Speakers

Biography:

Edvinas Griksas is a Lithuanian public sector leader and innovation policy expert who, since September 2025, serves as the Minister of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania. His career in national administration is rooted in long-standing involvement with innovation governance, economic development, and municipal leadership.

Before becoming minister, Mr. Griksas headed the Innovation Policy Group (2024–2025) and earlier the Innovation Policy Division (2021–2024) at the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation, following prior work as a senior official in the same division. He also gained parliamentary administration experience as an Advisor to the Chancellery of the Seimas (2019–2020).

Edvinas Griksas has represented Lithuania extensively in European and international innovation, space, and defense forums. He was Lithuania’s representative and expert in Horizon Europe Cluster 4 (2020–2025), Head of the Lithuanian Delegation to the European Space Agency (2021–2025), and a member of the Administrative Board of the European Space Programme Agency (2021–2025). He also served on the OECD Industry, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Committee and the Science and Technology Committee (2024–2025), as well as the Board of Directors of NATO DIANA (2022–2025).

Biography:

Minister Marija Jakubauskiene graduated from Vilnius University with a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Public Health and a PhD in biomedical sciences. Jakubauskiene also holds a Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) and a Master's degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Studies from Vilnius University Business School.

She has more than 20 years of experience working with health system institutions, analyses and research. She has worked for the European Public Health Association for more than 10 years and is still the President of the Public Mental Health Section and a member of its International Scientific Committee. She has been a research expert for the European Commission.

Prior to assuming the post of Minister of Health, M. Jakubauskiene was Head of the Institute of Health Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University, before which she worked at the Faculty as Associate Lecturer, and as Vice Dean for International Affairs and Programmes. She was an active participant and team leader in health innovation and deep tech incubation and acceleration programmes. She was voted the best lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine in 2023. M. Jakubauskiene was a member and Vice-Chair of the Central Academic Ethics Committee of Vilnius University for two terms.

Her research areas and interests include public health and epidemiology, public mental health, population health determinants and intervention research, health innovation, health services and health system research.

M. Jakubauskiene started her career as an assistant in the project “Institutional Strengthening of the Public Health Service in Lithuania” of the Dutch Government's “MATRA Pre-accession” programme, later she worked in the Health Division of the Department of Health and Social Security of Vilnius City Municipality as a chief specialist and as a health expert in the “Health Economics Centre”.

Speaker:  Marija Jakubauskienė, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania

Topic: Policy, Hospital Management and Innovation: Advancing Modern Healthcare Architecture 

Biography:

Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis was born on 9^th August 1951 in Kyusyur, Siberia. His parents were deported in 1941, and he returned to Lithuania in 1957. He is co-author and a signatory of the Independence Act of Lithuania (March 1990), also one of the co-authors of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania adopted in 1992.

V. Andriukaitis is one of the founders of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party and later Chairman of the party (1999-2001), currently having the position of honorable chairman of LSDP. Member of the Lithuanian Parliament for six terms, from 1990 to 2004 and from 2008 to 2012. During that time, he served as a Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs, including during the accession to the EU in 2004; as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee; as a Deputy Speaker of the Parliament (2001- 2004). The same years he served as the Head of the Lithuanian Delegation to the European Convention.

Having background as a professional doctor, V. Andriukaitis had been a practicing surgeon with specialization in cardiovascular surgery (more than 20 years). He also holds a degree in History from Vilnius University acquired in 1984.

From 2012 to 2014 Vytenis Andriukaitis was a Minister for Health in the Lithuanian Government.

From 2014 to 2019 he served as European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.

From 2020 - Special Envoy of the WHO for Universal Health Coverage for the European region and Member of the Political Advisory Panel of the UHC 2030 Movement.

From 2024 – Member of European Parliament

V.P. Andriukaitis is an author of multiple articles and books, more than 140 legislative proposals and amendments on national and the EU level: among them Amendments to European Treaties.

Speaker: Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Member of the European Parliament

Biography:

Prof. Dr. Katharina Janus is the founder & lead of the FourthQuarterLife® movement – a public benefit organization that supports adults from their 50s into their 100s - and their loved ones - in taking control of their aging journey, creating peace-ofmind for all. She is also the Founder of ENJOY STRATEGY and the Center for Healthcare Management that she continues to support as president and senior advisor respectively. Over the last twenty years she has held multiple positions as an entrepreneurial executive, tenured full professor in Germany, visiting professor at UC Berkeley and several professorial appointments at Columbia University, New York. She has authored more than 150 publications and convened global executives and leading thinkers in her forums. Designated a healthcare mastermind based on her “influence for good” in the field she has coined the term “RELATIONSHIPBASED CARE” that emphasizes the human side of the healthcare enterprise.

