Speakers Healthier Lives through Food Stage

Area Lead for Content Production "EUFIC, European Food Information Council (EUFIC)

Nina McGrath is the Content Area Lead at EUFIC where she oversees the development of science-based content. She specialises in translating complex scientific research on food, health and sustainable diet into engaging and accessible information.

European Projects Manager, National Centre for Food Technology and Safety (CNTA)

With a PhD in Chemical Sciences, over 8 years managing EU-funded R&D and innovation projects. Currently coordinates LIKE-A-PRO focused on promoting sustainable, healthy diets through mainstreaming alternative proteins.

Group Upstream R&D Director, Puratos

Bram Pareyt is Group Upstream R&D Director at Puratos, an international group that produces a complete portfolio of innovative products, raw materials and application expertise and services for bakers, pâtissiers and chocolatiers.

Policy Officer, European Commission - DG SANTE

Ivona Babic is a policy officer at the European Commission's DG SANTE, responsible for developing, implementing, and managing policies and legislation on novel foods.

Head of Brand & Communications, Onego Bio

Laura is a purpose-driven comms and sustainability professional, with a diverse background in food science and comms and marketing in the alternative protein field. Before joining Onego Bio as the Head of Brand & Communications, she was leading corporate comms and sustainability, as well as successfully planning PR and marketing for international markets in a pioneering award-winning plant protein company Gold & Green Foods.

Senior research funding advisor, Good Food Institute

Dr Stella Child is a senior research funding advisor at the Good Food Institute. GFI is a global non-profit organisation that aims to advance plant-based, fermentation and cultivated meat, eggs, seafood and dairy. We work with scientists, businesses and policymakers to advance open-access research, and bring new talent to the field, in order to achieve a sustainable food system. Stella has a PhD in chemistry from the University of Adelaide and completed her postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt University, and worked at UK Research and Innovation, the UK's national research agency, before joining GFI. At GFI, Stella produces resources and analyses on the present state of the alternative proteins research ecosystem, and works with funding bodies and other partners to foster a thriving research ecosystem across Europe.

Founder & Partner, Nordic Foodtech VC

Lauri Reuter is a scientist turned investor. He is one of the founding partners of Nordic Foodtech VC, the first Nordic investment fund focused explicitly on new technology for food and agriculture. Prior to working with startups, Lauri did research in biotechnology and later strategy work at VTT.

Programme Manager, Curator, EIT Food

Marianne Lemberger has been living in Brussels since 2015 and works as a Program Manager at EIT Food. Passionate about everyday practices and the social dimensions of food, she has been collecting handwritten grocery lists for over a decade. Around this seemingly ordinary yet deeply revealing object, she is developing a project that blends art, sociology, and food culture. Alongside her professional work, Marianne has cultivated a growing interest in how we eat, shop, and talk about food. In 2024, she completed a diploma at the University of Lille on food education. During this program, she began exploring grocery lists from a sociological perspective. Her research led to a first analytical framework and a proposed typology of grocery lists. Her work has sparked strong public interest and inspired a series of events, including an exhibition, conferences, and workshops, that invite us to reflect on food habits, consumption patterns, and the beauty of the everyday.

Project Manager, Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP)

Arlind Xhelili is a Prince2 Practitioner accredited project manager with a proven record of acquiring and executing complex projects, facilitating multi-stakeholder collaboration, and providing strategic advice. He is an expert in sustainability management with a focus on consumer behaviour. Arlind advocates for participatory strategic planning as a means to develop innovative, impactful, and inclusive products and services. He holds a bachelor's degree in law and a master’s degree in ethics, economics, law, and politics.

Director, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, University of Barcelona

Francisco J. Pérez-Cano studied Pharmacy at the University of Barcelona (UB), where he also completed various postgraduate programs. He joined the "Autoimmunity and Tolerance Research Group" at UB in 1996 and later trained at the Center for Immunology, University of California-Irvine (2003-2004), defending his PhD in 2004 on "Mucosal Immunity Acquisition in Early Life." He has held academic positions at UB since 2005, becoming Permanent Lecturer in 2011. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of Reading (UK) and has participated in over 40 research projects, collaborating with both public and private sectors. Francisco has supervised more than 10 PhD students, authored 150 peer-reviewed papers, a book, and several book chapters, and holds two patents. His research focuses on immunonutrition in early life, particularly maternal diet, breast milk, and microbial modulators.

Group Health & Well-Being Director, Puratos

Sara leads Puratos’ mission to develop innovative, health-focused food solutions, partnering with start-ups, academia, and industry experts. A former innovator at Rousselot and Coca‑Cola, she holds a Ph.D. in Bioscience Engineering from Ghent University with a business development focus.

Director of Thematic Leadership - Biotech and Protein, EIT Food

Lorena is the thematic leader for Biotech and Protein at EIT Food. A marketing and innovation strategist with 20+ years in FMCG/QSR, she focuses on protein diversification, agri-food biotech, and healthy ageing to drive food system transformation.

Professor of Longevity Medicine, Geneva College of Longevity Science Switzerland / Academy of Applied Sciences, Poland

Professor Renata Adamek, MD, PhD is a pioneering figure in the field of women's longevity and smart aging, combining her expertise in nutrition, medicine and public health to empower women to live longer, healthier lives.

Managing Director, Forward Food Law, Netherlands

A food law consultancy in global food innovation. It's a one-woman business and complies with the legal definition of an SME.

Co-Founder and Co-Host, Tomorrow's Bites

I look forward changing the food system to one that champions sustainability, health and humanity, hoping that food becomes the solution instead of the problem. I have conversations with professionals around all the spectrum of the food industry.

R&D Manager and Assistant Professor, Poznań University

R&D Manager at Enough and Assistant Professor at Poznań University. She specialises in food fermentation, product development, and bridging science and industry to create nutritious, sustainable food solutions.

Director Portfolio Development, EIT Food

Samantha Gadenne is Director of Portfolio Development at EIT Food. Her mission is to build partnerships between start-ups, academia and industry to unlock innovation potential and bring new technologies and products to market, building a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all.

Director of Thematic Leadership - Biotech and Protein, EIT Food

Lorena is the thematic leader for Biotech and Protein at EIT Food. A marketing and innovation strategist with 20+ years in FMCG/QSR, she focuses on protein diversification, agri-food biotech, and healthy ageing to drive food system transformation.

Head of Industrialisation & Financing, Bioeconomy for Change

Christophe Luguel has a Master of Engineering in Agronomy (AgroParisTech, France). During 17 years in industry (within large groups and SME), he occupied various positions in Research, sales, marketing and business development in chemical and biotech companies. In 2007, he joined IAR (now B4C), the French Bioeconomy Cluster.

Currently Director of European Affairs AT B4C, Christophe is also Vice president of BIC (Biobased Industries Consortium) and has been member since 2014 of the BBI/CBE JU Governing Board.

CEO, AgriVentures

Mariya Hristova is part of the Agriventures, a non-governmental organization founded with the mission of supporting start-ups and innovators in the field of agriculture and food and facilitating access to European funding.

EU Policy & Investment Expert

Magda Krakowiak, former Director of Business Creation at EIT Health, is an innovation leader supporting Europe’s health start-ups. She empowers founders to scale science-based ventures, driving impact, investment, and entrepreneurial growth.

Programme Manager Entrepreneurship, Foodvalley

Strategic innovation leader with 20+ years across corporates, SMEs & startups in food. I Bridge vision and execution driving scalable impact in the food system by fostering collaboration.