Nezihi Aslankeser (46) is the Director of Cotton Council International (Cotton USA) in EMEA Region including Central Asian Countries an organization he joined in 2020. He is responsible to capture mill and manufacturers accounts in EMEA Region. He is the thirdgeneration member of a family dealing with the cotton trade, was born in Adana/Turkey in 1978.

Having developed all his carrier in Cotton Trading. As a result, he has worked in various roles between 2002-2007 but appointed as the General Manager of Olam Tarim Ürünleri, a group company of Olam International Limited (Singapore between 2007-2019). He also served as the executive board member and vice president of the Turkish National Cotton Council between 2014-2019. He is married and has two children.

Cotton Council International

Cotton Council International (CCI), the export promotion arm of the National Cotton Council of America (NCC), is a non-profit trade association that promotes U.S. cotton fiber and manufactured cotton products around the globe with our COTTON USA trademark. CCI has 60 years of experience promoting U.S. cotton fiber and products to trade and consumers.

CCI works with spinning mills, fabric and garment manufacturers, brands, retailers, textile associations, governments and the USDA to facilitate the use of U.S. cotton. Our reach extends to more than 50 countries through 20 offices around the world.

Uday has over 45 years of deep cross industry successful experience in downstream textile petrochemical value chains, natural fibres, food processing, fertilisers and banking.

He is passionately committed to ESG principles to increase future enterprise value and create a better world.

He is an accredited board member by Thai Institute of Directors and serves as independent director including Vardhman Textile Industries, Board Member of International Textile Manufacturers Federation and Advisory Board member of Biotexfuture.

He is also a consultant / advisor to Fashion for Good a European innovation platform for brands, retailers, and supply chain partners. He continues to engage with Indorama group as advisor after his 15 years active association.

Earlier on he served as Executive Director Board Member Indorama Ventures Limited Thailand a US $ 20 billion company listed on Stock Exchange of Thailand for over 15 years. At Indorama Ventures in his role as CEO Fibres he built from scratch a new $4.5 billion global specialty fibres business spread over 52 sites in 23 countries.

He also served as Group Chief Strategy Officer Indorama Ventures where he organized corporate enabling functions including ESG, Digital solutions, Lean business systems, Business continuity and Risk management with a clear focus on de-carbonatation, circularity, inclusivity for effective transformation.

Prior to Indorama, he had eight years stint at fortune 500 Reliance Industries Limited India as Business Head Filament yarns, Chief Executive JCT Limited, Executive Director Cotton Corporation of India , Senior District Manager Markfed, General Manager PepsiCo New York and Bank of Baroda as Manager commercial and institutional credit.

He attended Fulbright fellowship programme by USEFI at University of California in International Trade. He has been engaging with several international industry forums like ITMF / / ACCIF / AIMA / CITI / GFC Dornbirn / US Chamber / OECD / UN / Fashion for Good that enabled him to stretch the boundaries of his influence.

He enjoys a strong industry network with a deep reservoir of relationships with C-level executives globally. He has been key-note speaker, panellist at several industry conferences and written lead articles in industry magazines.

Experienced professional with over 42 years of expertise in textile plant management, business establishment, plant turnaround, managing turnkey projects and overseeing large textile operations across three continents. Successfully initiated new factories in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and North America. Has been business head responsible for P&L of large textile operation in Canada and USA. Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Textile Technology from PSG College of Technology, India.

Key areas of expertise include:

• Turnkey project management
• Turnaround of large textile plants in diverse geographical locations
• Establishment and management of businesses in various regions
• Strategic, financial, and marketing planning and execution for textile plants
• Product development
• Customer relationship management

Terry Townsend began his career in agriculture in 1974 as a Peace Corps Volunteer on Saipan in the Western Pacific. He worked at USDA for five years in the 1980s as a cotton analyst. He served as statistician for the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) for 12 years and executive director for 15 years before retiring at the end of 2013. He remains active in support of natural fibres through membership in the Discover Natural Fibres Initiative, as an author of articles and papers for industry publications, and as a consultant.

He has a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from Oregon State University in the United States.

