Speakers

Julia Aquilina - Senior Policy Executive at the Malta Chamber

Julia works closely with business leaders, industry experts, and public authorities to shape dialogue on some of Malta's most pressing economic and sectoral challenges. Her work spans a wide range of areas, including healthcare, tourism, logistics, maritime affairs, retail, and public procurement.

Aderemi Baderwina - Waste and Environmental Management Professional

Aderemi has extensive experience across waste and environmental management, business administration, finance and project coordination. He has expertise in mentoring, training and marketing. His professional journey spans Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, the UK, Germany and Malta, equipping him with strong international insight and adaptability. Aderemia was the waste manager for Regjun Tramuntana( Northern region) and a lecturer at MCAST.

The Hon Dr Ian Borg - Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Health

At just 19, Ian was elected Mayor of Dingli in 2005, one of Malta’s youngest mayors, serving until 2013 when he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds and (Malta's) 2017 EU Presidency. Later, as Minister for Transport, Infrastructure, and Capital Projects, he spearheaded major projects like the Kappara, Marsa Junction and the Central Link projects and led the development of significant green spaces, including Ta’ Qali National Park and the Bengħajsa National Park and launched Malta’s first Metro Plan aimed at transforming public transportation. Between 2022 and June 2026, he served as Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, later assuming responsibility for Tourism including during Malta’s Presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2023 and 2024, as well as during Malta’s 2024 Chairpersonship of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). He also chaired Malta’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2025, further consolidating Malta’s role on the international stage. In 2024, Tourism was added to his portfolio. He served as Deputy Prime Minister since September 2024. In June 2026, he was appointed Minister for Health, assuming responsibility for overseeing Malta’s healthcare system, strengthening public health services, and advancing the Government’s vision for accessible, high-quality healthcare for all. In 2013 he had been recognised on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list (2013) and in 2019 on the European Voice’s Top 40 Under 40.

Maria Giulia Borg - Economist, 'Going beyond GDP'

Maria Giulia is an economist and research support officer within PROMISE, the poverty research cluster at the University of Malta. She holds a Bachelor of Honours in Economics from UoM and an MSc in International Development Studies from the University of Amsterdam and is currently pursuing a PhD at the UoM. She has worked in the consultancy field for more than 8 years, specialising in economics, sustainability and ESG. She has dedicated the last 3 years to research in the Social Wellbeing field. Her passion is to work at the intersection of economics, wellbeing and social justice, seeing her involved in different projects including research looking at ' Going Beyond GDP', amongst others. She is also a guest lecturer at the University of Malta, Knights College and Idea Academy.

Kenneth Briffa - Chair of the Healthcare Executive Commitee of the Malta Chamber

Kenneth is a pharmacist and healthcare market access professional with over 25 years’ experience in the Maltese pharmaceutical sector. As Team Manager at Pfizer in Malta and Chair of the Healthcare Committee within The Malta Chamber, he works closely with policymakers, healthcare professionals, patient organisations, and industry stakeholders to improve access to innovative medicines and strengthen healthcare policy. Kenneth has extensive experience in reimbursement, public procurement, formulary inclusion and stakeholder engagement, and is a regular contributor to discussions on healthcare sustainability, innovation, and patient access in Malta.

Sina Bugeja - Member on the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR )Advocacy Committee

Sina is a retired public officer who started her career in the Nursing profession. She also trained in Social Work, Mediation and Project Management. She read for a Master of Science in Health Promotion and Health Education at the College of Medicine, University of Wales. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, UK. Besides contributing to the academia, as lecturer and later as senior lecturer, she held headship positions in the Public Service / Sector since 1998. She has represented Malta on several European and International fora in various fields related to both health and social welfare. Currently, she sits on the EULAR (European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology) Advocacy Committee where patient advocacy is central to its focus. She joined this committee after having been actively involved for a number of years with the same organisation on its PARE Committee. She also sits on the board of several local NGOs and is currently the Chairperson of the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation.

Dr Gertrude A. Buttigieg - Patient Advocate

Gertrude is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist. She holds a master’s degree in health management from the University of Malta, as well as a second Master’s in International Patient Advocacy Management from the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome. Currently, she works full-time at the Office of the Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Mental Disorders. In addition to her professional role, she volunteers as Chairperson of the Malta Health Network (MHN), an umbrella organization representing over 40 health-related entities. Dr. Buttigieg has spoken at numerous conferences both in Malta and internationally. She has served on the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector since 2013 and has been Chairperson since March 2023.

