This is part three of my series looking at 100 speakers to follow from large organisations that spoke at OYW2025 in Munich, Germany. This article features speakers from companies such as the Sandoz,Reckitt, Royles-Royce, Allianz SE and organisation invovled in politics and peace building to name a few. Like part one and two, their expertise is in a range of areas such as journalism, sport, female empowerment, HR, talent acquisition, DEI, sustainability, social justice, and social impact in their respective. They are more than 10 nations from a broad range of countries, showcasing how broad the summits’ reach is.
If you would prefer please view a video summarising their work here:
Title: Global Head Commercial Process & Operations @ Sandoz
Where are they based: Zurich, Switzerland
Area of expertise: Operations and digital transformation
Lola is Global Head of Commercial Process and Operations at Sandoz, based in Zurich, Switzerland. Her expertise centres on operations and digital transformation within the pharmaceutical sector, where she oversees portfolio management, launch strategies, and commercial efficiency programmes for one of the world’s leading generics and biosimilars companies. With a strong background in pharmaceutical portfolio strategy, product launches, and commercial operations, Lola drives process optimisation and innovative operational models that directly enhance access to essential medicines for patients globally. She understands that commercial efficiency in generics is not a purely internal business matter; it directly determines whether affordable medicines reach the people who need them. Her work at Sandoz reflects this conviction, ensuring that operational excellence serves the company’s broader mission of improving global health equity.
At OYW2025, Lola delivered the session “Sandoz: Don’t Kill the Cure: Why the future of antibiotics depends on us.” She addressed the critical threat to the long-term availability of antibiotics, arguing that the greatest danger is not a scientific failure to develop new treatments but a broken market incentive structure that makes antibiotics economically unviable for many pharmaceutical companies to supply reliably.
Lola called on young leaders to advocate loudly for systemic solutions, highlighting Sandoz’s pioneering role in maintaining access to these life-saving medicines and urging collective action to protect the future of antimicrobial therapy for generations to come.This is part two of my series looking at 100 speakers to follow from OYW2025 in Munich, Germany. This article features speakers from companies such as the BCC Siemens, CBS, Ikea, UNHCR, Reckitt and The Nobel Women’s intiative to name a few. Like part one, their expertise is in a range of areas such as journalism, international relations, female empowerment, DEI, sustainability, and social impact at the 2025 Munich Summit. They area more than 15 nationalities from a broad range of countries, showcasing how broad the summits’ reach is.
Title: Senior Lawyer
Where are they based: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Area of expertise: Mergers and Acquisitions
Baris is an Senior Lawyer in Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions at A&O Shearman, based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. His expertise focuses on complex M&A transactions, with particular depth in private M&A, private equity, infrastructure, energy, and real estate deals. He advises large corporates on strategic takeovers, joint ventures, and divestments, and private equity firms on challenging cross-border investments, combining rigorous technical legal insight with pragmatic, client-focused advice that helps organisations navigate complex commercial environments. Trained at Leiden University and Tsinghua University in Beijing, Baris has built a reputation in high-value transactions and for his personal commitment to inclusion, pro bono work, and ethical leadership. He supports various initiatives including FemStart, which backs female entrepreneurs, reflecting his view that a career in corporate law carries responsibilities that extend beyond deal-making. Baris believes that the greatest leaders are those who use their platform and influence to open doors for others.
At OYW2025, Baris delivered the A&O Shearman keynote “Become the Leader You Needed,” exploring how to make a meaningful impact within large organisations by balancing ambition with authenticity. He used his own experiences navigating systems not always designed for people like him to argue that leadership is ultimately a decision available to anyone, from any position, and that systemic change begins with individual courage and integrity.
Title: Social Impact @ Reckitt
Where are they based: Manchester, UK
Area of expertise: Social impact
Philip works in Social Impact at Reckitt, based in Manchester, UK, where he focuses on designing and scaling programmes that expand access to health, hygiene, and nutrition for vulnerable communities across the world. His expertise lies in social impact strategy and measurement, convening meaningful cross-sector partnerships, and translating Reckitt’s corporate purpose into concrete initiatives that create tangible improvements in people’s lives. His contributions include work on Reckitt’s global Social Impact Investment Reports and the Reckitt Catalyst programme, which supports social entrepreneurs focused on improving water, sanitation, hygiene, and healthcare access globally. Philip is deeply committed to the idea that large corporations can and should do more than manage their social and environmental risk; they should actively invest in building the conditions for communities to flourish. The Reckitt Catalyst programme is a practical expression of this belief, providing funding, mentoring, and technical expertise to early-stage social enterprises tackling health inequities and hygiene poverty.