Corin Wood-Jones joined Better Cotton in 2013 and is the Director of Special Projects, supporting priority areas linked to the organisation’s long-term objectives and strategic direction. Corin has enjoyed a career spanning a range of commercial and not-for-profit organisations across Europe, Africa and South America, including more than 20 years of direct engagement in diverse areas of the cotton sector.

Florian leads Lenzing’s Lyocell Filament Business, further developing its global demand as well as Lenzing’s technology and production capacity.

Previously, Florian was responsible for the Commercial area of Lenzing’s Textiles business, growing and developing the company’s portfolio of sustainable specialty fibers (TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal as well as LENZING™ ECOVERO™ Viscose). Initially, Florian had joined Lenzing in 2016 as its Vice President of Strategy and M&A.

Prior to joining Lenzing, Florian spent 9 years at the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company in Austria and Brazil, working with a diverse range of clients on strategic and operational topics. In his spare time he enjoys sports and spending time in the Austrian mountains with friends and family.

Ajay Sardana is President & Head – Strategy and Business development – Polyester Business of Reliance Industries, a global leader in Petrochemicals with 2023 sales of approximately $120 billion.

Additionally, he is also full-time director of BVM Overseas ltd, Sintex industries limited, SRTEPC (now, Matexil). He is also co-chair of ASSOCHAM and ICC - Textile Committee. He is also Chairman of Chemicals & Petrochemicals Division of Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

He has rich experience spanning 30 yrs in textile & chemical industry. He has vast global exposure with tenures in Turkey & Indonesia.

He has been awarded with several Indian/Global awards for his contribution in the field of sustainability. He was recognised as Most influential Sustainability leaders of India in 2018. Was recognised by Yale sustainability leadership program with best project in 2018.

He was also graced with GLODEN PEACOCK award for sustainability in 2018.

He has been an international speaker at various forums on Textiles, and sustainability, at ITMF, ITMA, FICCI, CITI & CII Conferences.

Prior to Reliance, he has worked with several divisions at Grasim Industries, and Indo Rama Synthetics. He holds a Masters degree in Textiles from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and Masters in Business Administration from Malaysia.

Dr Alexei Sinitsa joined Wood Mackenzie in 2018, following more than 20 years experience in the chemicals industry. His industrial career began with Rhône-Poulenc/Rhodia, spanning technical, commercial, executive and consulting roles in the nylon chain, including intermediates, polymers, fibres and downstream applications.

Alexei now leads the European fibres contribution to the Wood Mackenzie monthly Global Fibres Report covering nylon, polyester and other synthetic fibre businesses. He has significant experience across a range of international markets, focusing on West, Central and Eastern European markets in particular.

He graduated in Organic Chemistry with honours from Kiev University, and did his doctoral research with the Institute of Organic Chemistry, NAS Ukraine.

Michael is the Director of Operations & Supply Chain at Décor (Suzhou) Co. Limited, managing a sophisticated supply chain at a global scale. He is a veteran in the textile and garment industry since 1998, with extensive experience in merchandising, product development, operations and supply chain management, responsible sourcing and sustainability. Michael is passionate, open-minded and eager to contribute his part for a better world for all.

Michael has been elected to the SLCP Council since March 2021 and have actively participated in the Council work. He is now chairing the Supervisory Board and the Strategy Committee of SLCP.

Décor (Suzhou) Co. Limited, is a full-service global apparel & accessory manufacturer founded in 1994, known for the commitment to integrity, responsibility & ESG, fashion-forward product offers, speed-to-market, quality product at value prices, flexibility & innovation, and global supply chain management.

Janet holds over 25 years of experience in sustainable supply chains, including sustainability consultancy and leadership roles in international development (non-profit). She has served on several boards and councils of multi-stakeholder initiatives. Being the CEO for the Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP), she is currently responsible for overseeing SLCP’s strategic direction and execution.

The Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative with over 250 signatories striving for decent working conditions in global supply chains. Central to SLCP’s mission is the Converged Assessment Framework (CAF) - a universal social assessment tool that eliminates the need for proprietary social audits - allowing saved resources to be redirected into improvement programs for workers.