Dr Noel Buttigieg Scicluna - President of the National Cancer Platform

Noel is a lawyer by profession. He is a former Member of Parliament and an Ambassador of Malta. He was diagnosed with breast cancer 16 years ago and still undergoes therapy. He is the President of the National Cancer Platform under the auspices of Her Excellency the President of the Republic, Ms. Myriam Spiteri Debono. The platform brings together all NGOs working with cancer patients, ex-patients, and their families.

Brian Cardona - Founder at ElectroWaste Malta Ltd

Brian is the founder, owner, and director of Electro Waste Malta Ltd, a leading Maltese recycler of electronic and electrical waste. Starting off as a self-employed operator in 2004, he grew the business into a fully licensed company in 2011, now operating from Ħal-Għaxaq and Ħal-Far. Under his leadership, the company has expanded from local recycling to importing e-waste from abroad and is currently developing a new facility in Tunisia. With over 20 years experience in the sector, Brian has established Electro Waste Malta Ltd into a trusted, compliant, and forward-thinking leader in sustainable WEEE management across the Mediterranean.

Dr Renzo Degabriele - Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Health

Renzo was appointed as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing in May 2025 and a year later he was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Health. He is a Specialist in Family Medicine by profession, and served as Chief Executive Officer for ten years, first at the Primary Health Care and subsequently at the Active Ageing and Community Care. He spearheaded the strengthening and introduction of key community and elderly care services, contributed to the implementation of the National Strategic Policy for Active Ageing 2023–2030, the National Dementia Strategy 2024–2031, and led Active Ageing and Community Care to several national awards. He was also awarded the Best Manager Award in the 2023 National Worker of the Year Awards.

Giuseppe De Angelis - Team Manager, Ambient Quality and Waste Unit at the Environment & Resources Authority (ERA)

Giuseppe is an environmental scientist with extensive professional experience in the environmental sector, specialising in waste management policy and legislation, as well as life-cycle thinking. He leads a team of experts at the Environment and Resources Authority responsible for the development and implementation of waste management policy. His team addresses a broad range of waste-related matters, including ensuring that national considerations are reflected in the relevant decision-making processes at both international and EU levels.

Joanna Gatt - Member of the Heka 2026 Organising Committee, committed to innovation and patient centricity

Joanna is a Non‑Executive Director at Vivian Corporation, following a distinguished 45‑year career with the company. During her professional journey, she served as Managing Director, leading a period of strategic transformation that shaped Vivian into the specialised healthcare company it is recognised as today. She later served as Executive Director, and continues to support the organisation with strategic insight, a strong commitment to sustainability, and a collaborative approach to long‑term value creation. From 2023 to 2025, Joanna served as Chair of the Healthcare Executive Committee at the Malta Chamber of Commerce, where she also led the Market Access Task Force. In this capacity, she was a strong advocate for equity in access to innovative medicines, championing the principle of the right medication, for the right patient, at the right time, every time. Widely respected for her patient‑centric perspective and collaborative leadership style, Joanna has worked across industries and stakeholders to advance meaningful improvements in healthcare delivery and outcomes. She is currently a member of the Hekatech.Health Conference organising committee, where equity in access to innovation remains a central theme, reflecting her lifelong commitment to improving patient outcomes through dialogue, partnership, and shared responsibility.

Gabby Grech Larsson - Sustainability Consultant

Gabby's main focus is on integration, moving beyond policies and commitments to make sustainability part of how organisations plan, make decisions and operate. She helps her clients establish responsibilities, develop practical systems and turn objectives into measurable improvements. Her work covers sustainability strategy, greenhouse gas accounting, carbon management, resource efficiency, sustainable procurement and the social and cultural aspects of responsible business. She takes a transparent approach in her work when it comes to reliable data, honest reporting and recognising where improvements are needed. With a background in tourism, Gabby has gained practical experience in sustainable hospitality and applying the GSTC Hotel Standard. Previously she held the role of sustainability policy executive at the Malta Chamber which helped her understanding of the challenges businesses face when putting sustainability into practice. Alongside consultancy, Gabby is active in the environmental NGO sector and serves on the board of an educational institution.

Alistair Grima - Policy Executive (Sustainability) at The Malta Chamber

Alistair is an environmental sustainability and policy professional with a background in biology, environmental regulation and sustainability management. As Policy Executive for Sustainability at The Malta Chamber, he works on a broad range of policy areas affecting businesses, including waste management, water, energy and resource efficiency, sustainable transport, construction and planning, and technology. His work focuses on analysing regulatory and policy developments, gathering the views and experiences of businesses, and representing the interests of Malta’s business community in discussions with government, public authorities and other stakeholders.

