Adam Ruskin is the Technical Excellence Manager for Food Safety and Food and Protein at Ecolab Europe. He holds a Chemical Engineering degree from Clarkson University, NY, USA. Throughout his career, Adam has held various roles in Quality, Food Safety, Process Engineering, and Laboratory Management. His extensive experience has often involved leveraging hygienic design to enhance cost efficiency, reduce microbiological issues, and improve sustainability in food factories. Currently, Adam focuses on food hygiene aspects related to food safety and supporting the EU Technical Excellence team. His mission is to aid Ecolab’s customers in achieving superior hygiene solutions and addressing food safety challenges, demonstrating how quality and safety are integral to operational success. 

Adwy van den Berg has served as the Director of EHEDG since the foundation relocated from Frankfurt to Amsterdam in 2021. With a creative mind and extensive experience in marketing, Adwy brings a passion for business and a commitment to people in all his activities. 

Adwy has held various international marketing and sales leadership positions, developing commercial strategies, creating innovative products, and managing key account teams. His energetic and motivational leadership has inspired teams to achieve ambitious goals. 

Under Adwy’s leadership, EHEDG has seen solid growth in memberships and initiatives. The organisation now offers over 60 guidelines on hygienic design, covering topics from general principles to equipment for dry and liquid food. EHEDG is known for its high-quality courses and rigorous testing and certification methods, ensuring companies meet stringent food safety standards. 

In collaboration with EFFoST, EHEDG introduced the EYE Mentorship Programme, offering young professionals the opportunity to learn from experienced industry leaders. This initiative exemplifies Adwy's dedication to fostering the next generation of talent in the food industry. 

Dr. Alan Friis has more than 25 years’ experience in hygienic design of food processes. He graduated as Mechanical Engineer in 1990 and obtained his PhD in 1994 both at Technical University of Denmark. 

Alan was senior lecturer at Technical University of Denmark for many years and has recently been an independent consultant. He is currently manager of the Center for Hygienic Design at FORCE Technology.

Alan has been involved in many international research and development projects, he is the author of several papers and book chapters on different aspects of hygienic design, fluid flow and cleaning. He has substantial experience with industrial applications the areas such as food technology, systems engineering, hygienic design, installation, and maintenance. 
Alan is an EHEDG Authorized Evaluation Officer and member of the EHEDG working groups on Open Processes and Hygienic Integration and is co-author of guideline number 34.
Alan is a very experienced teacher and he cover all technical aspects of hygienic design like hygienic flow systems, open processes, auxiliary systems, buildings, integration and legislation

Anett Winkler joined Kraft Jacobs Suchard in December 1998 to head up the research microbiology laboratory in Munich. Later on Anett concentrated on chocolate, biscuits and other low moisture foods including supplier developments and approvals. She also consolidated the scientific basis for microbiological process controls in low moisture foods by performing validation studies for nut & cocoa processing. Following a regional role for Microbiology in the Eastern European, Middle East & African Region, she was globally designing food safety programmes, rolling out training modules related to food safety and further supporting supplier development. Anett was also the global expert for thermal processing within Mondelez International. 

In October 2017 Anett moved to a new position as “EMEA Food Safety Advisor” at Cargill, where she is supporting all Cargill businesses in that region (Europe/Middle East/Africa) for microbiological and food safety-related topics. Anett is active within EHEDG (Chair of Working Group Water Management), ILSI Europe (Chair of Microbiology Food Safety TF), and is a member of ICMSF. Within Germany she is also co-editor of the Handbook on Food Hygiene. 

Dr. Hörtnagl earned his Ph.D. in 2021 at the Technical University Ilmenau in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering under the supervision of Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil Dr. h.c. Heinrich Kern, with his dissertation on "System Analysis of Corrosion Resistance on Polished Surfaces of Metastable Austenites." Prior to that, he completed both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Konstanz by 2011. Professionally, Dr. Hörtnagl served as the Department Head of Materials Engineering and Testing at Swiss Safety Center AG in Wallisellen, Switzerland, from November 2021 to August 2023. Before that, he was the Deputy Operations Director at the Institute for Material Systems Technology Thurgau (WITg) in Tägerwilen, Switzerland, from 2016 to 2021. Between 2015 and 2018, he also worked part-time as a self-employed consultant and trainer for companies. His career also included roles as a Research Assistant in the Materials Engineering Laboratory at UAS Konstanz, as well as entrepreneurship involving the development and marketing of a patented "snow vehicle." His academic endeavors included multiple teaching appointments, leading to his current position at THWS, which he assumed in September 2023. 

