Prof. Sonja Prokopec is a Professor of Marketing and the Associate Dean of Faculty at ESSEC Business School APAC based in Singapore. Her research explores consumer judgment and decision-making. She is also interested in understanding the factors that affect brand perceptions of luxury brands. Prof. Prokopec's research has been published in the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Psychology, and International Journal of Research in Marketing among others, as well as a variety of media including the Harvard Business Review, Huffington Post, the Business of Fashion and Business Times Singapore.

She was the ESSEC LVMH Chair Professor of Luxury Brand Management for 12 years, from 2010 – 2022. She was named one of the Top 40 under 40 Business School Professors worldwide in 2015 (Poets&Quants ranking). Outside of teaching and research, she actively advises companies from the luxury and automotive industries, as well as start-ups regarding consumer behavior trends, consumer research and marketing, and brand management issues. She is also an advisory council member of Singapore Fashion Council and VOGUE Council.

Junqiu Jiang is a marketing professor at ESSEC Business School. She holds a PhD in Marketing Strategy from Singapore Management University. Junqiu’s research explores the contextual factors that shape marketing decision-making, with current work examining how organizations secure marketing budgets and how corporate political ties influence marketing actions. A multimethod scholar, she draws on both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to produce research that bridges academic theory and managerial practice, with an emphasis on sustainable marketing. Junqiu earned her BA in Fashion Management from the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, and her MSc in Strategic Marketing from Imperial College London. Before pursuing her PhD, she worked across diverse industries—including luxury fashion, family business, mining, and finance—across regions such as South Africa, the UK, France, China, and Singapore.

At ESSEC, Junqiu teaches undergraduate, master's, MBA, and executive-level students. Her teaching portfolio and interests span Luxury Retail Management, Luxury Brand Management, Marketing Strategy, Marketing Management, and Marketing Research Methods. Through her teaching, she combines academic rigor with real-world relevance to equip students with the skills to lead in an evolving marketing landscape.

Dennis co-founded Genesis-Global Gems & Jewellery Group, a purveyor of exquisite gems and jewelry in the ultra-luxury market, with business interest in various markets across Asia. Having started the business over 11 years and coupled with over 20 years of experience and expertise, Dennis specializes in the sourcing of rare diamonds and precious gems directly from mines across the world, for purposes ranging from investments to adornment.

Prior to that, Dennis had 16 years of corporate working experience with various multi-national organizations across various industries, such as luxury hotels, luxury retail, FMCG, logistics & distribution, and leisure. His forte lies in the areas of learning and development, and services.

In his free time, Dennis is an avid wine and champagne collector. His real passion lies in rare gems collection.

Iva Bravic Millereau is a distinguished luxury brand strategist with over 20 years of experience across three continents. She began her career as a Fashion Buyer at Hudson’s Bay Company, moving on to key brand and marketing roles at Ralph Lauren Europe and Adidas Group, where she shaped international narratives for premium brands. In Asia, she drove luxury market innovation with Timex Group.

Since 2020, Iva has built her own luxury wellness brand, partnering with icons such as Four Seasons, Lane Crawford, Shiseido Group, and Estée Lauder Group—demonstrating industry-leading expertise and credibility.

An ESSEC alumna, Iva is now Executive Director of ESSEC APAC's Master in Marketing and Digital program, leveraging her multicultural background and global perspective to shape future leaders. Known for transformative presentations, she speaks English, French, and Croatian.

Madina Kalyayeva is a seasoned communications leader with over 15 years of global experience, known for clarity, creativity, and a relentless drive to turn potential into performance. Her career spans the UK, the Middle East, and Singapore, where she has contributed across NGOs, aviation, global PR and advertising networks, publishing houses, and led brand and communications teams—always operating at the intersection of impactful storytelling and purposeful strategy.

Currently, Madina heads Tilt in Singapore, a creative agency under the HM umbrella in Hong Kong, where she is spearheading a full-scale transformation by rebuilding culture, reigniting creative ambition, and restoring client confidence.

In addition to her agency leadership, Madina lectures two modules at ESSEC Business School, which is ranked #1 in Asia and #2 globally for its Master in Marketing Management & Digital programme (MMD). She actively mentors emerging talent across the region, champions women in leadership, and advocates for marketing that fosters connections between people, culture, and purpose.

Madina brings a regional perspective, strategic insight, and a storyteller’s soul to her work, guided by the belief that great brands are built from the inside out.

Prior to founding Hydra Advisory and contributing to different assignments as a senior consultant and advisor to brands and investors, Maximiliano (Max) has gained decades of international experience working for both leading corporate luxury groups as well as family-owned brands and start-ups. Among these brands that Max has worked for are the LVMH Group, Dolce&Gabbana and Ermenegildo Zegna, as well as other companies and start-ups, covering several roles in general strategy, international development, and marketing.

Max holds a Master in International Trade from Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain) and an MBA in Luxury Brand Management from ESSEC Business School (France). He has also attended the Executive Program in Global Strategy at Harvard Business School (USA). Max is a regular visiting lecturer at ESSEC Business School in France, Politecnico di Milano, and Marangoni School in Italy - He is frequently invited to talk about International Strategy and Development in the luxury industry.