The importance of digitization, skills, and inclusiveness for innovation and AI.
Mathieu Michel, Secretary of State for Digitization, Federal Government of Belgium Since October 2020, Mathieu Michel has been Secretary of State for Digitalization, in charge of Administrative Simplification, Privacy and the Buildings Administration, attached to the Prime Minister. Previously, he held the position of President of the Provincial College of Walloon Brabant for 8 years, from 2012 to 2020. He was in charge of heritage management and digitalization.
Together with the Walloon Brabant Property Development Agency, he was responsible for the development of new large-scale ‘New Place of Working’ (NPOW) projects.
In terms of digital technology, Mr. Michel has worked on the digitalization of the entire territory of Walloon Brabant, turning its 27 communes into true “smart cities”. With the objective to further digitize the provincial schools they have been fully equipped with the latest computer equipment.
Artificial intelligence is one of his priorities. His objective is to mark Belgium’s position as a European leader in the field of AI, particularly in the field of health and energy. He is keen to demystify the use of new technologies and advocates for transparency as an essential component of technological innovation and the algorithms on which it is based.
As the person responsible for privacy in the federal government, Mr. Michel initiated the process of evaluating and updating the Privacy Act. His ambition is to strengthen the protection of our data and the fight against harmful content.
The market, skill gaps, needs and offerings. In this session we hear from an EIT Food Master’s programme graduate, EBRD, YPARD and European Commission about how to equip young people with future-proof skill sets in an agrifood sector evolving at increasing speed.
Dr. Lucy Wallace, Chief of Staff, EIT Food 
Dr Maarten van der Kamp, Director of Education, EIT Food Dr Maarten van der Kamp is responsible for the creation and implementation of a robust portfolio of innovative educational programmes offered at postgraduate, professional development and VET levels to equip learners to drive the transformation of the food system. Before joining EIT Food, Maarten taught entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and sustainability at Cranfield School of Management and Hult International Business School. He did his PhD on the standardisation of sustainability at Lancaster School of Management. Before then, he worked as a senior engineer and team leader in Philips Medical Systems, and ran a network of entrepreneurship centres in support of excellent entrepreneurship education.
Pawel Krasny, Human Capital and Regional Development specialist, EBRD Biography available soon.
Glindys Luciano, Strategic Network Engagement Manager, Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) Biography available soon.
Vasiliki Exarchou, Project Adviser, Research Executive Agency Vasiliki Exarchou has a phD in Chemistry. She has worked in academia for more than 10 years at the Wageningen University, the Netherlands, the University of Ioannina, Greece and the University of Antwerp, Belgium as a researcher and teaching staff member with a focus on food chemistry and sophisticated methods of analysis. In 2015, she was appointed as a Scientific Officer at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (EC-JRC), Directorate of Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, in the Unit of Fraud Detection and Prevention, where she contributed to the activities of the Knowledge Centre of Food Fraud and Quality.
Since 2021, she is working at the Research Executive Agency (REA) as a Project Adviser – Panel Coordinator at the MSCA department, the European Union’s flagship funding programme for education and training of researchers.
Rieke Sproten, Graduate of the EIT Food MSc. in Food Systems A nutrition and food scientist by training, Rieke started her career as a science communicator and EU project manager at the European Food Information Council in Brussels, gaining experience in public policies and how to drive change through effective communication and targeted stakeholder engagement. Rieke holds a Master’s degree in Food Systems from University of Hohenheim, Germany, and currently works as a freelance science journalist. Her scientific expertise and interests have developed around emerging technology trends in the food and health sectors, particularly in the area of microbiome research and innovation.
Ambitions and solutions for Europe: stakeholders discuss the need for an enabling policy framework to achieve a more sustainable EU food system.
Natasha Foote, Moderator - Agrifood reporter, EURACTIV Natasha Foote joined EURACTIV as an agriculture journalist in November 2019. She was previously a freelance journalist, gaining experience in agriculture, environment and EU policy. Natasha holds a Master’s degree in Environment, Development and Policy with distinction from the University of Sussex.
Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General, DG SANTE, European Commission Deputy Director-General in DG Health and Food Safety with responsibility for food safety and sustainability. She is also a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges. She was previously Deputy Director-General for the Digital Single Market at DG CONNECT and Director of Modernisation of the Single Market in DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. Before that, she was Head of Unit for Company Law, Corporate Governance and Financial Crime in Directorate General Internal Market and Services, and Deputy Head of Cabinet to Internal Market Commissioners Charlie McCreevy and Frits Bolkestein. An English barrister by training, she worked in the Commission’s Legal Service and, before coming to Brussels, in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Dirk Jacobs, Director General, FoodDrink Europe Dirk Jacobs is Director General of FoodDrinkEurope, the organisation of the European food and drink industry, one of Europe’s largest manufacturing sectors in terms of turnover, employment and value added. Mr Jacobs is a member of various EU platforms and regularly engages in global multilateral bodies such as the United Nations, WTO, FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius, OECD and FAO. He is Chair of a multi-stakeholder Task Force which led the development of an EU Code of Conduct for Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices, the first deliverable of the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy. Mr Jacobs has long-standing professional experience covering various roles in international and EU public/political affairs and strategic communications. Previously, he served as FoodDrinkEurope’s Deputy Director General and headed its department for consumer information, nutrition and health. Mr Jacobs, a Dutch national, holds a Master of Science (MSc) in International Business Administration at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, studied international economics in Milan, Italy, and has obtained a post-graduate MBA degree in European Business studies in Brussels, Belgium.
Robert E. Jones, President of Cellular Agriculture Europe and Head of Public Affairs, Mosa Meat Robert is Vice President of Global Public Affairs at Mosa Meat, the Dutch food technology startup that pioneered the first cell-cultured beef in the world. He also serves as President of Cellular Agriculture Europe, a Brussels-based industry association representing 12 companies working to bring cellular agriculture food products to consumers. He has 24 years of experience in public policy, advocacy, and international affairs. Robert holds Masters’ degrees in Political Management from The George Washington University and in Social Business & Entrepreneurship from the London School of Economics. He is also a classically trained chef graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.
Monica Andres, EVP Europe, YARA With 25 years of international business experience in agriculture, chemical manufacturing and people management, Mónica Andrés proudly represents Yara Europe around the world and manages +3500 employees distributed across 30 countries and 13 production plants. Passionate about sustainability and committed to achieve a nature-positive food future, the EVP for Yara Europe thrives in international, multicultural and multi-generational environments, having worked in Asia, Oceania and Europe. Since July 2021, Mónica Andrés is also Vice President Fertilizers Europe Association.
Giulia Riedo, Agriculture & Sustainable Food Policy Officer, WWF European Policy Office Giulia Riedo works as a Sustainable Farming Policy Officer for the WWF European Policy Office in Brussels, I have been working on sustainable food system EU policies for the last year and previously I worked on climate adaptation and food system resilience for the Food and Agriculture Organisation and other entities.
Maija Itkonen, CEO & Co-Founder, Onego Bio Maija is a designer, innovator, creator, third time founder who has built and exited two tech companies – and one of the movers and shakers in the alternative protein field. Currently she’s acting as CEO and Co-Founder of Onego Bio, a food-biotech company producing egg proteins via precision fermentation. Maija has a passion to new protein sources that are delicious, nutritious and have minimal impact on the environment. As a pioneer in alternative proteins, she has been featured in Forbes, Food Navigator, Food Technology and Fast Company, to name a few. Maija has a Master of Art degree from Aalto University (Finland), School of Design and Architecture, department of Industrial and Strategic Design, and another degree from Aalto University School of Business, International Design Business Management program.
From policymakers shaping the legal landscape to farmers the natural one, from innovators and corporates to consumers redefining value chains, stakeholders have a vital role to play. EIT Food’s commitment to stimulate a transition towards healthier lives is constantly updated from a dynamic approach. In this session, we share our insights and discuss recommendations to make innovation happen in our food systems.
Lorena Savani, Innovation Programme ManagerMission Lead Healthier Lives Through Food, EIT Food Biography to follow shortly.
Kari Tronsmo, President of EIT Food Protein Diversification Think Tank, Open Innovation Manager, Danone Biography to follow shortly.
Koen Dillen, Head of Unit Arable Crops & Olive Oil, DG AGRI, European Commission Biography available soon.
