One of the global players in business and brand development arrives in Europe and Italy: Mathew Knowles will be the special guest of WMF – We Make Future, the International Fair and Festival dedicated to Artificial Intelligence, technology and digital innovation, scheduled from 24 to 26 June 2026 at BolognaFiere.
An entrepreneur, investor and advisor of international prestige, Knowles has generated over 5 billion dollars in various sectors over the course of his career and managed sales and acquisition transactions for over 100 million dollars, collaborating with some of the most important companies in the world, including Pepsi, American Express, L’Oréal, Samsung, Amazon and Walmart.
Alongside his work in the corporate world, Knowles is also known for having contributed to the development of some of the most recognizable and beloved icons of contemporary culture, including Beyoncé, Solange and Destiny’s Child, applying structured models to the construction, positioning and growth of personal brands and cultural projects on an international scale. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice and awarded the Master of Influence Award by the National Speakers Association, Knowles today combines his entrepreneurial activity with an academic commitment, holding roles at Pepperdine University and as Presidential Executive-in-Residence at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU).
“Welcoming Mathew Knowles to the WMF means bringing into the event one of the figures who, in recent decades, have contributed to defining growth and development models for brands on a global scale” explains Cosmano Lombardo, Founder and CEO WMF – We Make Future “His experience, which spans the cultural industry, business and innovation, represents a contribution of great value to the international dialogue that the WMF promotes every year between businesses, professionals and stakeholders from all over the world.”
The WMF – We Make Future, which in the 2025 edition brought together over 73,000 participants from more than 90 countries in Bologna, together with over 700 exhibitors and sponsors and more than 3,000 startups and open innovation stakeholders, is developed through an extensive program of events, training, business and discussion on the main themes related to technological innovation, artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
The presence of Mathew Knowles therefore enriches the program of the event, which develops on the exploration of 14 strategic sectors linked to technological, economic and cultural transformation.
Among these, the Entertainment & Cultural Industry, AI, Digital Business & Media and Education & Work themes are some of the areas in which Knowles will be able to offer its vision and experience, gained over time between the cultural industry, brand development and growth strategies on a global scale.
On 25 June at BolognaFiere, Mathew Knowles will therefore speak on the Mainstage, the main stage of the WMF – We Make Future, and will give a speech on one of the thematic stages, offering an in-depth analysis on the growth, positioning and development models of brands in global markets.
WMF – We Make Future is conceived, organized and produced by Search On Media Group.
The event takes place under the patronage of the European Commission and the Municipality of Bologna. With the support of the MAECI – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, of ICE – Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalization of Italian companies and the Emilia-Romagna Region. In partnership with Visit Emilia – Romagna. With the collaboration of BolognaFiere, Cineca and ESA – European Space Agency. Main Sponsor of the 2026 edition Dell Technologies and Intel.