At OYW2025, Philip was part of Reckitt’s social impact delegation, contributing to conversations around inclusive entrepreneurship and impact innovation. He highlighted how large businesses can leverage their resources, networks, and expertise to amplify community-led solutions, and celebrated the young leaders whose work through Reckitt Catalyst and related SDG-aligned partnerships is creating measurable change for millions of people in some of the world’s most underserved communities.
Title: Award-winning journalist and Media Executive
Where are they based: New York, USA
Area of expertise: Journalism
Magalie is an award-winning journalist and media executive based in New York, USA, best known for her senior roles in television news that have spanned decades and multiple landmark organisations. She spent many years as a producer at 60 Minutes, one of the most prestigious and trusted television news programmes in the world, before moving to Nickelodeon as Vice President of News Programming and Executive Producer of Nick News, where she led current affairs content specifically designed for young audiences. Her expertise spans broadcast journalism, editorial leadership, and youth-focused news production, with a strong track record of reporting and producing from global hotspots and on the most pressing social justice issues of our times. Magalie has a particular talent for crafting stories that resonate deeply with their intended audience, whether that audience is the broad viewership of a major news magazine or the children and teenagers who need journalism that speaks directly and honestly to them about the world they are inheriting.
At OYW2025, Magalie helped lead and moderate high-profile conversations on truth, media, and inclusion. She was involved in sessions exploring how journalism can bridge societal divides, amplify marginalised voices, and challenge the spread of disinformation, drawing on a lifetime of experience crafting impactful stories for audiences of all ages. Her contributions underscored journalism’s fundamental responsibility to inform, empower, and protect young people in an era defined by polarisation and misinformation.
Title: Public Affairs Manager and Aide to the Chief of Staff at the Holocaust Educational Trust
Where are they based: Ilford, UK
Area of expertise: The Holocaust
Bradley is Public Affairs Manager and Aide to the Chief of Staff at the Holocaust Educational Trust, based in Ilford, UK. His expertise centres on Holocaust education and remembrance, where he supports advocacy, policy engagement, and public awareness initiatives aimed at combating antisemitism and preserving the testimonies of survivors for future generations. Working with one of the UK’s most respected charities in this field, Bradley helps deliver programmes that educate schools, policymakers, and communities about the Holocaust’s lessons for contemporary society, fostering tolerance and historical understanding at a time of rising prejudice and polarisation. His role requires navigating both the deeply personal nature of survivor testimony and the broader policy landscape, connecting the individual human stories at the heart of Holocaust remembrance with the institutional and governmental frameworks needed to protect communities from hatred. Bradley understands that education about the Holocaust is not purely a historical exercise; it is an ongoing act of civic responsibility that must be renewed with each new generation.
At OYW2025, Bradley contributed to sessions addressing hate, antisemitism, and the importance of Holocaust education in building more resilient and inclusive societies. Drawing from the Trust’s body of work, he highlighted practical strategies for countering Holocaust denialism and extremism through survivor testimony, youth outreach, and cross-community dialogue, underscoring the vital role of public affairs in amplifying survivor stories and shaping protective policy.
Title: Head of Women’s Football at Onside Law
Where are they based: London, UK
Area of expertise: Sports law
Harriet is Head of Women’s Football at Onside Law, based in London, UK, and a Partner specialising in corporate and non-contentious regulatory matters in sport. Her legal expertise covers corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, investments, and restructuring for sports organisations, and she advises governing bodies, federations, and clubs on league launches, joint ventures, and participation agreements. Her career has included significant secondments to the British Horseracing Authority, Welsh Rugby Union, and World Sailing, giving her a breadth of experience across major British and international sports governance structures. Harriet leads Onside Law’s women’s sport practice, supporting high-profile restructures including the Netball Super League relaunch and the ECB’s Hundred team sales, and chairs initiatives dedicated to promoting female leadership across the sports industry. She is a committed advocate for the belief that structural and legal change is essential to realising the full potential of women’s sport.
At the One Young World 2025 Summit, Harriet participated in the “Georgia Stanway in Conversation” fireside chat, facilitating an engaging dialogue with the England Lionesses star on her remarkable journey from Barrow-in-Furness to the elite levels of the game at Manchester City and Bayern Munich. The conversation explored Stanway’s mindset approaching major tournaments, the evolution of women’s football in the wake of the Euros success, visions for the game’s global growth, and the legal and structural enablers that must accompany increased investment and attention.
Title: Founder & Chairman, The Craftory Ltd, Director/Board Member of Kraft Heinz, Room To Read, NotCo Ltd.