Jorge Molina Villanueva, Policy Officer, DG RTD, European Commission Biography available soon.
Mathilde Do Chi, Legal Advisor, VeganFoodLaw Mathilde Do Chi is an international food law consultant. She has worked across the board in the food industry for both the private and public sectors ranging from law and consultancy firms, governmental research bodies, NGOs, the United Nations to a multinational. Her experience gave her a significant advantage in tackling legal and policy challenges from diverse angles.
Eager to combat climate change, help people reduce their consumption of animal-based products, eat healthfully, and ultimately eliminate animal suffering, she has been involved in veganism since 2020 through several vegan organizations as the Vice-President of Regulatory Affairs for both the Vegan World Alliance and the Vegan Society of Canada, and as the Chief Compliance Officer at BeVeg International.
Through Vegan Food Law, she combines her passion for veganism by helping you to launch animal-free food better for the planet, the animals and people’s health.
Anna Churkina, M.Sc. Student, Bayreuth University Anna Churkina is working as a student researcher at the Chair of Food Law of the University of Bayreuth in a research project funded by the Simon-Nüssel Foundation. She is currently pursuing her Master´s Degree in “Global Food, Nutrition and Health” at the Faculty of Life Sciences, in the newly founded Campus Kulmbach. Anna holds a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), known for fostering a global network of experts across various fields, champions academic collaborations between outstanding students and researchers.
Prior to resuming her studies, she worked for several years in the supply chain management sector of transnational food companies. Anna’s academic interests revolve around areas of food security and global health promotion. Her research primarily focuses on sustainability enhancement through the examination of various policy aspects, including food and feed regulations, on-pack nutrition labeling, and school feeding programs. She is also an active member of the Bayreuth-Kulmbach Alternative Protein Society.
Peter Kearns was previously a Principal Administrator at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organisation based in Paris, France. He worked in the Environment, Health and Safety Division which addresses, amongst other things, issues related to the safety of chemicals, pesticides and biotechnology.
He headed OECD’s biosafety programme and was responsible for OECD’s Working Group for the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology and the Working Group for the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds. Both programmes address the safety of products derived from transgenic organisms. The former focuses on environmental safety while the latter addresses food and feed safety issues. Both Working Groups comprise delegates nominated by OECD member governments together with other partner countries and stakeholders.
Peter also managed OECD’s Nanosafety Programme as well as its Programme on the Prevention, Preparedness and Response in relation to major chemical accidents.
Ninna Granucci, CEO, Green Spot Technologies Ninna is Green Spot’s CEO and co-founder, a pioneering Fermented and Upcycled food ingredients company headquartered in Toulouse & a demo plant in Carpentras France producing ingredients that allow food brands to appeal to modern consumers with fermented & upcycled, clean-label, nutritious, and plant-based flours. Ninna has a PhD in Biotechnology and from Brazil to New Zealand and now in France, she is on a mission to use science and technology to bring better and sustainable nutrition to all.
The market, skill gaps, needs and offerings. In this session we hear from an EIT Food Master’s programme graduate, EBRD, YPARD and European Commission about how to equip young people with future-proof skill sets in an agrifood sector evolving at increasing speed.
Dr. Lucy Wallace, Chief of Staff, EIT Food
Dr Maarten van der Kamp, Director of Education, EIT Food Dr Maarten van der Kamp is responsible for the creation and implementation of a robust portfolio of innovative educational programmes offered at postgraduate, professional development and VET levels to equip learners to drive the transformation of the food system. Before joining EIT Food, Maarten taught entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and sustainability at Cranfield School of Management and Hult International Business School. He did his PhD on the standardisation of sustainability at Lancaster School of Management. Before then, he worked as a senior engineer and team leader in Philips Medical Systems, and ran a network of entrepreneurship centres in support of excellent entrepreneurship education.
Pawel Krasny, Human Capital and Regional Development specialist, EBRD Biography available soon.
Glindys Luciano, Strategic Network Engagement Manager, Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) Biography available soon.
