2026 Speakers Panel

Mojca Klenovšek Podobnik holds a Master’s in Strategic Marketing Communication from the University of Ljubljana, with a specialization in market research and a post-grad in Accounting and Revision—because even qualitative researchers need to balance creativity with spreadsheets. She spent over a decade at Ipsos, diving deep into qualitative research across pharma, IT, FMCG, and more, eventually leading the qualitative team. In 2021, she took a leap into the world of white goods at Hisense Europe, building a team from scratch focused on user behaviour and habits. Four years later, the Insight Consumer team is thriving, and the belief that understanding consumers—from first product idea to post-purchase—is essential, is now embedded across the 5,000-strong company.

Karolina Wiechmann-Wilczek is Head of Global Sensory & Consumer Science at Imperial Brands. With an academic background in cross-cultural perceptions, she moved into industry, building sensory networks, shaping brand experiences in the Global Duty Free channel, and managing Global Procurement for marketing services. Returning to sensory, she expanded the Sensory & Consumer Science function, bridging technical and marketing teams by translating consumer insights into actionable specifications. Karolina is passionate about driving consumer-centric innovation through Imperial Brands’ global “Sense Hub” initiative, enabling insights-led product development that truly resonates with consumers.

Aliya specializes in futures thinking and visioning, helping organizations explore uncertainties so that they can identify strategic pathways towards preferable futures. As an anthropologist, she is curious about human behaviors, culture and social change. She currently works for Comcast/Sky in Global Product as Head of Experience Visioning. She has held previous roles at EY and Ipsos. She has a passion for creativity, particularly literature, writing, and improv. She aims to bring these influences and skills to her work. Having studied at UCL (BA) and SOAS (MA), she values global perspectives.

Dominik Pavlišin is a graduate of the University of Economics in Prague. Throughout his career, he has gained international experience in the retail sector, having held various roles in Malta, Germany, and the Czech Republic. He currently serves as Head of Shopper Marketing at BILLA CEE / IKI based in Austria, where he leads initiatives focused on shopper behavior and innovations.

Digital growth and Analytics leader with a belief that data, when interpreted with empathy and context, can unlock powerful business decisions. I bring 15+ years of experience across consumer insights, digital marketing, analytics and creative storytelling. At Volkswagen, I work at the intersection of evolving Marketing Technologies, AI powered growth and analytics—bridging the gap between digital technology and customer journey.

My foundation in analytics and consumer research at Kantar and GFK equips me with deep empathy for customer behavior, which I now combine with complex marketing & website performance data to drive ROI and customer-centric innovation.

Previously, I built Writersmelon, a digital-first community and content platform to promote book reading culture and support new authors in their writing journey.

With over 15 years immersed in UX research and business strategy, Nicole Bacchus excels at harnessing the collective brainpower of a team to uncover profound user insights, shaping user experience, product strategy, and innovation. A Kellogg MBA graduate, she has refined her distinctive approach through roles at American Express, Mars Chocolate, and Meta, complemented by invaluable experiences at design innovation consultancies such as Smart Design. Residing in Brooklyn, New York, Nicole specializes in seamlessly integrating insights and strategy to propel consumer-led product innovation. Her noteworthy achievements include leading research teams in supporting the impactful launches of Instagram Reels, Facebook Shops and Ray-Ban Meta Smartglasses, and crafting an award-winning customer transformation strategy for Amplifon, a leading hearing-aid retailer. As the current Head of Research at Thumbtack, Nicole leads a formidable team of UX Researchers, Market Researchers, and Research Operations, steering impactful projects at the intersection of strategy and user experience.

Ewa Khan is an insight-driven researcher with over 22 years of experience in consumer and market insights, specializing in FMCG. Passionate about cross-cultural psychology, she believes genuine consumer insight is the foundation of brand success. Her career spans multinational corporations, as well as iconic domestic companies, giving her a unique perspective on global and local brand dynamics. Currently at Stock Spirits Group, she drives innovation, identifies growth opportunities across Europe, and delivers insights that shape impactful marketing and brand strategies.

Niels Schillewaert, PhD, is Head of Research & Methods at Conveo.ai – the world’s most powerful qualitative insights and customer feedback platform. Niels combined entrepreneurship and commercial research with academic research throughout his career. He was a co-founder at Human8 (formerly InSites Consulting) and has a strong academic background as a Professor of Marketing at the Vlerick Business School. His research was published in leading scientific journals such as Journal of Marketing, The International Journal of Research in Marketing, Journal of Services Research, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, and others. Niels is a frequent speaker at international conferences and has guest lectured at several academic institutions e.g. Columbia, NYU, University of Georgia, IE. He is the Former President of ESOMAR – the association of the global insights and analytics community.

Anna is a UX Research Lead with postgraduate degrees in Interactive Media (Trinity College Dublin) and Social Research (UCL). She began her UX career at trivago in Düsseldorf before moving to London to join Condé Nast, where she leads a small but mighty research team. She focuses on scaling impact while aligning with leadership priorities, empowering designers through self-serve research, and delivering high-value strategic insights. Beyond work, Anna is a new mother navigating the joyful chaos of balancing research leadership with parenthood.