Having worked extensively in Western Europe, the United States, and China, Professor Janus is recognized for her expertise in global markets, strategic analytics, creative problem-solving, and cultural sensitivity. As a trilingual keynote speaker and panelist, she frequently shares her insights into global healthcare and life sciences markets, as well as authors a regular thought-provoking “PERSPECTIVE”. By connecting markets with people, she managed to build entire ecosystems and bring innovations to patients based on win-win-partnerships of major market players. She has served on advisory and supervisory boards for organizations such as Allianz, EFESO, the French Hospital Federation, and the Steering Committee of the Swiss National Fund.

Professor Janus has received prestigious awards from the Commonwealth Fund, Rockefeller Foundation, Brocher Foundation, and the European Union for her contributions to healthcare management and research. A former ballet dancer, she pursues her artistic aspirations if time permits as a sculptor which infuses her doings in the field of medicine and relationship-based care.

Biography:

Alexandre Lourenço is the President of the European Association Of Hospital Managers (EAHM). He is also the CEO and Chairman of Coimbra’s Integrated Health Delivery System (ULS), a pioneering healthcare network that integrates university hospitals, primary care, and rehabilitation services, employing over 10,000 professionals. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the NOVA National School of Public Health, where he leads the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Health Management.

With 20 years of experience in top healthcare management roles and over a decade as a consultant for the World Health Organization, Dr. Lourenço has supported health system reforms in numerous contexts. He holds a PhD in Management from the NOVA School of Business & Economics, as well as advanced qualifications in hospital administration, primary healthcare management, and health management.

Speaker: Alexandre Lourenço, European Hospital Managers Association President

Biography:

Leandro Luís is Deputy Administrator of the Board for Primary Health Care and Director of the Department of Primary Health Care at the Local Health Unit of São José, in Lisbon. A registered Hospital Administrator, he holds a Master’s degree in Health Technology Assessment and has led several initiatives in digital transformation, organizational development and integrated care. He is one of the founders of the Innovation and Organizational Development Office and works on local health integration between the Local Health Unit, municipalities and intersectoral governance structures. He represents the Local Health Unit in the Local Social Action Council (CLAS), in civil protection bodies and in municipal health coordination mechanisms. Leandro Luís also serves as a Board Member of the Portuguese Association of Hospital Managers (APAH) and is actively involved in international collaborations within the IHF and EAHM communities.

Biography:

Prof. Dr. Pierre-Michael Meier is full-time CEO and lecturer of the Academy of Health Information Management Executives AHIME, Chief Representative of the hospital community Hosp.Do.IT and CEO of the Eco Systems ENTSCHEIDERFABRIK - the eHealth incubator.

In the hospital community and the ENTSCHEIDERFABRIK, his task is member support with a focus on digitalization and IT strategy.

Based on his experience and expertise, Pierre-Michael Meier holds the "Medical Informatics" certificate from the German Informatics Society (GI) and the German Society for Medical Informatics (GMDS), the "Certified Healthcare CIO (CHCIO)" certificate from the College of Health Information Management Executives (CHiME) and the "Strategic Health-Information-Management Executive (SH-I-ME)" certificate from AHIME. He holds a doctorate in Public Health and a degree in International Hospital Management and Business Informatics. He looks back on a leading international career with Deloitte, Thyssen-Krupp, Siemens, Richard Wolf and März Internetwork Services.

His professional focus is on digitalization and IT strategy. He is also an honorary professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen and teaches at the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Endowed Chair for Medical Management of Prof. Dr. J. Wasem on digital health and the successful digital transformation of hospitals.

Pierre-Michael Meier is committed to digitization in the German healthcare sector on a voluntary basis. He is EVP and CFO of the Association of Health Information Management e.V., Board Member of IHE Europe, Memebr of the IT Group of the European Association of Hospital Managers and member of other associations such as BVMI, GMDS, etc.

Biography:

Pascal Mariotti is a hospital director. In 2005, he led the creation of UNIHA in Lyon to reform purchasing practices within French university hospitals (CHUs). From 2009 to 2017, he served as Director of the Alpes–Isère Hospital in Grenoble, where he notably oversaw its reconstruction. In 2017, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier University Psychiatric Hospital, in Lyon. Since 2015, he has chaired the Association of Public Mental Health Institutions (AdESM), which brings together 206 public and non-profit private institutions responsible for delivering public psychiatric services. Pascal Mariotti is also a founding member of the Territorial Mental Health Project, a board member of the French Hospital Federation, and a member of the National Commission of Psychiatry. He devotes his thoughts and activities to modernizing practices and strengthening the public psychiatric care system.

