Academically a fully qualified translator, Geert started back in 1994 as a trainer at Barco Graphics. After spending 4 years as a solution architect in Melbourne, Australia, Geert returned to Belgium in 2000 to start a long journey in product management including RIP’s & screening, color, workflow automation and Digital Front End (DFE). The last 11 years Geert was head of software product management at Esko. With the announcement of Esko’s S2 platform ahead of drupa 2024, Geert embarked on his current role to build out the S2 partner ecosystem platform across the packaging supply chain with a focus on partners in the field of sustainability which  - in turn - is directly connected to his other mission to provide Esko customers with competitive differentiator on sustainability.

Anna Perlina is an EU PPWR Consultant at Integrity Solutions, a European consultancy that helps companies develop and implement cost-effective, regulation-ready packaging strategies. With a strong corporate background in the FMCG sector and extensive experience as a senior procurement leader, Anna brings a unique blend of technical insight and business acumen. She works closely with companies to tackle complex challenges and identify opportunities for more sustainable packaging solutions that meet both regulatory requirements and business objectives.

Liz Morris is a director at Anthesis Group, leading the North America work in Packaging and EPR.  She brings almost 20 years of sustainable packaging expertise to clients, focusing on developing cost-effective, circular packaging that enhances brand and marketing strategies. Before joining Anthesis, she managed global brand and supply chain packaging at Tiffany & Co., overseeing everything from development to deployment.  As a packaging engineer, she has a varied career working in food packaging, waste and sanitation, strategic consulting, and luxury packaging. 

Katie King is a published Author and Speaker on AI. Voted a leading AI strategist and ‘Top 10 influencer in AI’ in 2024, Katie has a deep knowledge of packaging and labelling, pharmaceuticals and life sciences. Her second book was published in 2022: AI Strategy for Sales and Marketing: Connecting marketing, sales and customer experience. A new edition is being published in November 2025. Her first book was listed as a reference source by the World Economic Forum, as part of a Leadership AI toolkit for corporate boards. Katie is a member of the UK Government All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) task force for adoption of AI.  

Jan De Roeck, member of the Esko Corporate Marketing team, is highly respected and trusted for his insight in the graphic arts industry and his level of understanding of customer workflows and market requirements. He is a frequently asked speaker at industry events and represents Esko at different professional trade associations. 

Rakesh leads product strategy and innovation in packaging and artwork management, shaping solutions that transform the way brands operate. He brings expertise in Mid-Market Packaging Tech, workflow automation, digital asset management, and advanced proofing systems.

Arjita leads Growth and Marketing for WebCenter Go, (Esko’s Artwork Management System designed for high-growth brands). With a background in building a successful packaging design agency, she has partnered with both established enterprises and emerging brands to enhance their packaging and brand experiences using technology. 

Lani Sison is a Product Manager at Esko, working with WebCenter and S2 Drive to deliver solutions that simplify packaging creation, management, and approval—bridging customer needs with Esko's innovation to shape solutions that prepare packaging processes now and for the future. With more than a decade of experience in packaging software implementation, integration, and workflow automation, she brings a strong background in helping teams improve compliance, content accuracy, and speed-to-market.

Paul has over 20 years experience in the Packaging industry. He originally studied Graphic Design, but quickly caught the packaging prepress bug. He has been working in most facets of the industry including artwork, repro and color retouching. He has a passion for simplification and automation.

Ken has a BS degree in Chemistry and has worked in various industries until landing as a laboratory chemist at Eli Lilly. Besides the laboratory, Ken has worked in Lilly Quality Assurance, including supporting artwork development. He has spent the last 12 years in the Global Packaging organization. In this role he has focused on strategic initiatives and optimization, Global artwork processes, and responsibility for Lilly’s Global Artwork management system.  

Samantha has over five years of experience as an Artwork Manager within the Pharmaceutical industry, coordinating and managing pharmaceutical packaging artworks, whilst leading a team of Artworkers. Samantha continuously seeks opportunities to optimise and enhance business processes, through the design and governance of a tailored Artwork Management System, and cross-functional Continuous Improvement initiatives.  Samantha brings a strong track record of overseeing end-to-end artwork processes for new product Acquisitions, Technical Transfers, and a wide range of Regulatory updates. Working closely with Regualtory Affairs colleagues to ensure the compliant management of Packaging Labels and PILs, and Supply Chain colleagues to co-ordinate the strategic implementation of artwork updates into the finished product.