Vasiliki Exarchou, Project Adviser, Research Executive Agency Vasiliki Exarchou has a phD in Chemistry. She has worked in academia for more than 10 years at the Wageningen University, the Netherlands, the University of Ioannina, Greece and the University of Antwerp, Belgium as a researcher and teaching staff member with a focus on food chemistry and sophisticated methods of analysis. In 2015, she was appointed as a Scientific Officer at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (EC-JRC), Directorate of Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, in the Unit of Fraud Detection and Prevention, where she contributed to the activities of the Knowledge Centre of Food Fraud and Quality.
Since 2021, she is working at the Research Executive Agency (REA) as a Project Adviser – Panel Coordinator at the MSCA department, the European Union’s flagship funding programme for education and training of researchers.
Rieke Sproten, Graduate of the EIT Food MSc. in Food Systems A nutrition and food scientist by training, Rieke started her career as a science communicator and EU project manager at the European Food Information Council in Brussels, gaining experience in public policies and how to drive change through effective communication and targeted stakeholder engagement. Rieke holds a Master’s degree in Food Systems from University of Hohenheim, Germany, and currently works as a freelance science journalist. Her scientific expertise and interests have developed around emerging technology trends in the food and health sectors, particularly in the area of microbiome research and innovation.
Ambitions and solutions for Europe: stakeholders discuss the need for an enabling policy framework to achieve a more sustainable EU food system.
Natasha Foote, Moderator - Agrifood reporter, EURACTIV Natasha Foote joined EURACTIV as an agriculture journalist in November 2019. She was previously a freelance journalist, gaining experience in agriculture, environment and EU policy. Natasha holds a Master’s degree in Environment, Development and Policy with distinction from the University of Sussex.
Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General, DG SANTE, European Commission Deputy Director-General in DG Health and Food Safety with responsibility for food safety and sustainability. She is also a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges. She was previously Deputy Director-General for the Digital Single Market at DG CONNECT and Director of Modernisation of the Single Market in DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. Before that, she was Head of Unit for Company Law, Corporate Governance and Financial Crime in Directorate General Internal Market and Services, and Deputy Head of Cabinet to Internal Market Commissioners Charlie McCreevy and Frits Bolkestein. An English barrister by training, she worked in the Commission’s Legal Service and, before coming to Brussels, in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Dirk Jacobs, Director General, FoodDrink Europe Dirk Jacobs is Director General of FoodDrinkEurope, the organisation of the European food and drink industry, one of Europe’s largest manufacturing sectors in terms of turnover, employment and value added. Mr Jacobs is a member of various EU platforms and regularly engages in global multilateral bodies such as the United Nations, WTO, FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius, OECD and FAO. He is Chair of a multi-stakeholder Task Force which led the development of an EU Code of Conduct for Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices, the first deliverable of the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy. Mr Jacobs has long-standing professional experience covering various roles in international and EU public/political affairs and strategic communications. Previously, he served as FoodDrinkEurope’s Deputy Director General and headed its department for consumer information, nutrition and health. Mr Jacobs, a Dutch national, holds a Master of Science (MSc) in International Business Administration at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, studied international economics in Milan, Italy, and has obtained a post-graduate MBA degree in European Business studies in Brussels, Belgium.
Robert E. Jones, President of Cellular Agriculture Europe and Head of Public Affairs, Mosa Meat Robert is Vice President of Global Public Affairs at Mosa Meat, the Dutch food technology startup that pioneered the first cell-cultured beef in the world. He also serves as President of Cellular Agriculture Europe, a Brussels-based industry association representing 12 companies working to bring cellular agriculture food products to consumers. He has 24 years of experience in public policy, advocacy, and international affairs. Robert holds Masters’ degrees in Political Management from The George Washington University and in Social Business & Entrepreneurship from the London School of Economics. He is also a classically trained chef graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.
Monica Andres, EVP Europe, YARA With 25 years of international business experience in agriculture, chemical manufacturing and people management, Mónica Andrés proudly represents Yara Europe around the world and manages +3500 employees distributed across 30 countries and 13 production plants. Passionate about sustainability and committed to achieve a nature-positive food future, the EVP for Yara Europe thrives in international, multicultural and multi-generational environments, having worked in Asia, Oceania and Europe. Since July 2021, Mónica Andrés is also Vice President Fertilizers Europe Association.
