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Meet The Speakers

William M. Burns
Chair AMR Action Fund & Molecular Partner, former CEO Roche
William M. Burns is Chairman of the Board at Vestergaard and a seasoned life sciences leader with over 40 years of industry experience. Formerly CEO of Roche Pharmaceuticals (2001–2009), he played a key role in the privatization of Genentech, the integration of Boehringer Mannheim, and Roche’s strategic expansion in Japan through Chugai. He has since held board positions at Roche, Genentech, Shire, and the Wellcome Trust, among others. Currently, he also serves as Chairman of Molecular Partners, Vice Chairman of Mesoblast, and advisor to Novo Holdings and HealthCare Royalty Partners. Based in Basel, Bill holds a degree in economics from the University of Strathclyde.

Terrence Keeley
Chairman Impact Evaluation Lab, former Managing director BlackRock
Terrence Keeley is Chairman of Impact Evaluation Lab Previously, he served as Managing Director and Head of the Official Institutions Group at BlackRock. Author of SUSTAINABLE: Moving Beyond ESG to Impact Investing by Columbia University Press, 2023. Over his four decade career in finance, Terrence Keeley has advised the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, public pension plans, endowments, foundations and family offices, creating more optimal portfolios and facilitating trillions of dollars of asset reallocations. In 2010, he was appointed a senior advisor to the Vatican Financial Reform Commission established by Pope Francis. A respected thought leader, he holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame and Oxford.

Peter Vogel
​IMD Lausanne, Professor Family Business & Entrepreneurship
Peter Vogel is Professor of Family Business and Entrepreneurship and holder of the Debiopharm Chair for Family Philanthropy at IMD Business School in Lausanne. He is also the Director of IMD Global Family Business Center. In his research, teaching and advisory work, Peter works with families, owners, board members and executive teams of family enterprises and family offices globally. The focus of his work is around governance, change management, strategy and organizational renewal, succession planning and management, board and leadership development and last but not least how to foster entrepreneurialism. Peter has published several award-winning books and books chapters, articles in in peer-reviewed academic journals as well as scientific and practitioner-oriented reports. Peter is the founder and non-executive Chairman of the Delta Venture Partners AG and is an Associate Partner of the Cambridge Family Enterprise Group.

Odile Rundquist
Partner at Bioqube Ventures
Odile Rundquist is a Partner at Bioqube Ventures, a biotech venture capital firm, based in Belgium, with office and presence in the US and Switzerland. Odile holds a PhD in Biochemistry and began her career as a sell-side pharmaceutical analyst, spending over a decade covering major European pharmaceutical companies at various banks and financial institutions in Switzerland and Germany. She later served as scientific advisor to the family office of André Hoffmann—Vice Chairman of Roche and representative of the Roche founding family—for seven years. She has held several board positions, including at Amazentis, the parent company of Timeline, which offers science-based solutions for healthy aging and longevity. She also serves on the Evaluation Board of the Wyss Zurich Translational Center and acts as a healthcare advisor to the venture debt fund Bootstrap Europe, and is a member of the Venture Kick Jury.

Henk de Jong
Co-founder The Value AI-Institute
Henk de Jong is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and advisor, and Co-Founder of the Value AI Institute. With decades of experience across ICT, mobility, telecom and semiconductors, he has co-founded multiple ventures and advised global companies and VC firms. Henk has a track record of driving growth, developing international tech standards, and leading innovation in high-data-intensity industries. He currently serves on the boards of several global companies and advises family offices across Europe and the U.S. Committed to transformative impact, Henk champions AI-driven solutions that create real-world value across sectors.
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Pumela Salela
​CEO Invest Global
Pumela Salela is a globally recognized investment strategist and CEO of Invest Global, where she drives capital into high-growth sectors across Africa by connecting global investors with scalable, impact-driven ventures. With previous roles at the World Bank and the Rockefeller Foundation, she helped shape policy on economic development and pioneered Africa’s early impact investing models. Today, Pumela advises family offices, venture capital, and institutional investors seeking high-yield opportunities aligned with ESG principles. Known for her strategic insight and global perspective, she is a trusted advisor and speaker at leading investment forums worldwide.
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Chandresh Harjivan
Former Special Assistant to the President, Domestic Preparedness and Response to Biological Threats
With more than 25 years of experience spanning public health, government, and the biopharmaceutical industry, Mr. Harjivan has worked with nearly every major pharmaceutical company, U.S. health agency, and global health organization to accelerate the development and deployment of lifesaving vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. He was a key architect of Operation Warp Speed, the historic federal initiative to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution.
In latest position, Chandresh Harjivan was a Special Assistant to the President in the White House, where he led efforts to strengthen the nation’s readiness for biological threats through strategic policy coordination, interagency collaboration, and public–private partnerships.
Prior, he was co-founder of SaponiQx, a next-generation vaccine adjuvant company valued at $250 million. Previously Chan was a Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group where he founded and led the Public Sector Health Practice; and prior to that, a Partner at PwC where he founded and led the Global Health Practice.
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Dr. Sanja Tomovska
CEO Quant Biomarkers AG & VC Partner
Co-Organizer and speaker
Dr. Sanja Baumann-Tomovska is the Founder & CEO of a precision diagnostics company and Venture Partner at Torrey Pines Investments, a U.S.-based evergreen fund. She brings deep leadership experience from Novartis, Roche, and Abbott, where she led major M&A efforts, rare disease strategies, and expanded access to innovative medicines across Asia.
She co-founded Quant Biomarkers, a Swiss startup focused on early detection and healthspan innovation. Sanja holds a PhD in molecular oncology and business education from INSEAD. She serves as Country Chair Switzerland for the Virtual Advisory Board and is a board member at Humansa, a health clinic network in Hong Kong.
A recognized science advocate and global speaker, Sanja is passionate about building ventures at the intersection of biotech and technology. She frequently contributes to leading forums, including the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit, and the Asia Summit on Global Health.