Belén Barber Cortés is the Global Product Manager for IFS at SGS, where she leads the worldwide governance, technical strategy, and operational deployment of the IFS certification programs. With more than two decades of experience in Food Safety, she has built a distinguished career across leading certification bodies, specializing in auditor qualification, accreditation management, and harmonization of global technical criteria. Belén is a Lead Auditor for multiple GFSIrecognized standards, including IFS Food, Logistics, Broker, Wholesale and BRCGS Food, and serves as an official IFS Trainer. She is also an active member of the IFS International Technical Committee, contributing to the development and approval of new and updated standards. In addition to her corporate role, she collaborates with academic institutions as a lecturer in Food Safety, helping shape the next generation of professionals in the field. 

Brett Ira has over 12 years of experience working directly with global food production companies in the realm of drainage solutions. Having experienced both quality productions but also those that can be detrimental to food safety, Brett supports global food companies in implementing best-practice drainage solutions to improve production performance. 

ACO, As a leading hygienic drainage solutions producer, Brett and his team work closely with food and beverage companies across the globe to understand their issues and challenges to help in designing drainage that adheres to their needs in retaining a hygienic environment and at a level that EHEDG aims to achieve in the industry. 

Brett and the ACO company are committed to support in the advancement of hygienic design and drainage best-practices in the industry so as to improve on food safety. 

Ciaran is an experienced global Quality Assurance and Food Safety leader with over 25 plus years of experience working in FMCG organizations. Ciaran started his career in Kraft foods based in Chicago where he worked in both Quality and R&D at both headquarters and field level on products such as Natural Cheese, RTE meats and Philadelphia. He subsequently moved to Munich, Germany in 2006 where he led the Kraft Foods EU/MEA Food Safety organization across the full product range including Confectionery, Candy, Cheese, Coffee, and Biscuit. He subsequently moved to lead the Kraft Foods Corporate Quality organization and subsequently after the Kraft Foods Split became the Global lead for Corporate Quality Audits in Mondelez International. In 2018 Ciaran moved to the Ferrero group based in Luxembourg where he leads the corporate Audit organization in the Executive Chairman strategic function with responsibility for Long Term organization guidance in Food Safety and Quality, for both Ferrero group and affiliated organizations and Audit. Ciaran initially became more familiar with equipment and infrastructure hygienic design whilst working in RTE meats and dairy including standards such as 3A, EDEHG and internally developed standards.

Deb has 40 years of food safety/hygiene experience. Prior to joining Vikan she worked as a microbiologist at a large poultry production site; with DEFRA as a Scientific Officer in the Food Safety Division; and as Food Hygiene Research Manager at Campden BRI. 
She holds qualifications in Applied Microbiology (HNC), Nutrition & Food Science (BSc (Hons)), Advanced Food Hygiene and HACCP. She also holds the FSSC 22000 Lead Auditor qualification. 
 

Deb regularly presents her research at national and international food safety events and has authored/co-authored numerous food safety/hygiene publications, including peer reviewed papers, book chapters, and several food industry hygiene guidelines. 
She is active with numerous food safety-related scientific and technical groups including being, 

• Co-chair of the EHEDG UK & Ireland Regional Section, and a member of the EHEDG Advisory Board;
• A member of International Association for Food Protection, and the UKAFP Affiliate Committee (Treasurer). Last year she was the recipient of the IAFP Sanitarian award;
• a Fellow of the IFST, and sitting on their Scientific Committee; and
• a Director for the Society for Food Hygiene and Technology.  

As Global Hygiene Specialist at Vikan, Deb provides food safety and hygiene advice, training, and support to both colleagues and customers. 