Giulia Riedo, Agriculture & Sustainable Food Policy Officer, WWF European Policy Office Giulia Riedo works as a Sustainable Farming Policy Officer for the WWF European Policy Office in Brussels, I have been working on sustainable food system EU policies for the last year and previously I worked on climate adaptation and food system resilience for the Food and Agriculture Organisation and other entities.
Maija Itkonen, CEO & Co-Founder, Onego Bio Maija is a designer, innovator, creator, third time founder who has built and exited two tech companies – and one of the movers and shakers in the alternative protein field. Currently she’s acting as CEO and Co-Founder of Onego Bio, a food-biotech company producing egg proteins via precision fermentation. Maija has a passion to new protein sources that are delicious, nutritious and have minimal impact on the environment. As a pioneer in alternative proteins, she has been featured in Forbes, Food Navigator, Food Technology and Fast Company, to name a few. Maija has a Master of Art degree from Aalto University (Finland), School of Design and Architecture, department of Industrial and Strategic Design, and another degree from Aalto University School of Business, International Design Business Management program.
From policymakers shaping the legal landscape to farmers the natural one, from innovators and corporates to consumers redefining value chains, stakeholders have a vital role to play. EIT Food’s commitment to stimulate a transition towards healthier lives is constantly updated from a dynamic approach. In this session, we share our insights and discuss recommendations to make innovation happen in our food systems.
Lorena Savani, Innovation Programme ManagerMission Lead Healthier Lives Through Food, EIT Food Biography to follow shortly.
Kari Tronsmo, President of EIT Food Protein Diversification Think Tank, Open Innovation Manager, Danone Biography to follow shortly.
Koen Dillen, Head of Unit Arable Crops & Olive Oil, DG AGRI, European Commission Biography available soon.
Jorge Molina Villanueva, Policy Officer, DG RTD, European Commission Biography available soon.
Mathilde Do Chi, Legal Advisor, VeganFoodLaw Mathilde Do Chi is an international food law consultant. She has worked across the board in the food industry for both the private and public sectors ranging from law and consultancy firms, governmental research bodies, NGOs, the United Nations to a multinational. Her experience gave her a significant advantage in tackling legal and policy challenges from diverse angles.
Eager to combat climate change, help people reduce their consumption of animal-based products, eat healthfully, and ultimately eliminate animal suffering, she has been involved in veganism since 2020 through several vegan organizations as the Vice-President of Regulatory Affairs for both the Vegan World Alliance and the Vegan Society of Canada, and as the Chief Compliance Officer at BeVeg International.
Through Vegan Food Law, she combines her passion for veganism by helping you to launch animal-free food better for the planet, the animals and people’s health.
Anna Churkina, M.Sc. Student, Bayreuth University Anna Churkina is working as a student researcher at the Chair of Food Law of the University of Bayreuth in a research project funded by the Simon-Nüssel Foundation. She is currently pursuing her Master´s Degree in “Global Food, Nutrition and Health” at the Faculty of Life Sciences, in the newly founded Campus Kulmbach. Anna holds a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), known for fostering a global network of experts across various fields, champions academic collaborations between outstanding students and researchers.
Prior to resuming her studies, she worked for several years in the supply chain management sector of transnational food companies. Anna’s academic interests revolve around areas of food security and global health promotion. Her research primarily focuses on sustainability enhancement through the examination of various policy aspects, including food and feed regulations, on-pack nutrition labeling, and school feeding programs. She is also an active member of the Bayreuth-Kulmbach Alternative Protein Society.
The market, skill gaps, needs and offerings. In this session we hear from an EIT Food Master’s programme graduate, EBRD, YPARD and European Commission about how to equip young people with future-proof skill sets in an agrifood sector evolving at increasing speed.
Dr. Lucy Wallace, Chief of Staff, EIT Food
Dr Maarten van der Kamp, Director of Education, EIT Food Dr Maarten van der Kamp is responsible for the creation and implementation of a robust portfolio of innovative educational programmes offered at postgraduate, professional development and VET levels to equip learners to drive the transformation of the food system. Before joining EIT Food, Maarten taught entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and sustainability at Cranfield School of Management and Hult International Business School. He did his PhD on the standardisation of sustainability at Lancaster School of Management. Before then, he worked as a senior engineer and team leader in Philips Medical Systems, and ran a network of entrepreneurship centres in support of excellent entrepreneurship education.
