2021 Speakers

Anett Winkler joined Kraft Jacobs Suchard in December 1998 to head up the research microbiology laboratory in Munich. Later on Anett concentrated on chocolate, biscuits and other low moisture foods including supplier developments and approvals. She also consolidated the scientific basis for microbiological process controls in low moisture foods by performing validation studies for nut & cocoa processing. Following a regional role for Microbiology in the Eastern European, Middle East & African Region she was globally designing food safety programs, rolling out training modules related to food safety and further supporting supplier development. Anett was also the global expert for thermal processing within Mondelez International.

In October 2017 Anett moved to a new position as “EMEA Regional Food Microbiologist Lead” at Cargill, where she is supporting all Cargill businesses in that region (Europe / Middle East / Africa) for microbiological / food safety related topics. Anett is also active in ILSI Europe (Microbiology Food Safety), and IAFP being a committee member for the IAFP European Symposium.

Growth focused CEO and Senior Executive with solid credentials in operational and strategic functions  with broad experience in the pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics and lab supplies industries. An extensive international experience on all continents as evidenced through a business development focused career delivering significant revenue, profit and market share growth for start-ups, mid-size as well as multinational healthcare organizations. He holds a Master in International Business from the Sorbonne University in Paris, an MBA from Ashridge School of Management (UK) and attended recently the Strategic Finance program at IMD business school in Lausanne.

Cesare is a food lawyer based in Italy and founder of Foodlawlatest.com, his independent law firm and food law blog. In addition to labelling compliance services on over 70 countries and food law advice, he regularly provides assistance to clients in relation to crisis management, food safety issues, food fraud investigations and import/export requirements. Through partnerships with technical experts and other international advisors he can offer a multidisciplinary and multi-jurisdiction approach, to timely answer clients’ need in a globalized environment: he proudly works at the intersection between food technology, law, business and social sciences, building bridges between different sectors to deliver a strategic and actionable advice. He is a well recognized speaker and he is involved in several scientific activities for private companies, public institutions and universities. He is teaching at LUISS LL.M in Food Law in Rome, at the Master in Food Law & Safety of the University Alma Mater in Bologna and he is guest instructor at Michigan State University Institute for Food Laws and Regulations.

With over 28 years’ experience in a variety of senior roles and currently Head of Global FSQA Management-  External Manufacturing & Supply Chain at The Kraft Heinz Company, we are once again really honoured to have Mr. Rachid Hassairi as our Chairman.
Rachid brings his strong commitment to excellence through improving organisations, teams and people at the highest level. Kraft Heinz have eight $1 billion+ brands, one of the world’s largest food companies. To deliver on their trusted brand status, Kraft Heinz has implemented consistent, comprehensive Global Food Safety & Quality Management and Improvement Processes across their supply chain.

Kraft Heinz’s vision is: Sustainably grow by delighting more consumers globally! Rachid is accountable for External Manufacturing & Supply Chain and with a senior professional team distributed across the globe to mitigate Food Safety & Quality risks, lead various improvement initiatives, govern various global processes, manage change and trouble shoot where required cross functionally and creates real long-lasting partnership wherever he goes.

As some of you may already know, Rachid is very skilled at making events he chairs interactive while working closely with the audience to stimulate conversation and enhance learnings.
We look forward to having Rachid back with us. Get ready for some exciting conference days!

I'm a food technologist with a significant experience - gained both abroad and in Italy - in a number of food and beverage sectors: milk, cheese, meat and coffee. In addition, I also have a considerable know-how about food packaging as I worked for 5 years in a packaging company. I have always been performing key roles - Technical Director, Plant Manager, Quality Manager - in the following departments: Production, Quality Control, Research & Development. Several experiences have allowed me to see different sides of the business process, appreciating the different faces of the same problem. I think my strength is the ability to learn new things quickly and I am very good at adapting to change in any situation. I believe in Teamwork and the strength it can generate by working for goals. I joined Kaizen's philosophy and believe in continuous improvement through optimizing organization and processes by eliminating waste. I love analysing problem with numbers and facts because across the Lean six-sigma Black Belt certification I understood the power of statistics. In my opinion, a company that wants to express itself at the highest levels should not only try to increase its margins through cost cutting, but also try to implement strategies that ultimately aim at customer satisfaction by making the right product with the fair price, at the right time. My favourite quote is: "Impossible is nothing"