Luca Santarelli
Founder, CEO and Chairman of Windward Bio
Dr. Luca Santarelli is the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Windward Bio. He has more than 25 years of experience in academic and industrial R&D, having led drug programs in the areas of neuroscience, rare diseases, ophthalmology, metabolic and GI diseases, spanning the value chain from discovery research to commercialization. Dr. Santarelli is also the Chair of the Board of Directors of Alentis Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company focused on cancer and fibrosis, and a member of the Board of Directors of Cimeio, an immunotherapy company.

Caroline Siri
​CEO of Nescens Switzerland
Caroline is the CEO of Nescens Switzerland, a company dedicated topreventive health, evidence-based longevity programs, and advanced cosmeceutical skincare. By combining medical expertise, cutting-edge therapies and high-performance formulations, Nescens helps individuals take a proactive, science-driven approach to aging well. Caroline holds a Master’s in Health Administration from the George Washington University School of Public Health and a BSc in Finance from Cass Business School in London. She began her career in Paris with the Alain Ducasse Group, where she led the
development and operational management of a portfolio of restaurants across Asia and the Middle East. She later moved into healthcare, working with CRISP, a major health information exchange on the US East Coast, to improve the interoperability of clinical systems. She then joined ChenMed in the US, a pioneer in primary care for underserved communities, where she contributed to the expansion of services and the design of
more accessible care models. Caroline is passionate about bridging medicine, hospitality and innovation to create
meaningful health experiences. Her work focuses on translating scientific insight into real-world solutions that elevate both personal wellbeing and long-term health
outcomes.
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Mónica Bello
​Curator Quantum Visions, former Curator and Head of Arts at CERN
Mónica is an art historian and curator based in Geneva and Barcelona. Until March 2025, she served as Head of Arts at CERN, where she led artist residencies, art commissions, and exhibitions, supporting numerous artists and fostering collaborations between creators and scientists. Under her tenure, the Arts at CERN team receive the 2024 STARTS Grand Prize for Collaborative Innovation. Some notable curatorial projects include Quantum Visions (2025), the Icelandic Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (2022), Dark Matters (2023), Broken Symmetries (2018–2021), and HALO for the Audemars Piguet Art Commission in Art Basel (2018). She has developed unique global expertise at the intersection of art, science, and technology, fostering innovative collaborations across disciplines.

Danil Kerimi
Board member SEALSQ, Advisor United Nations - Innovative Finance for Global AI Capacity development
Danil Kerimi is a technology and public policy executive with global experience in digital transformation, corporate strategy, and emerging tech across developed and frontier markets. He currently serves on the boards of WIPO, World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization, SealSQ (Nasdaq: LAES), and the Council of the Great Lakes Region. Danil has held roles at Amazon Web Services, the World Economic Forum, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. A graduate of Shandong University and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, he is completing his doctorate at the Technical University of Munich and the Bavarian School of Governance.

Valeria Alejandra Megas Paez
Regional Manager for the UCEA Family Office Group
Valeria is the Regional Manager for the UCEA Family Office Group in Zurich and Managing Director of Cefeida Sàrl, a European holding company focused on real estate investments and private business consulting. With a background in policy and economics, she is committed to developing mechanisms that enable both private and public sectors to thrive—grounded in human rights and the pursuit of improved living standards. Valeria has been recognized with awards in Spanish Literature, Sports Leadership, Community Service, and International Relations.

