All Speakers

Meet leaders and experts in your domain

Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes

Ministry of Europe and...

French Ambassador to the...

Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes, French Ambassador to Belgium, plays a key role in strengthening Franco-Belgian relations. A seasoned diplomat, he has held strategic positions worldwide and is actively working to enhance political, economic, and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

https://be.ambafrance.org/-francais-

https://www.linkedin.com/in/xavier-lapeyre-de-cabanes-88701348/

David Clarinval

Belgian Federal Government

Deputy Prime Minister and...

David Clarinval, born on January 10, 1976, in Dinant, is a Belgian politician and a member of the Reformist Movement (MR). He has served multiple times as Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in the Wilmès I & II, De Croo, and De Wever governments. In February 2025, he joined the De Wever government as Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister, overseeing Employment, Economy, and Agriculture. He is also...

https://gouvernement-federal.be/fr/

https://x.com/davidclarinval/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-clarinval-2651105/

https://www.facebook.com/DavidClarinvalMR/

https://www.instagram.com/davidclarinval/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5DFnsXR7hRCBkBgp2VSKw

DCF

Diego Canga Fano

EUROPEAN COMMISSION...

Director

An EU official since 1991, he has divided his career between legal and political roles. As a lawyer at the EU Council’s Legal Service for over a decade, he pleaded 60 cases before the EU Court of Justice. He then held various political and managerial positions, notably working with Loyola de Palacio and Antonio Tajani, serving as Tajani’s chief of staff at both the European Commission and the...

https://european-union.europa.eu/index_en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-canga-fano-167b431a/

Herwig Ranner

European Comission

European Comission DG Agri

After studying zoology, marine biology, and marine biogeochemistry and climate change in Vienna, Marseille, the Dutch Oceanographic Institute, and the Free University of Brussels, he worked for environmental NGOs, a Member of the European Parliament, and the European Seaports Organisation before joining the Commission. Since 2012, he has been negotiating agriculture for the EU at UNFCCC climate...

https://commission.europa.eu/about/departments-and-executive-agencies/agriculture-and-rural-development_en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/herwig-ranner-434713225/

Emmanuel Petel

European Commission Dg AGRI

Environmental policy...

Emmanuel Petel is a policy officer at the Environmental Sustainability Unit of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI). He focuses on integrating environmental concerns into the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), particularly regarding soil health, carbon sequestration, and the promotion of nature-based practices like agroforestry and...

https://commission.europa.eu/index_en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-petel-381ba01a4/

Wim Haentjens

European Commission

Directorate-General Research...

Wim is policy officer in the unit ‘Bioeconomy & Food Systems’ of DG Research & Innovation. He works on the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, and on FOOD 2030, the EU’s R&I framework for future-proofing food systems. Wim joined the European Commission from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in Flanders, Belgium, and the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Prior to...

https://commission.europa.eu/index_en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wim-haentjens-27a1144/

Isabelle Rollier

European Commission

Policy officer in the Farm...

Isabelle Rollier is a policy officer in the Farm to Fork Strategy Unit, Directorate General for Health and Food Safety. She is responsible for several files related to the Farm to Fork Strategy and in particular as regards its international dimension as well as the Code of Conduct. Mrs Rollier has been working at the Commission on a variety of files since 1999. First she was a veterinary...

https://commission.europa.eu/index_en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-rollier-949989228/

Ilaria Ciabatti

European Commission

Policy officer & Team Leader

Ilaria Ciabatti is policy officer and team leader in the European Commission, DG Health and Food Safety, Unit Biotechnology. Biochemist and biotechnologist by education, with 30 years of experience in food safety and health, she currently leads the scientific work of the team in the development and management of legislation in the area of biotechnology, in particular in relation to new...

https://commission.europa.eu/index_en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilaria-ciabatti-518381205/?originalSubdomain=be

Isabelle Laquiere

Federal Public Service...