Jackie has 20 years of experience in labeling and artwork management solutions, from solution development, to consulting, and account management. Her focus is on identifying process improvement opportunities, sharing best practices, and recommending technology-based solutions to support getting products to market faster, increasing quality and reducing risk.

With 15 years of experience in the packaging industry, Agathe has worked across various sectors including cosmetics, spirits, and food, holding positions ranging from packaging engineering to broader operational project management. For the past five years, Agathe is leading the Private Label – Graphic Chain Team team within the Yoplait-Sodiaal group.

Gwen is a seasoned Head of Artwork Operations with over 20 years of experience in the Design-to-Print sector, gained through roles with both agencies and brand owners in the CPG industry. She has a proven track record of driving value creation, delivering double-digit cost savings, accelerating speed to market, and strengthening supply chain resilience through process improvements, capability building, efficient vendor management, and technology advancements. In her current role at Esko, Gwen partners with CPG customers to refine processes and internal workflows to maximize ROI on technology investments, while also helping define the right metrics to measure success effectively.

Jill Gundy has over 30 years of experience in the CPG industry and has worked across a diverse range of roles, enabling her to effectively orchestrate the multifaceted inputs to delivering products to global customers and consumers.  Beginning her career as a Mechanical Engineer in the manufacturing environment, she took opportunities to grow skills within the Quality function, Safety & Environment, SAP development/startup, Product Development, Project and Portfolio Management. Jill’s career motivation has been to solve problems for the organization, connecting the cross-functions throughout the E2E processes to collaborate, add meaning and breadth to pool of solutions, leading to robust improvements throughout the network.  Jill is currently the graphics process owner at SC Johnson where she leverages her technical background and passion for clarity to increase efficiencies/effectiveness for her worldwide company.   

Nathan has spent 10 years at Esko helping flexo trade shops and converters streamline workflows and adopt cutting-edge technologies to improve printed image reproduction. His expertise spans prepress, platemaking, and press optimization.

Marybeth Foss is an Enterprise Prepress Architect at Fortis Solutions Group, a leading provider of labels and packaging solutions.
With over 21 years of experience in the industry, her career began at Labels Unlimited in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Over time, she has developed extensive expertise across multiple printing technologies — digital, flexographic, and offset — supporting the production of labels, shrink sleeves, flexible packaging, folding cartons, and applicators.

Fortis Solutions Group currently operates 19 sites across the United States and Canada, continuing to expand its capabilities and innovation within the packaging sector.

David has over 10 years of experience with artwork management for life sciences, the last 7 of which focused on content. Prior to that, he spent 10 years in digital publishing focused on InDesign automation. His passion is listening to customers and finding simple solutions to complex problems.

Academically a fully qualified translator, Geert started back in 1994 as a trainer at Barco Graphics. After spending 4 years as a solution architect in Melbourne, Australia, Geert returned to Belgium in 2000 to start a long journey in product management including RIP’s & screening, color, workflow automation and Digital Front End (DFE). The last 11 years Geert was head of software product management at Esko. With the announcement of Esko’s S2 platform ahead of drupa 2024, Geert embarked on his current role to build out the S2 partner ecosystem platform across the packaging supply chain with a focus on partners in the field of sustainability which  - in turn - is directly connected to his other mission to provide Esko customers with competitive differentiator on sustainability.

Paul is a veteran product development and product marketing professional with over twenty years in the technology and consulting industries, with a longstanding focus on the food and beverage, restaurant, and retail verticals. He has worked with, and learned from, some of the largest and most dynamic brands in the industry, and is a passionate but pragmatic advocate for the power of technology to help businesses achieve the resiliency and scale necessary to thrive in a complex global marketplace.

Jan De Roeck, member of the Esko Corporate Marketing team, is highly respected and trusted for his insight in the graphic arts industry and his level of understanding of customer workflows and market requirements. He is a frequently asked speaker at industry events and represents Esko at different professional trade associations. 

Jason has spent more than two decades at Esko, most recently focused on Automation Engine and ArtPro+. His background gives him a broad view of how packaging workflows can be improved with the right tools and a few smart adjustments. At the virtual Esko World, Jason will highlight practical ways to streamline prepress work.

John Murphy, with a lifelong dedication to the print industry, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. His extensive experience in workflow, imposition, and integration has made him a sought-after authority in the field.

Marc is a distinguished global leader with over 30 years of experience working in the cybersecurity and privacy landscape.

