Speakers
Get inspired by industry experts. During Empack Nederland, speakers share their knowledge and practical experience on current topics such as sustainability, regulations, technology and AI, intralogistics and smart packaging.
Meet our speakers
An Vermeulen
Director
Pack4Food
LinkedIn
An Vermeulen is Co-Director at Pack4Food. After completing her PhD at Ghent University, she joined Pack4Food in 2008. In her role, she supports project managers in developing new project proposals and coordinates ongoing innovation projects.
In addition, she delivers training programmes for companies on developments and innovations in food packaging.
Anouchka Hertoghe
Concept & Packaging Designer
Now New Next
LinkedIn
Anouchka Hertoghe is a Brand & Packaging Designer at Now New Next. With a background in Industrial Design Engineering from the University of Twente, she combines creative design with a strong technical foundation.
She develops brand and packaging concepts that communicate clearly, are functional, and align with practical real-world requirements.
Ariane van Mancius
Founder & Company Owner
Now New Next
Ariane van Mancius is the founder of Now New Next, an agency specialised in packaging design and branding. With a strong focus on sustainability and innovation, she works with leading brands in the food and cosmetics sectors.
Ariane combines strategic thinking with creative solutions, supporting companies in the development of future-proof packaging concepts.
Arjan Klapwijk
Owner
Bio4Life
Arjan Klapwijk is the owner of Bio4Life and is active in the sustainable packaging and materials market. With a strong focus on bio-based and circular solutions, he works on implementing innovative materials into practical and scalable packaging concepts.
His approach is characterised by entrepreneurship and actionable sustainability.
Art Frickus
Category Management & Shopper Marketing
Conspicuous
Art Frickus works in category management and shopper marketing at Conspicuous. He focuses on optimising packaging and product presentation from a consumer perspective. By combining data, insight, and creativity, he helps brands become more effectively visible on the shelf and in the retail environment.
Bart Lauwaert
Founder & Company Owner
Now New Next
Ariane van Mancius is oprichter van Now New Next, een bureau gespecialiseerd in packaging design en branding. Met een sterke focus op duurzaamheid en innovatie werkt zij voor toonaangevende merken binnen food en cosmetica. Ariane combineert strategisch denken met creatieve oplossingen en helpt bedrijven bij het ontwikkelen van toekomstbestendige verpakkingsconcepten.
Brecht Van Der Hoeven
Project Manager
Pack4Food
Since 2021, Brecht van der Hoeven has been a project manager at Pack4Food, where he works on research projects in the field of food packaging, including the LEAK project. With a background as an industrial chemical engineer and additional postgraduate training, he combines scientific expertise with practice-oriented innovation within the packaging industry.
Caroli Buitenhuis
Biobased Packaging Expert & Founder
Green Serendipity
Caroli Buitenhuis is an internationally recognised expert in biobased packaging. With more than 20 years of experience, she supports companies and governments worldwide in making packaging more sustainable. She serves as a jury member for, among others, the NL Packaging Awards and the European Packaging Sustainability Awards.
She is also the founder of Green Serendipity and the initiator of the Bioplastics Hub in Amsterdam, an innovation and knowledge centre where SMEs can obtain free advice on bioplastics and circular value chains, powered by ChemistryNL.
Christa Bakker
Global Packaging Technologist & Concept Owner
Nouryon / Join the Loop
Christa Bakker is a Global Packaging Technologist at Nouryon and the concept owner of Join the Loop. She has more than 20 years of experience in the packaging industry, including roles as a packaging developer in the pharmaceutical sector and as a packaging technologist in the chemical industry.
Driven by the belief that the use of single-use raw materials is no longer sustainable, she developed Join the Loop — an initiative that makes circular packaging practical and accessible for real-world application.
Emmilie Kuks
Packaging Partner
Now New Next & PakPraat
Emmilie Kuks is a packaging partner at design agency Now New Next and PakPraat. She holds an MSc in Industrial Design Engineering and a master’s degree in Management of Product Development from the University of Twente, combining design expertise with strategic insight.
She supports brands in making smart and feasible packaging choices that reduce environmental impact while aligning with the product, supply chain, and user needs.
Evofenedex
Entrepreneurial Association for Logistics and International Business
Evofenedex is the Dutch entrepreneurial association for companies with a logistics or international business focus. The organisation supports its members with knowledge, advice, training, and advocacy, with the aim of helping companies operate successfully in logistics and international trade.
