Speakers Platform

Andrea Rossi
Head of International Business Support
SACE Group

Andrea Rossi is the head of International Business Support at SACE – a major Italian insurance and financial group operating in the field of export credit, investment protection, financial guarantees, surety bonds and factoring.

Andrea coordinates the commercial strategy and origination activities of the international network, consisting of eleven representative offices based in markets of major relevance for Italian exporters. His responsibilities include, inter alia, the scouting of new business opportunities in diversified sectors and the coordination of market-sounding initiatives for Italian companies. He also promotes SACE's business interests in various inter-institutional contexts, such as by participating as a representative or panelist in conferences and business forums dedicated to the development of trade relations between Italy and other countries.

Andrea Rossi holds a master's degree in Economy and Commerce from Roma Tre University, Italy, and post graduate certificates in Trade Finance and Project Finance from Middlesex University of London, UK.

Andreas Oel
Client Advisory, Large Enterprises & Reinsurance
Swiss Export Risk Insurance (SERV)

Andreas Oel works in the client advisory department for large enterprises & reinsurance at SERV Swiss Export Risk Insurance in Zürich. SERV promotes the international competitiveness of the Swiss economy through its range of products, its clients include well known Swiss companies in the textile machinery industry amongst other industries.

With 18 years in the credit insurance industry, Andreas has extensive experience working with private credit insurers as well as state export credit agencies (ECAs). He holds a business degree in banking & finance.

Cengiz Bekret
Senior Manager, Sales and Business Development
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions

Cengiz Bekret is the Senior Sales and Business Development Manager at BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, Turkey. He has gained a wide experience on asset finance in the last 18 years, especially on textile industry equipment.

Within BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, he also contributes to new product and service development activities, innovation projects, as well as Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.

Cengiz holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Istanbul University, and has done postgraduate studies on financial management.

Christina Lutz
Export Finance Specialist
Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW)

Currently an Export Finance Specialist, Christina Lutz has been working for LBBW for the past 10 years. Her areas of expertise are Euler Hermes and SERV-covered financing, alongside Latin American import markets.

With extensive living experience in Germany, USA, England, Spain and Mexico, Christina has excellent intercultural and language skills.

Christina holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Vermont in USA, and a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems from the Universities of Stuttgart and Hohenheim in Germany. She was also a scholar of the Erasmus Sokrates program at the Universidade da Coruña in Spain.

Eva Karlsson
Chief Executive Officer
Houdini Sportswear

Eva Karlsson is the CEO of Houdini Sportswear, a progressive and rapidly-growing Swedish outdoor brand and a trailblazer in corporate responsibility.

Since 2001, Eva together with a like-minded team, have been redesigning the business to become a force for good – providing state-of-the-art circular products, offering product-as-a-service solutions, and building a co-creative community for open-source innovation, sharing knowledge and inspiring to reconnect to nature. Rather than focusing on Houdini's outstanding track record in sustainable development, Eva emphasizes the journey ahead and the untapped opportunities and abundant value in designing attractive and regenerative lifestyle solutions.

Jason Kibbey
Chief Executive Officer
Higg Co.

Jason Kibbey is the new CEO of Higg Co, a technology company that delivers, implements, and supports the Higg Index for consumer goods industries. Developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, the Higg Index is a suite of tools that enables brands, retailers, and facilities of all sizes — at every stage in their sustainability journey — to accurately measure and score a company or product’s sustainability performance.

Jason previously served as founding Executive Director and CEO of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, where he grew the organization from a start-up project to the largest apparel and footwear industry association in the world by market representation. He was also the CEO and co-founder of PACT, an apparel company combining design, sustainability, and philanthropy.

Jason graduated from University of California (UC) Berkeley with a BS Environmental Economics and Policy. He received his MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Lisa Rosengren
Head of Research & Development, Raw Material
Fristads

Lisa Rosengren is the Head of Research & Development for the raw material department at Fristads and Kansas work wear brands. She is also responsible for chemical compliance, PPE certifications, Fristads OEKO-TEX® and Fristads and Kansas inhouse textile laboratory.

For the last decade, Lisa has been a member of the Swedish chemical group, RISE. She is also involved in the Vinnova innovation project, POPFREE, whose aim is to find and develop alternatives to PFAS for textiles.

Lisa holds a master’s and bachelor’s degree in textile business administration from The Swedish School of Textiles at the University of Borås.

Lutz Walter
Director Innovation & Skills
European Apparel and Textile Confederation (EURATEX)

Lutz Walter is director for innovation and skills at EURATEX. He is also secretary general for the European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing.

