Novartis has set ambitious environmental sustainability targets to achieve carbon neutral own operations by 2025 and net-zero by 2040 and was recognized by CDP with a Double-A leadership rating in the Climate Change and Water Security categories for now 3 years in a row. Jürgen’s role as Environmental Sustainability lead for Novartis’ Development organization covers the design and execution of low carbon clinical trials and all topics around sustainable product and process design. He is member of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy Leadership Team of Novartis, and representing the company in various external partnerships like the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI), the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition (SHC) and the Pharmaceutical Environmental Group (PEG). With a lifelong passion for environmental sustainability since his school years
and a business background in Finance/Controlling he aims to create positive impact by focusing on the win-win opportunities between the economic and ecological perspectives.

Richard Hall is a mechanical engineer with several decades experience in the hydraulics industry - selling hydraulic cylinders to global manufacturers of construction and agricultural equipment (Caterpillar, John Deere, Kubota, Bobcat, etc.). He provides active, hands-on managerial support of continuous process improvement methods (SMED, 5S, Kaizen, VSM, etc.) and introduction of new production processes.

Richard has works in business development for Rattiinox (aseptic valve manufacturer) and is a non-voting member of four ASME BPE task groups: CIP, Valve certification, Appendix K (valve testing), and vessel certification. He's also been a member of ISPE since 2011, as well as PDA, A3P, and ASTM E55 since 2021.

He's the technical lead of ASTM E55.11: Clean by Design task group (80 members), and he's writing new standards for the specification, design, manufacture, and FAT test (CIP-cleanability test - not just coverage test) of pharmaceutical manufacturing systems that are rapid to clean robustly with CIP, using 50-80% less water and energy. Richard is also the chair of ASTM E55 subcommittee E55.11 Process Design.

Dr. Michael Hell is a chemist (MSc) and cell biologist (PhD) by education with substantial experience in manufacturing and operations of biopharmaceuticals. Before being appointed to head of sustainability at Merck’s Healthcare operations, he was leading environment, health, and safety for Merck KGaA’s global biotech manufacturing and led a packaging, logistics, and visual inspection operation unit.

Michael brings a diverse background in manufacturing, spanning environment, health, and safety, strategy development, continuous improvement/LEAN, operations, and business consulting. He is an active member of ISPE and chaired conference tracks or contributed as speaker. Michael co-authored scientific papers or book chapters.

Christopher Nial is a senior partner at FINN Partners and is based in Ireland. His career, spanning over three decades, is marked by a deep commitment to enhancing global public health. Christopher’s journey in this field is distinguished by his unique focus on the critical intersection of climate change and public health. This specialised approach reflects his belief in the profound impact of environmental factors on global health outcomes.

His collaborations with both profit and non-profit organisations further highlight Christopher's impact. He has played a pivotal role in advancing the missions of major pharmaceutical giants like MSD, Sanofi, GSK, and Roche, and influential non-profits such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gavi, and PATH. His contributions to these organisations underscore his dedication to shaping a healthier, more sustainable future, making him a respected figure in global public health and climate advocacy.

Equipped with an MSc. in material science and manufacturing processes and 5 years of experience in medical device development, I currently serve as a Circular Design Lead within Novo Nordisk’s device development organization. In this role, I prioritize the comprehensive consideration of the environmental impact of our products within our development projects. This involves spearheading initiatives for the development of reusable concepts, reducing plastic consumption, transitioning to non-fossil-based virgin plastic, and championing design for recycling. Additionally, I actively contribute as a member of ISO and CEN standardization committees, focusing specifically on Plastics Sustainability, underscoring my unwavering commitment to promoting sustainability within the healthcare sector.

Alissa is currently working as a Sustainability Lead at ten23 health and was previously an Environmental Sustainability Lead in the research department at Novartis. She is an executive member of ‘Go Circular in Life Sciences’ and a steering committee member for My Green Lab. She has a background as an environmental scientist, more specifically ecotoxicology. She pushes for collaborative action to address systemic issues and is passionate about understanding and measuring environmental impact, and creating tools and automated processes to help accelerate sustainable action.

Sam Maguire is a principal consultant who specialises in sustainability strategy and operating model design across multiple industries. He has particular expertise in sustainable business models, designing organisations to be more circular, and supply chain transformation. He works across the pharmaceuticals, financial services, and food and beverage industries.  

Alex is the Purpose & Impact Lead at Clarasys, an employee-owned and purpose-led consultancy.
He is passionate about business as a force for good and helps organisations navigate the current, rapidly evolving context by leaning into and embedding their purpose across the organisation, taking an impact-led approach to strategy, and driving collaborative system change. He has worked with leaders across multiple sectors including financial services, real estate, healthcare and has designed impactful products and organisations across the private, public, and not for profit sectors.

Aude Arkam is a dedicated Sustainability expert, currently serving as the Head of Eco-design and Circular Economy at Sanofi since 2022.

Aude began her career twenty years ago, focusing on operational efficiency, chasing mudas & reducing waste, graduated as a Finance Master & a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, at the origins of the Lean & Green philosophy. After 10 years of consulting in Europe, she moved to Mexico where she took the head of a NGO giving medical treatment to children with cerebral palsy.

In Sanofi since 2016, Aude developed in several countries a robust expertise in Supply Chain, and her dedication to sustainability drives her to collaborate with industry peers, fostering innovative and sustainable ideas. She is actively involved in initiatives such as the Pharmaceutical Environment Group (PEG) , the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) and IHI PharmEco, working towards developing a global industry framework for measuring and reporting product-level environmental footprint.