Where are they based: London, UK
Area of expertise: Leadership
Elio is an Italian business leader and investor based in London, UK, best known as Founder and Chairman of The Craftory, an investment house dedicated to backing mission-driven challenger consumer brands that combine commercial ambition with genuine purpose. His expertise in leadership across global consumer goods, media, and venture capital has been built over more than three decades in senior roles including CEO of EMI Music and Iglo Group (Birds Eye), and executive positions at Reckitt Benckiser and Procter and Gamble. Elio also serves on the boards of The Kraft Heinz Company, food-tech innovator NotCo, and education charity Room to Read, reflecting the breadth of his commitment to using investment and board influence to drive positive impact. He leads his family office, LSG Holdings, which co-invests in high-impact businesses that demonstrate the viability of what he calls “cause capitalism,” the idea that purposeful leadership and strong financial returns are not competing goals but deeply compatible ones. Elio has been a long-standing One Young World Counsellor and board member, contributing to the global youth leadership community for many years.
At OYW2025, he participated in the “Entrepreneur of the Year Award” session, celebrating outstanding global business leaders while encouraging young entrepreneurs to embed values, courage, and long-term thinking at the very heart of their ventures from the very beginning.
Title: IP Counsel at Sandoz
Where are they based: London, UK
Area of expertise: Intellectual Property
Belinda is IP Counsel at Sandoz, based in London, UK, where she specialises in intellectual property law for the life sciences sector. A qualified solicitor with previous experience at Pinsent Masons, Belinda focuses on patents and related intellectual property issues that affect pharmaceutical and medical products, including portfolio strategy, litigation risk assessment, and the complex interface between IP and regulatory frameworks governing generic and biosimilar medicines. Her background includes co-authoring legal commentary on significant patent disputes and EU regulatory change for the UK life sciences industry, giving her a distinctive blend of technical legal expertise and practical commercial understanding that enables her to advise on some of the most complex IP challenges in healthcare. Belinda understands that IP strategy in generics and biosimilars is not simply about protecting competitive advantage; it is fundamentally about ensuring that affordable medicines reach patients who need them, and that the incentive structures supporting pharmaceutical innovation remain functional and fair.
At OYW2025, Belinda was part of Sandoz’s delegation supporting the session “Don’t Kill the Cure: Why the future of antibiotics depends on us,” which examined how fragile economic incentives threaten the long-term availability of vital antibiotic treatments. Her involvement highlighted the critical role that strong and well-designed IP and legal frameworks play in ensuring sustainable access to medicines, as Sandoz and its partners called on young leaders to champion reforms that protect both innovation and equitable supply of antimicrobial treatments.
Title: Global Head of Emerging Talent at Royles-Royce
Where are they based: London, UK
Area of expertise: Talent Acquisition and female empowerment
Ellie, Global Head of Emerging Talent at Rolls-Royce, based in London, UK, spearheads the company’s global strategy for early careers and employer branding. With expertise in talent acquisition and early careers strategy, she has transformed Rolls-Royce’s hiring from a traditional model to a skills-based, inclusive approach that embraces graduates, apprentices, career changers, and reskillers from diverse backgrounds. Holding a first-class Business Management degree and a postgraduate HR qualification, Ellie previously advanced early careers and HR initiatives at E.ON UK. She is celebrated as a Great British Businesswoman of the Year winner and a rising star in early-career leadership, renowned for her passionate, practical drive to open engineering and corporate careers to underrepresented groups.
Her innovative programmes, including virtual work experience platforms and skills-focused initiatives, specifically target young people who might otherwise overlook engineering as a viable path, levelling the playing field and boosting social mobility. Ellie passionately champions female empowerment in business and engineering, stressing that visible senior role models are as vital as formal schemes.
At OYW2025, she shared Rolls-Royce’s forward-thinking vision on emerging talent, inclusive hiring, development, and the essential skills for tomorrow’s workforce, demonstrating how such strategies can reshape global opportunities for young people.
Title: Former Public Protector, social justice advocate
Where are they based: Johannesburg, South Africa
Area of expertise: Professor of Law
Thuli is a South African advocate, Professor of Law, and one of the most respected and internationally recognised champions of social justice, anti-corruption, and constitutional accountability in the world. She served as South Africa’s Public Protector from 2009 to 2016, leading landmark investigations into maladministration and state corruption that helped entrench the principles of constitutional accountability and the rule of law in South Africa’s post-apartheid democracy. Thuli was also one of the key drafters of South Africa’s post-apartheid Constitution and several foundational democracy-building laws, and she now holds the Chair in Social Justice at Stellenbosch University, where her academic work focuses on reducing inequality and advancing constitutional democracy. Her contribution to South Africa’s democratic project is extraordinary in its breadth and depth, combining legal scholarship, institutional reform, and public advocacy in a way that few individuals anywhere in the world have managed to achieve.