Roberto Iacone
CEO Alentis Therapeutics
Roberto Iacone is a physician-scientist and serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in the life sciences industry. He is CEO of Alentis and formerly served as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Versant Ventures, where he co-founded Bright Peak Therapeutics and Ridgeline Therapeutics. He was part of the founding team at Black Diamond Therapeutics, guiding it through multiple funding rounds and a successful NASDAQ IPO. Earlier, Roberto spent over a decade at Roche, most recently as Global Head of Rare Diseases Research. He holds an M.D. from the University of Napoli and a PhD from the Max Planck Research School.

Allan Gobbs
​Co-founder, Managing Partner ATEM Capital
Allan Gobbs is a venture capitalist and deeptech entrepreneur, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at ATEM Capital, a life sciences VC firm in New York. He previously led a $760M partnership with Domain Associates, making 11 high-profile investments—five IPOs including Atea Pharmaceuticals (30x return), and multiple acquisitions such as Tobira Therapeutics (sold to Allergan at 19x premium). A former VP at Barclays Capital and Dresdner Kleinwort, Allan has advised on over $20B in transactions. He also founded GATELEAD, an innovation and leadership school for life sciences. Allan serves on multiple boards and is a member of the Forbes Business Council and the NIH’s National Cancer Institute Review Committee.

Patcharin Gruenert
Director and founder Innosonni
Internationally experienced in architecture, narrative design, and business strategy, Patcharin specializes in transforming bold ideas into multidisciplinary, sustainable solutions. With over a decade of experience, she bridges public–private sector initiatives, connects policy with innovation, and aligns creative vision with strategic execution. As a former government officer, academic, and business leader, she has led cross-sector collaborations across Southeast Asia and Europe: mobilizing networks, advancing inclusive growth, and crafting narratives that spark action, attract investment, and elevate local initiatives onto the global stage through collaboration.
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Patrick Griss
CEO Zuehlke Ventures
Patrick has been at the forefront of innovation for some 25 years. He's a DeepTech veteran, investor and operator. His learnings from both successes and failures help bridge the gaps between technology, product and commercial success.
Patrick is CEO of Zühlke Ventures and Partner of the Zühlke Group. Patrick Griss is CEO of Zühlke Ventures, was with Roche Diagnostics, holds a PhD from Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, and an MSc from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland. He has been at the forefront of deep tech innovation for 25 years – as investor, in corporate roles, as founder, board member, engineer, or advisor to leadership teams. Patrick has written the DeepTech Playbook that helps entrepreneurs to identify issues and gives guidance on how to solve them and to progress.

Kevin Varend
Founder and Managing Director of J3D.AI
Kevin is the Founder and Managing Director of J3D.AI, a strategy and intelligence group operating at the intersection of AI, international collaboration, and deep tech. His work spans organizing Europe–Asia government and business delegations, producing flagship events like the Deep Tech Castle Summit, and delivering AI-driven market insights for institutions such as Deloitte, Allianz, and SDIC. A speaker and contributor to platforms including Horasis, the House of Lords, and Voice of Seoul, Kevin also serves as the Founding Curator of Global Shapers Estonia. He holds academic credentials in leadership development and psychometrics and is a certified mindfulness teacher trained at UC Berkeley.

Zipo Lai
​Head of Family Office, Europe, InvestHK Brussels
Head of Family Office, Europe, InvestHK Brussels
Zipo is Head of Family Office, Europe of InvestHKbased in Brussels. As a member of the Global Family Office Team, she closely cooperates with overseas InvestHK Teams in 36 global offices in Europe, Americas, Middle East and Asia to organize a series of promotional activities with an aim to:
a. explain the advantages of having a presence in Asia via Hong Kong to European families and European family offices;
b. provide a one-stop platform with exclusive and bespoke services to European family investors in order to facilitate the setting up of (the extensions of) their Family Offices in the city; and
c. facilitate discussions between European family investors and Asian family investors as well as regulators and key industry practitioners based in Hong Kong.
Prior to joining InvestHK, Zipo was a practisinglegal adviser who assisted multi-generational families in their sucession planning and tax planning matters. Zipo also assisted family clients in setting up their family trusts and other legal structures as a wealth planner in leading private banks.