Dirk holds a degree in Food Technology from the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences in Germany and brings extensive practical experience from both food manufacturing and corporate environments. 
At Kraft Foods and Mondelez International, he held roles including Quality Manager, Project Manager, Business Development Manager, and various Corporate Sanitation positions.
He currently serves as Vice President of EHEDG, is a member of the SubCommittee Working Groups, and sits on the board of the German Section. In addition, he chairs the Working Group Basic Principles of Cleaning and Disinfection and contributes to several other Working Groups. 
Dirk was also Food Safety Director at Commercial Food Sanitation (CFS).

Elsabe Matthee is the Technical Director at Foundation FSSC where she is responsible for developing and maintaining the FSSC Schemes and Programs to ensure they are robust, remain fit for purpose and market leading.  She is a South African-born professional with over 30 years experience in the food industry, third party certification, auditing various food safety and quality standards globally, and management.  She has a passion for continuous improvement and a commitment to support their stakeholders and the industry on their food safety and sustainability journeys. 

As Head of Product Management at Habasit, Enrico is dedicated to understanding customers and prospects’ needs and pains and, translating them into new product solutions. 

Enrico has over 30 years of experience in process and conveyor belting, with a global exposure and a long history of product development, engineering, and management. 

Having gained a solid background in industrial applications, he focused on the food processing industry innovation. More specifically at food safety and sustainable resource savings, with the scope to achieve the hygienic excellence by design.  He holds several industrial patents as inventor. 

As an active member of EHEDG, Enrico is part of the “conveyor systems” working group. 

Felix Schottroff is Assistant Professor of Food Process Engineering at the Institute of Food Technology, BOKU University in Vienna. He holds a B.Sc. from the Technical University of Berlin and an M.Sc. in Food and Biotechnology from the Technical University of Munich. He received his PhD from BOKU University in 2020, focusing on novel food processing technologies for microbial inactivation.

His research focuses on novel and non-thermal technologies for microbial inactivation, including underlying inactivation mechanisms, product quality, as well as process and equipment design. He also works on the processing of new food raw materials and the development of efficient process chains, covering both conventional and innovative food processing technologies.

In both teaching and research, Felix addresses topics such as cleaning and disinfection, as well as the hygienic design of food processing equipment.

Since 2019, he has been Co-Chair of the EHEDG Regional Section Austria and has contributed to the organisation of various EHEDG Basic, Advanced, and Special Courses in both German and English.

Frank worked for over 40 years in consumer packaged goods. Starting his career as an Engineer, he moved through a variety of roles in Manufacturing, Logistics, R&D and end-to-end Supply Chain Management. He recently retired from Mondelez where he was the head honcho of Supply Chain. 

Frank is intensely competitive in business and believes deeply that success in business is all about people. You win with the best people. The best people demand the right culture.

The best FMCG Supply Chains demonstrate their culture clearly in effective ways of working and through investment in people. We win by maximizing the capability and contribution of all colleagues.

Outside work, Frank cooks, reads and is an avid cyclist. He lives in Switzerland with his wife of 30 years. He is still an Engineer.

Franz Geissler is specialized in the implementation of quality management systems in the food industry. Development, planning, and management of projects involving renovations and new construction in the fields of food production, process design, hygiene, and workflow structuring. Development of custom applications and specialized products. 

Gabriéla Versteeg is the Managing Director of EFFoST, European Federation of Food Science and Technology. She brings extensive international experience across the agri‑food sector, having set up and managed collaborative programmes and partnerships in multiple countries. 

In her current role at EFFoST, Gabriéla leads the organisation and team in the coordination and execution of European research and innovation activities, with a strong focus on knowledge exchange and strengthening the structure of the European food science and technology R&I landscape. She actively works to improve collaboration between industry, academics and policymakers, while pursuing stronger engagement of Central and Eastern European actors. A key priority in her work is further developing the Young EFFoST activities and strengthening the Young EFFoST community as an open, inclusive and forward looking network. 