Dr Nebil Achour

• Associate Professor in Disaster Mitigation.
• Programme Director of MSc Healthcare Management.
• Anglia Ruskin University, UK.

Biography:

Associate Professor in Disaster Mitigation with over 20 years international experience in hospital system resilience and functionality. International Adviser and Consultant for the World Health Organization (WHO). He led the development of the international guidance on Underground shelters and services in hospitals (2025) and contributed to the revision of the Hospital Safety Index (HSI, 2015), and to the development of the Resilient Hospitals: An inter-regional guidance on strengthening resilience to health emergencies and disasters in health facilities (2024). He also took part in global discussions and training and technical reports. He led and contributed to over 20 WHO projects in more than 10 countries. Published over 70 scientific publications in journals, conferences, reports and book chapters. Awarded the Best Paper Award during the CIB World Congress 2010, and the Highly Commended Paper in the 2016 and 2015 Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence. 2022 Frontiers Champion of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) and lead of the Fostering Innovative Resilience Healthcare Service (FIReS) international Network. He chaired and co-chaired several international conferences and webinars and served as External Examiner in several national and international universities. Member of 2 international journal Editorial Boards and reviewer in more than 20 international journals and Guest Editor of two Special Issues of the International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment.

Dr Achour leads the MSc Healthcare Management, a programme with over 200 students. His background is Engineering. He received his first degree from the Tunis Advanced School of Science and Technology, Tunisia, Dr Achour worked in private engineering and design firms, designing structures and training engineers in several countries. Granted a Japanese Government Scholarship to further his education, he gained his MSc with a focus on the response of hospital lifeline systems following seismic activities, and his PhD on hospitals&39; fragility assessment, in 2004 and 2007 respectively from Kanazawa University (Japan). Following his graduation, he was employed as a Post-doctoral Researcher in his graduate university. He joined Loughborough University in September 2007 as a Research Associate. He coordinated the research activities of the £11million HaCIRIC research centre, and the CPM WBDL MSc Programme.

Dr. Nebil Achour is actively involved in national and international research and consultancy activities and interested in exchanging knowledge with academics and practitioners, specifically those working on similar topics.

Speaker: Dr.  Nebil Achour  Associate Professor in Disaster Mitigation, Programme Director of MSc Healthcare Management Anglia Ruskin University, UK

Biography:

Sharon qualified as a nurse and held several positions at the Adelaide Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital and St James’s Hospital before moving to the HSE, National Clinical Strategy and Planning Directorate as National Programme Manager. In addition to a BSc (Hons) and MBA, Sharon has a MSc in Medical Ethics & Law and a Prof Diploma in Corp Governance, is a Black Belt in Lean/6 Sigma and a Crew/Team Resource Management Instructor. She subsequently held the post of Deputy CEO /Chief Operations Officer Tallaght University Hospital, CEO of LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice and Director of the All-Ireland Children’s Cardiac Network before taking up her current position as CEO of Bon Secours Hospital, Dublin. She is also Vice President of the HMI, President of the EAHM Scientific Committee, Vice Chair of Tearfund Ireland and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in UCD.

Biography:

Prof. Vladas Algirdas Bumelis is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Northway Healthcare Group. He is currently serving as the CEO of Northway’s biotechnology cluster companies, unified under the trademark Northway Biotech - a biologics Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO).

With extensive career in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Prof. Bumelis has held key leadership roles, including General Manager of Sicor Biotech UAB (now part of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.), Chairman of the Board for biotech companies Biofa and Biotechna, and Chairman of the Board and General Manager at the Institute of Applied Enzymology in Lithuania.

Prof. Bumelis holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Biotechnology from Vilnius University. In 2024, he was honored with the Global Lithuania Award for positioning Lithuania as a global leader in biotechnology, with his pioneering work on the €7 billion Bio City project, which is set to become the largest biotechnology campus in Europe, further driving Lithuanian innovation onto the global stage.

Focus on: Leveraging tech innovations for better diagnostics, treatment, and patient outcomes.

Topic: How leadership drives the growth of biotechnology in Lithuania

Speaker: Prof. Valdas Algirdas Bumelis, CEO of Northway Biotech companies and Chairman of the Board of Northway Healthcare Group

Biography:

Vice-Minister Skirmantas Krunkaitis holds the rank of Lieutenant in the Dr. J. Basanavičius Military Medical Service. He completed his medical studies at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Medical Doctor) and Vilnius University (Family Medicine Physician).

