Will Parker is an experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the packaging and containers industry across the UK and Europe. Primarily in distressed turnaround, operational improvement and divestiture challenges. 

Steve Metcalf is the founder and CEO of IMAGINE AI LIVE, the world's first truly AI-native conference and event platform for enterprises and businesses, and AD LEGENDS AI, the world’s first fully-functional AI-powered advertising agency.

As a former co-founder and CEO of a global industrial technology company, Steve brings decades of experience in leadership, technology, operations, and enterprise digital strategy, including significant executive roles at Accenture and SAP-Ariba.

Steve is dedicated to transforming how organizations connect and collaborate through AI. As a Chief AI Officer, he leads the strategic vision of Imagine AI Live, and advises other organizations in the same capacity, focusing on practical AI applications, automation, and innovation for enterprises. His work spans the Fortune 500 to the Fortune 5000, along with startups, associations and foundations of all sizes.

His leadership philosophy emphasizes imagination in AI, fostering innovation and knowledge sharing. Metcalf's passion for mentoring and influencing the next generation of entrepreneurs and technologists drives his commitment to accelerating AI adoption across industries.

Stefanie Wareka, MSc, MSc, 
Marzek Etiketten+Packaging GmbH
5th Generation of the Founding Family

Stefanie Wareka, MSc, MSc, represents the 5th generation of the founding family of Marzek Etiketten+Packaging. Her areas of responsibility include Marketing, Public Relations and Business Development. In this capacity, she is involved in both operational and strategic management. She leads the Design Department, drives creative concept development, and represents the company at events and public engagements. Additionally, she is responsible for internal and external communications and fosters intercultural collaboration across international markets.

She studied at Webster Private University in Vienna, the United International Business School (UIBS) in Madrid, and the New Design University in St. Pölten. Her professional experience includes internships across the family business as well as international roles at Collotype Labels in California, USA, and HP Indigo’s Management Growth Team in Nes Ziona, Israel.

Philippe Voet is the current FINAT President and is the General Manager of Etivoet in Belgium.

Nanette Thomas is a Danish entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of Synthogra, a specialist in printable synthetic papers and packaging films.

With 30+ years of experience in materials development for labels and packaging, she is recognized for turning complex technical challenges into commercially successful, responsible solutions.

Nanette is a strong advocate for industry collaboration, innovation, and environmental responsibility, and is a respected voice in the European label and packaging sector, including board-level engagement with FINAT.

Director Product Management – Labels & Flexible Packaging | Durst Group AG

Since 14 years, Martin is already part of the Durst Group AG and active in the Labels & Flexible Packaging division. With his technical background he started in the service division but soon turned to product management where today he is responsible, with the assistance of his team, for shaping the successful Durst printer and inks portfolio for the Labels and Flexible Packaging division.

Marius Tent is a recognized leader in Packaging Sustainability, passionately driving innovation for People, Planet, and Business. With over 20 years at top companies like Wrigley, Mars Wrigley, and Danone SN, Marius has led transformative packaging strategies and championed groundbreaking innovations.
In 2024, Marius founded ViaPackaging UG, providing tailored solutions in Packaging Innovation and Sustainability. Later that year, he co-founded 360packmastery.com, an essential digital platform simplifying the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), offering compliance solutions and key insights across Europe.
Widely recognized as Packaging Sustainability ambasador, Marius frequently contributes to industry webinars and discussions in partnership with Packaging Europe and 360PackMastery. Additionally, he actively collaborates with CEFLEX, advancing circular economy practices for flexible packaging in Europe & Member states, and with CELAB Europe, promoting circularity for Release liners & Matrix.
Marius remains dedicated to empowering businesses with sustainable packaging solutions that drive compliance, sustainability, and commercial success.
 

Jules Lejeune was appointed as FINAT's Managing Director in 1998. He was closely involved in the launch of the FINAT Radar in 2014. Each year he presents the annual review of trends and developments in the self-adhesive label materials demand in Europe.

Felix Neumann is a sales expert and the next generation to Achertäler Druckerei GmbH & Co. KG, holding a master’s degree in sports, business, and law. He combines business management expertise with a sales-oriented mindset and works at the intersection of customer service, market analysis, and business development. His focus is on building sustainable customer relationships as well as developing and implementing effective company strategies and digitalization. As the next generation, he brings analytical strength, future-driven mindset and practical experience in day-to-day operations to the table.

Dr. Ilke Toygür is the Director of the IE Global Policy Center and Professor of Geopolitics of Europe at the School of Politics, Economics, and Global Affairs at IE University. In addition, she is a senior associate at the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and serves as an elected board member of the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) in Brussels. Furthermore, she has been selected as a Mercator Fellow for 2024.

Her main areas of expertise include European integration, EU institutions, elections and democracy in Western Europe, the geopolitics of Europe, transatlantic relations, and Turkey’s relations with the West. She holds a BA degree and an MA degree in Economics, an MA degree in Democracy and Government, and a PhD in Political Science.

Dr. Toygür began her career back in 2008, working at the Economic Development Foundation (IKV), a research institute focusing on the European Union. In 2016, she completed her PhD degree in Political Science at the Autonomous University of Madrid. Her doctoral research focused on the impact of European integration on the vote and party  system change in Western Europe in times of crises. In 2015, she was granted a Mercator-IPC Fellowship at the Istanbul Policy Center. Following her PhD, she worked for the Elcano Royal Institute in Madrid and for the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Brussels. She has also been a lecturer at the University Carlos III of Madrid and a visiting researcher at the European University Institute (EUI), University of Mannheim, and Brookings Institution.