Regulatory expert novel foods

Isabelle Laquiere graduated with a degree in Bioscience Engineering at the Catholic University of Leuven in 1997. She spent first seven years gaining experience in academia, the pharmaceutical sector and agrifood industry. In 2005, she joined the Federal Public Service of Public health, where she co-coordinated Belgium’s first National food and health plan. Since 2013, she has been responsible...

https://www.health.belgium.be/fr

https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-laquiere-24b26a38/

Nathalie Guillaume

DANONE

General Secretary &...

Since earning her bioengineering master’s degree in 1996, Nathalie Guillaume has held key roles in the food industry, including at FEVIA and Danone. Since May 2024, she has been Secretary General and Sustainability Director for Danone Benelux. A board member in several organizations, she became FEVIA President in late 2024. Committed to sustainability, she has led impactful initiatives and was...

https://www.danone.be/fr

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-guillaume-5582378/

Chloe Stefani

LVMH & CCI France Belgium

General Manager Moët...

Chloé Stefani has been President of CCI France Belgique since June 2023, following her role as a board member since 2021. As General Manager of Moët Hennessy Belux at LVMH since 2018, she specializes in luxury and wines & spirits. Committed to developing young talent, she supports Belgium's 40 under 40. Her corporate governance expertise is enhanced by training at Solvay Executive Education and...

https://www.ccifrancebelgique.be/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-stefani/?originalSubdomain=be

ODM

Olivier de Matos

CropLife Europe

Director General

Olivier de Matos is the Director General of CropLife International, an organization representing the agricultural science industry. He advocates for sustainable and innovative farming, promoting technological solutions to feed a growing population while protecting the environment.

https://croplifeeurope.eu/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivier-de-matos-37307a9/

Benjamin Laga

Protealis

CEO

Benjamin Laga is CEO of Protealis, a pioneering seed breeding & seed technology company dedicated to developing high-performance soybean and legume varieties tailored for N-European farmers. With a strong background in R&D, agribusiness and technology, he leads Protealis in its mission: growing more sustainable plant proteins for Europe while creating new opportunities for European farmers to...

https://www.protealis.com/fr

https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-laga/

AVG

Ann Van Gysel

CEO at NewCo flanders.bio x...

CEO

Ann Van Gysel is the CEO of NewCo, a strategic alliance between flanders.bio and MEDVIA, dedicated to advancing innovation in healthcare and life sciences. With a PhD in Molecular Biology from Ghent University and postgraduate degrees in Business Management and Marketing, she has held key leadership positions at VIB and flanders.bio, where she played a pivotal role in driving growth and...

https://www.flanders.bio/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annvangysel/

Joris Relaes

ILVO

CEO

Joris Relaes is an agricultural engineer by training. He has served as an advisor to various ministers of agriculture. Since 2014, he has been the head of ILVO. He teaches agricultural policy at KU Leuven and is also the chairman of the Centre for Agricultural History.

https://ilvo.vlaanderen.be/nl/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorisrelaes/

Johan Jacobs

FlyBlast

CEO and co-founder

Johan Jacobs is on a mission to improve animal health and performance. He is co-founder of Flyblast, that genetically modifies the Black Soldier Fly to produce functionalized feed ingredients, containing beneficial enzymes, peptides, fatty acids and antioxidants. The Belgian company has already signed two Custom Strain Development partnerships.

https://flyblast.bio/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanjacobsmillibeter/

Geert Maesmans

Cargill

VP Research & Development

Geert is an activist and practitioner in food industry innovation. A business leader with a deep passion for research and science, he enjoys building high-impact teams—bringing together colleagues and stakeholders to transform knowledge into tangible value. Geert represents Cargill at industry associations, research consortia and start-ups. He is board member at the European Specialty Food...

https://www.boortmalt.com/fr

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvanrmschaepman/

Romain Faroux

La Ferme Digitale / Pionnier...