Eric has worked in the global food industry for more than 30 years in many roles related to Innovation, Business Development, Technology, Quality Assurance & Quality Control, both in B2B as a B2C environment Eric has worked 12 years as a consultant to the Food Industry and has supported many major food companies like FrieslandCampina, Danone, CSM, … in implementing continuous improvement programs. He has been the initiator of the development of GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides), a crucial ingredient for infant formula, for which FrieslandCampina is worldwide market leader He was the co-founder of the Global Food Safety & Quality program “Foqus” for FrieslandCampina, encompassing all steps in the Supply Chain. Eric has a Food Technology degree from Wageningen University and a Business degree from Nijenrode University (both in The Netherlands)

Frank Braun works as Head of Tea Purchasing at Hälssen & Lyon in Hamburg, one of the leading B2B tea companies in Europe with a history of 140 years in trading, blending, flavouring and packing teas for tea brands, private label and HoReCa in all major international markets.

The company sources rwa materials for its tea products in more than 130 countries around the world.

In addition to the focal points such as procurement of raw materials and quality assurance, Frank Braun has mainly taken on various digital projects at H&L.

This is always accompanied by striving for sustainability and climate protection, which are also important concerns for him personally.

Vice President Innovation: responsible for innovation within Cosun. Cosun Innovation is part of Royal Cosun The Netherlands. Main working areas Innovation, Product and Process support, development and Biobased Economy. Cosun Innovation discovers, inspires and supports further development of innovations for Cosun and its business groups.

Geert joined Veeva Systems in 2021 as Director QualityOne Strategy, focusing on the Food & Beverage industry. After receiving his PhD in Applied Physics from Delft University of Technology, he joined Unilever R&D in 1998. He has 23 years of experience in Foods, R&D, innovation, Quality and Quality systems.

Geert has spent most of his career working for Unilever’s Spreads Division, developing expertise in oils & fats as well as product & processing technologies. He published his work in peer-reviewed publications and holds several patents.

Geert has led several regional and global product innovation projects, and worked 3.5 yrs in Johannesburg, South Africa, leading the Spreads R&D group for Africa & Asia. In 2015, Geert joined Unilever’s global Quality group, initially responsible for Spreads & Dressings. Led the development of several GMPs, and supported Engineering in various factory design projects. From 2017, responsible for various Quality systems, including supplier and manufacturing systems, and led Unilever’s global digital Quality transformation project, introducing Veeva QualityOne.

Bart Ingredients supply a wide range of ingredients including herbs and spices from origins around the world. These products are widely considered to be at risk from adulteration and contamination. Bart Ingredient’s Food Defence Team focusses on the Integrity of Ingredients throughout the global supply chains. Gideon has worked in the UK and overseas in primary food production and technical management for 15 years, with experience of the challenges of emerging ingredients and new technologies.

Helen is a Management and Program Analyst in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Directorate in Washington, D.C. She currently serves as a team member with the Chemical Biological Countermeasures Unit. Her primary work duties focus on the Food/Agriculture and Water Sectors. A Biologist by training, Helen worked in the Biotech Industry for eight years prior to joining the FBI. She has been with the FBI for 24 years supporting the FBI Laboratory Division as a Biologist and most recently the WMD Directorate as a Management and Program Analyst.  Helen received her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Master of Science (M.S.) degrees in Biology from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, in Greensboro, North Carolina. She is also a graduate of George Mason University with a doctoral degree in Biodefense. Helen is a member of the FBI’s Justice League Toastmasters Club and in her free time, enjoys beekeeping as a hobby.

I’m a regulatory affairs specialist at Arla Foods Ingredients with responsibility of ingredients intended for consumption by infants and children. I have several years of experience within regulatory affairs from both the food and the pharma industry. During my time as part of the Global Regulatory Affairs Team in Arla Foods Ingredients I’ve been involved in food ingredient approvals in many parts of the world, such as EU, US and Australia. In my work with regulatory approvals I oversees compliance, strategy and timing as well as defining and paving the way for government approvals.

Studied Biology at the University of Athens, Greece, holds a PhD in Applied and Environmental microbiology and has completed a Post Doc study in Microbial Biotechnology.

During her PhD study, has been head of the accredited laboratory of University of Athens for GMO detection in foodstuff and completed several projects funded by European Community in cooperation with food and pharmaceutical industries.