As the Chief Digital Trust Officer at Esko, Marc ensures with his team to establish, maintain, and grow trust in Esko’s digital products, services, and operations. His mission is to embed trust into every digital interaction by ensuring that Esko’s technology, data practices, and digital strategies are secure, ethical, transparent, and resilient—thereby protecting users, customers, partners, and the Esko brand.

His passion for sharing his knowledge extends beyond Esko - Marc regularly delivers high-impact keynote presentations, moderates expert panels, and contributes to industry podcasts, books, and multiple online global CISO communities.

Marc's influence also reaches academia. He is a long-time visiting professor at prestigious institutions such as Antwerp Management School (AMS), Solvay Brussels School, Vlerick Business School and TIAS Tilburg, where he mentors the next generation of security leaders. His speaking engagements have captivated audiences of more than 17.000 executives and professionals across 23 countries, making him a sought-after voice in the global security arena.

Marc is an elected Fellow of the Hogeheuvelcollege at the University of Leuven in recognition of his contributions to the IT industry.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcvael/

https://www.esko.com/en/trust-center

Martin is the Esko Product Manager for Color & DFE. He has been in Esko for 12 years covering different roles. Prior to working at Esko he spent 7+ years at X-Rite deploying the color solutions. Martin has worked in the Print & Packaging world for over 30 years, with a passion for Color.

Jan De Roeck, member of the Esko Corporate Marketing team, is highly respected and trusted for his insight in the graphic arts industry and his level of understanding of customer workflows and market requirements. He is a frequently asked speaker at industry events and represents Esko at different professional trade associations. 

Dr Benjamin Punchard, Global Packaging Insights Director at Mintel, is a renowned expert in packaging innovation, sustainability, and consumer trends. Benjamin has a deep understanding of the European packaging landscape, including the impact of responsibility initiatives, shifting material preferences, and emerging technologies such as AI in design and production. A sought-after speaker and consultant, he provides strategic insights to brand owners, packaging managers, and industry professionals, helping them navigate the rapidly changing packaging sector. 

Jan De Roeck, member of the Esko Corporate Marketing team, is highly respected and trusted for his insight in the graphic arts industry and his level of understanding of customer workflows and market requirements. He is a frequently asked speaker at industry events and represents Esko at different professional trade associations. 

Academically a fully qualified translator, Geert started back in 1994 as a trainer at Barco Graphics. After spending 4 years as a solution architect in Melbourne, Australia, Geert returned to Belgium in 2000 to start a long journey in product management including RIP’s & screening, color, workflow automation and Digital Front End (DFE). The last 11 years Geert was head of software product management at Esko. With the announcement of Esko’s S2 platform ahead of drupa 2024, Geert embarked on his current role to build out the S2 partner ecosystem platform across the packaging supply chain with a focus on partners in the field of sustainability which  - in turn - is directly connected to his other mission to provide Esko customers with competitive differentiator on sustainability.

BEST FOR: ALL PACKAGING PROFESSIONALS

Srinivas joined Esko in April 2025 with more than two decades of experience across industries including retail, consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, and supply chain. Most recently, he served as Chief Strategy & Product Officer at SymphonyAI, where he led the product strategy for a modular AI-enabled industrial data operations platform powered by large language models (LLMs), copilots, and an Agentic-AI workflow engine. His work helped expand the serviceable market, increase adoption, and double SaaS revenue. He also supported strategic M&A evaluations and synergy analysis.

Before that, Srinivas was Chief Digital Officer for Carrier’s Global Security Business, where he led a major transformation of the software portfolio, business model, and revenue mix. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at Siemens Digital Industries, including Chief Solutions Officer and Head of Cloud Strategy & Product Management. He played a central role in launching Siemens’ PLM Cloud Platform (TeamcenterX) and in scaling Mendix into a low-code enterprise platform.

Srinivas holds a Master of Science in Computer Science & Combinatorics from Michigan Tech University and an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. He also teaches part-time at Oakland University and the University of Michigan.

As Principal Analyst, Labels & Packaging at Keypoint Intelligence, Marc Mascara has established a significant presence in the production print and packaging industry, with over 25 years of experience.

Throughout his career, he has played a pivotal role in the industry's transition from analog to digital, including managing the first CEPS to gravure digital engraving installation by Think Laboratories in the late 1980s, and product managing an advanced workstation for packaging professionals from Scitex Corporation. His dedication has been crucial in assisting converters and commercial printers in adapting to changing technologies and market demands, offering data-driven insights that facilitate strategic decision-making and drive business transformation.