Pawel Krasny, Human Capital and Regional Development specialist, EBRD Biography available soon.
Glindys Luciano, Strategic Network Engagement Manager, Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) Biography available soon.
Vasiliki Exarchou, Project Adviser, Research Executive Agency Vasiliki Exarchou has a phD in Chemistry. She has worked in academia for more than 10 years at the Wageningen University, the Netherlands, the University of Ioannina, Greece and the University of Antwerp, Belgium as a researcher and teaching staff member with a focus on food chemistry and sophisticated methods of analysis. In 2015, she was appointed as a Scientific Officer at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (EC-JRC), Directorate of Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, in the Unit of Fraud Detection and Prevention, where she contributed to the activities of the Knowledge Centre of Food Fraud and Quality.
Since 2021, she is working at the Research Executive Agency (REA) as a Project Adviser – Panel Coordinator at the MSCA department, the European Union’s flagship funding programme for education and training of researchers.
Rieke Sproten, Graduate of the EIT Food MSc. in Food Systems A nutrition and food scientist by training, Rieke started her career as a science communicator and EU project manager at the European Food Information Council in Brussels, gaining experience in public policies and how to drive change through effective communication and targeted stakeholder engagement. Rieke holds a Master’s degree in Food Systems from University of Hohenheim, Germany, and currently works as a freelance science journalist. Her scientific expertise and interests have developed around emerging technology trends in the food and health sectors, particularly in the area of microbiome research and innovation.
Ambitions and solutions for Europe: stakeholders discuss the need for an enabling policy framework to achieve a more sustainable EU food system.
Natasha Foote, Moderator - Agrifood reporter, EURACTIV Natasha Foote joined EURACTIV as an agriculture journalist in November 2019. She was previously a freelance journalist, gaining experience in agriculture, environment and EU policy. Natasha holds a Master’s degree in Environment, Development and Policy with distinction from the University of Sussex.
Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General, DG SANTE, European Commission Deputy Director-General in DG Health and Food Safety with responsibility for food safety and sustainability. She is also a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges. She was previously Deputy Director-General for the Digital Single Market at DG CONNECT and Director of Modernisation of the Single Market in DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. Before that, she was Head of Unit for Company Law, Corporate Governance and Financial Crime in Directorate General Internal Market and Services, and Deputy Head of Cabinet to Internal Market Commissioners Charlie McCreevy and Frits Bolkestein. An English barrister by training, she worked in the Commission’s Legal Service and, before coming to Brussels, in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Dirk Jacobs, Director General, FoodDrink Europe Dirk Jacobs is Director General of FoodDrinkEurope, the organisation of the European food and drink industry, one of Europe’s largest manufacturing sectors in terms of turnover, employment and value added. Mr Jacobs is a member of various EU platforms and regularly engages in global multilateral bodies such as the United Nations, WTO, FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius, OECD and FAO. He is Chair of a multi-stakeholder Task Force which led the development of an EU Code of Conduct for Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices, the first deliverable of the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy. Mr Jacobs has long-standing professional experience covering various roles in international and EU public/political affairs and strategic communications. Previously, he served as FoodDrinkEurope’s Deputy Director General and headed its department for consumer information, nutrition and health. Mr Jacobs, a Dutch national, holds a Master of Science (MSc) in International Business Administration at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, studied international economics in Milan, Italy, and has obtained a post-graduate MBA degree in European Business studies in Brussels, Belgium.
Robert E. Jones, President of Cellular Agriculture Europe and Head of Public Affairs, Mosa Meat Robert is Vice President of Global Public Affairs at Mosa Meat, the Dutch food technology startup that pioneered the first cell-cultured beef in the world. He also serves as President of Cellular Agriculture Europe, a Brussels-based industry association representing 12 companies working to bring cellular agriculture food products to consumers. He has 24 years of experience in public policy, advocacy, and international affairs. Robert holds Masters’ degrees in Political Management from The George Washington University and in Social Business & Entrepreneurship from the London School of Economics. He is also a classically trained chef graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.