Worked in Cretafarms SA (food industry) as Quality Control mgr, and joined Coca Cola Hellenic in 2009 as Quality Assurance & Quality Control mgr in different production plants. Currently holds the position of CCH Group Food Safety and Suppliers Quality manager, is member of the Water Treatment and Microbiology networks of experts of CCHellenic, member of Global TCCC Microbiology Community and nominated lecturer at Hellenic Food Authority seminars on Food Safety of Beverage Industry.

Passionate about helping global food businesses understand, manage and mitigate the risks to their products and brands; Kimberly’s reputation as a thought leader in food safety/supply chain risk and deep domain food sector expertise has been built through +30 years working for and with leading global food companies and associated service organizations across major world markets.

Kimberly has extensive experience as a technical professional specializing in design, development, implementation, assessment and training within the arena of retail agrifood risk management systems specifically relating to auditing principles and more broadly the control of food safety, product quality, authenticity and legality

Louis Olde Hampsink is an Agro Supply Quality specialist with extensive experience in industrial fruit and vegetables.

He has organized worldwide standards for quality, quality systems, risk assessments, from field to further processing steps.

Louis has worked for more than 37 years for SVZ International B.V, located in the Netherlands, with processing facilities in: Poland, Belgium, Spain, USA.

SVZ supplies high quality processed fruit and vegetable ingredients to food and drink manufacturers around the world and is part of the farming cooperative Royal Cosun.

He is a very experienced food safety auditor, and during his career has audited many companies in all over the world.

Louis has knowledge on processing fruit juices, fruit & vegetable juice concentrates, fruit & vegetable puree and IQF fruit,

During the majority of his career he has been a leader of international intercompany quality teams which extend beyond the EU into USA, Morocco and Ukraine.

He has represented SVZ International in different industrial associations at international levels, and still active in supporting the Code of Practice of the AIJN.

Loveline Tikum is the Head of Food Safety, Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs for Chudleigh’s Limited, a privately-owned Canadian company that leads in frozen baked desserts sold in major Canadian and United state grocery store chains, supermarkets and restaurants, Europe, Mexico, Japan, Australia and Korea.

Loveline received her post grad degree in Environmental sciences and a master’s degree of sciences at the University of Hohenheim in Germany. She fluently speaks English French and German.

With her fluent knowledge and understanding in FSMA, USDA, CFIA, KFDA, JFDA and GFSI schemes, Loveline has proven professional records in auditing, investigations, customer/ consumer affairs, labelling and regulatory compliance, product development, allergen management, sanitation program development and implementation, supplier approval program management and business solutions that work. As a BRC professional, building product safety culture through employee trainings, teamwork and collaboration has been her priority.

In her current role as a qualified PCQI and BRCGS professional she successfully implemented the FSMA program and took the company through a successful first CFIA audit under the safe food for Canadian act. She helped her company in obtaining a grade AA for the new BRC standards issue 8 and is on the pathway of supporting the company go through the BE disclosure rule that comes into effect January 1st, 2022.

Loveline has over 15 years of experience in excelling in sustaining food safety and quality in prestigious organizations including, Maple Leaf Food, Compass Group Toronto and Ecocert Canada. During the years, she held various positions.

Loveline has been involved in some critical leadership developments such as problem solving, coaching, mentoring, team building etc.

I am graduated as Food Technologist (Universidad Argentina de la Empresa) in December 1999 and received a diploma of Quality Engineer in 2005

I started my career in Danone Group Diary division in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I fulfilled several roles in different positions in the Quality Department as Quality Engineer, Laboratory manager and Quality Assurance manager during a period of 9 years

In 2007 I moved to Belgium to continue my career in Danone Belgium as Quality Manager of Co-Manufacturers in the West Northern European Region, and was also responsible for Quality in the Belgian Market

In 2012 I moved from managing quality in FMCG to the B2B becoming the Quality Director for EMEA region for International Flavours and Fragances (IFF) based in the Netherlands

Since 2016 I am the Quality Health Safety and Environment Director of Puratos Group based in Belgium

I have more than 20 years managing quality in the Food Industry in different countries, Markets and Regions

In his position as CEO and Managing Director, Mark is responsible for the long-term strategic direction, scientific and applied R&D initiatives, and positioning BOTANILINE® in emerging markets. While he is generally the ‘face’ of the company, Mark typically works with the top levels of the company’s management and leadership hierarchies as well as financial institutions to maximize the ROI for both BOTANILINE® and its strategic partners.