An active follower of Europe's technology and innovation trends in Europe's textile and fashion sector, he has coordinated several large-scale European research and training-related programmes, advised companies, research organisations, and public authorities. He also authored various studies and strategy papers on the future of Europe's textile and fashion industry.

Natalia Papú Carrone
Research Analyst, Textiles Programme
Circle Economy

Natalia Papú Carrone is a research analyst at Circle Economy's Textiles Programme, an impact organisation driving the transition to the circular economy.

Prior to joining Circle Economy, Natalia has acquired several years of working experience within the textile industry in Argentina, as well as in multi-stakeholder environments within international organisations, not-for-profit and academic institutions. Natalia holds a BA in Textile Design from the University of Buenos Aires and is currently completing her master’s degree in Textile Value Chain Management from the Swedish School of Textiles.

Navaid Baqai
Global Textile Director
Cotton Council International

Navaid Baqai is the Global Textile Director for Cotton Council International (CCI). He leads technical research activities of US cotton in textile manufacturing processes and in finished textile products.

Prior to joining CCI, Navaid has worked in the textile industry for more than 20 years in manufacturing, retail and academic, as well as managed his own business providing consultancy and printed promotional/branding garments.

Navaid also was Assistant Professor at a textile institute affiliated with Clemson University, USA, in Pakistan. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in textile technology and Master’s degree in textile apparel management from North Carolina State University, USA.

Peter Sestic
Lead Development Engineer 3D
Sigmatex

Peter Sestic is a Lead Development Engineer 3D at Sigmatex. He has more than 17 years’ experience in technical textiles, spanning from loom technician to now development engineer, with extensive background in material solutions for automotive and aerospace. He is the technical lead on numerous projects, including the Break-through Aerospace Materials (BAM) project with Rolls Royce and BAE Systems on the development of 3D woven simulation software.

Peter is also an expert 2D and 3D weave designer, with a current focus on carbon fibres.

Rakhil Hirdaramani
Chair of Manufacturers Committee
World Federation of Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI)

Rakhil serves as the Chair of the Manufacturers Committee of the World Federation of Sporting Goods. He is the A fourth generation owner/director of the Hirdaramani Group, an international apparel manufacturer with 35 production facilities across Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam & Ethiopia. Hehas been on the company’s board since 2007, where he oversees key accounts, manufacturing, automation, as well as the group’s IT arm.

Rakhil is an alumnus of London Business School.

René Bethmann
Innovation Manager
Vaude

René Bethmann is Innovation Manager at outdoor equipment outfitter VAUDE, managing innovation processes and related projects about material and joining technologies with strong focus on biopolymers.

Before joining Vaude, René worked in Norway, at outdoor sports companies Norrøna and Helly Hansen in the field of textile engineering and fabric management, as well as in Switzerland with cycling apparel specialist ASSOS as R&D Engineer then Product Development Manager.

Roian Atwood
Senior Director of Global Sustainable Business
VF Corporation

Roian Atwood is the Senior Director of Global Sustainable Business for Wrangler and Lee jeans. He leads brand sustainability strategy, engages suppliers globally to drive greater social and environmental performance, and works cross functionally with product development and marketing to create more sustainable products and share brand relevant stories.

With 15 years’ experience in footwear & apparel sustainability, Roian has a track record of managing a diverse set of projects and leading teams into an action-oriented, results driven approach to corporate sustainability. His undergraduate work was in complex systems at Naropa University, and he holds a master’s of environmental management from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.

Sophie Mather
Co-founder & Strategic Director
The Microfibre Consortium

Sophie Mather is the Co-founder and Strategic Director of The Microfibre Consortium (TMC). As thought leader on sustainable innovation, she brings first-hand experience, innovative thinking and network to the industry challenge of microfibre release within the clothing industry.

TMC facilitates the development of practical solutions for the textile industry to minimise microfibre release to the environment from textile manufacturing and product life cycle.

Sophie is a renowned and inspirational speaker delivering thought-provoking ideas and challenging her audiences from platforms such as the TEDx stage, UK parliamentary forums, industry conferences and most recently to HRH The Prince of Wales.

Valeria Krepis
Export Finance Specialist
Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW)

Valeria Krepis joined the International Business of LBBW in 2013, where she was part of a rotational program in LBBW, Mexico City. In her current position in Export Finance Origination in Stuttgart, Valeria has been involved in numerous export finance transactions ranging from small tickets to milestone projects with large corporations.