Franky Wuyts
Coding & Marking Specialist – GS1 QR Code Implementation
Domino Benelux
Franky Wuyts is a Coding & Marking Specialist – GS1 QR Code Implementation at Domino Benelux. He supports manufacturers and brand owners in the practical implementation of GS1 QR codes on production lines.
With his expertise in coding, data content, and code quality, he helps organisations make future-proof decisions towards Sunrise 2027.
Green Serendipity
Powered by ChemistryNL
Green Serendipity is a consultancy and global knowledge platform focused on nature-smart, renewable materials for packaging and products. The organisation works with bio-based, bio-waste, CO₂-based, and recycled materials, and develops circular concepts and strategies to transform the way packaging and products are designed, used, and produced.
There is a strong focus on preventing microplastics and accelerating sustainable innovation.
GS1 Nederland
GS1 Nederland supports companies across the packaging value chain with standardised and reliable product data. This helps organisations make products safer, more traceable, and compliant.
From meeting legislation and sustainability standards to preventing counterfeiting and providing insight into product origin and content, GS1 supports the entire supply chain. This enables efficient collaboration, transparency, and optimisation of supply chain processes in an increasingly complex market.
Hedwige Verherbrugghen
Project Manager
Pack4Food
Hedwige Verherbrugghen is a project manager at Pack4Food and holds a master’s degree in Chemistry (Biochemistry) as well as postgraduate qualifications in Business Management and Communication. With more than 25 years of experience in food and FMCG packaging, she leads global R&D projects and consumer research.
She also coordinated the Roadmap Food Packaging of the Future, which forms the foundation of the European S3 Food Packaging Platform.
Inge Robbe Noens
R&D Engineer
KU Leuven – L-iTL
Inge Robbe Noens began his career as an engineer with a focus on efficiency improvements in automation, particularly in injection moulding processes.
He currently works as an R&D Engineer at L-iTL at KU Leuven, where he conducts research on reusable packaging solutions for FMCG products and sensitive or fragile goods, for both B2B and B2C applications.
Jan Berbee
CEO
Grown bio
Jan Berbee heeft jarenlange ervaring als ondernemer in de verpakkingsindustrie. Eerder was hij eigenaar van Dekker Packaging, gericht op verpakkingsmaterialen en -machines, en vervolgens verantwoordelijk voor de Europese uitbouw van de verpakkingsdivisie bij Antalis. In de afgelopen jaren lanceerde hij meerdere startups, waaronder Repack (herbruikbare verzendzakken) en Grown bio, waar verpakkingen en producten op basis van mycelium worden ontwikkeld.
Joris Essing
Marketing Manager Packaging Steel
Tata Steel Nederland
Joris Essing is Marketing Manager Packaging Steel at Tata Steel Nederland. He leads the market introduction of innovative packaging steel applications, such as Protact®, and works closely with customers worldwide.
With a background in mechanical engineering, he combines technical expertise with commercial strategy within the steel industry.
Lara Engelfriet
Senior Policy Advisor Sustainable Industry
Ministerie van Klimaat en Groene Groei
Lara Engelfriet works as a Senior Policy Advisor Sustainable Industry at the Ministerie van Klimaat en Groene Groei. She is involved in the transition towards circular materials, including bio-based plastics.
In her role, she coordinates several Dutch and European projects focused on the scaling up and application of bioplastics within industry.
Lisa van der Schans
Consultant Regulatory & Sustainability
Nederlandse Cosmetica Vereniging
LinkedIn
Lisa van der Schans is a Consultant Regulatory & Sustainability at the Nederlandse Cosmetica Vereniging (NCV). She focuses on European and national legislation concerning product safety and sustainability.
In her role, she supports companies in implementing new regulations and shares knowledge about current developments within the cosmetics sector.
Leo Limpen
Owner & Concept Creator
Wow or Never
Loe Limpens is the founder of Wow or Never and a specialist in packaging design and retail branding. With a background in fashion and design, he has worked for brands such as Albert Heijn and HEMA.
He translates trends and consumer behaviour into strong packaging and retail concepts that help brands and private labels remain globally relevant and distinctive. From his perspective, packaging is not a cost item but a strategic investment.