He is engaged in the board of several international associations like ICC (International Association for Cereal Science and Technology), GHI (Global Harmonization Initiative), SEKI-Food Association , SEA-ABT Association (South East Asia Academy for Beverage Technology) and participated in several and coordinated two European funded programmes where he organized workshops on food safety and hygienic design in many countries e.g. in Austria, China, France, Kasachstan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam. He worked as consultant for food and pharmaceutical companies and for UNIDO and has co-authored guidelines on dry materials handling. He is member of the EHEDG Training & Education Working Group, certified trainer and chairs the regional section EHEDG AUSTRIA. 

Dr. Gun Wirtanen has 28 years of experience in food processing and packaging hygiene. She has worked as a Research Scientist and Senior Research Scientist within Food Microbiology and Food Processing Hygiene issues at VTT from 1988 to 2009. She then worked as a Senior Expert in Food Safety at VTT Expert Services Ltd. from 2010 to 2013. From 2014 to 2016, she was an Associate Professor in Hygienic Design and Cleaning Operations in Food Production at DTU National Food Institute. From 2017 onwards, she has worked as a Senior Research Scientist in Food Safety at the University of Helsinki Ruralia Institute. She has coordinated several Finnish, Nordic, and European projects in food safety and process hygiene since the mid-1990s.

Gun received her academic degrees from Helsinki University of Technology, earning her MScTech in 1988 and her DScTech in 1996. Since 2001, she has been an external lecturer in process hygiene at the University of Helsinki. She has supervised graduate work at the BSc, MSc, and PhD levels.

Gun was a Board Member in the Executive Committee (ExCo) of the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) from 1999 to 2013. She has also been involved in the Test Methods subgroup and the Nordic Regional Section. In addition, Gun was involved in arranging the EHEDG World Congress 2016 in Herning, Denmark.

Hein Timmerman is a dedicated Food Technologist with extensive international experience across various industries. His career has equipped him with expertise in Engineering, Sales Management, Business Development and Technical Management, particularly in Dairy and Processed Food Technology, Automated Cleaning Systems and CIP techniques. He has been serving as the Global Sector Specialist for Dairy & Processed Foods at Diversey since 2011. In this role, he leverages his background in food technology and hygienic design to drive innovation and excellence in cleaning and sanitation solutions tailored for the dairy and processed foods industries. 

His passion for hygienic design, sparked during his early days at Alfa Laval, has remained a constant throughout his career. Early on, Hein engaged with EHEDG, which he became deeply involved with. He is currently the Chair of the EHEDG Working Group ‘Cleaning In Place’, of the EHEDG Regional Section Belgium and, since January 2023, he is the EHEDG President. 

Juliane is a TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, and communication specialist known for turning highly technical and often “boring” topics—such as sanitary design—into engaging, entertaining learning experiences. She is a partner at a training company (Flavor Food) focused on elevating quality and food safety standards across the industry. Driven by a mission to make knowledge accessible and enjoyable, she founded Fale para o Mundo, an online school dedicated to empowering people to communicate with clarity, confidence, and authenticity. Through her dynamic teaching style and innovative approach, Juliane drives individuals and teams to transform complex information into meaningful impact, enhancing credibility, influence, and professional growth.

Mr. Jürgen Hofmann is a German hygienic design expert based near Munich, Bavaria. He studied Food Technology in Weihenstephan and worked until November 2006 as a research assistant at the Chair of Machine and Apparatus Engineering at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Campus Weihenstephan. 

Today, he works as an independent specialist in Hygienic Design, including collaborations with academic partners. He currently holds a lectureship in “Hygienic Design” at the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences and has also delivered lectures at ETH Zurich and the University of Karlsruhe. 

 As an authorised evaluation officer (AEO), Mr Hofmann supports the accredited test laboratory at TUM Weihenstephan by consulting on equipment assessment and EHEDG certification. Through the Hygienic Design Weihenstephan Academy, he provides a range of trainings, workshops, and seminars for industry, both open programs and tailored in-house formats, covering the full scope of hygienic design principles and practical implementation. 

 He advises manufacturers and the food industry on integrating hygienic design into equipment and facilities. He is a member of the EHEDG Subcommittee Certification, is responsible for the working group on hygienic design principles, and chairs the EHEDG Regional Section Germany. 

