Dr Sandro Demaio is a medical doctor and globally-renowned public health expert and advocate. Having held the role of Medical Officer for non-communicable conditions and nutrition with the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development at the World Health Organization, Dr Demaio was previously the CEO of the EAT Foundation, the science-based, global platform for food systems transformation. In his pro bono work, Dr Demaio co-founded NCDFREE, a global social movement against chronic disease which reached more than 2.5 million people in its first 18 months. In 2015, he founded festival21, assembling and leading a team of experts in staging an unprecedented free celebration of community, food, culture and future in his hometown of Melbourne. In 2018, he also established an independent, not-for-profit foundation focused on improving the health and nutrition of Australians. He has published 30 scientific papers and more than 90 articles. He is also the author of the Doctor’s Diet, a cookbook based on science and inspired by a love of good food.

Besides his role as VicHealth CEO, Dr Demaio also co-hosts the ABC television show Ask the Doctor – an innovative and exploratory factual medical series broadcasting across Australia and around the world. Dr Demaio originally trained and worked as a medical doctor at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. He holds a Masters degree in public health, a PhD in non-communicable diseases and has held fellowships at both Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Dr. Catsicas is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Skyviews Life Science SA, an investment company specialised in longevity, precision health, and advanced nutrition. He is also a board member of “Incredible Foods Inc.”, a producer of plant-based allergy-friendly food. Since 2018, he has been Science & Technology Strategy advisor to Nestlé SA. Prior to his present positions, Dr. Catsicas was Chief Technology Office, Executive Vice President for Innovation, Technology and R&D as well as a member of the Executive Board of Nestlé, between 2013 to 2018. He was also the Chairman of the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences and a board member of Nestle’s investment fund Nutrition-Wellness Venture AG. From 2010 to 2013, he was Provost at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (Saudi Arabia). In 2005, he co-founded the biotechnology group Tilocor Life Science. From 2000 to 2005, he was appointed Vice-President, Research Director and Professor of Cellular Engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne. He served as Professor and Chairman of Cellular Biology at the school of Medicine in Lausanne and was Department Head at Glaxo Institute for Molecular Biology (Geneva). Dr. Catsicas holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland and undertook post-doctoral studies on the principles of neuronal development at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, USA.

Mayssa Al Midani is the lead portfolio manager for the Pictet Nutrition strategy, which is a strategy dedicated to investing in companies that improve the sustainability of, access to and quality of food and food production, enabling the shift to more sustainable food systems. She was previously a Portfolio Manager within the Pictet Investment Office (PIO) focused on special situations across the capital structure and private equity co-investments in the consumer sector. Before joining PIO, she was an Equity Buy-Side Analyst at Pictet Wealth Management specialising in global consumer equities. She began her career in 2010 as an Analyst at Credit Suisse Investment Bank. Mayssa holds a MSc in Accounting & Finance from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a Certified International Investment Analyst (CIIA) diploma from the Swiss Financial Analysts Association.