S. Krunkaitis’ professional experience spans work in emergency and nursing departments, inpatient care, as well as service in refugee camps and under wartime conditions. He has worked as a medical doctor at Antakalnis Polyclinic, the Naujininkai Refugee Centre, and hospitals in Zarasai and Edinburgh, United Kingdom. He also volunteers with the organization “Blue/Yellow” as Head of Medical Operations, where he is responsible for organizing medical support, including personnel recruitment and selection, management processes, and cooperation with institutions and officials from foreign states. He regularly travels to Ukraine to provide voluntary assistance to those affected by the war.

Prior to becoming Vice-Minister, S. Krunkaitis served as Adviser to the Minister of Health, where he was responsible for strengthening the resilience of the healthcare system to emergency and extraordinary civil incidents, as well as hybrid and military threats.

Biography:

Doris GILLIG, Hospital manager, board member in charge of international affairs of ADESM (the French Association of public psychiatric institutions), board member in charge of international affairs of ADH (the French Association of Hospital Managers), executive committee member and scientific sub committee member of EAHM (European Association of Hospital Managers), member of the European mental health committee.

Doris Gillig is currently the Director of Territorial Partnerships at the Erstein Hospital Center (501 beds and places; psychiatry, geriatric care).

Previously, she was an advisor to the President of the European Collectivity of Alsace (Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin Departments), responsible for leading public health policies.

Before that, Ms. Gillig also managed hospitals: the Erstein City Hospital Center (97 beds) and the Thann Hospital Center (261 beds and places).

She also served as director in charge of functional departments at the Erstein Hospital Center (human resources and medical affairs, cross-border cooperation, communication) and at the Mulhouse Hospital Center (1,528 beds and places) (international and cross-border cooperation, deputy director of the "oncology, hematology, radiotherapy" department, quality and risk and crisis management, procurement, public contracts, and performance).

Her expertise was also demonstrated in her role as coordinator of the "Lower Alsace South Moselle Territorial Hospital Group (GHT)" (13 hospitals, including the Strasbourg University Hospital Center, with a combined budget exceeding €1.6 billion and more than 20,000 employees) and as deputy regional delegate of the French Hospital Federation Grand Est (supporting its 180 members : healthcare, social, and medico-social institutes and hospitals).

Other commitments, community involvement

board member in charge of international affairs of ADESM (the French Association of public psychiatric institutions), board member in charge of international affairs of ADH (the French Association of Hospital Managers), executive committee member and scientific subcommittee member of EAHM (European Association of Hospital Managers), member of the European mental health committee

Biography:

Dr. Wing Kit Lau is the Chief Sustainability Officer for Bon Secours Health System, one of the largest private hospital groups in Ireland. She is responsible for setting and executing the organization’s ambitious environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy.

With over 15 years of international sustainability leadership experience spanning Hong Kong and Ireland, Wing specializes in the practical integration of sustainability within complex, multi-site operational environments, with a focus on the healthcare sector. Her expertise is concentrated on two critical areas for today’s hospital governance: climate resilience with decarbonization and regulatory compliance (i.e. the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive).

Wing’s background, which includes senior roles in sustainability consulting and diverse corporate sectors, provides a unique, commercially focused perspective on how to achieve significant, measurable sustainability outcomes in the demanding healthcare environment.

Biography:

Dr. Bernd Leinich is a senior healthcare executive and management consultant with extensive experience in funding public hospitals, optimizing care interfaces, and advancing digital transformation to improve productivity and quality in healthcare systems. Since 2016, he has served as Managing Director of the Public Health Fund within Austria’s Ministry of Health, where he is responsible for the planning, financing, and oversight of hospitals and ambulatory care institutions in Southern Austria. His work also includes designing primary care structures to relieve hospital outpatient centers and supporting sustainable system reform.

Previously, Dr. Leinich contributed to national healthcare policy as Multi-Project Manager for the Austrian Health Care Reform at the Austrian Social Security System in Vienna. Earlier roles include Director positions in performance improvement and management consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Vienna and Perth, as well as Co-Owner and Director at act Management Consulting, a KPMG spin-off. He began his career with leadership and project management roles at KPMG Consulting Austria (now BearingPoint), IBM Austria, and FTL in Dallas.

Dr. Leinich holds a Doktor Iuris (PhD in Business Law) from Karl-Franzens University Graz with a focus on business and penal law, and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin specializing in management and entrepreneurship. His academic background is complemented by additional studies in EU law at the University of Zurich and the Institut Universitaire Luxembourg.

He has international professional experience in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States, and is fluent in English, French, and German, with additional knowledge of Italian and Russian.