I’m Karen-Louise Habermann, Global Market Manager for Food & Beverage, working with leading manufacturers across global production networks.
I focus on translating complex technical challenges into practical, scalable solutions for industrial environments.
My passion is improving hygiene, durability, and long-term performance in food and beverage facilities.

Marc Cwikowski is the CEO and Co-Founder of World of Auditing. He has over 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry and has held senior global leadership and executive roles at companies including Unilever, SGS, The Coca-Cola Company, and Danone.

His previous positions include Audit Process Manager, Director of Quality & Food Safety Strategy, Director of Supply Chain Capability Development, Food Safety Center Director, and Vice President of Quality & Food Safety.

Marc holds a master’s degree in Chemistry and Bio-Industries from Agro-Bio Tech University in Gembloux. He has served as an expert in various organizations and was Chairman of the GFSI Global Markets Technical Working Group. He has also been a board member of both FSSC and SSAFE.

Marc brings extensive international experience in innovation, quality assurance, and food safety. He has successfully designed and implemented quality and food safety strategies, developed advanced people development initiatives, and established robust programs to safeguard companies’ business operations and reputations worldwide.

Dr. Matilda Freund is currently the President of Freund Consulting Company, which specializes in food safety consulting. She also serves as the Treasurer and is a Foundation Board Member of EHEDG. She has been active in EHEDG for over 20 years and has served as President as well as on the Advisory Board before assuming her current role as Treasurer. In addition, Dr. Freund leads an EHEDG working group writing a guideline focused on improving the safety and cleanability of chocolate manufacturing equipment. Dr. Freund is also a Board Member and the Ambassador Director of GHI (Global Harmonization Initiative). She has more than 30 years of experience in the food industry and recently retired from Mondelez International, where she served as Global Vice President of Food Safety. Prior to that role, she was Vice President of Global Consumer Quality as well as European Quality Lead. Throughout her career, she has held various positions in Microbiology, Sanitation, Research and Development, and Production Management. Dr. Freund holds Master’s and PhD degrees in Food Science and Human Nutrition, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Cell Science from the University of Florida. She currently resides in Zurich, Switzerland.

Matti Heide was born and raised in Berlin. He began studying Mechanical Engineering at TUD Dresden University of Technology, specializing in Processing Machinery and Textile Machinery. After graduating, he began his scientific career 2020 as a research associate in the research group cleaning technologies at the Chair of Processing Machines/Processing Technology. Since then, his work has focused mainly on flushing or displacement processes, particularly product changeovers from chocolates in closed piping systems. Within the SchokoSIM research project (IGF Project 20672 BR), he developed an experimental test rig and experimental methodology, and conducted experimental investigations on the flushing process with chocolate. Following the project, the work was further expanded and published in scientific papers. Since 2024, Matti Heide has been a member of the EHEDG Chocolate Working Group. He is currently enrolled as a doctoral student at TUD and is working on his thesis titled “Methodology and Investigations for Optimizing Flushing Processes for Highly Viscous Foods in Immersed Systems”. 

Nathan serves as the Global Director of Sanitation at Kerry, he leads the strategic direction and execution of the sanitation programs across nearly 140 manufacturing sites, encompassing a diverse portfolio of products and technologies. With nearly 30 years of food industry leadership experience, Nathan’s career spans various functions, including sanitation, operations management, and corporate finance.  

 He is a frequent contributor at industry events and supports several associations through membership, presentations and thought leadership including leadership within International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), board of directors with Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP) and a founding member a recently formed industry focused group looking at pragmatic research of dry cleaning and sanitation, Cornell Dry Sanitation Research Advisory Council.  He is also the recipient of the 2025 IAFP Sanitarian Award.  

Nathan holds a Master of Science in Food Safety from Michigan State University, MBA from California State University, and Bachelor of Science in Economics & Finance from Missouri Southern State University.   

 Nathan, his wife and 2 children live in Joplin, Missouri where they stay active with youth sports (mostly baseball), Brazilian jiu-jitsu and their church. They have a uniquely diverse household as they embrace his ½ Persian ethnicity while being a bilingual (Spanish) home. 