At OYW2025, Thuli took part in the plenary session “Reflections on three decades since the end of Apartheid” alongside Lord Peter Hain and Ashraf Garda. In this powerful dialogue, she revisited the hard-won victories of dismantling apartheid while honestly confronting the unfinished work around inequality, corruption, and reconciliation that remains, emphasising truth, accountability, and ethical leadership as the indispensable foundations of South Africa’s continuing democratic journey and inspiring young leaders worldwide.
Title: Head: Corporate Citizenship Programmes at Absa Group
Where are they based: Johannesburg, South Africa
Area of expertise: Corporate Citizenship
Nonhlanhla is Head of Corporate Citizenship Programmes at Absa Group, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her expertise is in corporate citizenship and socioeconomic development, and she leads Absa’s strategy to drive “financial inclusion through entrepreneurship” across the African continent, with a particular and sustained focus on empowering women and young people. She oversees flagship initiatives including entrepreneurship education, the Absa CSI Trust, the Absa Fellowship Programme, employee volunteering, and partnerships with NGOs and development organisations, positioning Absa as an active force for positive social change that goes far beyond its core banking operations. Nonhlanhla believes that a financial institution operating across Africa has both the capacity and the responsibility to help reshape the entrepreneurial landscape by combining financial products with genuine capacity-building and ecosystem support for those who have historically been excluded from formal economic participation. Her work reflects a sophisticated understanding of what sustainable financial inclusion actually requires, namely access to capital, skills, networks, and mentorship, not simply a bank account.
At OYW2025, Nonhlanhla helped lead Absa’s presence around the session “Building Africa, One Story at a Time: Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion in Action.” The programme explored how inclusive entrepreneurship can unlock sustainable livelihoods in underserved communities, with Absa experts and a beneficiary of its entrepreneurship initiatives sharing the bank’s continental work on youth empowerment and SME support.
Title: Co-Founder & VP Growth at F/A/Q Health, is involved with WHO panels on health policy and mental health
Where are they based: Berlin, Germany
Area of expertise: Sales
Roman is Co-Founder and Vice President of Growth at F/A/Q Health, based in Berlin, Germany, where he focuses on scaling youth-centred health communication and digital health solutions that make vital information about mental health, sexual health, and non-communicable diseases more accessible, relatable, and effective for young people around the world. His expertise combines sales, growth strategy, and partnership development with public-facing health advocacy, and he speaks regularly on health communication and the critical importance of knowing your audience and closing dangerous knowledge gaps around topics such as menstruation, cancer, and sexually transmitted infections. Beyond his work at F/A/Q Health, Roman is deeply involved with high-level global health forums and World Health Organisation-linked panels on health policy, non-communicable diseases, and mental health, including moderating a WHO and Roche-hosted panel at the World Health Summit focused on turning global NCD and mental health commitments into concrete national action. His ability to move between the frontline of digital health communication and the highest levels of global health policy makes him a distinctive and valuable voice in both spaces.
At OYW2025, Roman served as a speaker on the panel “Let’s speech About Sex (Education): Breaking Taboos, Building Truth,” exploring how better sex education can empower young people, tackle the wave of misinformation spreading online, and more effectively support LGBTQ+ and disabled communities by placing dignity and wellbeing at the centre of learning.
Title: Chief Executive Officer, Momentum Group
Where are they based: Johannesburg, South Africa
Area of expertise: Leadership and sustainability
Jeanette is Chief Executive Officer of Momentum Group, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, where her expertise centres on leadership and sustainability in financial services. She drives strategic growth, client-centric innovation, and integrated solutions across insurance, investments, and wealth management at one of South Africa’s most significant listed financial groups. Appointed as the first female CEO of a major listed South African life insurance group in August 2023, Jeanette previously served as Deputy CEO, overseeing Momentum Investments, Distribution Services, and Money, building on earlier roles at Allan Gray, Old Mutual, and Stanlib. Her appointment is historic, but Jeanette is equally focused on what she does with the platform her position provides, championing purpose-led cultures, Momentum’s Impact Strategy for financial wellbeing, and entrepreneurial approaches to advice and partnerships that serve clients across the income spectrum. She believes that financial services organisations have a unique role to play in building more inclusive and resilient economies, and she leads with that conviction at every level of her organisation.
At OYW2025, Jeanette participated in the “Entrepreneur of the Year Award: Emerging Markets in the Global South” session. She engaged with winners and fellow speakers on scaling technology and entrepreneurship in emerging markets, discussing themes including market selection, navigating structural roadblocks, adapting to different audiences, and reframing both success and failure as essential and instructive learning experiences.