Valeria is also involved in LBBW's digitalization activities in the area of Trade and Export Finance.

Valeria holds a Master of Science in Business Administration – Energy and Finance from the University of Duisburg-Essen, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the HfWU Nürtingen-Geislingen University.

Yoel Fink
Chief Executive Officer
Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA)

Yoel Fink serves as the CEO of Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), a non-profit institute headquartered backed by the Department of Defence, State of Massachusetts, as well as 120 companies and universities.

Yoel is also Professor of Materials Science and Electrical Engineering Professor at at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) since 2000, and has focused his research on creating highly functional fibers. He is the recipient of multiple awards, including the National Academies Initiatives in Research (2004), the MacVicar Fellowship (2007) for outstanding teaching and the Collier Medal (2016). He is the co-author of over 100 scientific journal articles and holds over fifty issued U.S. patents on multimaterial fibers and devices.

Theme: Technical Textiles Innovations and Manufacturing Technology
Adrian Wilson
Writer

Adrian Wilson has been an analyst and editor specialising in textiles and nonwovens for the past 20 years. He works for a wide range of industry publications, in addition to writing multi-client reports and assisting companies and organisations with promotional work.

His recent published books include 'Automotive Textiles: From Motor City to Silicon Valley' (TMS, 2016) and 'Nonwoven Filter Media: Technologies and Global Markets' (BCC Research, 2016). He is currently the managing editor of Sustainable Nonwovens (MCL News & Media), Smart Textiles and Nanotechnology (International Newsletters) and Inside Composites (Inside Textiles Ltd).

Adrian is also the author of 'The ITMA Innovation Blog'.

Theme: Strategic Business Innovation through Automation & Digitalisation
Alice Kao
Vice President
Everest Textile Co., Ltd.

Alice Kao is the Vice President of Everest Co., Ltd, a research and development oriented and vertically integrated textile manufacturer which supplies high value-added and innovative products to global brands.

She is also the Deputy Secretary General of the Southern Taiwan Textile Research Alliance, as well as Member of Industrial Development Advisory Council of Taiwan Productivity 4.0 Initiative.

Alice holds a bachelor's degree from National Cheng Kung University, as well as an executive master's degree in Business Administration from National Cheng Chih University.

Theme: Technical Textiles Innovations and Manufacturing Technology
Chokri Cherif
Director
Institute of Textile Machinery (ITM), Technische Universität Dresden

Chokri Cherif is the Director of ITM, and Professor for textile technology at Technische Universität Dresden. Under his leadership, the ITM has received over 80 awards for excellent student theses, dissertations and scientific projects since 2005.

Chokri was President of the Association of Universities for Textiles (AUTEX) from 2010 to 2013. He has held various consultant positions for German and EU research foundations and companies. He received the German Future Prize for Technology and Innovation Award (2016) and Cross of Merit of the Tunisian Republic (2017).

In addition to holding over 230 national and international patents, Chokri has published more than 1,500 articles and have authored three books.

Theme: Technical Textiles Innovations and Manufacturing Technology
Colin Touhey
Member, Advanced Textiles Products Division Advisory Board
Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI)

Colin Touhey sits on IFAI's Advanced Textiles Products Division Advisory Board. He is also the CEO and founder of Pvilion, a solar technology development firm based in Brooklyn, NY.

Recently, Colin received the Forbes 30 Under 30 Award for energy. He has worked in wind and ocean current energy with NASA, THOR, amongst others. He is an adjunct professor at Columbia University and guest lecturer at Cornell University. He is also the founder of Foray, a medical devices engineering firm, and Cityseat, a consumer lifestyle brand.

Before founding Pvilion in 2011, Colin attended Phillips Andover and Trinity College, where he studied Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.

Innovative Raw Materials & Manufacturing Technology
Davy Goossens
Market and Product Development Manager
Beaulieu Fibres International NV

Davy Goossens is market and product development manager at Beaulieu Fibres International NV, part of the Engineered Products Business Unit of Beaulieu International Group. Davy has 15 years of experience in product development for polymer and metal fibre applications and is currently responsible for the product development of new staple fibers into different industrial market segments, e.g. geotextiles, automotive and floorcovering applications. These development projects are focused towards increased sustainability of the use of man-made fibers in industrial applications.

Davy holds a master's degree in Chemical Engineering from KU Leuven.

Theme: Strategic Business Innovation through Automation & Digitalisation
Dirk Torfs
CEO
Flanders Make vzw

Dirk Torfs is the CEO of Flanders Make vzw, a non-profit research and technology centre for the manufacturing industry. The 500 researcher-strong research centre bundles the expertise and capacity from the Flanders' Mechatronics Technology Centre and Flanders' Drive research centres, as well as several labs of five Flemish universities.