Nate Herman oversees AAFA’s Policy department, managing the association’s lobbying, policy, and regulatory affairs activities. Nate leads AAFA’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, formulating and implementing CSR policy and representing AAFA and the industry on CSR issues before governments, NGOs, and other key stakeholders. In addition, Nate develops all apparel and footwear industry data and statistics as AAFA's resident economist.

Prior to joining AAFA, Nate worked for six years at the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration assisting U.S. firms in entering the global market. Nate spent the last two years as the Department's industry analyst for the footwear and travel goods industries. Nate received a Masters of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh in 1994 and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Economics from the University of Delaware in 1992.

Born on March 13, 1961

• In 1986: Obtained a Ph.D from the University of Manchester for research work in wrap spinning technology
• Currently Managing Director of Premier Mills Pvt Ltd and Premier Fine Linens Pvt Ltd
• Member of the Young Entrepreneurs Group of the International Textile Manufacturers Federation from 2000 to 2003
• Chairman of the Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA), Coimbatore, from 2007 to 2009
• Chairman of the South India Textile Research Association, Coimbatore, from 2016 to 2019
• Chairman of The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council, Mumbai, (TEXPROCIL) from 2018 to 2020
• President of ITMF from 2023

Cem Altan is the President of International Apparel Federation (IAF) and one of the most successful manufacturer in Türkiye for more than 30 years. With his knowledge and strong experience, he has been leading many projects and organizations for many years.

Cem Altan has a degree in Textile Engineering at Nottingham Trent University in UK. After his graduation in 1983, he has started working for retail groups. The years he spent in the UK helps to shape his point of view on the business world and then he has started his own business as foreign trading company selling Turkish garments to the UK and to international markets. At that time, he brought many firsts to Türkiye and then he realized the need of manufacturing. So, he has established his garment manufacturing company Aycem Textiles in 1991.

Now, in Cem Altan’s second term as President of the International Apparel Federastion (IAF) which has members from more than 40 countries, he continues his works to make the sector more sustainable and greener.

Cem Altan is also Vise Chair for Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Assosiation (TGSD) and Chair for Istanbul Apparel Exporters Assosiation (IHKIB) education trust. He has been head of Istanbul Fashion Week and Koza Young Designers Competition organised last 31 years.

Since May 2024, Acting Chairman of Uztextile Association

• Year of birth: 10/12/1990
• Place of Birth: Tashkent city
• Nationality: Uzbek
• Education: higher
• Qualification: economics and finance
• Graduated (when and what): in 2011 Westminster International University in Tashkent
• What foreign languages does he speak: English, Russian.

Work Activities

• 2007 - 2011:
  Student of Westminster International University in Tashkent
• 2010 - 2012:
  PTO Engineer, Qurilish Polymer Service LLC
• 2012 - 2013:
  Economist of the first category of the Department for Coordination, Accounting and Control of the Targeted Use of Humanitarian Aid and Technical Assistance Funds of the Ministry of Finance
• 2013 - 2016:
  Leading Economist of the Department for Coordination, Accounting and Control of the Targeted Use of Humanitarian Aid and Technical Assistance Funds of the Ministry of Finance
• 2016 - 2017:
  Chief Economist of the Department for Coordination, Accounting and Control of the Targeted Use of Humanitarian Aid and Technical Assistance Funds of the Ministry of Finance
• 2017 - 2018:
  Head of the Sector for Coordination and Accounting for the Targeted Use of Humanitarian Aid and Technical Assistance Funds of the General Directorate of Foreign Exchange Assets and Liabilities of the Ministry of Finance
• 2018:
  Head of the Protocol Sector of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• 2018 - 2019:
  Deputy Head of the Department for Attracting and Refinancing Funds from International Financial Institutions and Foreign Countries of the Main Department of International and Interstate Financial Relations of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• 2019:
  CFO FE LLC " RV " HEALTHCARE Uz "
• 2019:
  Head of the Department for Attracting Investments and PPP Development of the Fund for Supporting the Development of the Digital Economy "Digital Trust" under the National Project Management Agency under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• 2019 - 2020:
  Deputy Head of the Department for the Formation of Cooperation Programs with the PRC and within the framework of the One Belt, One Road initiative of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• 2020 – 2022:
  Head of the Department of Light and Electrical Industry of the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• 2022 – May 2024:
  First Deputy Chairman of Uztextile Association
• 2024 – present:
  Chairman of Uztextile Association

Muzaffar Razakov (47) is the CEO and Co-founder of Global Textile Group of companies. He is a Ph.D. graduate from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and holds an Executive MBA from the University of Trier, Germany. Razakov's extensive career in business development and management has seen him lead and consult for numerous companies across various sectors.

