11th Life Science Symposium 2026

Maro Bader is an expert in digital transformation in healthcare at Roche and Chairman of the Board of sphin-X e.V. In this role, he represents Roche in the political and legislative process relating to digital health and, together with partners from academia, industry and the healthcare sector, is driving forward the development of a connected, interoperable health data ecosystem in Germany and Europe. Through the sphin-X project, he is shaping a cross-sector and cross-industry infrastructure for secure, patient-centered data use in the service of research and innovation.

Birgit Bauer is an expert in digital health, health data, and citizen engagement. She is founder and CEO of the European Digital Health Academy gGmbH and leads Data Saves Lives Germany, focusing on health data literacy, trust, and public engagement. 

Living with multiple sclerosis for over 20 years, she combines personal experience with active involvement in European and international health policy. Her work centers on health data, communication, societal acceptance of innovation, and patient engagement. Birgit is a frequent speaker, Sciana Fellow, and member of the OECD DFFT Expert Community.

Dr. Rafik Fellague-Chebra, MD, MSc, is an oncology leader with over 20 years of experience in clinical practice, research, and pharmaceutical development. Trained in medicine and biostatistics, he focuses on translating science into therapies that reach patients. As Executive Global Group Medical Director at Novartis Oncology, he leads initiatives in hematological and gastrointestinal cancers. Previously, he drove the launch of Sutent at Pfizer and built cancer vaccine programs at GSK. His current research explores the link between cancer biology and the human microbiome, aiming to overcome treatment resistance. At the symposium, he speaks on “From Computation to Care: Where AI Creates Clinical Impact.”

Anna Graf leads innovation and venture initiatives at Arvato Systems (Bertelsmann), working at the intersection of AI, technology, and governance. Her current focus is Execution Governance - a runtime control layer that enforces policy between AI inference and execution, making autonomous AI systems auditable and compliant, which is essential in regulated fields such as life sciences and healthcare. An ecosystem builder and former founder, she connects industry, technology, and investment around one central question for clinical AI: how can autonomous systems act without organizations losing control?

Thomas Halfmann is a senior executive, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker with more than 25 years of experience in digital transformation, manufacturing IT, and automation within the life sciences industry. He advises pharmaceutical and biotech companies on Smart Factory strategies, manufacturing excellence, and operational innovation. As author of the Pharma Factory of the Future blog on LinkedIn, he shares insights into emerging trends shaping biopharmaceutical manufacturing. A recognized thought leader in Smart Manufacturing, AI in pharma, and paperless operations, Thomas helps organizations build data-driven, future-ready manufacturing ecosystems.

Alexander Heinrich leads that QuantumBW-Office, the Baden-Württemberg Allianz for Quantum Technology, and serves as as their Primary Contact. QuantumBW bundles scientific and industrial Expertise, around that Quantum-Ecosystem to strengths and the Introduction by Quantum Technologies to accelerate.

Alexander is passionately committed to fostering connections between science, industry, and society and has extensive experience in the areas of research coordination, technology transfer, talent development, and science communication. He co-founded the Young German Physical Society, served on the board of the German Physical Society, and is a member of the board of trustees of the World of Physics, where he helps make physics research accessible to the public.

Dr. Martha Klare is a Senior IT Consultant and expert in digital sovereignty at Arvato Systems. Previously, she held various roles at BWI GmbH, including Product Owner, IT Consultant and Associate Consultant. Her areas of expertise lie in IT strategy, digital transformation and sovereign IT solutions. Alongside her professional career, she completed her PhD at UniBw Munich in the field of business informatics, focusing on digital sovereignty. She gained international experience during a semester abroad at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo. Her dual role at Arvato Systems and UniBw Munich combines both practical and academic perspectives. 

Thomas Landolt is the CEO of QuantumBasel, a company that carries out projects at the interface between artificial intelligence and the still-emerging discipline of quantum computing, serving clients across various sectors. Using tools from quantum computing, we aim to improve the performance of AI-based solutions! Before joining QuantumBasel, he spent around 25 years at IBM in various roles in Switzerland, Germany, and Japan, and also headed up IBM Switzerland for a time. Thomas Landolt holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from ETH Zurich and is an INSEAD alumnus.

Dr. Manasi Aichmüller‑Ratnaparkhe is CEO and Co‑Founder of PAICON, leading the company’s mission to make disease diagnostics more equitable, inclusive, and globally relevant. With a PhD in Cancer Genetics from Heidelberg University and MBA Essentials from the London School of Economics, she combines scientific expertise with strategic leadership. She drives international collaborations that connect representative data with advanced AI to improve healthcare outcomes. Through the Remaining84 initiative and her book, she raises awareness of the fact that 84% of the world’s population is underrepresented in medical datasets and advocates for data equity as a key foundation for better, more inclusive healthcare.

Stefan Münch is Vice President Global Operations, responsible for professional services of Körber Pharma Consulting (incl. validation and qualification). He studied computer science and has more than 25 years of experience in SW development (MES) and as a consultant for the pharmaceutical industry, supporting organizations in their digital transformation. 

In addition, Mr. Münch is a speaker, moderator, instructor, and author for topics like CSV, CSA, AI/ML, Pharma 4.0™, digitalization, QRM, SW development, cloud computing, and data integrity. He is a member of ISPE and chair of ISPE & VDI/VDE GAMP D-A-CH.

Dennis Riesenberg has more than 15 years of experience in the digitalisation, operation and development of business-critical enterprise systems. At Arvato Systems, he focuses on Generative AI, Agentic AI and AI Governance, helping organisations integrate AI into their business processes in a secure, scalable and responsible way. With extensive international project and communication experience, he bridges technical and cultural perspectives. His current focus is Execution Governance, an approach for the controlled, auditable and responsible management of autonomous AI systems between decision-making and real-world execution.

Andreea Stanescu is Founder of Originate LAB and a transformation expert with over 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical and medical device companies. She began her career in consulting and M&A before specializing in operational transformation. Certified in Strategic Foresight and Change Management, she helps organizations align compliance with innovation, design adaptive operating models, and simplify processes. Known for her human-centric approach, she builds collaborative ecosystems and guides leaders through AI adoption to create resilient, future-ready organizations in dynamic life sciences markets.

Prof. Dr. med. Sylvia Thun is a university professor of Digital Medicine and Interoperability at the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité. As a qualified doctor and graduate engineer, she combines medical practice, biomedical engineering and health IT. She has headed the E-Health and Interoperability division at the BIH since 2018; she has held a tenured W3 professorship there since 2021. Prior to this, she was Professor of Information and Communication Technology in Healthcare at the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences. Her work focuses on digital medicine, electronic health records, research data infrastructures, and national and international IT standards. She is involved in numerous expert committees and projects, including the Digitalradar Hospital and the Interop Council of the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), as well as the Scientific Advisory Board of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). In 2022, she was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon.

Head of Market Strategy and Thought Leadership, Life Sciences Business Segment at Siemens