Prior to joining Flanders Make, Dirk built up industrial management experience managing ABB Benelux Discrete Automation division, an electromechanical total solution provider, and Imtech Belgium, a contractor for buildings and industrial automation sectors.

Dirk holds a Master's and PhD degree in Applied Engineering from KU Leuven and an Executive MBA from the Flanders Business School.

Theme: Sustainable Textile & Garment Manufacturing in the Circular Economy
John Mowbray
Founder and Director
MCL News & Media

John Mowbray is the owner and founder of MCL News & Media and the brains behind Ecotextile News, which he launched in 2006. His aim for MCL is to provide inspirational content that motivates key textile industry stakeholders to make a positive difference to their global supply chains.

Back in 2007, together with Marks & Spencer, John co-founded the RITE Group - a not-for-profit environmental organisation that has been merged into the University of Leeds. Since 2009, he has run the Planet Textiles summit on sustainability in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Copenhagen, Bangalore and Vancouver. The last few events were organised in partnership with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

John is an award-winning Environmental Biology graduate from The University of Manchester.

Theme: Sustainable Textile & Garment Manufacturing in the Circular Economy
Lisa Schwarz Bour
Researcher
Swerea IVF, The Swedish Research Institute

Lisa Schwarz Bour is a Textile Recycling Area Manager at Swerea IVF, part of RISE Research Institutes of Sweden. She focuses on developing the textile recycling area, and has initiated numerous projects on the industrial applications of recycled materials, classification and risk assessment of textiles for material recycling, as well as digital solutions based on RFID on transparency and traceability.

An advocate for H2020 and Horizon Europe, Lisa is active in the European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing, She is experienced in securing funding from the EU framework programmes and has led several European projects.

Lisa holds a Master's degree in chemical engineering.

Theme: Strategic Business Innovation through Automation & Digitalisation
Tansy Fall
Editor, Industry Digitalisation
World Textile Information Network (WTiN)

Tansy Fall is WTiN's Editor of IoTex magazine, which focuses on the digitalisation of the textile value chain, and Digital Textile magazine, which reports on the digital textile print sector.

Tansy also provides multimedia content for the magazines' online platforms, the Textile 4.0 channel, the Digital Textile channel, and the Effects channel hosted by wtin.com. In 2016, she was editor of the official ITMA Asia + CITME, IndoIntertex and India ITME newspapers.

She has presented at a number of global conferences, on topics including Industry 4.0, changing supply chains and business models, digital textile printing market and textile industry sustainability.

Tansy has been working in the textile and apparel sector since 2014. She has a master's degree in American Literature from the University of Leeds, UK.

Theme: Innovative Raw Materials & Manufacturing Technology
Yasushi Tamada
Vice Dean, Faculty of Textile Science and Technology
Shinshu University, Japan

Yasushi Tamada is the Vice Dean and Professor at the Faculty of Textile Science and Technology in Shinshu University. He completed his doctorate degree in polymer chemistry from Kyoto University.

Before joining Shinshu University in 2013, he was with the National Institute of Sericultural and Entomological Sciences in Tsukuba in 1997, and headed the silk materials research unit at the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences in 2000.

His main research topics are anticoagulant material and anti-HIV regent based on sulfated silk fibroin and sericin, fabrication technology of silk protein and their application in medical fields, and cartilage regeneration using silk fibroin sponge material. His latest research centres on silk fibroin materials as a cellular scaffold for tissue regeneration and wound repair.

He was awarded by the Japanese Society of Silk Science for his work in 2012.

Theme: Innovative Raw Materials & Manufacturing Technology
Xungai Wang
Pro Vice-Chancellor, Future Fibres
Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Australia

Xungai Wang is the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Future Fibres at Deakin University, Australia. He holds a PhD in Fibre Science and Technology and a Graduate Diploma in Higher Education from the University of New South Wales.

He has received numerous awards, including the US Fibre Society Distinguished Achievement Award (2005), Alfred Deakin Professor (2006), and the 'One Thousand Talents' fellowship from Wuhan Textile University, China (2010).

He served as President of the Fibre Society in 2015, and was the Chair of the Federation of Asian Professional Textile Associations (FAPTA) for two years.

An author of over 300 journal articles, Professor Wang is a member of the editorial advisory board of several key journals in the field, including Textile Research Journal and Journal of the Textile Institute.