As the former CEO of MultiSorb Technologies, he established relationships with highly regulated international markets in the food, pharmaceutical, and electronics industries.  He led and improved his company over seven years from a negative net worth of $10,000,000 to an enterprise value of $150,000,000. 

Mark graduated first in his class from Ithaca College and received his Master’s Degree from George Washington University.

Rob has 35+ years of experience in Industrial Automation and Digital Transformation across various industries. He has rich knowledge across end-to-end processes in the food & beverage industry from raw material processing to packaging and beyond. Within the Food & Beverage industry, Rob has steered 50+ major digital transformation projects across dairy, brewery, soft drinks, meat processing, crop science, nutrients, retail, and more.

He commands deep functional expertise coupled with knowledge of legacy and emerging technologies in IT and OT sectors. This thought leadership has enabled Rob to help customers realise the value of their technological investments in terms of better operational efficiency, enhanced product quality and improved time to market.

Ron was initially a consultant for Food Standards Scotland and became the Head of the Scottish Food Crime & Incidents Unit in 2016 after being asked to build a food crime capability by the Chief Executive. A former Senior Police Officer in Scotland, he retired from the Police in 2015, after 30 years’ service. During this period, he served in a number of operational policing roles. For the last five years of his police service, he was specifically involved in leading the investigation into serious and organised crime as Force Authorising Officer and Head of Intelligence for Tayside Police. In that role he was responsible for all force covert activity. Latterly Ron worked within the Police Service of Scotland’s intelligence function and performed the role of Intelligence Commander for the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.

Over 30 years experience at the highest levels in blue chip companies , regulators, universities and NGOs

leading on food and consumer safety from program, policy and product design to verification of system effectiveness and enterprise risk management

leader of the mondelez food safety team that was recognized in 2021 with the iafp black pearl award

Currently co-chair of the global food safety initiative   and dedicated to developing thinking on the future of food safety management and helping organizations effectively manage their food safety risk

Working Experience: 14 Years of Professional Experience in Wholesale/Retail and FMCG sectors. Out of 14 years worked mainly with METRO AG for 12 years Qualification: MSc. (Hons) in Food Science and Technology Lead Auditor of BRC, FSSC 22000 & ISO 9001

Shabeek Thayyil is with Agthia P.J.S.C - UAE since Dec 2009 and currently holds the position of Director- Quality & Food Safety (Water & Beverages). His educational background in in Food Science, Operation’s Management, Catering Management and TQM. He has over 16 years of experience in the area of Quality, Food Safety & HSE for the Airline Catering Industry and FMCG. Prior to his association with Agthia PJSC, he held management and middle management positions in different companies – GFI (an Al Batha Group Company -UAE), Etihad Airline Catering -UAE, Qatar Aircraft Catering Company (QACC)- Qatar and Abu Dhabi International Airport Catering Company (AIAC)- UAE. Shabeek has participated in several Food Safety, Quality, HSE & Halal conferences across the globe. His area of expertise include- Quality & Food Safety strategy development and management, TQM tools, Allergens & Sanitation Management, HALAL , GLP , IMS System Development, Six Sigma, Change Management, setting EFQM & SKEA models, Quality bench-marking and Quality Culture Development, accessing the FSMS, QMS, HALAL and HSE management system.

I co-founded Honest Burgers pretty much straight out of uni back in 2010. We started selling homemade burgers and chips out of a glorified tent (normally in the rain) at weddings and small festivals. We graduated into a fixed site in Brixton village in 2011 and opened our doors to queues of hungry Londoners. 

We focus on the simple things that, in our opinion, make restaurants great. Homemade food and great service. A lot has changed since Brixton but the important things have stayed the same, in fact we actually make more ourselves now as we’ve got our own butchery. 

Right now we’ve got 37 restaurants around the UK, employ over 700 people and make 90% of our menu from scratch. We’ve always felt homemade is best. 

My role at honest has always centred around food. I oversee menu development and collaborations, and any food related projects, like our butchery. My technical title is Brand Director and my wife is our graphic designer so I also get involved with a lot of marketing material and interior design as well.

Tom Æ Hollands is the Innovation and Technical Director at Raynor Foods, he is an accomplished Food Scientist who has worked in both government (Food Standards Agency) and the private sector.  Tom is a true innovator at heart and has won a number of national and international accolades in recognition of this.  Tom’s innovations are focused around sustainability and has interests in meta food systems, their emerging technologies and the complex links that connect them.