Gerard Harkin - Head of Social Value and Sustainability at Roche Diagnostics UK & Ireland

Gerard is a senior leader at Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland, where he champions initiatives that embed social value and sustainability across healthcare delivery. With deep experience in innovation and system partnerships, Gerard works closely with stakeholders to drive environmental responsibility and long-term community impact. He is a frequent panel speaker on sustainability and social value, sharing insights on how the private sector can better serve the public good.

Marios Kouloumas - Honorary President of the Cyprus Federation of Patients' Associations (CyFPA)

Marios is a long-standing patient advocate at national and European level. Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of ten, he has been actively involved for over 25 years in patient advocacy, particularly for people with rheumatic and chronic diseases. He has served as President of CyFPA and the Cyprus Organisation of People with Rheumatic Diseases, and as Vice President of the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR). He is a Patient Research Partner, founder of EUPATI Cyprus, and serves on several national health committees. He has received the EULAR Meritorious Contribution Award and the Democracy Award 2022.

Dr Armando Magrelli - Head of the International Relations Office at the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA)

Armando is Italy’s alternate representative on the Management Board of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the Max Planck Institute in Cologne and has a strong background in rare diseases, orphan medicinal products, gene therapy, bioinformatics and the analysis of high-throughput data. During his career, he has contributed to the scientific and regulatory evaluation of clinical trials, marketing authorisation applications and early-access programmes, with particular expertise in orphan drugs and innovative therapies. He served as Vice-Chair of EMA’s Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products and has also been involved in scientific advice activities at European level. He teaches European pharmaceutical legislation at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” and contributes to national and international initiatives in regulatory science, rare diseases and access to medicines.

Dr Tanya Melillo - Head of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit within the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate

Tanya is a Consultant in Public Health Medicine, having graduated as a medical doctor and then pursued her career in Public health. First with an M.Sc. and then a Doctorate in Public Health. She is responsible for the national surveillance unit of all notifiable infectious diseases in Malta, but also Migrant health especially health screening of all TCNs and for ensuring prevention, preparedness and response plans are in place for the health department for all hazards.

She has been a member of the of the Medical Council for the past 10 years and has been part of the Executive committee of Malta association of Public health Medicine for over 16 years and is presently the Vice President. She lectures at the University of Malta under and post graduate students. On the international level, she is the National focal point for Malta for of all infectious disease networks and also represents Malta in the committees related to Preparedness and response, Surveillance, Communications and Vector Borne diseases at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the past 20 years. Furthermore, she represents Malta at the Health Security Committee within the European Commission and Malta’s alternative representative for International Health Regulations under the remit of the World Health Organisation.

Her Excellency Dr Roberta Metsola - President of the European Parliament

WILL DELIVER A RECORDED VIDEO MESSAGE

Roberta was first elected as President of the European Parliament in January 2022 as the youngest person to ever hold the position and was then the first woman to secure a second term. She is a lawyer specialised in European law and politics by profession. She graduated from the University of Malta and the College of Europe. She began her career as a legal attaché for Malta's EU Representation and advisor to the EU High Representative before becoming one of Malta's first female MEPs in 2013. Before her presidency she served as First Vice President in 2020 and co-authored crucial parliamentary reports protecting journalists against SLAPP lawsuits. As President she has driven internal reforms to make the Parliament more modern and accountable and prioritised citizen outreach across member states.

Dr Clement Mifsud Bonnici - Partner at Ganado Advocates, Public procurement & regulatory law

Clement assists clients in commercial and contentious matters with a special focus on issues involving competition, State aid, public procurement and regulatory law. His experience spans a range of sectors including energy and resources, infrastructure, waste, health, transport, human resources management, and food and beverage. He also represents clients before the Office for Competition in anti-trust investigations, advocacy requests and merger control matters and he has handled private and public enforcement proceedings before the Superior Courts in Malta. He advises public and private sector entities on issues involving EU State aid law and the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, and regularly deals with Malta’s State aid Monitoring Board. Clement regularly assists both private bidders and contracting authorities with all stages of a public procurement process. He worked together with the Malta Chamber to propose reforms to Malta’s public procurement laws and policies. His work has regularly changed Government’s practices in public procurement and he leads high-stakes, complex disputes involving Government contracts, competition law, vertical agreements, European Union law issues and shareholder litigation. He has also handled international and domestic arbitration. Clement holds an LL.M. in Competition Law from King’s College London focusing on EU public procurement law, EU State aid law and EU competition law. He has published articles in the Journal of European Competition Law & Practice, the European Procurement & Public Private Partnership Law Review and in the European Competition and Regulatory Law Review. Since 2019, he has served as the Malta Contributor for the Oxford Competition Law Case Reports series and since 2020 he has been the Malta Country Correspondent for the European Procurement & Public Private Partnership Law Review.

