Dr. Kawtar Benkirane | Performance Management | Best Researcher Award

Published on 24/11/202524/11/2025 by Leadership and Management

Dr. Kawtar Benkirane | Performance Management | Best Researcher Award

Hassan II university, Morocco

Dr. Kawtar Benkirane is a scholar in management sciences whose work focuses on public sector performance, risk management, information systems agility, and digital transformation in organizations. She earned her doctorate in management sciences from Université Cadi Ayyad and previously completed a co-tutelle research program in engineering sciences at Université Savoie Mont Blanc in Grenoble, along with a Master’s degree from ENCG Marrakech, where she graduated first in her class. Professionally, she has served as a lecturer at several Moroccan institutions, including the Université Privée de Marrakech and FSJES Marrakech, teaching accounting, management control, budgeting, fiscality, and quantitative management techniques. She has also delivered training in communication skills, digital literacy, and doctoral exam preparation, and has served on academic recruitment juries. Her research is widely disseminated through international conferences and indexed publications (Scopus, Web of Science, DOAJ, IMIST), covering topics such as risk culture, AI in public administration, performance drivers in state-owned enterprises, and information system agility. Dr. Benkirane has received several academic distinctions, including top-rank awards and recognition in national competitions. Her work contributes to strengthening governance, decision-making, and innovation within public organizations and emerging digital ecosystems.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Benkirane, K., & Benazzi, K. (2023). The role of leader’s social intelligence on firms’ organizational ambidexterity: Literature review. International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Management and Economics.

Kawtar, B., & Khadija, B. (2025). The impact of risk management efficiency on organizational performance in state-owned enterprises and the mediating effect of supply chain maturity: Evidence from Morocco. Qubahan Academic Journal, 5(1), 405–428.

Benkirane, K., & Benazzi, K. (2024). Perception of the importance of internal audit effectiveness and its impact on organizational performance in public enterprises: Empirical evidence from Morocco. CECCAR Business Review, 5(9), 65–81.

Benkirane, K., & Benazzi, K. (2023). La culture du risque et les pratiques du management des risques dans le secteur public: Étude de cas de l’Office National des Aéroports. International Journal of Economic Studies and Management, 3(3).

Benkirane, K., Benazzi, K., & Berrah, L. (2021). L’intégration de la dimension digitale dans l’évaluation de la performance globale des entreprises publiques: Étude de cas d’une entreprise publique marocaine. International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Management and Economics.

Watson, D. S., Krutzinna, J., Bruce, I. N., Griffiths, C. E. M., McInnes, I. B., Barnes, M. R., et al. (2025). [Preprint not peer reviewed].

Benkirane, K. (2025). An information systems agility model: A systematic literature review and double case study. Tuijin Jishu/Journal of Propulsion Technology, 46(1), 332.

Benkirane, K. (2024). Inductors of performance in the public sector: A systematic literature review employing PRISMA guidelines. Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences, 22(2), 16356–16374.

Kawtar, B., & Khadija, B. (2022). An inventory of risk management practices and culture in the public sector: A case study. Special Education, 2(43).

Dr. Gregory Schneider-Maunoury | Ethical Leadership | Sustainable Business Leadership Award

Published on 24/11/2025 by Leadership and Management

Dr. Gregory Schneider-Maunoury | Ethical Leadership | Sustainable Business Leadership Award

Universite Sorbonne Paris Nord | France

Grégory Schneider-Maunoury is a leading expert in sustainable finance, impact investing, and corporate sustainability strategy with more than two decades of professional and academic experience. He holds a PhD in Management Science with a specialization in environmental regulations and corporate strategy, supported by advanced training in climate transition plan analysis and sustainable finance auditing. Over his career, he has led innovation and sustainability initiatives across major financial institutions, including developing sustainable investment methodologies, designing green bond and impact fund frameworks, and advancing ESG integration for asset managers and corporates. As Founder and CEO of DEFIS IMPACT, he provides advisory services on climate transition assessment, social investment frameworks, and corporate sustainability reporting. His earlier roles include Chief Innovation Officer at Ethifinance, Head of SRI at Humanis, and senior research and analytical positions in ESG, SRI, and

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Featured Publications

Reynaud, E., Depoers, F., Gauthier, C., Gond, J.-P., & Schneider-Maunoury, G. (2011). Le développement durable au cœur de l’entreprise (2nd ed.). Dunod.

