Archives: Speakers

Mark is  Professor of Digital Health at Queen’s and a world leader in cancer data and its deployment in driving research and innovation, accelerating opportunities in clinical care and influencing policy.

Among many global roles,  Mark is outgoing chair, International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP), deploying  data to benchmark best practice globally. His influential ICBP paper(The Lancet Oncology(TLO)) and Cancer Policy Scorecard, highlighted National Cancer Control Plan’s(NCCPs) critical role in achieving optimal cancer care. Mark co-leads Health Data Research UK’s (HDRUK’s)   Big Data for Complex Diseases Programme, deploying data intelligence to address challenges in cancer,  CVD, diabetes, mental health. He’s Scientific Director of DATA-CAN, the UK’s Health Data Research  Hub for Cancer. Mark chairs the Cancer Drug Development Forum, which convenes clinical, academic, patient, industry and regulatory stakeholders to consider the challenges and accelerate the solutions to deliver innovative new treatments to patients.

Mark chaired TLO’s European Groundshot Commission, the most comprehensive analysis of Europe’s cancer research, unequivocally showing patients treated in research-active hospitals had superior outcomes, emphasising research’s primacy.  Mark co-chairs TLO’s eagerly awaited Genomics & Precision Oncology Commission, (World Cancer Congress, Hong Kong, September 2026). He played a significant leadership role in TLO’s Cancer Workforce Commission, (launched last week American Society of Clinical Oncology  Congress, Chicago. Emphasising his international credentials, Mark sits on IABs for premier initiatives including TLO, European School of Oncology, Ontario’s Institute for Cancer Research.

Mark provided the crucial intelligence to the Health Committee in the House of Commons, convincing the Health Secretary to finally commit to a NCCP.  On World Cancer Day (WCD)2025, with talk of an NCCP being a year away, he co-led an influential campaign  for a brave, ambitious plan, data-informed and patient-centred, delivering a petition to 10 Downing Street. England’s NCCP was finally launched on WCD2026. Mark’s team  won HDR-UK’s Impact of the Year Award (2024), its crucial intelligence informing a policy change in colorectal cancer.  He was architect of Europe’s Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights, receiving the 2018 European Health Award, recognising its pan-European impact. Mark co-led ECO’s Europe’s Code of Cancer Practice,    articulating what people should expect from their health system. Mark is Scientific Lead,  ECO’s European Cancer Pulse, capturing cancer inequalities data Europe-wide.

Mark’s team were first to show COVID’s impact on UK cancer patients,  receiving the Royal College of Physicians Excellence in Patient Care Award; his comprehensive European Covid work received the prestigious European Communique Award. Mark co-led ECO’s Impact of Ukraine war on Cancer Network, underpinning support for Ukraine’s cancer patients/families.   Mark co-leads ECO’s Emergencies & Crises Network, co-authoring a manifesto to support cancer care in conflict-impacted populations in The Lancet.

Mark co-leads the All-Island Cancer Research Institute(AICRI), uniting 11 universities island-wide to tackle cancer. He co-leads AICRIStart & eHealth Hub for Cancer, two premier north-south programmes. He leads a highly-regarded Queen’s/US National Cancer Institute Doctoral programme. Mark received 2021’s Irish Association for Cancer Research outstanding contribution to research & medicine award and 2025’s Business Post Healthcare leader of the year for his cancer work, north & south. NI’s Health Minister invited Mark to co-chair a Cancer Research Advisory Group to set/implement NI’s cancer research agenda.

Recognising the economic dividend of health, Mark is Health Lead Momentum One Zero, a £70 million Innovation Centre, applying deep-tech intelligence  to address agrifood & health challenges, He’s scientific lead of its €9.8M Digital OneHealth Hub, accelerating cross-border innovation. He co-leads AICRI’s All-Island Oncology Innovation Cluster, driving oncology/digital health innovation island-wide.

When he isn’t performing world-leading research that makes a difference for  cancer patients, Mark performs his acclaimed one man show Doctoring James Joyce, to enthralled audiences in Dublin, Belfast, Brussels,  Amsterdam, Boston, New York, Verona and London’s West End.

Wendy Kane is Patient Affairs Manager for the UK and Ireland at Servier, where she champions the integration of the patient voice across clinical development, access, and care delivery. With over 30 years’ experience across the NHS, voluntary sector, and pharmaceutical industry, she is driven by a single goal: ensuring patients are recognised as partners, not participants, in healthcare.

Before joining Servier, Wendy held senior roles at Roche, Takeda and Sanofi, building trusted partnerships with patient organisations and shaping access strategies in rare diseases and oncology. Today, she works cross‑functionally to embed meaningful patient engagement, translate lived experience into action, and help deliver more equitable, patient‑centred outcomes across the UK and Ireland.

As a Member of the Board of Management and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Stephan Cohnen drives the strategic convergence of operations, processes, and technology at BMW Bank GmbH. With a balance sheet of approximately €28 billion (12/2024) and more than 1,150 employees, BMW Bank is the automotive finance captive of the BMW Group in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, servicing over one million customers.Stephan brings more than 20 years of international experience within the BMW Group, having held senior leadership roles across headquarters, regional and market levels, including COO of BMW Financial Services in Belgium and positions within Group Audit in the UK. Earlier in his career, he worked in IT consulting in Luxembourg and Germany. His current focus is on scalable digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and operational excellence in automotive finance.

I am a results-driven clinical operations executive with over 20 years of experience in defining and executing multi-year growth strategies for high-growth biotech companies. Throughout my career, I have specialized in scaling clinical development functions—often by more than 10x—and managing high-complexity global portfolios across oncology, hematology, and clinical pharmacology. My expertise lies at the intersection of strategic execution and organizational growth. I’ve had the privilege of serving as the Clinical Operations diligence lead for major corporate acquisitions, including GSK and MorphoSys AG, ensuring seamless program continuity during critical transitions. Whether leading a team through a successful IPO path or navigating the complexities of First-in-Human through Phase III trials, my focus remains on data-driven decision-making and fostering a culture of excellence.

Henrik is an experienced marine industry professional with over 35 years at ExxonMobil, where he has held a wide range of roles across technical, operational, and commercial functions. Currently serving as a Senior Sales Field Engineer, he brings deep expertise in both fuels and lubricants, combined with a strong engineering foundation. Throughout his career, Henrik has worked in chief engineer positions, technical roles, and OEM-focused assignments, giving him a well-rounded perspective on product performance, customer needs, and industry standards. His long-standing tenure reflects a commitment to excellence, technical leadership, and strong customer engagement in the global energy sector.