Monica Andres, EVP Europe, YARA With 25 years of international business experience in agriculture, chemical manufacturing and people management, Mónica Andrés proudly represents Yara Europe around the world and manages +3500 employees distributed across 30 countries and 13 production plants. Passionate about sustainability and committed to achieve a nature-positive food future, the EVP for Yara Europe thrives in international, multicultural and multi-generational environments, having worked in Asia, Oceania and Europe. Since July 2021, Mónica Andrés is also Vice President Fertilizers Europe Association.
Giulia Riedo, Agriculture & Sustainable Food Policy Officer, WWF European Policy Office Giulia Riedo works as a Sustainable Farming Policy Officer for the WWF European Policy Office in Brussels, I have been working on sustainable food system EU policies for the last year and previously I worked on climate adaptation and food system resilience for the Food and Agriculture Organisation and other entities.
Maija Itkonen, CEO & Co-Founder, Onego Bio Maija is a designer, innovator, creator, third time founder who has built and exited two tech companies – and one of the movers and shakers in the alternative protein field. Currently she’s acting as CEO and Co-Founder of Onego Bio, a food-biotech company producing egg proteins via precision fermentation. Maija has a passion to new protein sources that are delicious, nutritious and have minimal impact on the environment. As a pioneer in alternative proteins, she has been featured in Forbes, Food Navigator, Food Technology and Fast Company, to name a few. Maija has a Master of Art degree from Aalto University (Finland), School of Design and Architecture, department of Industrial and Strategic Design, and another degree from Aalto University School of Business, International Design Business Management program.
From policymakers shaping the legal landscape to farmers the natural one, from innovators and corporates to consumers redefining value chains, stakeholders have a vital role to play. EIT Food’s commitment to stimulate a transition towards healthier lives is constantly updated from a dynamic approach. In this session, we share our insights and discuss recommendations to make innovation happen in our food systems.
Lorena Savani, Innovation Programme ManagerMission Lead Healthier Lives Through Food, EIT Food Biography to follow shortly.
Kari Tronsmo, President of EIT Food Protein Diversification Think Tank, Open Innovation Manager, Danone Biography to follow shortly.
Koen Dillen, Head of Unit Arable Crops & Olive Oil, DG AGRI, European Commission Biography available soon.
Jorge Molina Villanueva, Policy Officer, DG RTD, European Commission Biography available soon.
Mathilde Do Chi, Legal Advisor, VeganFoodLaw Mathilde Do Chi is an international food law consultant. She has worked across the board in the food industry for both the private and public sectors ranging from law and consultancy firms, governmental research bodies, NGOs, the United Nations to a multinational. Her experience gave her a significant advantage in tackling legal and policy challenges from diverse angles.
Eager to combat climate change, help people reduce their consumption of animal-based products, eat healthfully, and ultimately eliminate animal suffering, she has been involved in veganism since 2020 through several vegan organizations as the Vice-President of Regulatory Affairs for both the Vegan World Alliance and the Vegan Society of Canada, and as the Chief Compliance Officer at BeVeg International.
Through Vegan Food Law, she combines her passion for veganism by helping you to launch animal-free food better for the planet, the animals and people’s health.
Anna Churkina, M.Sc. Student, Bayreuth University Anna Churkina is working as a student researcher at the Chair of Food Law of the University of Bayreuth in a research project funded by the Simon-Nüssel Foundation. She is currently pursuing her Master´s Degree in “Global Food, Nutrition and Health” at the Faculty of Life Sciences, in the newly founded Campus Kulmbach. Anna holds a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), known for fostering a global network of experts across various fields, champions academic collaborations between outstanding students and researchers.
Prior to resuming her studies, she worked for several years in the supply chain management sector of transnational food companies. Anna’s academic interests revolve around areas of food security and global health promotion. Her research primarily focuses on sustainability enhancement through the examination of various policy aspects, including food and feed regulations, on-pack nutrition labeling, and school feeding programs. She is also an active member of the Bayreuth-Kulmbach Alternative Protein Society.
© Copyright Forum Europe. All rights reserved | Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms and Conditions
Registered in UK | Registered Office: 5 Sovereign Quay, Havannah Street, Cardiff, CF10 5SF
Tel: +44 (0) 2920 783 020 | Email: info@forum-europe.com