Prof. Michel Nathan is a medical doctor from the University of Strasburg France with a urologic surgery degree from the University of Düsseldorf Germany he has a degree in MBA of the University of Nancy and several degrees from other universities in Belgium, USA and GB he is Prof inv at the university of Vientiane and was in charge for teaching hospital management in Laos was CEO of the regional hospital for the South in Luxemburg during 25 years and responsible for several hospital mergers was the driving force as general secretary for the creation of a national radio-oncology institute in Luxemburg.

he was member of the national Hospital Federation board for 27 years representing public hospitals in several commissions of the Luxemburg government university teacher at the University of Brussels, Luxemburg and Vientiane-Laos in charge of hospital organization and supply management during the Covid crisis.

Biography:

Smadar Sharbi is the Director of Quality and Patient Safety at the Division of Government Medical Centers in the Israeli Ministry of Health, overseeing a network of 25 governmental hospitals, including general, geriatric, and psychiatric institutions that provide around half of Israel’s inpatient care. She leads the development and implementation of a nationwide integrated quality and safety program, aligning governance, measurement, and improvement efforts across the hospital network. . Smadar also serves as Chair of the Council for Quality and Safety. Her work focuses on balancing quality of care, patient safety, and efficiency, while fostering a culture of transparency, learning, and innovation. Ms Sharbi collaborates closely with hospital leadership, professional societies, and international partners to promote the dissemination of best practices and to strengthen the resilience and performance of the public hospital system. Her career has included extensive nursing leadership at all management levels, along with expertise in strategic planning, team development, mentoring, and professional education. With over 25 years of senior leadership experience, she has shaped Israel’s healthcare strategy, advanced national quality and safety policies.

Biography:

June Stanley is a senior executive with a 30-year track record of accomplishment in healthcare and financial Services. After commencing her career working in both banking and insurance, June moved into healthcare in 2003; holding senior management positions in St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group, Hermitage Medical Clinic and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital. She now holds the position of Chief Executive at the National Rehabilitation Hospital having previously held the role of Deputy CEO / Director of Operational Services. She is currently studying for a Doctorate in Business Administration and holds an MSc in Management and Application of IT in Accounting, Diploma in Corporate Governance and Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma for healthcare. Professionally, June is a Chartered Internal Auditor and Accountant (FCCA) and has served on a number of Boards.

Biography:

Prof. Habil. Dr. Renaldas Jurkevičius is General Director of the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos (Kaunas, Lithuania) and Vice-Rector for Clinical Affairs at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU). He holds an MD and a PhD and has built a distinguished clinical, academic, and leadership career in cardiology and university hospital management. Prof. Jurkevičius has an active research portfolio in cardiology, with more than 30 peer-reviewed publications in areas such as chocardiography, heart failure, and myocardial remodeling.

In his capacity at Kauno klinikos, Prof. Jurkevičius plays a central role in aligning clinical care, research, and education. Under his guidance, the institution advances major infrastructure and innovation initiatives, such as the nuclear medicine research centre with a cyclotron facility, biobank, telemedicine solutions, and genetics. With his leadership of Lithuania's largest multi-profile hospital and dual role at LSMU, Prof. Jurkevičius stands at the interface of health care delivery, academic medicine, and innovation

Biography:

David Wall is the Regional Director of Technology & Transformation for the Health Service Executive Dublin & South East Region, Ireland which provides healthcare services to a population of approximately one million people. A highly successful digital leader, strategic thinker, innovator and influencer with significant achievements in leading e-Health initiatives, planning and implementing enterprise wide information and digital solutions  to improve and support patient care, enable efficient and effective business operations. Prior to joining the HSE, David held senior positions as Chief Information Officer Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Children’s Health Ireland, and St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin. David commenced as Chair of the EAHM Digital Health Committee earlier this year having previously served as the Health Mgmt. Institute of Ireland representative to the committee.  David is a Fellow of the Irish Computer Society and a CHIME Certified Healthcare CIO. In 2023 David was named as one of the top 10 Healthcare CIO’s in Europe by Healthcare Tech Outlook.

Biography:

Dalius Jatužis is Professor of Neurology, Head of Clinic of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Dean of Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University, Lithuania (since 2022).

His primary research interests include cerebrovascular disease, stroke prevention, acute stroke treatment, and cerebrovascular ultrasound.

Practical clinical activity of prof. D. Jatužis is closely related to the implementation of contemporary principles of acute stroke management and prevention, regular updates of national stroke guidelines, reorganization of the national stroke care network and breakthrough of modern reperfusion stroke therapies in Lithuania, treatment of migraine, acute and chronic pain. He received the Nordic Stroke Award in 2021 and won the Spirit of Excellence award with the Lithuanian stroke simulation team in 2024. He works at Vilnius University hospital Santaros Clinics, the largest hospital in the capital city of Vilnius and the main clinical base of the Faculty of Medicine.

