Day 1
Wed Jan 28
08:00 – 08:50
50 min
REGISTRATION AND WELCOME COFFEE
Wed Jan 28
08:50 – 09:00
10 min
OPENING REMARKS BY MERLIEN INSTITUTE & CONFERENCE CHAIR
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
09:00 – 09:30
30 min
FUTURE-FACING QUAL: FROM CUSTOMER STORIES TO FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
- Setting up a futures visioning team and tethering it to business needs
- Co-ordinating a blend of research skills and perspectives
- Showcasing the value and robustness of qual in strategic decision-making
- Using qual research to vision futures: from emerging behaviours to scenarios
Aliya Mirza
Head of Global Consumer Strategy & Research Visioning
Sky
Speaker
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
09:30 – 10:00
30 min
SESSION RESERVED FOR CONVEO
Dr. Niels Schillewaert
Head of Research and Methodologies
Conveo
Speaker
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
10:00 – 10:30
30 min
BEYOND DECLARATIVE: EMBRACING THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION WITHOUT LOSING THE HUMAN TOUCH
- Combining digital tools with in-context observation to reveal authentic behaviour beyond self-reporting
- Deep Diving: case-study showcasing how digital methods can deepen empathy and insight when leveraged in combination with human behaviour expertise
- Validating stated responses against real-world actions through rigorous quality checks and behavioural grounding
- Maintaining the human touch by embedding ethics, empathy and qualitative expertise at the heart of digital transformation
Nathalie Boireau
Director of UX and Head of Sensory & Consumer Science –Specialized Nutrition
Danone
Speaker
Networking
Wed Jan 28
10:30 – 11:15
45 min
NETWORKING BREAK
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
11:15 – 11:45
30 min
INTEGRATING AI INTO NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
- Leveraging AI as an end-to-end enabler to support the full product development journey from early trend spotting to final packaging decisions
- Uncovering smarter insights through social listening and AI-enhanced moderated focus groups
- Accelerating innovation cycles by streamlining research workflows, data collection, analysis, and product iteration
- Redefining the role of qualitative researchers by combining human expertise with AI-driven data interpretation
Dominik Pavlisin
Group Leader Shopper Marketing - BILLA CEE / IKI
REWE International AG
Speaker
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
11:45 – 12:15
30 min
SESSION RESERVED FOR CO-LOOP
Panel discussion
Wed Jan 28
12:15 – 12:45
30 min
HUMAN-IN-THE-LOOP: PRESERVING THE SOUL OF QUAL IN AN AI-DRIVEN WORLD
- Debating what should (and shouldn’t) be automated – which aspects of qualitative research benefit from AI augmentation and where is human touch irreplaceable?
- Defending depth in a world obsessed with speed without getting left behind
- Shifting the value of research from investigation to interpretation, with AI handling data collection and surface analysis
- Moving from resistance to leadership and taking a proactive role in guiding responsible AI use
Karolina Wiechmann-Wilczek
Head of Global Sensory & Consumer Science
Imperial Brands
Panelist
Networking
Wed Jan 28
12:45 – 13:45
60 min
NETWORKING LUNCH
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
13:45 – 14:15
30 min
RETHINKING DIGITAL BEHAVIOUR AND BRAND PERCEPTION IN THE AGE OF AI
- Understanding how consumers can now make decisions without ever engaging directly with your brand — and what that means for capturing authentic intent and perception.
- Exploring how large language models and AI assistants shape brand narratives before consumers reach official channels — requiring researchers to consider AI as both a source and a filter of qualitative data
- Capturing why surfacing insights isn’t enough — storytelling, internal alignment, and stakeholder collaboration are essential to drive real action in digital and cross-functional environments.
- Expanding the qual toolkit and rethinking what counts as “qualitative” by integrating UX, media analytics, and digital behaviour signals to get closer to how consumers are truly navigating complex online ecosystems
Priyanka Purkayastha
Global Digital Marketing & Analytics – Passenger Cars
Volkswagen Group
Speaker
Nina Appel
Data Driven Marketing, Global Website Tracking & Analytics
Volkswagen
Speaker
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
14:15 – 14:35
20 min
SESSION RESERVED FOR BOLT INSIGHTS
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
14:35 – 15:05
30 min
RETHINKING THE PATIENT JOURNEY: HOW AI, SELF DIAGNOSIS & SOCIAL MEDIA ARE RE-SHAPING HEALTHCARE BEHAVIOUR
- Uncovering shifting patient needs by exploring emotional and practical responses to (new) digital information resources
- Analyzing social media critically as both content and context – revealing not just what´s said, but how credibility, expectations and decision-making are formed
- Using real-life contexts to evaluate how AI is reshaping and influencing the patient journey
- Including both patients and health care professionals to reveal tensions and blind spots in how healthcare is evolving
Lena Rothe
Qualitative Research Team Lead & Head of Health Care
Advise Research
Speaker
Til Winterwerb
Key Account Manager OTC
Recordati Pharma
Speaker
Wed Jan 28
15:05 – 15:10
5 min
RECAP & REFLECT
Networking
Wed Jan 28
15:10 – 15:40
30 min
NETWORKING BREAK
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
15:40 – 16:10
30 min
REIMAGINING IN-HOUSE TESTING: AGILE LOOPS FOR REAL-LIFE PRODUCT INSIGHTS
- Modernizing legacy testing with real-world context
- Building a structured in-house testing ecosystem to unlock insights within constraints
- Hot-housing for speed and depth and cold-housing for long term insights
- Embedding a culture of consumer-led innovation
Mojca Klenovšek Podobnik
Head of Consumer Insights
Hisense Europe
Speaker
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
16:10 – 16:40
30 min
PUTTING THE CONSUMER FIRST: INSIDE IMPERIAL´S GLOBAL CONSUMER CAPABILITY CENTER -SENSE HUB
- Adopting agile iterative consumer-centric methodologies to continuously inform and refine product development, ensuring alignment with evolving consumer needs
- Evaluating emerging technologies and product propositions through a consumer-centric lens, integrating qualitative insights to assess relevance and potential impact
- Synthesizing diverse data sources to uncover deep consumer preferences, enabling the formulation of targeted strategies for product optimization.