Petr Sramek
​Managing Partner at VC LongevityTech.fund, CEO of HealthyLongevity.clinic
Petr is a serial entrepreneur and thought leader in longevity, AI, and health innovation with over 30 years of experience. He is the founder of Longevitytech.fund and CEO of both HealthyLongevity.clinic and HealthyLongevity.cafe. At Whytics, he focuses on brain-inspired AI and next-generation machine learning. A former Entrepreneur in Residence at Singularity University, Petr sits on the boards of multiple biotech companies and advises startups through the Foresight Institute and Longevity Biotech. Known for his ability to demystify complex science, he is a frequent speaker and media contributor. Petr was recognized among 28 global AI leaders by WIPO alongside figures such as Andrew Ng and Kai-Fu Lee.

Susanne K. Schorsch
Partner Amadeus Capital Partners
Susanne K. Schorsch is a Partner at Amadeus Capital Partners, leading the firm’s pan-European Venture Growth Deep Tech strategy. An active VC and angel investor since 2014, she has led over 20 investments in deeptech, including health and biotech, with a track record of two IPOs and three exits. Formerly a Partner at Verve Ventures, Susanne also brings 15 years of international leadership experience from BASF, where she led global business units and drove strategy and innovation. She holds degrees in Industrial Engineering from KIT and is an alumna of Wharton and UC Berkeley Haas.

Francesco Perticarari
​General Partner Silicon Roundabout Ventures
Francesco Perticarari is a computer scientist turned deeptech investor and the Founder of Silicon Roundabout Ventures, a UK-based solo GP fund backing pre-seed deeptech startups across Europe. Previously the creator of Europe’s largest deeptech meetup (15,000+ members), he has angel-invested in companies now generating £40M+ in revenue and working on national security contracts. Backed by Molten Ventures, Multiple Capital, and founders from Nasdaq-listed and unicorn companies, Francesco is building a community-driven, pan-European VC platform led by technical experts. He is a keynote speaker and guest lecturer at major tech and VC events across Europe.

Xinya Guo
Founder & CIO Bridge Quantamental Capital Management
Xinya Guo is an emerging fund manager, founder and CIO of Bridge Quantamental Capital Management. The firm’s mission is to consistently generate superior alpha by bridging the gap between fundamental and quantitative investing and leverage the best practices from both worlds. Whilst the firm’s primary focus is on opportunities within secondary market, Xinya has ventured into early-stage startup investing within biotech/biopharma. She worked as a multi-asset trader at GIC (Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund) and HSBC prior to setting up her own investment company.

Patrick Burgermeister
​GP RegenEra VC
Patrick Burgermeister is a life science investor with a background in molecular biology and business administration. He is General Partner at RegenEra VC, a fund focused on breakthroughs in ageing biology and AI-driven biotech innovation. Patrick previously held partner roles at Kizoo and BioMedPartners, and brings experience from the pharma and finance sectors, including senior roles at Novartis and as a biotech analyst in banking. He has led business development at companies like Apeiron Biologics and BioVersys, and currently serves on several biotech boards, supporting early-stage ventures through strategic partnerships and licensing.
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Angel Versetti
Serial entrepreneur, Family Office Versetti & Co.
Angel Versetti is the CIO of Versetti Family Office and Founder of DOGE.ORG, the original Dogecoin community. A serial entrepreneur and investor, he previously co-founded and exited PrivateAI, Ambrosus, GintonicAI, and Smart Security Systems. His family office specializes in cryptocurrency turnarounds and is an institutional investor in Solana, Syscoin, and Sonic. Earlier in his career, Angel worked at the United Nations across several programs and holds degrees from Oxford, Cambridge, and Sciences Po. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, he is also recognized for his contributions to longevity research and sustainable innovation.

Zee West
CIO Picnic Bank
Zoe is a serial entrepreneur and creative strategist with experience across Fintech, Healthtech, Defi, and IoT Security. From launching London innovation hubs to co-founding Fundsurfer (raising £30M), she’s led startups, built global partnerships, and consulted for brands like eToro, Empact, and Appnovation. Formerly in law and investor relations, she’s also organized thought leadership events for Parliament, BCG, and London Metaverse Week. A Techstars Covid Hackathon UK winner, Zoe recently launched Picnic Bank and is now developing OneDoor Wellness.

Ankit Anand
​Founding partner Riceberg Ventures
Ankit brings cross-domain experience as an early-stage deep-tech investor, physicist, and entrepreneur. He has worked across MedTech, EdTech, research, film, and education—scaling Sleepiz globally and contributing to Embibe’s $180M exit. With a background in physics from ETH Zürich, Ankit was part of the Nobel Prize-winning VIRGO project. He has also taught top-ranking students for India's competitive exams and earned international recognition for his filmmaking. Ankit is passionate about innovation, problem-solving, and supporting founders building impactful ventures across industries.