Dr Niamh Burke has over ten years’ experience working in an industry academic research collaborative capacity, combining industry expertise with scientific awareness to deliver actionable research outputs. Niamh is a Dairy Processing Technical Lead with the Dairy Processing Technology Centre (DPTC), University of Limerick, Ireland. DPTC is a world-class collaborative Research and Technology Centre, key enablers of innovation, addressing common sectoral challenges, driving value creation, competitiveness and sustainability in the dairy processing sector. Niamh holds a BSc in Food Science and Health and a PhD in Dairy Processing. She has formed well-developed relationships with Irish dairy industry members and is an active member of the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), ISO Working Group for Milk and Milk Products, Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and EHEDG. 

Niamh’s areas of expertise include investigating the influence of raw milk quality on finished product quality through process capabilities and quality systems. Assessing the effects of microbial and chemical parameters on processing capabilities and finished product. Assessing hygienic design of dairy processes and environmental influences on product and process optimisation. Sustainable dairy processing for the reduction of carbon and energy. 

Patrick is a leading hygienic design and food safety and quality expert with more than 30 years of experience in food production, R&D, engineering, and quality management. He has driven global hygienic design strategies at Cargill and Unilever and currently chairs EHEDG Subcom Working Groups, contributing to internationally recognized guidelines. Holding a PhD in food preservation technologies, he is active in global industry forums, promoting science-based, harmonized hygienic design as a foundation for effective food safety and quality management. His areas of expertise include Hygienic Equipment, Process, Building and Utility Design, Aseptic Processing, Commissioning and Validation of Process Lines, Cleaning and Disinfection, Quality Management, HACCP, Hygienic Design Risk Management, and Training and Education.

As Managing Director of Bioscan LTD, Sam is dedicated to the global improvement of food safety and consumer health, through offering preventative maintenance products and services, using environmentally friendly and innovative technologies.

Sam has a 15-year experience in the food manufacturing sector, having started out as an apprentice for a leading European fruit juice producer as a manufacturing and maintenance technician. Upon completing his apprenticeship, he was given an opportunity to begin a journey of performing non-destructive integrity inspections on food processing equipment around the world.

Having gained a solid background in the inspection field, he decided to join forces with some ex-colleagues to set up Bioscan. Their goal is to further enhance and develop the testing technologies, ensuring that the end clients can access the most effective methods available in the market, while minimising downtime. The company specialises in spray dryer and tank/silo crack detection, as well as biofilm identification.

Stephan Tromp is Managing Director of IFS Management GmbH (IFS) and Deputy Chief Executive of the German Retail Association (HDE).

IFS has been developing globally recognised supplier assessment standards for the retail and industrial sectors since 2002. Stephan Tromp has been involved with the company from the very beginning, helping to build its business with a consistent focus on high quality, trustworthiness, international networking, and digitalisation. IFS is a subsidiary of HDE and the French trade association FCD.

At HDE, his responsibilities include the organization and finances of the association, as well as advancing digitalization in the retail sector.

Stephan Tromp holds a diploma in business administration from the Berlin School of Economics and Law. He was a member of the Berlin House of Representatives until 2006, giving him strong expertise in political processes and business management. He is a native German speaker and is fluent in English and Dutch.

Vasyl Mazov is founder of Viravix Engineering with 20+ years in food industry engineering. His experience spans CAPEX project delivery, plant start-ups, and digital factory systems. He specializes in integrating automation, process engineering, and data-driven operations to improve hygienic performance, consistency, and cost efficiency in complex production environments. 

After finishing her final year of secondary school, Vicky Van den Bossche went to the United States for a year through an exchange program. In 1997, she graduated as a nutrition and dietetics specialist from KHBO University College in Bruges. She then worked in the quality department of Artic/Frisa, a company active in the ice cream sector, until the end of 2002. From there, she moved to Hanssens Catering, where she worked in the quality and vegetable-processing departments until 2005. Since 2005, she has been employed at Agristo, starting as a quality manager and, since 2019, serving as a group quality engineer as an expert in food safety and hygiene.