Lisa Payne is the Global Director of UX Research at Condé Nast, leading a global team across London, New York, and Bangalore. She drives innovation across iconic brands such as Vogue, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Wired, ensuring user insights are at the core of product development. With nearly 20 years of experience in product design, research, strategy, and data analytics, Lisa has played a crucial role in shaping digital experiences at top media brands, including Virgin Media, Discovery Networks, Sky (UK), and Comcast. Outside of work, she’s a mother to three young boys and resides in the London area. Holding a degree in Psychology, Lisa brings together a profound understanding of consumer behaviour and strategic leadership. Renowned for her empathetic leadership style, she champions diverse perspectives, fostering inclusive and innovative discussions in every endeavour. Her keen insight into people and talent for cultivating collaboration have made her a sought-after speaker, on future-proofing businesses in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Lena is Team Lead for Qualitative Research and Head of Healthcare at Advise Research GmbH, where she oversees strategic and methodological development in health-related studies. Prior to this, she served as a Senior Research Consultant at Meinecke & Rosengarten, specializing in child and youth research. From 2017 to 2024, Lena worked as a (Senior) Insight Manager at Q Agency for Research GmbH, gaining extensive experience in qualitative market research across various sectors. She holds degrees in Social Sciences from Leibniz University Hannover and Sociology and Social Research from the University of Bremen. Her expertise is further strengthened by additional training in design thinking, moderation techniques, and qualitative interviewing.

Til is currently Key Account Manager for the OTC segment at Recordati Pharma, where he applies over 20 years of expertise in pharmaceutical market insights and strategic account management. Prior to this role, he held positions as Key Account Manager for hospital and wholesale clients, and as Market Analyst & Insight Manager at Recordati. His career began in healthcare and pharmaceutical market research, with roles at leading agencies including Psyma, Maritz CX, Ipsos, and Instar Research, where he specialized in qualitative research, project management, and consulting. With a diploma in Business Administration (Marketing and Market Research) from Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences and an early qualification as a pharmaceutical-technical assistant from NTA Isny, Til brings a unique blend of scientific and commercial expertise to every project.

Tom Wustenberghs is CEO of Pontes, Belgium’s largest crematorium group, where he leads strategy, operations, and innovation across three sites in Antwerp and Limburg. A lawyer by training and a judge in social affairs, Tom has dedicated his career to public service and cultural transformation. At Pontes, he has championed a radical rethinking of deathcare, moving beyond formulaic rituals to create more meaningful, future-ready experiences. He is also co-founder of Ars Moriendi, a transformation lab reimagining end-of-life services, and serves on several boards in the funeral and public governance sectors across Europe.

Alessia Clusini is the co-founder of London-based Trybes Agency. Since 2016, she has pioneered Hybrid Intelligence®, blending ethnography, psychology, and AI to decode people, culture, and communities. Her work translates human complexity into strategic insights that drive growth, innovation, and more resonant brand experiences.

Alessia has led projects across sectors, from luxury to healthcare, ageing to tech, media to automotive, for global organisations as well as ambitious challengers, always with a focus on cultural decoding and consumer co-creation. A multi-award-winning ethnographer, she is known for her “sartorialist” approach: designing research as a tailored craft that bridges rigour with creativity.

Alain Thys is Founder of The Transformation Architects, a global collective of scientists, artists, and strategists helping organisations unlock premium growth through transformation. With over 30 years in customer experience and business transformation, he has advised brands including Lexus, ING, Generali, and Reebok, influencing the lives of more than 500 million customers in 100+ countries. A frequent advisor to executives and boards, Alain specialises in moving organisations beyond incremental change toward meaningful, future-ready journeys. He also co-founded Ars Moriendi, the world’s first deathcare transformation lab, pioneering new approaches to end-of-life experiences.

Karolin Anderl has been with Mast-Jägermeister SE for nearly a decade and currently serves as Global Senior Innovation Manager. In this role, she leads strategic innovation projects and spearheads efforts to strengthen the brand’s connection with its consumers. As the project lead for a company-wide effort to embed consumer-focused thinking into the organizational culture, she is passionate about consumer centricity, ensuring relevance and delivering impact. Having spent nearly ten years living and working in the United States, Karolin brings a unique combination of international experience and deep expertise in consumer behavior. She plays a dual role at Jägermeister, overseeing product developments and driving transformative initiatives to ensure the brand remains resonant and relevant in a dynamic global market.

Florian Groth is a Senior Research Consultant at Point Blank in Berlin. With a background in cultural anthropology, sociology, and business administration, he brings a multidisciplinary perspective to qualitative research. Florian joined Point Blank in 2020 and has since specialized in ethnographic approaches to uncovering consumer insights. His commitment to advancing qualitative methods and fostering international collaboration was recognized in 2024 with the QRCA’s Global Qualitative Researchers’ Award. Florian is passionate about understanding the everyday lives of consumers and helping brands connect with them on a deeper level.

Brigitte Gasser holds a PhD in Communication Science from the University of Zurich, where her research focused on empathy in everyday life and media use. She studied communication, social and economic history, and criminology at the University of Zurich and Freie Universität Berlin. After more than ten years’ experience in communication, digital marketing, analytics, and social media in the financial sector, she now integrates theory and practice in research and teaching at the University of Zurich and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Her current research centers on emotional media effects, digital society, and innovative research methods – including the sonification of qualitative data.

Deniz is the Head of Consumer Research and Brand Intelligence for Region Emerging Markets at BSH Home Appliances Group, with over a decade of experience in consumer and UX research. She leads insight-driven strategies across Türkiye, India, ASEAN, the Middle East, CIS, and Africa, driving product innovation, brand communication, and go-to-market excellence in the major domestic appliance sector. Beginning her career as a qualitative researcher, she brings deep field expertise, having conducted hands-on qualitative research in more than 10 countries. Her work bridges local consumer understanding with global business objectives, making her a strong advocate for the power of qualitative insight in shaping strategy across diverse and dynamic markets.