Duncan Munro - Radiographer at Mater Dei hospital

Duncan is a radiographer working at the Cardiac Catheterisation Suite, Mater Dei and is a PhD candidate with the University of Malta, focusing on Education and Curriculum building to promote AI literacy and safe practice in radiography. He is also a a member of the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS) Imaging Informatics Working Group. His research interests include AI in Radiography practice, digital literacy, education, curriculum design, and improving care.

Matteo Privitelli - Assistant Director (Environmental Sustainability)

Sustainable Development

Matteo currently holds the position of Assistant Director within the Sustainable Development Directorate, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness. Matteo is very passionate about sustainable development and works to promote the principles of sustainability across all sectors and among all stakeholders. He is also the main focal point of the recently launched ESG Platform. Prior to joining the Public Service, Matteo worked with CORE Platform and played a key role in promoting the value and importance of ethical business practices. Through his work, Matteo contributed to fostering stronger partnerships between the private sector, civil society, and government, with the aim of embedding CSR principles into everyday business strategies. Matteo graduated from the University of Malta with a B.A. (Hons) in International Relations in 2011 and a M.A. in Diplomatic Studies in 2013. He also holds an M.A. in Hospitaller Studies. Apart from this, in 2013, he also graduated from the Institute for Tourism Studies as a Professional Tour Guide of the Maltese Islands.

Fotios Rizos - Researcher and PhD Candidate at the University of West Attica at the University of West Attica (UNIWA), Greece

Fotios is an Expert in Sustainable Finance, ESG, and Quality Assurance in the healthcare sector, with extensive experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of sustainability frameworks, clinical governance, organisational excellence, and digital transformation. He has served as Project Manager and Sustainability Lead in certification, accreditation, and healthcare quality organisations, coordinating complex projects across both public and private institutions. He has also led more than sixty certification, accreditation, and operational transformation projects in the healthcare field. He possesses advanced expertise in international standardisation and accreditation frameworks, with substantial experience as a consultant, lead auditor, and technical assessor. Fotios' research focuses on sustainable finance and ESG evaluation in healthcare organisations. He has developed specialised tools such as the Sustainable Finance Evaluation Model (SFEM), LCC/LCA methodologies, and multi-criteria decision-making systems (MCDA). In addition, he specialises in the development and implementation of sustainability reporting in line with the requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), integrating double materiality

The Hon, Inġ Mark Anthony Sammut - Malta's Shadow Minister for Energy & the Environment

Mark Anthony is the Opposition's Spokesperson for Energy and the Environment. He was elected for the first time as a Member of Parliament in March 2022, after serving as a local councillor in Gudja for 16 years.

He is an electrical engineer by profession, graduating from the University of Malta in 2008, and obtaining a Master of Science from the Queen Mary University of London in 2012. He has worked extensively in the private sector in the telecommunications and information technology industries.

Prof. Anastasios Sepetis - Associate Professor of Sustainable Development and Social Protection Policies and Finance at the Department of Business Administration, University of West Attica (UNIWA), Greece

Anastasios' academic work focuses on sustainable development, ESG and sustainable finance, sustainable healthcare systems, circular economy, and social protection policies. Since 2003 he has been teaching and conducting research on the economic and policy dimensions of sustainability, wellbeing, and inclusive development. His work particularly explores how sustainability policies, financial mechanisms, and governance frameworks can support healthier and more resilient communities and workplaces. Prof. Sepetis actively contributes to sustainability governance and public policy as a of the Working Group on Sustainable Finance and Green Economic Transition of the Greek Ministry of Finance and member of the Sustainability Committee of the University of West Attica. He also participates in the EU Horizon project CARING NATURE, which develops innovative solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of healthcare systems and promote sustainable wellbeing in communities.

Chiara Scerri Herrera - Head of Data and Innovation at St James Hospital

Chiara brings over eight years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She holds a BSc in Pharmaceutical Technology and an MSc in Digital Health from the University of Malta, as well as an MSc in Drug Discovery Skills from King’s College London. A passionate healthcare advocate, Chiara is committed to improving patient access to innovative medicines and digital therapeutics, areas that have been central to her academic research and professional interests. Throughout her career, she has championed the use of data, technology, and innovation to enhance healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. Her focus remains firmly on advancing a sustainable, patient-centred healthcare system through collaboration, effective regulation, and digital transformation, ensuring that innovation translates into meaningful benefits for patients and healthcare providers alike.