Her research and articles have so far appeared in Carnegie Europe, the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the Brookings Institution, the Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Der Spiegel, and El País, among others. She frequently comments on European affairs in the international media. She is native in Turkish, speaks fluent English and Spanish. 

Dominique is one of the few female military pilots in the Dutch Air Force, a skilled mediator, and a behavioural influence psychologist. She was trained by former Vietnam War veterans in the United States. As a woman, she has successfully held her ground in a male-dominated field, excelling through the most challenging training sessions and missions. Serving in Afganistan, her helicopter was hit by the Taliban and her narrow escape ending in a crash landing at a US base bacame an important part of her story (in het presentation, Domique will also use video material of that life changing experience).

Dominique has extensively studied the exceptional skills of military pilots. By combining this knowledge with her expertise in behavioural psychology, she delivers transformative experiences. She has an exceptional ability to clearly articulate and reveal the strengths of each individual or team. With a unique blend of discipline, adaptability, and a deep understanding of human behaviour, Dominique empowers individuals to surpass their limits. She has brought together some of the most experienced Air Force pilots to train organisations and businesses worldwide.

Drawing from her vast experiences, Dominique delivers exceptional speeches that captivate and inspire. She captivates and emotionally moves her audience as she shares stories of her extraordinary training and deployments, including the harrowing story of her helicopter being shot down by the Taliban—a crash she narrowly survived. She shares her lessons and teaches you to view life, others, your team, and most importantly, yourself from a new perspective.

Diederik Samsom studied physics at Delft University of Technology before working as a Greenpeace activist and campaigner in the field of energy and climate. Samsom entered politics in 2003 and was a member of the House of Representatives until 2016. During his tenure, he focused on energy and environmental issues and advocated for renewable energy and combating climate change. In 2012, Samsom became leader of the Dutch Labor Party, leading the party in national elections and in a coalition government later that year.

Between 2017 and 2019, Samsom worked as a consultant in both the public and private sectors, where he helped establish the Dutch Climate Agreement and provided strategic advice to investors and energy companies. In 2019, he became chief of staff to Executive Vice President Timmermans at the European Commission. He played a key role in the design and implementation of the European Green Deal and other signature European policies, such as the Recovey and Resilience Fund to restore European economies after COVID and the RePowerEU plan to make Europe independent of Russian gas after the invasion of Russia. of Ukraine in 2022.

As right-hand man of European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, he was the architect of the European Green Deal. Throughout his career, Samsom has remained committed to tackling climate change and promoting sustainable development, making significant contributions to both Dutch and European politics.

Diederik Samsom, a Dutch politician and former leader of the Labor Party, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to each event. With a background in physics and a strong focus on sustainable energy, Samsom offers insightful perspectives on climate change, renewable energy and environmental policy. His tenure as leader of the Labor Party and his involvement in shaping policy at both national and European levels provide valuable insights into the workings of government and the political landscape.

Samsom's engaging speaking style and ability to convey complex ideas in a clear and accessible manner make him an ideal choice for our session focusing on sustainability, politics and leadership. Whether discussing the challenges of the transition to a low-carbon economy or advocating for social justice issues, Samsom's passion and commitment shine through, inspiring the audience to take action and create a positive to make a difference in the world. As a speaker, Samsom brings depth, credibility and a compelling vision for a more sustainable and equitable future, making him a valuable addition to any event.

Dana Kilarka is Managing Director of Purgina since 2016. 'Leading a family business in the printing industry as 2nd generation. The hand in of the business was in poor condition and in last 3,5 years, the business developed and got healthy again as it was never in 28 years of history. This is not just about me, it's about every single colleague of mine wanting to climb the mountain with me. It's about to be better than yesterday. It's easy to improve the financial situation of a company but the challenge is to keep humble and goal-oriented in the best times of the company.'

Corey is President and CEO of AWA. 

Past President of FINAT and Managing Director of UK-based converter OPM (Labels & Packaging) Group Limited, a company established over 40 years ago and today serving more than 600 clients in both domestic and export markets.

OPM are a multi-award winning printers of high quality self-adhesive labels, laminates, sachets, medical and pharmaceutical packaging.

Passionate for product innovation, investors in the development of its people and early adopters of total process automation, the company’s vision is to remain one of Europe’s top performing self-adhesive label and flexible packaging providers.

Co-Founder Content Marketing Fast Forward #CMFF (NL). Bert van Loon will be moderating a few of the panel discussions during ELF.

I grew up in the publishing industry where I held positions in sales, marketing and business development. I was given the opportunity to lead multidisciplinary teams, where I was able to ensure that business and creativity joined forces to give birth to client happiness. I often worked in international alliances across Europe. After a few years as the managing director of a publishing group in Belgium, I decided that I preferred concepts, strategy and projects to corporate management.

I launched my independent strategy and concept practice in 1997. Over the years, I experienced the transition from ‘print only’ to digital and cross-media, right from within the heart of the industry. I learned while doing and I saw both success and failure up close. Along the most diversified set of projects from different clients during all those years, I also participated as an entrepreneur in various publishing and media initiatives. Some worked wonders, some didn’t: I learned on the job in a fast-changing environment.

My experience of bringing business and creativity together to realise organisations’ marketing and sales objectives is a valuable asset in today’s content marketing world. My strength lies in projects where I can develop new initiatives or re-engineer existing ones, while teaching new skills to my client’s teams as they earn and learn. I love to work in a multidisciplinary and international environment, bringing my half-Dutch and half-French background to the table with a mixture of Dutch bluntness and French finesse.

Andy is Strategic Director at Informa Markets Labels+Packaging Group.