Dalius Jatužis is the President of the Lithuanian Neurologists‘ Association, Fellow of European Stroke Organization (FESO), national coordinator for implementation of  Stroke Action Plan for Europe in Lithuania, principal investigator of numerous clinical trials, reviewer in a number of international scientific journals, and executive editor of national scientific journal „Neurologijos seminarai“ (Seminars in Neurology). He is a co-author of 10 neurology textbooks in the Lithuanian language. D. Jatužis has given more than 100 scientific oral and poster presentations and invited lectures at national and international conferences.

Biography:

International expert in human resources and hospital marketing, Senator in the German Senate of Economy, Congress President of the Hospital Marketing Congress Berlin/Cologne/Zurich and initiator of the Hospital Award, author of the standard work "Total Recruiting" published in 2025.

Biography:

Marc Hastert, born on 25 June 1957 in Paris, is a Luxembourg national and the Secretary General of the European Association of Hospital Managers (EAHM). He holds a master’s degree in law from the Universities of Strasbourg and Metz, following primary and secondary studies in Luxembourg and Belgium.

Marc began his career as an attorney-at-law and later joined the Luxembourg Hospital Federation, where he served as Legal Advisor and subsequently Secretary General from 1995 to 2024, also overseeing International Affairs from 2020 to 2024. His leadership roles have extended across numerous national and European health and quality bodies, including serving as President of the National Council for Accreditation, Certification and Promotion of Quality, Vice-President of the Luxembourg Association for Quality, and Vice-President of the National Ethics Committee for Research.

He has been an active member of several governance boards in the health and informatics sectors and has held long-standing positions within European health organizations, notably as a member of the EAHM Executive Committee where he served as Vice-President from 2014 to 2018 and as a member of the Board of Governors of HOPE since 2003.

Biography:

Dr. Sara Bitan is an internationally recognized cybersecurity expert specializing in cyber-resilience, secure architecture design, and the protection of OT and IoT systems, including medical devices and hospital critical-care technologies. A pioneer of Israel’s cybersecurity industry with over three decades of experience, she has advised major healthcare providers, critical-infrastructure operators, and government agencies on strategic security and risk management. Dr. Bitan is a senior researcher at the Technion Cyber Security Research Center and a frequent speaker at global conferences, including Black Hat, where she has presented groundbreaking research on vulnerabilities in industrial and medical control systems.

Mag. Andrea Ristl is an internationally recognized as an Austrian expert in human resources, stress management and trauma research. She is renowned for her pioneering work in heart rate variability (HRV) methodology and innovative trauma resolution approaches. As CEO of Heart2Business GmbH, she develops holistic, evidence-based talent and resource management models, integrating precise HRV measurements with frequency-based therapeutic methods to promote resilience, regeneration and self-healing.

With over 30 years' experience in consulting, leadership development and organizational health - including senior management responsibility for over 4,500 employees in a large non-profit organization - she is a highly sought-after speaker and workshop leader in Austria and internationally. Her peer-reviewed publications in neuroeconomics and public economics have established HRV as a valid marker for autonomic responses in decision-making. Her talent management innovations have also received national recognition. Based in Vienna, she works internationally and speaks German and English.

Biography: 

Holger Höhmann - MAS, MIM, MBA-HCM, CEO LVR Klinik Bedburg-Hau Germany.

Mr. Hohmann working in Hospitals as CEO about 45 years, in Germany, Austria and Saudi-Arabia. He’s Lecturer (till 2024) at the Salzburg Management Business school of the university of Salzburg.

Mr. Hohmann is EAHM President of subcommittee Mental Health & Member of the supervising board of a 700-bed teaching general hospital.

Biography:

Brent Stackhouse is the Managing Director of Mount Sinai Ventures, the investment arm of the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. His responsibilities include making investments in early-stage medical companies, ambulatory strategy, and corporate development. In this latter role, Brent builds and operates care delivery companies with the goal of increasing access to care and optimizing revenue. He is the president of several businesses, with 45 operating rooms and hundreds of employees, serving more than 100,000 patients annually.

He is experienced in public health and finance and represents Mount Sinai on the board of over a dozen portfolio companies. He also serves as a Senior Partner at Spex Capital, a UK based early-stage health tech venture fund. Additionally, he created and oversees the Strategic Ventures Group, a national consortium of corporate venture investors from over 60 hospitals.

Outside of Mount Sinai, Brent is on the board of the Italian charity Insegnare per l’Italia (Teach for Italy) and is a member of the Georgetown Angel Investor Network.