His professional journey began as a Business Development Consultant at Art-Textile LLC in Uzbekistan from 2005 to 2007. He then worked in the same capacity at Textile Service Solutions LLC until 2009. Muzaffar Razakov also served as a Financial Consultant for Almarai Group in Saudi Arabia between 2009 and 2010. Following this, he joined Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG in Switzerland as a Senior Project Manager from 2010 to 2011. His expertise in the textile industry continued to grow during his tenure as Managing Director at Rieter Uzbekistan LLC from 2011 to 2023. Since 2015, he has also been a Business Development Consultant for Metal Processing LLC in Uzbekistan.

Under his leadership, Global Textile Group of Companies has grown significantly, becoming a prominent player in the textile industry of Uzbekistan. Muzaffar Razakov's experience and dedication to business development and international management have been instrumental in this growth.

Muzaffar Razakov's contributions to the textile and business sectors are marked by his strategic vision and commitment to excellence. His leadership continues to drive innovation and expansion at Global Textile, reinforcing its status as a leading company in the industry.

Global Textile is a vertically integrated company which specializes in growing its own cotton, producing high-quality yarn, fabric, and garments, integrating advanced technologies to ensure sustainability and innovation in its production processes. With a strong commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, Global Textile continues to expand its presence in international markets, reinforcing its reputation as a reliable and forward-thinking industry leader.

International partner with Gherzi Textil Organisation since 2006, Mr. Shafei has been involved in the textile industry since 1994, where he started in manufacturing and trade of textiles and garments. He moved in 2000 to consulting and has been involved since in tens of projects such as – on the macro level - setting national textile strategies for various governments and international development agencies. He was also involved in setting up fashion incubators, formulating export development strategies and attracting FDI among others. He was also involved in efforts to reduce audit fatigue with international bodies such as the ITMF, IAF, GIZ-FABRIC, as well as working closely – on the micro level - with tens of factories on setting long term strategies as well as restructuring and improving their operations, covering the areas of: Spinning, Weaving, Knitting, Processing and Garmenting as well as Technical Textiles.

Since May 2024, Acting Chairman of Uztextile Association

• Year of birth: 10/12/1990
• Place of Birth: Tashkent city
• Nationality: Uzbek
• Education: higher
• Qualification: economics and finance
• Graduated (when and what): in 2011 Westminster International University in Tashkent
• What foreign languages does he speak: English, Russian.

Work Activities

• 2007 - 2011:
  Student of Westminster International University in Tashkent
• 2010 - 2012:
  PTO Engineer, Qurilish Polymer Service LLC
• 2012 - 2013:
  Economist of the first category of the Department for Coordination, Accounting and Control of the Targeted Use of Humanitarian Aid and Technical Assistance Funds of the Ministry of Finance
• 2013 - 2016:
  Leading Economist of the Department for Coordination, Accounting and Control of the Targeted Use of Humanitarian Aid and Technical Assistance Funds of the Ministry of Finance
• 2016 - 2017:
  Chief Economist of the Department for Coordination, Accounting and Control of the Targeted Use of Humanitarian Aid and Technical Assistance Funds of the Ministry of Finance
• 2017 - 2018:
  Head of the Sector for Coordination and Accounting for the Targeted Use of Humanitarian Aid and Technical Assistance Funds of the General Directorate of Foreign Exchange Assets and Liabilities of the Ministry of Finance
• 2018:
  Head of the Protocol Sector of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• 2018 - 2019:
  Deputy Head of the Department for Attracting and Refinancing Funds from International Financial Institutions and Foreign Countries of the Main Department of International and Interstate Financial Relations of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• 2019:
  CFO FE LLC " RV " HEALTHCARE Uz "
• 2019:
  Head of the Department for Attracting Investments and PPP Development of the Fund for Supporting the Development of the Digital Economy "Digital Trust" under the National Project Management Agency under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• 2019 - 2020:
  Deputy Head of the Department for the Formation of Cooperation Programs with the PRC and within the framework of the One Belt, One Road initiative of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• 2020 – 2022:
  Head of the Department of Light and Electrical Industry of the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• 2022 – May 2024:
  First Deputy Chairman of Uztextile Association
• 2024 – present:
  Chairman of Uztextile Association

