Previously with Danone, Metro AG, Kraft Foods/Mondelez and Campden BRI.

A globally recognised senior leader in consumer goods safety and quality, John has executive-level technical leadership experience in both major retailers and manufacturers – and is currently leading the European Quality agenda at Ferrero in Luxembourg. As a former board member of the Global Food Safety Initiative, he has a track record of driving a cultural change in complex, multi-national environments and has deep category experience in confectionery, dairy, plant-based foods, beverages, and many other sectors. Wherever he has worked in the last thirty years, he has been a champion of pragmatic risk assessment and management, enabling fast decision making and driving innovation. John has a degree in Chemical Engineering from London South Bank University, an MBA from Cambridge University, and recently completed a Business Sustainability Leadership qualification, also from Cambridge. 

Yves Rey is an experienced general manager with a strong business and consumer-oriented mindset, plus an extensive and demonstrated knowledge in food manufacturing and processing, food science, food safety and quality management, general management, and a strong background in food-related academy and food law.

In 2016, he was appointed senior advisor to the United Nations office for project services in Asia Pacific, and he also served as advisor to the Food Safety Consortium (HK Polytechnic University), honorary advisor of the International Food Safety Association (HK), and member of the QA magazine advisory board (USA).

Additionally, he serves as honorable advisor to China Food Safety Initiatives, a China-based NGO set up in partnership between the food industry and CFDA/AQSIQ, and he holds the position of conference ambassador to CIFSQ (China International Food Safety and Quality) conference.

Yves was a longstanding member of the Global Food Safety Initiatives board (from 2006-15), including serving as vice chair from 2008-11 and as chair from 2011-14. Yves was on the board of directors for Safe Supply of Affordable Food Everywhere (SSAFE) and still works closely with CFDA, AQSIQ, and CNCA in China on the global harmonisation of food safety requirements, with USDA and FDA (USA) regarding food safety standards, with DG-Sanco in Europe on food fraud, with CODEX/FAO on the new strategic plan 2025, and with OIE on harmonised food safety standards and animal welfare.

Muhammad Shahbaz is an experienced food technologist and food safety professional with over 15 years of food sector experience, particularly in food safety and quality management systems. He has worked within a variety of food manufacturing facilities and retail, which include industries such as bakery, confectionery, meat processing, beverages, dairy and flour, and rice milling as well.

Muhammad has a BSC degree in Food Science and Technology, and a master’s in food safety and Controls with the addition of the Post Graduate Diploma of Halal Food Production.

Muhammad has intensively worked across Pakistan and Middle East (Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain), and has provided support for many food businesses that are working towards achieving GFSI certifications and have conducted third-party HACCP, FSSC 22000, supplier audits, QSR customer brand standard audits.

Muhammad has strong auditing and training skills and is currently a registered auditor for GFSI standards such as BRCGS, FSSC, and IFS. Muhammad has vast experience in implementing and auditing Yum International standards (Yum QSA, FSA, Storage and Distribution, Food Safety Compliance Check, and transportations).

He is an active member of IAFP (International Association of Food Protection), Dubai Food Safety Google group, and is a Life Member of PSFST (Pakistan Society of Food Scientist and Technologist). In addition to that, he is a member of the Food Safety Advisory Council of NSF International Michigan USA and was also a member of GFSI for the Hygienic Design Technical Working Group.

He is currently associated with “Mawarid Food Company (Pizzahut) Saudi Arabia” and responsible for leading the “Quality Assurance Department.

Andrew Manly joined the packaging sector in 1977 and became the founding CEO of the UK Processing & Packaging Machinery Trade Association – a position he held from 1987 to 2005. He then spent a brief period as the head of the UK’s Machine Tool Association before returning to the packaging sector in 2008 as a journalist and consultant. He has presented papers on packaging technologies in more than 70 countries and writes extensively on packaging matters for several journals around the world. He is a board member of the International Packaging Press Organisation (IPPO) and, in 2011, helped found the Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association (AIPIA). He is currently the communications director at AIPIA and, in addition to editing its newsletter, helps organise the annual AIPIA World Congress.

Giorgio, for over twenty years, supports food and beverage companies innovating products and services. He started in the late ´90 with the computer simulation of food manufacturing processes in order to meet design objectives and minimize the time to market. Today with Selerant, Giorgio helps food companies digitalizing their product innovation process and ensuring product safety and quality. 

An MBA degree holder from ESSEC Business School Paris, Pierre-Olivier has more than seven years of experience in Business Development and Marketing. He notably worked in the pharmaceutical industry with URGO and Aguettant in International Development functions before joining Novolyze.

Maike Schmitz joined PestWest Electronics Ltd in 2018 as an International Sales Manager. Prior to her current career, she has successfully led retail operations for 11 years, managing regional store developments and constant improvements across Germany and the UK. 

Part of the Killgerm Group Ltd, PestWest Electronics Ltd is a British manufacturer supplying high-quality UV fly control units. It is part of the PestWest mission to provide the pest control sector with the relevant tools to keep sensitive manufacturing areas in safe hands. 

Rating their customers the most important people in the business, Maike has developed strategies to deepen relationships with key partners. Throughout continuous client training and consulting, she has worked with numerous customers and supported their journey towards the successful implementation of proactive and innovative pest control management solutions. 

Based in Helsinki, Finland, and with a strong background in research and development in physics, Shabana Ahmadzai has been leading the implementation of high-power ultrasound, product usability, and optimization of user experience at Altum Technologies. Today her responsibilities include managing fouling removal and prevention projects across different industries worldwide.

Esteban Soto is CEO Americas for Altum Technologies. He moved from Finland to the USA to expand operations to the Americas in 2018. Besides taking care of marketing, operations, and sales in the American continent, Esteban has firsthand experience in project execution and installation of Altum’s power ultrasound systems. He has also managed several projects with clients in the food industry, such as The Morning Star Company.

Tod Harter is the Lead Food Technologist for The Morning Star Company, the World’s largest tomato processor, with multiple operations located in California. Tod has firsthand experience of the food processing industry’s intense harvesting and processing demands.

During the summer, Morning Star’s three tomato processing factories produce tomato products 24-hours a day for 80 to 100 consecutive days processing over 3,000,000-tons of fresh vine-ripened mechanically harvested tomatoes. In addition, Morning Star has received the title of “The World’s Most Creatively Managed Company in The World” by the Harvard Business Review.