Prior to joining Keypoint Intelligence, Marc was Manager of Professional Services at Canon Solutions America, where he supported high-speed inkjet customers with a team of advisors providing strategic go-to-market advice and implementing business growth initiatives. Over his tenure, Marc has held key management positions at Eastman Kodak, Electronics For Imaging, Creo, and Scitex, leading advancements in digital print workflows, product strategy, and go-to-market execution across various production print platforms.

He has been featured in industry publications and has spoken at major events and user organizations, such as PRINTING United, Labelexpo, Dscoop, thINK, and GUA, sharing insights on digital transformation, packaging innovation, and market trends in print technology.

Jan De Roeck, member of the Esko Corporate Marketing team, is highly respected and trusted for his insight in the graphic arts industry and his level of understanding of customer workflows and market requirements. He is a frequently asked speaker at industry events and represents Esko at different professional trade associations. 

Samantha Kennedy is a design and commercialization leader with over 15 years of industry experience. She specializes in defining traditionally gray spaces and merging design development with commercialization to transform concepts into marketable products.

Throughout her career, she has demonstrated an exceptional ability to blend creative vision with strategic logic, leading dynamic teams towards visually compelling and commercially successful design strategies. Samantha’s experience spans various sectors, and her innovative approach has consistently delivered outstanding results.

Outside of her professional career, Samantha is a dedicated athlete with over ten years of experience in competitive Olympic weightlifting. Her discipline and commitment in both fields exemplify her drive for excellence and continuous improvement.

Sylvie Hancisse is a Strategic Projects & Content Specialist based in Ghent, known for her creative leadership and cross-functional collaboration. At Esko, she drives global sales enablement through impactful content, including webinars, customer kick-off videos, and training modules.  Sylvie excels in translating complex ideas into clear, engaging media. She’s recognized for her ability to bring clarity and heart to every project. Guided by the belief that “being human is using our heart and discovering new things,” Sylvie continues to inspire teams and elevate customer experiences.

Into graphic arts and packaging since 2003, starting from Digital Printing to Packaging Artwork Management solutions.

After being a Solution Architect configuring Esko products from supply chain to brand customers, is now involved in presales activities in the Esko Brands Solution division.  

Susie has more than 25 years of experience in the design, prepress, printing, and packaging industries.

She’s also completely passionate about packaging – to the point that her family will no longer shop with her.

Thomas Klein joined Esko in 1993. Following the launch of the CDI Recorder at drupa 1995, he assumed responsibility for Flexo R&D. In 2014, he stepped into the leadership role for the Flexo business unit and in 2017 he became the company's CTO Hardware.

Rohit brings over 15 years of experience building scalable enterprise solutions for global brands, blending UX design, product strategy, and AI-driven innovation to create technology that works for people. As Head of Product at RegASK, he leads the design and delivery of AI-driven regulatory intelligence solutions that empower organizations to navigate complex compliance landscapes with confidence.

Academically trained in packaging software, Dries Vandenbussche began his career in 1998 as a demonstrator at Barco Graphics. This was followed by roles as a trainer and solution architect within Esko, where Dries transitioned into product management and assumed responsibility for the workflow offering known as Automation Engine.

After six years, Dries moved to Ideation, a newly established initiative focused on exploring emerging technologies and fostering synergies among operational companies within the Danaher and Veralto group. In 2024, Dries took on the role of Director, Global Partner Ecosystem Development, with responsibility for strategic partnerships worldwide. In this capacity, Dries concentrates on expanding the company’s offering to a broader customer base and accelerating time-to-market through optimized new solutions.

Jason has spent more than two decades at Esko, most recently focused on Automation Engine and ArtPro+. His background gives him a broad view of how packaging workflows can be improved with the right tools and a few smart adjustments. At the virtual Esko World, Jason will highlight practical ways to streamline prepress work.

Martin is the Esko Product Manager for Color & DFE. He has been in Esko for 12 years covering different roles. Prior to working at Esko he spent 7+ years at X-Rite deploying the color solutions. Martin has worked in the Print & Packaging world for over 30 years, with a passion for Color.

Based out of India, Balaji leads the global product strategy for Esko’s Graphic Editing portfolio, which includes ArtPro+, DeskPack, and PDF+ innovation. He works closely with converters, brand owners, and internal R&D to drive the transition from legacy editors to smart, future-ready workflows built on Native PDF. His focus is on solving real-world packaging challenges through scalable, standardized solutions.