Lino Gandola
​Founding Partner Riceberg Ventures
Lino Gandola is the Founding Partner of Riceberg Ventures, a venture capital firm. He has a background in venture capital, having previously worked at seed + speed Ventures. Lino holds a degree from the University of St. Gallen (HSG). At Riceberg Ventures, he focuses on investing in early-stage deeptech startups globally and is interested in spacetech and lifesciences innovations.
This event would not be possible without these amazing people

Co-organizer Startup experience Lead
Ella Dehghani
Ella is a healthcare strategist and startup mentor specializing in market analysis, fundraising strategy, and innovation leadership. She advises early-stage ventures - particularly in women’s health and female-founded startups - on business planning, operational growth, and investor engagement. Ella supports founders in building strong foundations for scalable success and connecting with strategic investors. Beyond startups, she collaborates with healthcare and innovation-driven organizations to design fundraising initiatives, strengthen senior stakeholder relationships, and drive sustainable growth across sectors.

Co-organizer Guest experience Lead
Lídia Bonet
Lídia is a seasoned HR and people experience leader with 18+ years at the intersection of engineering and human capital. She designs impactful people strategies across cultures and functions—blending systems thinking, agile methodologies, and innovation to enable growth and transformation. Her expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, executive coaching, and global HR leadership in complex, matrixed environments. She has led diverse teams and initiatives with a strong focus on collaboration, engagement, and sustainable impact. Lídia holds an MSc in Engineering, is a certified ScrumMaster® and Product Owner®, and trained in ORSC™ and Co-Active Coaching. She also spent two years as a Research Assistant at the Family-Owned Business Chair of IESE Business School. As Guest Experience and Engagement Lead at the Basel Investor Forum, she ensures every interaction—during and after the event—drives value, connection, and meaningful exchange.

Co-organizer Operations Lead
Kaden Scoles
Kaden is an Operational Change Management Lead at Roche, where he also plays a key role in the GeNext community by leading initiatives that strengthen cross-functional collaboration and internal knowledge sharing. With a strong commitment to developing future leaders, he launched the 'Collaborative Networking Series'—a platform designed to foster meaningful connections and diverse perspectives across the Swiss professional landscape. Originally from the U.S. and now deeply rooted in Basel, Kaden also serves on the boards of Uni.Basel Basketball and the Swiss Young Network, combining his passions for leadership, coaching, and cross-industry collaboration.

Co-organizer and speaker
Sanja Tomovska
Dr. Sanja Baumann-Tomovska is the Founder & CEO of a precision diagnostics company and Venture Partner at Torrey Pines Investments, a U.S.-based evergreen fund. She brings deep leadership experience from Novartis, Roche, and Abbott, where she led major M&A efforts, rare disease strategies, and expanded access to innovative medicines across Asia.
She co-founded Quant Biomarkers, a Swiss startup focused on early detection and healthspan innovation. Sanja holds a PhD in molecular oncology and business education from INSEAD. She serves as Country Chair Switzerland for the Virtual Advisory Board and is a board member at Humansa, a health clinic network in Hong Kong.
A recognized science advocate and global speaker, Sanja is passionate about building ventures at the intersection of biotech and technology. She frequently contributes to leading forums, including the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit, and the Asia Summit on Global Health.

Network relationship manager
Tanaya Batabyal
Tanaya is a neuroscientist-turned-investor relations and business development professional, currently working with Ankur Capital and Leverage Experts AG. She specializes in stakeholder engagement, ecosystem building, and cross-border fundraising across Europe, Middle East, India, and the USA. Tanaya has led fundraising efforts that secured capital within tenure, driven by her innate ability to foster high-trust relationships with LPs, GPs, family offices, and HNWIs. Her experience spans both institutional and boutique venture firms, medtech and neurotech startups, and early-stage deeptech ecosystems. With a background in medical physiology and a PhD in cognitive neuroscience, she brings a nuanced understanding of deeptech, medtech, and neurotech sectors.
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Founder & Managing Partner
Alain Bindels
​Alain is a health tech venture builder and digital transformation leader with over 16 years of experience across pharma, healthcare technology, and venture capital. As a Partner at Clarma Capital and founder of InnoSense, he advises startups and corporates on scaling digital health solutions, securing investment, and driving innovation. He previously led global digital initiatives at Roche and has mentored over 100 startups in AI, medtech, and precision medicine. Alain supports product-market fit, fundraising, venture building, and intrapreneurship programs, and regularly contributes as a speaker and mentor in the global health tech ecosystem.