Biography:

Julia Theresia Berger, BScN, MA, MHC is a qualified nursing professional and healthcare leader with international academic credentials and multidisciplinary experience in clinical and managerial settings. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Medical University of Graz, she gained several years of clinical experience at the University Hospital Graz in orthopaedics, traumatology, anaesthesiology, and intensive care. Julia holds dual master’s degrees in Health Management (MA) and Health Care (MHC) from Carinthia University of Applied Sciences and the University of Applied Sciences Jyväskylä in Finland. Since June 2025, she has served as Head of Nursing at Haus am Ruckerlberg in Graz, part of the Evangelisches Diakoniewerk, where she leads strategic and operational nursing aspects of long-term care delivery.

Biography:

Jürgen Huber is a consultant for occupational medicine at the General Accident Insurance Institution (AUVA) in Austria. He coordinates the implementation of the professional group of occupational health specialists in the AUVAsicher department at nine locations and develops concepts for occupational health care for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It focuses on the integration of prevention and occupational safety into business processes and the promotion of innovative approaches to healthy working environments.

Biography:

Nanda Samimi is CEO of the Forel Klinik AG in Ellikon an der Thur/Switzerland and president of the Swiss Association of Hospital Directors (SVS). She knows the healthcare system and its highly complex environment from numerous perspectives. After studying pharmacy at ETH Zurich, her career took her from the pharmaceutical industry to long-term care institutions and medical centers. Since 2017, she leads Forel Klinik AG, Switzerland's leading specialist clinic for the treatment of alcohol and drug addiction. In 2024, she also took Chair of the Board of Directors of MEDVADIS AG.

Mission statement and commitment:

As CEO, Nanda Samimi takes a holistic approach to hospital management.

"The role of a CEO emphasizes not only the operational management of a clinic, it also encompasses the strategic setup and design of the clinic and the healthcare system as a whole. The systematic integration of the comprehensive CEO expertise into political and professional committees is essential in order to address the limits of feasibility in developments in a timely manner. After all, reforms that are out of touch with reality and bureaucratic approaches consume precious, scarce resources. It is essential that those in position of responsibility name the facts."

That is why she is actively engaged in the following roles:

•    President of the Swiss Association of Hospital Directors

•    Vice President of Swiss Mental Healthcare

•    Member of the Board of the Hospital Benchmark Association

Biography:

Paul Bomke, Diploma in economics and public services, since February 2010 CEO at the Pfalzklinikum fuer Psychiatrie und Neurologie (2,500 employees) (till 2010 senior manager of administration), a provider for mental health and neurology services in the palatine region, State of Rhineland-Palatinate (14 locations). He is also CEO of an outpatient department for psychiatry and neurology (public limited).

His focus is on improving strategic- and leadership issues in institutions for mental health services in the south of Germany. A further focus of his work is to develop models and projects for community-based mental health services, based on international experiences in this field. He is also concentrating on policy making in the field of integration and inclusion of mental ill and disabled persons in the communities.

Bomke was project leader of the "German learning group" at the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (AFWI). Since October 2014 Founder of the Initiative “Die Pfalz macht sich/Dich stark – Wege zur Resilience” (the palatine region makes itself/your stronger – Ways to resilience).

Biography:

Yuval Levy, MD, MsHA, is a senior physician and healthcare leader with extensive experience in clinical medicine, hospital management, and national health system governance. He is currently serving as Director of the Israeli Governmental Medical Centers Network at the Ministry of Health, overseeing policy, strategy, and operational coordination across Israel’s public governmental hospital system. Prior to this role, he was Chief Medical Officer at Sheba Medical Center, one of the world’s leading medical centers and the largest in Israel, and previously served as Deputy Director General at Sheba as well as Deputy Director of the Wolfson Medical Center. Parallel to his civilian career, he has had a distinguished service in the Israeli Air Force (IAF) as a helicopter pilot, flight instructor (until today), and former Commander of the Aeromedical Unit. He has led medical missions in disaster settings, including serving as head of the neonatal unit for the IDF field hospital in Haiti in 2010 after the earthquake.

Dr. Levy is a board-certified pediatrician, holds a Master’s degree in Health Systems Management, and has long combined clinical excellence with system-level leadership. His career includes significant experience in emergency preparedness, disaster medicine, and aeromedical medicine, alongside a distinguished record of academic teaching and research. He has published widely in peer-reviewed journals and serves as a lecturer and course director in health systems management and aerospace medicine. Dr. Levy’s work focuses on improving healthcare quality, clinical outcomes, and organizational performance within complex healthcare systems.