Schneider-Maunoury, G. (2000). Des petites entreprises très vertes. L’Expansion Management Review, 2000(3), 30.

Depoers, F., Reynaud, E., & Schneider-Maunoury, G. (2003). Comment mesurer la performance durable des entreprises? Proposition d’une grille d’indicateurs. Gestion 2000, 13–30.

Inard, C., Verrax, F., & Schneider-Maunoury, G. (2010). Comment concilier morale protestante et finance? Annales des Mines – Gérer et Comprendre, 99(1), 16–25.

Schneider-Maunoury, G. (2007). L’analyse extra-financière peut compléter ou améliorer l’analyse financière. Analyse Financière, 15–16.

Schneider-Maunoury, G. (2023). Is greenwashing a definition or only a hinderance of sustainable finance? SSRN Working Paper. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4507184

Schneider-Maunoury, G. (2011). Finance et développement durable. In Le développement durable au cœur de l’entreprise (2nd ed., pp. 117–171). Dunod.

Schneider-Maunoury, G. (2005). La responsabilité sociale des entreprises en Europe: Une étude empirique. Working Paper IAE CEROG.

Schneider-Maunoury, G. (2023). How socially responsible investment could contribute to the development of circular economy. European Review of Service Economics and Management, 2023(15).

Schneider-Maunoury, G. (1999). La responsabilité environnementale: de l’État à l’entreprise, en France et aux Pays-Bas, en Allemagne. L’Harmattan.

Schneider-Maunoury, G., & Joubrel, M. (2025). How to deal with tax avoidance in sustainable finance? In Contemporary Issues in Sustainable Finance: From Impact to Transparency. Palgrave Macmillan.

Schneider-Maunoury, G., & Bouchacourt, J. (2025). Sustainable finance and tax issues: How could advanced ESG analysis deter tax avoidance? Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 18(11), 653.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Belete Berhanu | Innovative Leadership | Best Researcher Award

Published on 24/09/202524/09/2025 by Leadership and Management

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Belete Berhanu | Innovative Leadership | Best Researcher Award

Addis Ababa University | Ethiopia

Associate Professor Belete Berhanu is a distinguished water resources engineer with extensive expertise in hydrology, watershed management, and integrated water resources management. He earned his Ph.D. in Water Resources Engineering and Management with a specialization in Surface Water Hydrology from Addis Ababa University, following an M.Tech in Hydrology from IIT Roorkee, India, and a B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering from Alemaya University of Agriculture. With over a decade of academic and research experience, he has contributed significantly to flood forecasting, climate-smart agriculture, and hydrological modeling, collaborating with international institutions including FAO, IWMI, IHE Delft, University of Maryland, USC, and FIU. His research interests encompass hydrological modeling, remote sensing applications, decision support systems, water accounting, and sustainable water management in the context of the Nile Basin and African watersheds. He is an active member of professional organizations such as the Ethiopian Water Professional Association and the Environmentalist for Development Association. Professor Berhanu has led several high-impact projects, including flood forecasting systems, climate-resilient water management, and the integration of hydrological models with remote sensing data. His work demonstrates a strong commitment to advancing water resource science and capacity-building, making him a leading candidate for recognition in research excellence and innovation.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Berhanu, B., Seleshi, Y., & Melesse, A. M. (2014). Surface water and groundwater resources of Ethiopia: Potentials and challenges of water resources development. In Nile River Basin: Ecohydrological challenges, climate change and … (p. 259).

Berhanu, B., Melesse, A. M., & Seleshi, Y. (2013). GIS-based hydrological zones and soil geo-database of Ethiopia. Catena, 104, 21–31.

Berhanu, B., Seleshi, Y., Demisse, S. S., & Melesse, A. M. (2015). Flow regime classification and hydrological characterization: A case study of Ethiopian rivers. Water, 7(6), 3149–3165.

Mamo, S., Berhanu, B., & Melesse, A. M. (2019). Historical flood events and hydrological extremes in Ethiopia. In Extreme hydrology and climate variability (pp. 379–384).

Berhanu, E. B. B. (2018). Identification of surface water storing sites using topographic wetness index (TWI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Journal of Natural Resources and Development, 8, 91–100.