Title: Global Head of Talent & Leadership at Allianz SE
Where are they based: Munich, Germany
Area of expertise: Talent Acquisition and Female empowerment
Laura is Global Head of Talent and Leadership at Allianz SE, based in Munich, Germany, bringing over twenty years of experience in people, culture, and change leadership to one of the world’s largest and most complex insurance and financial services organisations. Her expertise encompasses talent acquisition, leadership development, and the advancement of women in senior roles. She leads Allianz’s group-level talent strategy, spearheads the “Raise Your Hand” initiative for women in leadership, and actively promotes a skills-and-feedback culture designed to develop executives and early leaders across the entire organisation. Laura is a firm believer that the organisations best equipped for the challenges ahead are those that treat their people as their most valuable and renewable resource, investing continuously in their growth and creating the conditions in which they can do their best work.
At OYW2025, Laura took part in “The Talent Landscape: What Does the Future Hold?,” joining other global people leaders to discuss how purpose-driven, people-first leadership can build teams that are simultaneously resilient, innovative, and genuinely caring.
She spoke about lifelong learning as a non-negotiable capability in the age of artificial intelligence, skills-based development as a more equitable and effective alternative to traditional career frameworks, and the role of inclusive leadership in preparing diverse workforces to navigate rapid and often unsettling technological change while retaining the human qualities that make organisations worth working in.
Title: The Karen Martin Group — Founder & President
Where are they based: Dallas, Texas, USA
Area of expertise: Leadership
Karen is the Founder and President of The Karen Martin Group (TKMG, Inc.), based in Dallas, Texas, USA. Her expertise lies in leadership development, business performance improvement, and Lean management systems, through which she helps organisations across industry, government, and the non-profit sector achieve operational excellence through clarity, focus, discipline, and genuine employee engagement. With three decades of experience, she has coached senior leaders at Fortune 500 companies including Chevron, Intel, and Mayo Clinic, as well as the US Navy, building deep organisational capabilities in strategy deployment, value stream transformation, and rigorous problem-solving. Karen is a Shingo Award-winning author of books including The Outstanding Organization and Clarity First, which have shaped how leaders across many sectors think about performance and purpose. She also runs TKMG Academy, which delivers global online learning on continuous improvement and operational leadership. Karen’s work is rooted in the conviction that most organisational underperformance is not the result of bad people but of unclear goals, poor processes, and insufficient investment in the capabilities of front-line workers.
At OYW2025, Karen contributed to discussions on leadership and sustainable business transformation, drawing from her extensive cross-sector work. She emphasised how leaders can drive rapid and lasting results by prioritising genuine customer value, rigorous diagnostics, and the systematic building of capability throughout their organisations, inspiring young delegates to apply these principles for global impact.
Title: Diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay
Where are they based: Uruguay
Area of expertise: Politics
María is a diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, with expertise in politics and diplomacy. She trained in international law and international relations, including a period of study at Queen Mary University of London, and works within Uruguay’s diplomatic service on bilateral and multilateral engagement, representing the country’s interests abroad and supporting consular, policy, and public-diplomacy initiatives. Her role combines the precision and protocol of formal diplomacy with the practical demands of policy drafting and stakeholder engagement, all in service of advancing Uruguay’s foreign policy priorities and strengthening the country’s international partnerships. María Sofía brings both intellectual rigour and a genuine commitment to public service to her career as a young diplomat, navigating the intersection of national interest and global responsibility that defines modern foreign policy work. She is also deeply interested in the role that individual diplomats, at whatever stage of their career, can play in amplifying the impact of their country’s international engagement.
At OYW2025, María Sofía took part in the Ambassador Masterclass “Accelerate your own impact as an Ambassador,” sharing practical guidance for young diplomats and delegates on how to leverage diplomatic platforms to scale their social impact. She discussed how early-career diplomats can use networks, storytelling, and cross-sector collaboration to amplify national priorities, support youth engagement in foreign policy, and translate broad international commitments into concrete and meaningful local action.
Title: Head of Talent at Elli (Volkswagen Group)
Where are they based: Munich, Germany
Area of expertise: HR and Talent Acquisitions
Isabel is Head of Talent at Elli (Volkswagen Group) and serves as Managing Ambassador for One Young World Latin America and the Caribbean, combining professional expertise in talent management and youth leadership development with a deep personal commitment to the global youth leadership community. In her professional role, she leads diverse teams and champions initiatives designed to identify, develop, and retain emerging leaders across the Volkswagen Group’s Elli business. As Managing Ambassador, she is a central figure in One Young World’s regional community, coordinating Ambassador efforts across Latin America and the Caribbean, fostering impact through scholarships, events, and networking for young changemakers from across this vast and diverse region. Isabel brings an unusual combination of corporate talent strategy and grassroots community building to everything she does, understanding that sustainable youth leadership development requires both institutional investment and authentic personal connection. Her work reflects a belief that Latin America and the Caribbean have enormous untapped potential for positive global leadership, and that creating the right networks and opportunities is essential to unlocking it.