Biography:

Nikolaus Koller has been actively involved in the European Association of Hospital Managers (EAHM) since 2002, serving in various roles and as Treasurer since 2017. He has developed a deep understanding of the Association’s values, governance, and its role in connecting hospital leaders across Europe. Strongly committed to advancing hospital management, he works to promote collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation among national associations. Nikolaus Koller is dedicated to strengthening the EAHM’s strategic impact and supporting the development of future healthcare leaders at the European level.

Positions:

President of the Association of Hospital Managers in Austria (BUKO);

Chairman of the Austrian Institute for Hospital Managers (ÖIK);

Vice President for EAHM;

Governor of HOPE Austria;

Special Advisor for IHF.

Biography: 

Dr. Eytan Wirtheim currently holds the position of CEO of Clalit Health Services in Israel. Clalit Health Services, is the second largest health care organization in the world. It includes 54,000 employees, and 14 hospitals and health care centers across the country. This organization insures approximately 50% of the Israeli population, and includes 4 subsidiary companies in Israel.

Dr. Eytan Wirtheim is a well renowned and respected member of the Israeli medical community. He is a pioneer in the implementation of Accreditation models, he established networks of clinical pharmacists across various institutions, founded a comprehensive training program for department managers, established the innovation center at Rabin Medical Center. In Israel he is considered to be a pioneer in the field on Electronic Medical Records.

He is key partner in founding the faculty of medicine at Raichman University. And also in establishing the largest Virtual Hospital in Israel.

Biography:

Alexandra ITEANU is Head of the Data, GDPR and Artificial Intelligence Department at ITEANU Avocats, a boutique law firm specialized in digital law and cybersecurity.

She advises a wide range of clients — including healthcare providers, software publishers and certified health data hosting companies — on all matters relating to digital regulation, artificial intelligence, and data protection compliance.

A Lecturer in the Master’s program in Digital Law at Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne University, she also provides training to public and private institutions, including the French Ministry of the Armed Forces.

She has been delivering for several years a course dedicated to health data law with Lamy Liaisons.

Alexandra regularly contributes to the media on issues at the intersection of law, technology, and healthcare, with recent publications and interviews featured in Alliancy, DSIH, and at the Cloud & Cyber Security 2025 Conference.

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Katharina Janus

Speaker: Alexandra Iteanu, Partner, ITEANU Avocats, Head of Data, GDPR & AI; Lecturer at Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne; Legal Expert for the French Ministry of Armed Forces (CFMD)

Biography:

Prof. Dr. Henrique Martins has a Medical Degree, Internal Medicine Specialty, a Master and PhD degrees in Management, and a Law Master’s degree, presently doing a PhD in Law. He was one of the first CMIOs in Portugal in 2009-2013 at Hospital Fernando Fonseca, Lisbon. During the years at the Ministry of Health he was responsible for setting the agenda for eHealth in Portugal. He was president of SPMS, Portugal's Digital Health Agency for close to 7 years, where he led National eHealth. He represented Portugal for 8 years and was the former Member States co-chair of the EU eHealth Network, the highest policy body on eHealth in the Union.

Elected Fellow of the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (within IMIA) in July 2020. He is National Defence Auditor for Portugal. From August 2020 till December 2024, he integrates the HL7 Europe Foundation Board of Directors. He has worked as Senior Consultant for the Regional Action Plan on Digital Health for WHO Western Pacific Region He now works as an academic at ISCTE Business School, one medical school (FCS-UBI), and at Korea University Medicine (Visiting professor), teaching and researching in Digital Health, Healthcare Systems and Transformation, Leadership and Management education for Medical Students and Health Professionals, he has authored a series of papers some of which looking at new trends for digital health at Global, European, National and Hospital levels. He is engaged in individual consulting projects in Healthcare Transformation and Digital Health (www.henriquemartins.eu). At present he works as Senior Consultant in Digital Health and Innovation for the WHO Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office and. He was (2023-2024) the coordinator for an EU-Funded CSA called XpanDH aiming to support the development and adoption efforts for the European Electronic Health Record Exchange Format (https://xpandh-project.iscte-iul.pt/) and is now the coordinator of two large scale EU-funded projects in health interoperability (XiA – Xpanding Interoperability Alliance, and i2X – Intelligent Implementation of the EHR eXchange format).

Moderator: Katharina Janus

Speaker: Prof. Henrique Martins, Associate Professor in Health Management and Leadership at FCS-UBI and ISCTE-IUL

Biography:

Verena Nikolai is Head of Department for Quality in Health Systems and Health Care Systems‘ Research at the Austrian Ministry of Health and in this context also responsible for all patient safety matters, patient surveys, and other quality related topics. She not only leads the nationwide project on integrated care but also focuses on advancing quality indicators across extramural and intramural sectors. She has a background in law and has been working in various roles and management positions at the ministry for eight years.