- Delivering foundational insights through advanced Sensory Preference Mapping to guide strategic decisions and innovation pathways
Karolina Wiechmann-Wilczek
Head of Global Sensory & Consumer Science
Imperial Brands
Speaker
Presentation
Wed Jan 28
16:40 – 17:10
30 min
SMALL BUT MIGHTY: SCALING IMPACT WITHOUT SCALING HEADCOUNT
- From Reactive to strategic: How a lean UX research team shifted from ad-hoc usability requests to roadmap-driven research aligned with product and design leadership.
- New ways of working: Introducing a tiering and prioritisation framework with directors to identify the most impactful research opportunities.
- Scaling without growing: Launching a self-serve usability testing program for designers, freeing researchers to focus on generative, cross-domain insights.
- Big impact, small team: Delivering high-value generative research that influenced decisions across multiple teams, with takeaways for other small research orgs.
Anna Sheehan
UX Research Lead
Conde Nast
Speaker
Lisa Payne
Global Director User Research
Conde Nast
Speaker
Wed Jan 28
17:10 – 17:15
5 min
CHAIR´S REMARKS & TRANSITION
Roundtable
Wed Jan 28
17:15 – 17:45
30 min
Topic 1: SCALING SMARTER: IMPACT WITHOUT THE OVERHEAD
Anna Sheehan
UX Research Lead
Conde Nast
Speaker
Lisa Payne
Global Director User Research
Conde Nast
Speaker
Roundtable
Wed Jan 28
17:15 – 17:45
30 min
Topic 2: LINKING QUAL INSIGHTS TO BUSINESS METRICS
Dominik Pavlisin
Group Leader Shopper Marketing - BILLA CEE / IKI
REWE International AG
Speaker
Roundtable
Wed Jan 28
17:15 – 17:45
30 min
Topic 3: AUTHENTICITY IN THE AGE OF AI-ASSISTED RESEARCH
Kristen Fernandez Medina
Behavioural Science Lead
Honda R&D Europe
Speaker
Roundtable
Wed Jan 28
17:15 – 17:45
30 min
Topic 4: CULTURAL FLUENCY AT SCALE
Deniz Akyurt
Head of Consumer Research & Brand Intelligence, Emerging Markets
BSH Home Appliances Group
Speaker
Networking
Wed Jan 28
17:45 – 18:45
60 min
NETWORKING RECEPTION BY NORSTAT
Day 2
Thu Jan 29
08:30 – 09:00
30 min
WELCOME COFFEE
Thu Jan 29
09:00 – 09:10
10 min
OPENING REMARKS BY MERLIEN INSTITUTE & CONFERENCE CHAIR
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
09:10 – 09:40
30 min
TRACKING THE REAL-WORLD IMPACT OF QUAL INSIGHTS
- Defining what success looks like before the research beings
- Building post-project feedback loops with key stakeholders
- Connecting qual insights to measureable business metrics
- Creating and sharing ´insight-to-impact´ internal storytelling assets
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
09:40 – 10:10
30 min
DESIGNING WITH INTELLIGENCE: HOW RESEARCH SHAPED OUR AI-DRIVEN FUTURE
- Mapping the full hiring journey to uncover key pain points and drive strategy around what truly matters
- Guiding AI integration by identifying where it adds real value and reduces risk in bold innovation
- Aligning senior leadership through evidence-based insights that clarify priorities and unify teams
- Informing product development and messaging with ongoing research that connects with customer needs
Nicole Bacchus
Senior Director, Head of Research
Thumbtack
Speaker
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
10:10 – 10:40
30 min
BUILDING THE ETHICAL BACKBONE: PROTOCOLS FOR RESPONSIBLE AI IN QUAL
- Creating a cross-functional AI ethics taskforce
- Designing stage-specific AI review checkpoints
- Mandating human oversight at critical analysis stages
- Documenting and sharing your AI governance protocols
Thu Jan 29
10:40 – 10:45
5 min
RECAP & REFLECT
Networking
Thu Jan 29
10:45 – 11:15
30 min
NETWORKING BREAK
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
11:15 – 11:45
30 min
CULTURAL FLUENCY
Deniz Akyurt
Head of Consumer Research & Brand Intelligence, Emerging Markets
BSH Home Appliances Group
Speaker
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
11:45 – 12:15
30 min
SEMIOTICS IN ACTION: FINDING COMMON GROUND WHILST PRESERVING LOCAL DISTINCTIVENESS
- Whisky Roots Revealed: Exploring regional heritage that shapes today’s story
- Cross-Cultural Codes: Spotting shared signals and unique twists across markets
- Creative Spark: Crafting assets that honour culture and boost brand fit
- Results Delivered: Measuring impact and what success looks like
Ewa Khan
Group Consumer Insights & Marketing Manager
Stock Spirits
Speaker