At OYW2025, Isabel contributed as Coordinating Ambassador for Latin America and the Caribbean, supporting delegate coordination, ensuring strong regional representation, and amplifying the impact of young leaders from her region throughout the event. She helped facilitate connections between delegates and global sessions, emphasising talent pipelines, inclusive growth, and cross-continental collaboration.
Title: Head of Smart Operations at Holcim
Where are they based: Zürich, Switzerland
Area of expertise: Digital Transformation
Marjan is Head of Smart Operations at Holcim, based in the Zürich, Switzerland, with deep expertise in digital transformation for heavy industry. He leads Holcim’s “Plants of Tomorrow” and smart operations initiatives, deploying cutting-edge technologies including drones, 3D scanning, smart control systems, and AI-enabled predictive maintenance to improve safety, energy efficiency, and decarbonisation across the company’s global cement and building materials network. Marjan’s work combines industrial IT, process engineering, and data analytics to scale over one hundred operational use cases that collectively reduce emissions, cut downtime, and embed generative artificial intelligence for knowledge sharing and workforce upskilling across sites in multiple countries. His vision of Industry 5.0 places human capability and technological innovation in partnership, rather than opposition, recognising that the transition to a sustainable industrial economy requires empowered workers as much as smart machines.
At OYW2025, Marjan spoke in Holcim’s session “Industry 5.0: Empowering Technology With Humanity,” presenting how technology can and must be applied responsibly to decarbonise manufacturing while creating safer, more sustainable, and more rewarding workplaces. He highlighted practical examples from Plants of Tomorrow, including LiDAR drone scans for carbon-capture planning and “Kiln Master” smart control systems, demonstrating how digitalisation and artificial intelligence can deliver both meaningful operational resilience and significant climate impact at scale across the building materials industry.
Title: Global Government Relations Manager at Rolls-Royce
Where are they based: London, UK
Area of expertise: Politics
Brandon is Global Government Relations Manager at Rolls-Royce, based in London, UK. His expertise centres on politics and public policy, where he navigates complex regulatory environments, advocates for advanced manufacturing and energy security, and builds strategic relationships with governments and policy stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions. At Rolls-Royce, Brandon supports the company’s nuclear and defence portfolios, engaging on policy matters related to small modular reactors, civil nuclear supply chains, and international energy transitions at a time when the geopolitical and commercial case for nuclear power is being reasserted across Europe and beyond. He combines a sophisticated understanding of how government and industry interact on long-term energy infrastructure decisions with the practical relationship-building skills needed to advance policy objectives in demanding political environments. Brandon understands that the energy transition will be determined as much by political decisions as by technological breakthroughs, and that companies in the nuclear sector have a particular responsibility to make the case for their technology clearly and persuasively to policymakers.
At OYW2025, Brandon spoke on the “Energy Resilience in an Energy-Hungry World: The Critical Role of Nuclear in Europe’s Future” panel alongside Katie Jarman, Ellie Long, and Natasha Whitehurst. The session examined nuclear power’s potential to provide continuous, carbon-free energy amid rising demand, exploring the global skills gaps and the leadership roles available to young people in accelerating the deployment of nuclear solutions across Europe.
Title: Ambassador at Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken
Where are they based: The Hague, The Netherlands
Area of expertise: Politics
Jurriaan serves as Ambassador-at-Large for Youth, Education, and Work at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based in The Hague, Netherlands. His political expertise centres on amplifying the voices of young people in international development processes and building partnerships that invest in the skills, jobs, and education needed to give young people meaningful futures in regions including the Middle East, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa. Appointed in 2022 as only the second holder of this ambassadorial role, Jurriaan builds on the Dutch government’s Youth at Heart strategy, coordinating the international Youth Advisory Committee, whose members are all under thirty and drawn from ten countries, to provide substantive advice on policies ranging from vocational training and digital literacy to climate action and comprehensive sexuality education. He draws on diplomatic postings across the Balkans, Malaysia, South Africa, and Panama, bringing a genuinely global perspective to his advocacy for youth participation in policy-making. Jurriaan champions creative approaches to building connection across divided communities, including music collaborations in places like Mitrovica, recognising that culture and creativity can open doors that formal dialogue cannot.
