With over 15 years of international experience, Maria João Marques is a distinguished clinical research leader and a certified ACRP-CP professional. Her career is defined by a 360-degree perspective rooted in Clinical Academic Centers and R&D management, having held senior leadership roles across the UAE, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Portugal.
From her foundational roots in nursing to earning her Master’s in Leadership from Oxford Brookes University, Maria has remained dedicated to establishing patient-centered environments focused on compassion, evidence-based practice, and healthcare excellence. She is a specialist in building research infrastructures from the ground up, having pioneered the conception of world-class research departments internationally. Her work has been instrumental in establishing the complex governance, ethics, finance, and regulatory frameworks required to turn scientific vision into measurable impact. Maria has led high-impact R&D initiatives within the European quadruple helix, coordinating large-scale projects to capacitate institutions and promote high-quality clinical research.
As a certified Clinical Project Manager, Maria has transitioned from building traditional clinical facilities to leveraging the technology designed to redefine them. Now, as the Senior Director for Clinical Solutions in Europe at Biorce, she is deploying an AI platform built to eliminate manual bottlenecks and fundamentally transform clinical trial operations. Maria is passionate about bridging the gap between clinical evidence and AI-driven innovation to accelerate the delivery of meaningful health solutions globally.
Will is a seasoned expert in advertising and behavioural economics, with extensive experience in integrating insights into effective marketing strategies. He began his career at the IPA, where he pioneered the integration of behavioural economics into advertising, before leading Insight and Effectiveness at Blue449. Will also played a key role in developing Mediaplus UK’s distinctive behavioural planning approach and now heads Behave, overseeing strategy, research, effectiveness, and marketing consultancy.
Patrick Saner is Treasury AI Lead at Swiss Re and serves on the Board of Trustees of Swiss Re’s Pension Fund. Previously, he was Head of Macro Strategy at Swiss Re. Before joining Swiss Re, he worked at the World Bank, the Swiss National Bank, and UBS. He holds a master’s degree in economics and finance and is a CFA charterholder.
As a Strategic Account Director with 20 years’ experience in market intelligence and growth & innovation focused consultancy, Nick helps organizations identify emerging opportunities, quantify market potential, and turn insight into actionable strategy. He has advised clients across the industrial, banking, consumer and public sectors, combining rigorous analysis with a practical understanding of commercial realities. Nick partners with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams to prioritize high-impact initiatives and deliver measurable growth. He brings a balanced perspective that integrates strategic foresight with disciplined execution, enabling clients to make confident, evidence-based decisions in complex and fast-changing markets.
Hugo Lacroix is the Global Segment Leader for Beer & Alcohol for Resilux Group, the Belgian PET preform and bottle manufacturer. With more than ten years of experience within the Group, Hugo leads with Davy Rosseel, the global commercial strategy for value-added beverage and food segments all over the world.
In his current role, he is responsible for the commercial deployment of Resilux’s barrier technology portfolio across applications such as beer, wine, spirits, RTD beverages… He works closely with leading beverage producers worldwide, supporting their packaging transition, including pioneering projects such as the first premium gin in PET and rPET.
Hugo brings a deep understanding of the full PET value chain, from preform design and barrier integration to recycling, combined with strong commercial expertise and a focus on long-term, trust-based partnerships.
Annika Wilhelmson is VP of Sustainability, innovation & communication at Viking Malt and has led the innovation function since joining the company in 2017. Leaning on her research background from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, she and her team have taken on the challenge of reimagining the ancient process of malting – broadening the raw material base and application fields.
Jacopo Cassoli has been CEO of Cassoli Group since 2021, representing the third generation of a family with over 60 years of experience in industrial automation and advanced packaging technologies. Since 2016, he has also served as General Manager of Ecocap’s, leading the development and global adoption of patented aluminum‑to‑aluminum sealing solutions for the food and beverage industry. With a strong focus on innovation, sustainability and measurable business impact, Jacopo is actively driving the growth of TopSyl®, KegSyl® and FoodSyl®, extending the Group’s sealing know‑how into new markets. He holds an MBA from Bologna Business School.
Master Tiler (Fliesenlegermeister)
Founder and Managing Director of Vibrofloors World Group with more than 30 years of experience, successfully delivering projects in more than 65 countries over the 5 continents.