COO

Romain Faroux is the CEO of La Ferme Digitale, an association founded in 2016 that promotes innovation and digital technology for efficient, sustainable, and responsible agriculture. An expert in AgTech and Smart Agriculture, he was a pioneer in the use of agricultural drones and specializes in the application of artificial intelligence and data management in farming. A graduate of HEC Paris,...

https://www.lafermedigitale.fr/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/romain-faroux-innovation/?originalSubdomain=fr

Joachim Aelvoet

ABN AMRO

Country Executive Officer

Joachim Aelvoet began his career as a trainee at Fortis in 2004, working in derivatives sales for equity funds. After working as a financial analyst for FSMA, he joined ABN AMRO Private Banking Belgium in 2012 as Senior Product Specialist. Since 2017, he has held the position of Country Director Products & Solutions Belgium. His appointment as Country Executive heralds a new chapter in his...

https://www.abnamro.be/fr/index.html

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachim-aelvoet-5880993/?originalSubdomain=be

Thierry Devillers

KWS Benelux

Managing Director - Sales...

https://www.kws.com/fr/fr/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thierry-devillers-581184a8/?originalSubdomain=be

Bogdan Costea

Carmeuse

Agriculture Business...

Dr. Bogdan Costea is a passionate and enthusiastic leader, highly motivated and recognized for his professionalism. With proven experience in guiding teams to reach their full potential, he specializes in agribusiness, demand creation, and possesses extensive technical and business development expertise. Holding a Ph.D. in Agronomy (Agrochemistry, Agrotechnics, and Soil Science), he excels in...

https://www.carmeuse.com/eu-fr

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdan-costea-631772aa/

Mathias Herman

Orange Business

Business Development Manager

Mathias Hermann is an experienced Business Development Manager with a proven track record in the information technology and services industry. He has demonstrated expertise in driving business growth, developing Go-to-Market strategies, bid preparation, and building strategic partnerships. Known for his strong skills in mobile communications and results-oriented approach, Mathias has played a...

https://business.orange.be/en/soletraders

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathias-herman-5539741/?originalSubdomain=fr

Pierre Donck

Paleo

Chief Business Officer

Pierre Donck joined Paleo in early 2024, driven by a clear sense of purpose and a commitment to shaping a sustainable future for food production. With his extensive experience in the alternative protein sector, Pierre now leads Paleo’s commercial team, overseeing the launch of its highly functional heme proteins in diverse markets. Having always been intrigued by the evolving landscape of the...

https://paleo.bio/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierre-donck-8758a89/

SVP

Sjouke Van Poucke

SYN+

CEO & founder

Dr. Sjouke Van Poucke is the founder of SYN+, a consultancy firm specializing in the poultry and swine industry. With a team of three technicians and two veterinarians, the company provides on-site farm support, conducts climate and hygiene audits, and carries out contract research and applied studies. Since 2022, SYN+ has also been recognized by Belpork as an antibiotic coach. After earning...

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjoukev/?originalSubdomain=be

Xavier Marchant

BAN Flanders

Business Executive

https://ban.be/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/xavier-marchant/?originalSubdomain=be

Olivier Rabartin

DANONE

Country Sales Lead BeLux

https://www.danone.be/fr

https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivier-rabartin-67521b5/

Marion Bloemendal

Danone Belgium

Head of milk

https://www.danone.be/fr

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marion-bloemendal-51a7364/

Stijn Bossin

Boerenbond

Director of Entrepreneurship...

Stijn Bossin is Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Boerenbond and plays a key role in supporting farmers and horticulturists in the many challenges and opportunities in the sector. With a strong focus on sustainability, digitalisation and economic resilience, he helps shape innovative solutions and collaborations and focuses on stimulating entrepreneurship, translating research into...

https://www.boerenbond.be/homepagina

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-bossin-83b65b238/

Stef Denayer

Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant

Stakeholder Relations Manager

Experienced manager with a demonstrated history of working in the environmental services industry. Skilled in Bio-Economy, Cleantech, Circular Economy, Energy Transition, Waste & Biomass, Climate Awareness and Marketing & Sales Management. Strong business development professional with a Master of Engineering (chemistry) and specialised studies in Environmental Management & Technologies at...

https://www.bbeu.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stef-denayer/

SDDC

Sébastien Dumont de Chassart

Redebel Regulatory Affairs

General Manager

Passionate managing director of companies supporting the Research & Development strategies in Agriculture, Plant Healthcare and Environmental protection.

https://www.redebel.be/en/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastiendumontdechassart/?originalSubdomain=be