At the One Young World 2025 Summit in Munich, Jurriaan participated in sessions representing the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sharing strategies for youth empowerment in policy-making and international cooperation, and demonstrating the impact of sustained national commitment to putting young people at the centre of diplomatic engagement.
Title: Head of People Innovation & Transformation at Holcim
Where are they based: Zug, Switzerland
Area of expertise: Innovation and HR
Adelheid Moxon is the Group Head of People Innovation & Transformation at Holcim, where she has shaped innovation and organizational culture for over two decades. Her mission is to serve as the strategic connector between People and Business, bringing an entrepreneurial lens to every initiative—from using People Data to empower Diversity and drive decisions, to leveraging Technology to transform how Holcim engages with its 45,000 colleagues.
As one of the Co-Founders of Holcim MAQER Ventures, Adelheid spent years at the intersection of the global startup ecosystem and the built environment. During this time, she mastered the art of driving large-scale change through a human-first lens, focusing not just on technical deployment but on the cultural shifts required to embed innovation accross the Holcim Group. Her career is defined by this ability to bridge the gap between disruptive external innovation and global corporate operations, ensuring that technological and data-driven progress delivers lasting business value.
A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Moxon holds the position of Vice-President at Women in Digital Switzerland, championing women’s advancement in the digital economy and innovation through diverse teams.
At One Young World 2025, she took the main stage to speak on Responsible AI, calling on #NextGen leaders to embrace their shared responsibility in architecting an ethical future where efficiency is always guided by human values and sustainability.
Title: Sustainability and Communications expert. Conflict Photographer and Guest Speaker
Where are they based: Munich, Germany
Area of expertise: Communications
Johannes is a sustainability and communications expert, conflict photographer, and guest speaker based in Munich, Germany. He is Head of Sustainability and Communications at Airbus Defence and Space, serving as a member of its divisional executive team, with a professional background in corporate communications, brand strategy, and crisis management developed through senior roles at BSH and Bosch. His expertise encompasses sustainability strategy, stakeholder engagement, and high-impact storytelling, with a particular ability to connect complex industrial and defence themes with broader questions of responsibility, ethics, and human dignity. Alongside his corporate career, Johannes has worked as a conflict photographer since 2011, producing documentary work from Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, and other regions where conflict has displaced and devastated civilian populations. This frontline visual reporting, combined with humanitarian projects that have grown from his fieldwork, informs his communications practice in profound ways and shapes his public speaking on ethics, resilience, and the human costs of conflict. His is a rare voice that brings together the credibility of a senior corporate executive and the moral seriousness of someone who has witnessed war at first hand.
At OYW2025, Johannes took part in plenaries exploring security and the defence of democratic values, joining urgent conversations about what is worth defending in the contemporary world and the indispensable role of truthful, courageous reporting in sustaining democratic societies against the forces that seek to undermine them.
Title: General Secretary at UEFA Foundation for Children
Where are they based: Lausanne, Switzerland
Area of expertise: Football and philanthropy
Carine is General Secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, and a recognised expert in football-for-development and philanthropic programmes that use sport as a vehicle for transforming the lives of vulnerable children globally. Her work focuses on funding and supporting projects that promote access to sport, healthy lifestyles, inclusion for children with disabilities, support for conflict-affected youth, gender equality in football, and employability through sport-based skills development. The UEFA Foundation operates at the intersection of one of the world’s most-watched sports and some of the world’s most challenging social problems, and Carine’s leadership ensures that the organisation’s resources and platform are directed towards lasting, grassroots change. She is particularly committed to using the visibility and funding power of major tournaments to create legacies that extend far beyond the event itself.
At OYW2025, Carine represented the UEFA Foundation in sessions and discussions about sport’s potential for social impact and the power of thoughtfully designed legacy programmes.
She highlighted initiatives such as “Legacy for the Future,” which uses major football tournaments to fund gender-equity projects and expand opportunities for girls and young women in the sport. Carine emphasised how Foundation grants and partnerships can create lasting local benefits by connecting the visibility and resources of elite football with the grassroots organisations that directly deliver for children in communities around the world.
Leena is Global CEO of Chanel, based in London, UK, having become the luxury house’s first female and first Indian-origin CEO when she took the role in January 2022 after a distinguished career as Unilever’s Chief Human Resources Officer. Her expertise spans fashion, luxury brand leadership, and sustainable business transformation, and she drives Chanel’s global strategy across creative direction, retail innovation, digital client experience, and cultural initiatives delivered through the Chanel Foundation. Leena champions diversity, gender equity, and ethical supply chains within the luxury sector, demonstrating that even the most heritage-rich brands must evolve to reflect the world they operate in and aspire to serve. Her transition from corporate HR to luxury CEO is both remarkable and instructive, bringing to Chanel a leadership philosophy built on compassion, inclusion, and the conviction that empowering people is the most reliable path to sustained excellence. She believes that the brands and organisations that will thrive in the decades ahead are those that combine creative and commercial brilliance with a deep commitment to the wellbeing of their people, their supply chain communities, and the planet.