Prof Anthony Serracino-Inglott - CEO at the Medicines Authority

Anthony is a Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Malta. He studied pharmacy in Malta and the United States. He received a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 1972 from the University of Cincinnati. He completed a Residency under the supervision of Don E. Francke in the US. He is a registered pharmacist in Malta and the United Kingdom. His research interests are in the fields of biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics, pharmaceutical regulatory sciences, patient safety, personalised medicines and pharmacy education. Anthony contributed to the evolvement of pharmacy health-systems across the globe through his high profile interventions as consultant to ministers of health and education and during his participation in international meetings such as at the World Health Organisation where he championed collaborative involvement of pharmacists. He was instrumental in developing clinical pharmacy services and establishing hospital interprofessional practices and collaborative healthcare higher education models. He is active in pharmaceutical regulatory sciences leading to international collaboration in propagating safety, efficacy and quality of medicines. He is currently CEO of the Malta Medicines Authority and a member of the Management Board of the European Medicines Agency. He has spearheaded innovations in pharmacy education including teaching models which support critical thinking competences. He is a key academic in the innovative post-graduate international doctorate in pharmacy offered by the University of Malta in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anthony participates actively in the activities of the European Association of Faculties of Pharmacy, the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy and the International Pharmaceutical Federation.

The Hon. Dr Stephen Spiteri - Malta's Shadow Minster for Health

Stephen specialises in Family medicine and is a member of the Maltese College of family doctors. He has worked as a private general practitioner for over 30 years.

In 2008 he was elected for the first time to the Maltese Parliament in every election since. At present he serves as Shadow minister for Health, but had previous roles in Education Employment Social Policy.

Dr Ermira Tartari - Senior Lecturer and Researcher of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta

Ermira holds a PhD in Global Health from the University of Geneva. She is an IPC consultant for the World Health Organisation and an Executive Committee Member of the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious

Diseases (ECCMID), Study Group for Nosocomial Infection (ESGNI) and a member of the European Committee on Infection Control (EUCIC) advisory board. She is passionate about all aspects of evidence-based infection prevention to advance the science in IPC and ultimately ensure patient

safety and quality of healthcare services.

Dr Kristel von Brockdorff - Consultant Oncologist at Mater Dei Hospital

Kristel completed her undergraduate studies in Malta in 2007 before pursuing postgraduate training in England. She spent her junior doctor years in Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridge, moving to Bristol in 2011 for specialist oncology training. She was appointed Consultant at the Bristol Hematology and Oncology Centre in 2017, specializing in breast radiotherapy and gynae-oncology brachytherapy, returning to Malta in 2020 to take up her post here where she continues to look after breast and gynae cancer patients. She is project lead for gynae-oncology brachytherapy implementation at SAMOC.

Isabella Zahra Pulis - Chairperson Exceptional Medicines Treatment and Secretary to the Government Formulary List Advisory Committee

Isabella is a Pharmacist with extensive experience across Malta’s National health system, furthering her studies in Health Management and Pharmacoeconomics. Her multidisciplinary background spans across community, retail, and hospital pharmacy settings, laying a strong foundation for her later specialization in pharmaceutical policy. Over the course of her career, she has become a national expert in pharmaceutical policy, pricing, and reimbursement. She has held key management and headship roles within the public health sector, contributing to the development, governance, and sustainability of Malta’s medicines framework. She has represented Malta in numerous EU fora, networks, and working groups focusing on medicines access, strategy, and policy harmonisation. Isabella’s current role centres on ensuring equitable and evidence based access to medicines. She plays a pivotal role in the introduction of new therapies onto the Government Formulary List and also serves as Chairperson of the Exceptional Medicines Treatment Committee, which evaluates requests for treatments for rare and complex diseases. Through her leadership, she continues to advocate for patients with unmet clinical needs while safeguarding the principles of quality, value, and system-wide equity.

Dr Elena Zarb - Head of Clinical and Regulatory at Brown’s Pharma

Elena Zarb has over 13 years of experience in the pharmacy sector. As a pharmacist, her work encompasses clinical service development, regulatory affairs, pharmacist training and student mentorship. She has led initiatives including the introduction of Gut Care and the setting up and management of COVID-19 screening services. Her work focuses on expanding access to pharmacy services and strengthening collaboration between pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. She is committed to advancing patient-centred care, with a particular interest in the pharmacist’s role in supporting access to medicines and helping patients navigate their treatment.