Junior Faculty Consortium: In addition to the regular academic sessions, the GIGS Initiative will hold the GIGS Doctoral/Junior Faculty Consortium to provide an opportunity for students and junior faculty to present their proposals and interact with renowned professors of international standing.
Accomodation:
The conference will take place at Amber El Fell Hotel Hammamet (https://amberelfell.com). We have negotiated a highly competitive night rate for the conference group.
To use our special rate, booking requests are exclusively received and communicated to the hotel using the following form. You will later receive a booking confirmation with a payment link:
Kindly note that this is a small niche hotel with only a limited number of suites, and we expect that it will be sold out fast. We encourage you to book ASAP. If it is sold out, we will be happy to suggest nearby alternative hotels.
We look forward to seeing you among us. Please contact submission2024@gigs-initiative.ca for any questions.
The GIGS 2024 Organizing Committee
- Ines Chaieb, University of Geneva
- Nadia Massoud, University of Melbourne
- Robert (Bob) Wood, Macquarie University
- Samir Trabelsi, Brock University
- Amna Chalwati, Saint Mary's University
- Imen Latrous, University of Quebec at Chicoutimi
- Fares Belkhiria, McGill University
- Oussama El Ajal, University of Miami
9:15 - 10:45 | GIGS - ESG Certified Director: A Foundation
Foundations of Sustainability
Dr. Amna Chalwati
Associate Professor of Accounting, Saint Mary’s University
Prof. Samir Trabelsi
CPA Ontario Distinguished Scholar and Professor of Accounting and Governance, Goodman School of Business at Brock University
Green Finance & Financial Inclusion
Prof. Robert Wood
Consultant and Professor of Behavioural Decision Making, Macquarie Business School
Prof. Nadia Massoud
Endowed Professor of Finance, University of Melbourne
Sustainability & Risk Management
Prof. Ines Chaieb
Professor of Finance, Swiss Finance Institute & University of Geneva
Prof. Hatem Ben Ameur
Professor of Decision Science, HEC Montréal
10:45 - 11:00 | Networking Coffee Break
11:00 - 11:45 | Keynote Address: Global Sustainability Reporting: Materiality, Standards and Geopolitics
Prof. Charles H. Cho
Professor of Sustainability Accounting
Erivan K. Haub Chair in Business & Sustainability, Schulich School of Business, York University
11:45 - 12:30 | Panel I: AI & ESG Risk Management
Neila Benzina
Chief Executive Officer, Wimbee Technology
Prof. Charles H. Cho
Professor of Sustainability Accounting, York University, Toronto, Canada
Prof. Samir Trabelsi
CPA Ontario Distinguished Scholar of Accounting and Governance, Brock University
As ESG expectations grow more complex and scrutiny intensifies, organizations are turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI) to strengthen their risk management strategies. This panel brings together ESG leaders, data scientists, and risk practitioners to explore how AI is reshaping the way companies identify, assess, and manage ESG-related risks, from climate exposure and supply chain vulnerabilities to social impact and governance integrity.
Panelists will share real-world applications, discuss the potential and limits of AI in ESG analytics, and tackle key questions around data quality, bias, regulatory compliance, and transparency. Attendees will gain practical insights into how AI tools can enhance ESG oversight, not replace it, while aligning innovation with accountability and long-term value creation.
12:30 - 13:15 | Panel II: ESG in Action: Driving Long-Term Value Through Responsible Business
Ahmed Karam
Chairman of the Board, Tunisia Leasing and Factoring
Kawther Mekni
K-SustaiNova Consulting
Nejla Gharbi
CEO, La Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations
Manel Zammouri
Partner – Head of Strategy & Deal Advisory – KPMG Tunisia & Libya
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles have moved from aspiration to action—and are now central to long-term business performance and resilience. This panel brings together business leaders and ESG practitioners to share how organizations are embedding ESG into strategy, operations, and decision-making to create real, measurable value.
Through practical case studies and open dialogue, panelists will discuss what it takes to move beyond box-checking, tackling challenges like ESG data integration, stakeholder engagement, regulatory shifts, and performance tracking. Whether it’s navigating climate risk, building inclusive cultures, or strengthening governance frameworks, this session will highlight what responsible business looks like in practice, and how it can drive innovation, trust, and competitive advantage.