At OYW2025, Leena delivered a keynote address exploring the transformative power of compassionate leadership. She inspired delegates on blending heritage with modernity, building diverse talent ecosystems, and embedding social responsibility throughout a high-end fashion business, urging young leaders to lead with empathy, innovation, and long-term purpose.
Title: CEO of Novartis
Where are they based: Basel, Switzerland
Area of expertise: The Pharmaceutical industry
Vas is CEO of Novartis, based in Basel, Switzerland. An American physician of Indian descent, he joined Novartis in 2005 after medical training and an early career at McKinsey, rising through impactful roles in vaccines, drug development, and as Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer before being appointed CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, Novartis has been transformed into a focused, pure-play innovative medicines company, concentrating on five core therapeutic areas: cardiovascular-renal-metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, oncology, and gene and radioligand therapies. He has overseen major strategic divestments, including the Sandoz spin-off and the GSK consumer health joint venture, while directing over eleven billion dollars of annual R&D investment into breakthrough platforms, including cell and gene therapy and RNA therapeutics. This investment has produced a series of significant FDA approvals for transformative treatments in breast cancer, leukaemia, and prostate cancer, among others. Vas is known as a CEO who combines scientific credibility with genuine strategic vision and a commitment to making Novartis’s innovations accessible to patients who need them most.
At OYW2025, he contributed to health-focused sessions, emphasising the critical role of youth leadership in reimagining medicine for a changing world and highlighting Novartis’s innovations in equitable access, AI-driven drug discovery, and partnerships designed to serve underserved populations globally.
Title: Founder & CEO at Blusink
Where are they based: St Gallen, Switzerland
Area of expertise: Sustainability
Lorena is Founder and CEO of Blusink, based in St Gallen, Switzerland, a marine carbon capture and biodiversity enhancement company developing natural-material solutions to boost ocean carbon uptake and restore coastal and marine ecosystems without introducing foreign substances or disrupting natural systems. A climate scientist by training, Lorena brings deep expertise in ocean biogeochemistry developed through research at the Alfred Wegener Institute, complemented by fellowships with START Global and the St Gallen Symposium and work advancing blue bioeconomy innovations. Her focus on sustainability reflects both scientific conviction and entrepreneurial ambition, as Blusink works to provide businesses and governments with scalable, rigorously science-backed tools to help them meet net-zero targets through ocean-based solutions. The company is targeting deployments in twenty countries and is working towards B Corp certification, reflecting Lorena’s commitment to demonstrating that marine technology companies can operate to the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility. She also represents a new generation of women leading the cleantech sector with both scientific depth and commercial acumen.
At OYW2025, Lorena was selected as a Deloitte Scholar and presented in the plenary session “Deloitte: Education and Responsible Technology,” sharing Blusink’s vision for ocean restoration and discussing how marine technology can be scaled to meaningful climate impact while upskilling young people in ethical and evidence-based innovation for the world’s most precious and vulnerable ecosystems.
Title: Research Associate at the Technical University
Where are they based: Munich, Germany
Area of expertise: Social Entrepreneurship
Alexandra is an impact entrepreneurship specialist based in Munich, Germany, with a focus on social entrepreneurship education and innovative pedagogical methods for driving societal change. She is a research associate at the Technical University of Munich’s Chair of Vocational Education, led by Professor Dr Manuel Förster, where she leads projects including DigiChal-WI on digital challenge-based learning in social entrepreneurship training. Her career has also included important work in political education at the Bavarian State Centre for Political Education and the German Children and Youth Foundation, where she developed programmes specifically designed to strengthen democracy and boost meaningful youth engagement in public life. Alexandra holds a Master’s in Political Science from Goethe University Frankfurt and has completed the Social Entrepreneurship Academy certification in Munich, combining academic rigour with practical entrepreneurship experience. She is committed to the idea that the next generation of social entrepreneurs can and should be equipped with better tools, knowledge, and support than previous generations, and that educational innovation is central to achieving this.
At OYW2025, Alexandra contributed to the session “Energy optimisation in companies: Education for Sustainable Development as a key to action,” alongside Stefan Hörmann, Birgit Siepmann, and Karl Geller. The panel explored how education for sustainable development drives genuine energy efficiency in businesses through practice-oriented learning formats, linking corporate sustainability goals to innovative teaching methods designed to inspire climate action.