Bernardo Cinelli is Innovation Team Leader Sweeteners & Carbohydrates at Tereos R&D in Belgium. Holding a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and a background in Bioprocess Engineering, he has extensive experience in biotechnology, fermentation, and enzymatic processes. He leads the development of innovative sweetener and dietary fibre solutions, translating scientific advances into value-added ingredients for the food industry.
 

38 year international experienced professional with various B2B – B2C product and business development assignments and marketing responsibilities within companies as AKZO NOBEL, DuPont and Kraton. At Kraton (Tall Oil Fatty Acid Producer) the passion for the shift to sustainable and renewable materials got ignited and continues in the work at Primient enabling industries to shift from petroleum based feedstocks to 100% bio-based 1,3-propanediol driven solutions.

Thibault Davoine holds a degree in Business Administration, evolving for 7 years in the food industry. Thibault joined Tereos in 2022 as a Marketing Analyst and has been then appointed Marketing Manager for nutrition, health, and pharma to oversee the group's strategy in these segments as well as the development of the fiber portfolio.

Mr. Frank Haagensen graduated with a Master of Engineering degree from Technical University of Denmark and furthermore competed his PHD in Biotechnology at the same university in Denmark. Frank has more than 20 years seniority from Novozymes, Chr. Hansen and Novonesis within different industrial areas, including application of enzymes and microbes to improve quality and sustainability of processes and products in biofuels, ingredients and food products. He is current responsible for Regional Marketing for Grain Processing and Biofuels in Europe.

Mr. Oscar Pastor Ferrer graduated from Valencia University with an Industrial Chemistry Degree. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and an MBA from UNED University in Spain. He has been Plant Manager for 15 years in an international corn wet milling plant and 11 years as Industry Technical Service Specialist in Novozymes/Novonesis.

Veerle De Schepper is the Head of R&D at Rainbow Crops, an innovative ag-biotech spin-out from the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology. With extensive expertise spanning genome editing, breeding, GM applications, and agricultural R&D, she oversees the translation of scientific discoveries into real-world, measurable crop outcomes.
At Rainbow Crops, Veerle is guiding the development of the Trait Foundry™ platform. This integrated technology stacks continuously trained AI models, multiplex genome editing, and automated phenotyping to engineer complex traits. Her work is central to the company's mission of accelerating the development of climate-resilient, high-performing crop varieties to support global food security.
Prior to joining Rainbow Crops, Veerle built a strong foundation in commercial agricultural research during different scientific roles at Bayer CropScience, BASF and Inari. She has a deep academic background rooted in ecophysiology and plant systems, having conducted significant research at Ghent University.
Areas of Expertise
? Ag-Biotech R&D: Leading research initiatives in genome editing, GM applications, breeding, and agricultural product development.
? Complex Trait Engineering: Utilizing continuous models and automated screening to develop crops with enhanced climate resilience and input efficiency.
? Plant Physiology & Ecophysiology: Deep foundational expertise in whole-plant functioning, environmental stress responses, and physiological modeling.