Sarah Bischof, is Head of Clinical Development at invIOs, bringing over 16 years of experience in clinical research and development within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Throughout her career, Sarah Bischof has held key leadership roles and successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and global partners to advance drug development programs from early phases through to regulatory approval.

A Clinical Research Professional with over 13 years’ experience across various settings such as Site, CRO, Small Biotech and Pharma. Expertise in various therapeutic areas from Oncology and Rare/Orphan Disease. Experience from early phase first in human to late phase and Nov Intervention RWE generation and Registries. Focused on Clinical Operations excellence and process improvements for the benefit of the patients we serve. Currently Director, CPL at Alexion, AZ Rare Disease leading a Cross Functional clinical team.

Amir Ahari is a Persian / Swiss national having lived and worked since 1988 in Germany and Switzerland. He gained his mechanical engineering, business administration and health economics and outcomes research education in various renowned institutions and brings across 20 years of professional work experience and 13 years in pharmaceutical manufacturing, contracting, market access and evidence generation operations.

Since 2018 he is co-leading the only global SMA disease patient registry and acts as global studies and alliances lead for registries and registry-based studies. He also has a new role within the Novartis Organization as global SME for Patient Registries. Father of a 9 ½ years old son, he speaks fluently 5 languages and enjoys in his private time playing basketball, golf, skiing and visiting live music events.

Thomas brings over 20 years of experience in digital innovation, with a decade dedicated to digital & health tech across clinical trial and commercial settings from both academia and the industry. He has collaborated with both emerging startups and established digital health companies, supporting over 20 markets in selecting and implementing digital health technologies. In addition to this role, Thomas actively advises and mentors startup companies through global accelerator programs and lectures MBA participants.

Leyla is an epidemiologist with over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Her career includes leadership positions at GSK, Takeda, and Novartis in both clinical and epidemiology fields, covering various vaccines and drug development projects across Asia, Latin America, the USA, and Europe. With her profound understanding of the complexities within global healthcare landscapes, she has played a crucial role in utilizing real-world data to support the launch of more than 30 products, enhance market access, expand product labels, develop commercial strategies, and inform internal decision-making. In her current position at Novo Nordisk, she leads evidence generation efforts across multiple regions and therapeutic areas, leveraging digital technologies and AI-driven solutions to capture real-world data that provide insights into patient journeys and treatment effectiveness.

I have more than 15 years in a Leadership role in clinical operations and compliance combined with a strong educational background in pharmacy and specialization in clinical pharmacology. Currently I have a Senior Management role in compliance and risk management function. I have an excellent performance record and am motivated by leadership roles with a strong commercial impact.

Anja is a Swiss qualified pharmacist with a Ph. D. in medicinal chemistry from ETH Zurich.

She started her career as a manager research and development at Fumapharm AG, a small Swiss Biotech company, where she coordinated CMC activities and pre-clinical research studies for an oral MS drug in late-stage development. Her role included management of multiple academic research collaborations as well as external suppliers.

Anja moved to Biogen after acquisition of Fumapharm, where she held various roles with increasing responsibility in CMC development and external manufacturing. She has been responsible for clinical and commercial supply of various products and supported multiple product launches across different modalities and product stages. In her last role at Biogen, she was heading the external manufacturing biologics technology platform and was leading a team of relationship managers for strategic CDMO accounts.

Most recently, Anja has worked at different start-up companies as head of CMC, responsible for all CMC and supply related aspects for pre-clinical oncology programs including antibody-drug conjugates, small molecules and gene therapy products. Setting up an external supplier network and contract laboratories, as well as managing relationships with alliance partners has been a key aspect of her work.

Beverly is a pediatric pharmacist by training and has spent over 20 years working in biotechnology, holding diverse Medical Affairs roles across Europe, the United States, Asia Pacific and Emerging Markets. Her mission is to bridge the gap between medical innovation and patient accessibility, driven by a passion for developing therapies that truly resonate with patient needs and delivering outcomes that are meaningful to them.

Witnessing the significant access challenges faced by innovative medicines in reaching people in need prompted her to pivot into patient advocacy. She is now dedicated to addressing these barriers across the drug development lifecycle, collaborating with patients and those who care for them, physicians, access decision-makers and industry stakeholders to ensure that transformative therapies that are developed can reach those who need them most.

Mireille Ermens, is a seasoned leader in the field of clinical research and healthcare management with a rich background spanning over two decades. Armed with a degree of Socio Medical Science with distinction from the University Ghent, Belgium, Mireille brings a unique blend of expertise in biochemistry, mathematics, statistics, and preventive healthcare.

A true polyglot, Mireille is fluent in Dutch, French, and English, with proficiency in German and Spanish, reflecting a deep commitment to effective communication across diverse cultural landscapes.

With a leadership style centered around "Building Bridges with and for People," Mireille has led clinical development operations teams, navigating challenges in rare and chronic diseases, high-volume infectious diseases and seasonal vaccine environments.

Currently serving as the Senior Director of Global Feasibility and Start Up Support at CSL Limited, Mireille spearheads strategic assessments of clinical trial feasibility, facilitating optimal business decision-making through meticulous recruitment-time-cost analyses and evaluation of execution options.

Prior to this role, Mireille served as the Head of Global Site Management and Monitoring Oversight at CSL Seqirus, while advocating for global process consistency with a patient-oriented oversight agility. Mireille's extensive experience also includes senior positions at Eli Lilly and Hoffmann-La Roche.

Mireille began her career as an ICU Coordinator in Intensive Care at the University Hospital, Ghent, monitoring and caring for patients post-cardiac surgery, demonstrating a commitment to hands-on patient care.

With a career trajectory marked by innovation, strategic vision, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, Mireille is a dynamic speaker who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to any discussion on clinical research, healthcare management, and leadership in the pharmaceutical industry.

Dr. Antonella Santuccione Chadha is a world-renowned medical doctor with deep expertise in neuroscience and psychiatry, combined with a proven track record in organizational leadership, research, and clinical development. She is the founder and pro bono CEO of the Women’s Brain Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to applying precision medicine to understand the impact of sex and gender on mental and brain health.

In addition to her role at the Women’s Brain Foundation, Dr. Chadha serves as Vice-President and board member of Euresearch, the Swiss agency supporting research and innovation across Europe. She is also an advisor to Innosuisse, where she supports the growth of Swiss SMEs in the innovation space.

Dr. Chadha’s career spans academic institutions, leading pharmaceutical companies such as Roche and Biogen, the Swiss regulatory agency for therapeutic products, and international policy organizations. She previously served as Chief Medical Officer and ad-interim CEO of Altoida, a digital health company pioneering AI-driven diagnostics in precision neurology. Across all her roles, she has led large teams in corporate, academic, and clinical environments.

Her work has earned widespread recognition. She has been named among the Top 100 Women in Business in Switzerland since 2018 and was honored as Woman of the Year in Switzerland in 2019. Dr. Chadha is also a recipient of the World Sustainability Award for advancing precision medicine, and the “Premio Medicina Italia” for her leadership during the pandemic. In 2022, she received the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award in Switzerland. Most recently, in 2024, she was honored with the “Women Empowering Award” and  recognized for her contributions to Swiss reforms with the prestigious “Katherinenturm” Project. In 2025 she was listed among the Women leaders to watch.