- Learn from experienced industry leaders as they discuss how digital transformation has improved food safety and quality management
- Gain valuable insight into overall organizational and end user experiences with the implementation of new digital solutions
- Explore what the future holds and the full potential of digital transformation, including artificial intelligence, for the food and beverage industry
Geert Van Kempen
Head of Food & Beverage Strategy
Veeva Systems
Geert Van Kempen has 26 years of F&B industry experience in R&D, Safety, & Quality, along with work in peer-reviewed publications & several patents. After receiving his Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Delft University of Technology, he joined Unilever in 1998. Most of his R&D career was spent developing expertise in the Spreads division before transitioning to the global Quality team in 2015. Initially responsible for Spreads & Dressings categories, he began overseeing various Quality systems & led the global digital transformation project that introduced him to Veeva, where he has served as the Head of F&B Strategy since 2021.
Amit Jagirdar
Director, Quality & Food Safety
Bunge
With over 25 years of global experience in the food industry, I am a passionate and results-oriented leader in quality and food safety. I have worked across 10 product categories, such as bread, biscuits, confectionery, snack food, frozen breads, and bulk oils, in India, Australia, Middle East, and Canada, gaining valuable insights and expertise in diverse markets and customer needs.
As the Director of Quality and Food Safety at Bunge Canada, I lead a team of professionals who are committed to delivering the highest standards of quality, safety, and compliance for our products and processes. I am also a certified SQF Lead Auditor, a trained Six Sigma Black Belt, and an MBA in Food and Agribusiness. I leverage these credentials and competencies to drive continuous improvement, innovation, and best practices in our organization. I enjoy coaching and mentoring my team and fostering a culture of quality and employee engagement. My mission is to ensure that Bunge is a trusted and preferred partner for our customers and stakeholders.
Peta Cutts
VP, QFS
Mars Petcare
Peta Cutts is the Vice President of Quality Food Safety at Mars Petcare, bringing over 18 years of experience in driving global quality and safety initiatives within large-scale food manufacturing. With a career spanning multiple senior roles, including Senior R&D Director and QFS Director, Peta has a proven track record of reducing non-quality costs and fostering future revenue growth.
Her expertise in supply chain management, business process re-engineering, and strategic leadership is complemented by her passion for hiring and developing top talent to achieve sustainable results. Peta excels in quality assurance, change management, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring organizational effectiveness and continuous improvement. Her commitment to excellence and safety has made her a pivotal leader in the industry.
David Clifford
Director Food Safety
Nestlé
David Clifford is the Director of Food Safety for Nestle USA, leading a team of food safety professionals providing support and leadership in operational food safety, compliance, hygiene and thermal processing. Over his 33 years with Nestle he has held many technical and operational roles domestically and internationally. David is a global subject matter expert for Nestle for HACCP, Food Allergens, Listeria control/prevention, and Food Safety Risk Assessment.
David earned his BS in Microbiology from The Ohio State University and an MBA. Aside from serving as an instructor to the food industry for allergen management, HACCP and risk management he is also active in several national and international organizations including Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), Food Allergen Resource and Research Program (FARRP/University of Nebraska), STOP Foodborne Illness, Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE), the Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH), and FMI The Food Industry Association.
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Veeva Systems
Veeva provides modern, easy-to-use unified solution for managing food safety, quality, regulatory, and product & advertisement claims to help customers establish transparency and trust throughout the product journey – from raw materials & food ingredients, through food manufacturing, retail and food service, to ultimately the consumer.
Veeva is a publicly-traded, billion dollar software company with more than 4,000 employees, operating in more than 150 countries, and hundreds of thousands of users.
