Hedwige Verherbrugghen holds a Master’s degree in Chemistry (Biochemistry) and a postgraduate qualification in Business Management and Communication. With over 25 years’ experience in food and FMCG packaging, she leads global R&D projects as well as consumer research. Among other things, she coordinated the ‘Food Packaging of the Future’ Roadmap, which formed the basis for […]

Control and Support Officer at Verpact (formerly AfvalfondsVerpakkingen), responsible for assisting participants with their declarations and verifying those declarations. Has been with the organisation since its establishment in 2013. Previously worked in accountancy.

Inge Robbe began his career as an engineer specialising in efficiency in automation, particularly within injection moulding processes. He is currently an R&D Engineer at L-iTL at KU Leuven, where he conducts research into reusable packaging for FMCG and fragile products in B2B and B2C environments.

Jan Berbee has many years of experience as an entrepreneur in the packaging industry. He was the owner of Dekker Packaging and worked at Antalis on the European expansion of the packaging division. He recently launched the start-ups Repack and Grown.bio, which focus on reusable and bio-based packaging.

Joan Hanegraaf is an entrepreneur and pioneer in circular business, the owner of OPACKGROUP, and has held numerous board positions in the horticulture and packaging industries, as well as in local politics. He is a pioneer in circular business and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 2022.

Joris Essing is Marketing Manager for Packaging at Tata Steel Netherlands. He leads the market launch of innovative steel packaging applications such as Protact® and works closely with customers worldwide. With a background in mechanical engineering, he combines technical expertise with commercial strategy.

Karen van de Stadt is a strategic packaging expert at Verpact and is working on the transition to a circular packaging system. She brings together policy, expertise and supply chains to put legal targets and innovation into practice.

Koen has extensive experience with private label manufacturers in Europe and has worked on various mergers and acquisitions. Since 2003, he has been a consultant to manufacturers and retailers. He advises on strategy and has published several books on private labels. He is also a sought-after speaker at conferences.

Lara Engelfriet works at the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth on the transition to circular materials, such as bio-based plastics. She coordinates various Dutch and European projects aimed at scaling up the use of bioplastics.

Lisa van der Schans is a Regulatory & Sustainability Consultant at the Dutch Cosmetics Association (NCV). She specialises in European and national legislation relating to product safety and sustainability. She assists companies with the implementation of new regulations and shares insights into current developments within the cosmetics sector.

Loe Limpens is the founder of Wow or Never and an expert in packaging design and retail branding. With a background in fashion and design, he has worked for companies including Albert Heijn and HEMA. He translates trends into strong concepts that help brands stand out. His vision: packaging is an investment.

Loek Boortman is a Senior Business Owner at GS1 and is responsible for activities relating to the management and sharing of packaging data. He supports companies in the implementation of GS1 PAC and represents GS1 Netherlands in various international standardisation groups.

Lucie has a background in plastics technology, business and marketing. During her career, she has worked for major companies such as DSM, Evonik and Sekisui, and has also set up a start-up. Lucie has been working within the Brightlands ecosystem for eight years, the last three of which as Business Development Lead at Brightlands Circular […]

Marc Juwet is a professor at KU Leuven and is responsible for L-iTL’s R&D activities. Thanks to a team of passionate and creative engineers, L-iTL is able to develop packaging concepts and the associated machinery and offer them to all industrial sectors. For obvious reasons, the focus is on more sustainable alternatives.

At Empack 2026, Marieke Havermans will be a second-line specialist for Dokter Empack. Marieke Havermans is a Senior Business Developer for Circular Plastic Packaging at TNO and chair of the Dutch Packaging Association. With over 25 years’ experience, she combines expertise in polymers, packaging and the market.

My name is Menthe (30) and I live in Wageningen. For the past six years, I have been working as a consultant at DUPP Food Recruitment, a recruitment agency specialising in the food industry. My focus is on connecting people and organisations. I also enjoy continuing my professional development and am currently in the final […]

Michael Nieuwesteeg is the director of the NVC Packaging Centre. He has been the SAGE project lead at the association since 2024. His experience includes the global development of standards in the field of accessible design, and at NVC he teaches courses on sustainable innovation in packaging and the application of artificial intelligence.