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
12:15 – 12:35
20 min
SESSION RESERVED FOR HUMAN8
Networking
Thu Jan 29
12:35 – 13:35
60 min
NETWORKING LUNCH
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
13:35 – 14:05
30 min
LISTENING TO DATA: AI-DRIVEN SONIFICATION IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
- Expanding qualitative analysis by using sound to detect patterns, themes, and anomalies not easily seen in text or visuals, enabling innovative multisensory data analysis
- Leveraging AI to automate and personalize sonification, enabling dynamic, real-time exploration of complex data sets
- Adopting open-source tools and collaborative methods to make sonification more accessible and innovative across disciplines
- Building capacity through hands-on, interdisciplinary learning that encourages critical reflection and methodological rigor
Dr. Brigitte Gasser
Researcher & Lecturer
University of Zurich & Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Speaker
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
14:05 – 14:25
20 min
SESSION RESERVED FOR CONVOSIGHT
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
14:25 – 14:55
30 min
CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE AS THE NEW SUPERPOWER FOR QUAL RESEARCHERS AND BRANDS ALIKE
- Decoding cultural semiotics for brand strategy
- How brands can misfire without cultural fluency – and how qualitative insight can prevent this
- Elevating traditional qual work by connecting observed behaviours to the broader cultural context that gives them meaning
- Creating ¨culturally literate ¨deliverables – going beyond the ´what´ to the ´why it matters now´ in culture
Thu Jan 29
14:55 – 15:00
5 min
RECAP & REFLECT
Networking
Thu Jan 29
15:00 – 15:30
30 min
NETWORKING BREAK
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
15:30 – 16:00
30 min
REIMAGINING THE IRREVERSIBLE: TRANSFORMING A STAGNANT INDUSTRY THROUGH HUMAN-CENTERED RESEARCH
- Challenging high satisfaction scores by uncovering emotional gaps that traditional metrics fail to detect — the "Orange Juice Problem" effect.
- Unlocking sensitive insights through Taboo Topics Protocols and immersive listening, enabling access to deep, unspoken human needs.
- Future-proofing products and services by integrating qualitative foresight tools like cultural opinion leader interviews and digital ethnography.
- Empowering frontline stakeholders as co-creators through multi-audience ethnography to drive lasting transformation from within.
Tom Wustenberghs
CEO
Pontes
Speaker
Alessia Clusini
CEO
Trybes Agency
Speaker
Alain Thys
Founder & Customer Transformation Architect
The Transformation Architects
Speaker
Presentation
Thu Jan 29
16:00 – 16:30
30 min
FROM SPARK TO SYSTEM: SCALING CONSUMER CLOSENESS AT JAGERMEISTER
- Piloting consumer centric-thinking in unlikely places – like your most sceptical department – Global Finance
- Building a blue print to scale cultural change beyond a moment to a movement
- Empowering ambassadors and leveraging empathy building experiences and structured reflection to turn insights into sustained action.
- Going beyond one-size-fits-all with tailored learning packages to bring consumer closeness with relevance and impact
- Post-immersion continuity and embedding: results and impact including shifting operational mindsets, language and KPIs
Karolin Anderl
Global Senior Innovation Manager
Mast-Jägermeister SE
Speaker
Florian Groth
Senior Research Consultant
Point Blank
Speaker
Panel discussion
Thu Jan 29
16:30 – 17:00
30 min
THE FUTURE OF QUAL: EVOLVING SKILLS IN A TECH-DRIVEN WORLD
- Blending Humanity and Technology: why tomorrow´s qual researcher must integrate deep human insights with fluency in digital tools and platforms
- Data Empathy: building the ability to interpret and connect diverse data formats (text, video, behavioural) while maintaining emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity
- Human-Centered Storytelling in a Digital Age: transforming AI-driven outputs (dashboards, summaries, visualizations) into narratives that resonate
- Future-Proofing Through Lifelong Learning: embracing continuous growth in technology, ethics, and collaboration to stay ahead in an evolving insights ecosystem.
Nicole Bacchus
Senior Director, Head of Research
Thumbtack
Panelist
Thu Jan 29
17:00 – 17:10
10 min