Education

• 1970: International Economics, Seoul National University Bachelor of Arts
• 2010: Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration, Hallym University

Professional Activities

• 1974 - 1984: Founder & Partner, Youngone Corporation
• 1984 - Present: Chairman/CEO, Youngone Corporation
• 1992 - Present: Chairman/CEO, Youngone Outdoor Corporation
• 2008 - Present: Member of International Advisory Council, Brookings Institution
• 2014 - Present: Chairman, Korea Federation of Textile Industries

Youngone Corporation s a publicly listed Korea-based company (market cap of US$ 2.2 billion) engaged in the manufacture of a wide range of sports & outdoor clothing, shoes and relative goods. Youngone supplies high-end products to the markets of North America, Europe and Asia (annual consolidated sales excess of US$ 2.0 billion) and owns facilities in Bangladesh, Vietnam, China and El Salvador (hiring over 70,000 local employees). Also the Company distributes its products within Korean domestic market recognized as the top outdoor brand in Korea.

The Korea Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI) is the national federation of all textile-related industries, with 27 textile industrial associations. It is a non-profit organization whose main duty is supporting and promoting the development of Korea’s textile industry.

Abu Yousuf has been working with the ILO in several capacities since 2017. He currently leads the Better Work Programme in Uzbekistan. Prior to this role, Yousuf managed Better Work operations in Bangladesh. He played an instrumental role in developing the Better Work Bangladesh Strategy 2022-2027, with a strong focus on advancing decent work through multi-sectoral collaboration, elevating Better Work’s enterprise-level results to the institutional and sectoral levels, and establishing stronger alignment to strengthen labour market governance.

In his previous role at GIZ, Yousuf led the implementation of a global initiative on private sector adaptation to climate change. Throughout his professional career, he has used his expertise in SME promotion, skills development for the public and private sector, stakeholder management, resource mobilization and programme implementation. Yousuf holds a postgraduate degree in Global Management from the University of Applied Science, Bremen, Germany.

Stephen E. Lamar is President and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association, the national trade association representing more than 1,000 brands in the apparel and footwear industry. Steve leads a dedicated team of professionals who represent AAFA members before the government, through the media, and in industry settings on key brand protection, supply chain and manufacturing, and trade issues. Steve also advises AAFA member companies on legislation and regulatory policies. Prior to becoming President and CEO, Steve served as Executive Vice President for the association.

Prior to AAFA, Steve spent more than a decade engaged in international public policy work, including stints at the U.S. Commerce Department and in the Peace Corps. A runner, juggler, and genealogist in his spare time, Steve is President of the Washington International Trade Association. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Colgate University and a Master of Arts Degree in International Affairs (with a concentration on African politics and international trade) from George Washington University.

Kenichi Tomiyoshi (60) is Executive Vice President of Japan Textile Federation (JTF), the umbrella organization of Japanese textile industry. He has served for the JTF since April 2019.

He is also Executive Vice President of Japan Chemical Fibers Association (JCFA) and other positions related to textile industry. He has broad knowledge of trade, industrial, and environmental policies as he spent more than three decades in public sector before joining JTF, such as Director General, Chubu (Central Japan) Bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Vice President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), President Director of the Jakarta Office, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Director, Textile and Clothing Division, METI, Director General of Industry, Labor and Tourism , Aichi Prefecture, Director, Export and Investment Insurance Division, METI, Director for Automobile Recycling Law, METI, Economic Section Chief, Embassy of Japan in Mexico.

Dirk joined EURATEX as a Director General in September 2019, representing the interests of 200,000 European companies in the textiles and clothing industry towards the European Union. His mandate is to promote a competitive, sustainable and innovative European Textiles and Clothing industry. Prior to EURATEX, Dirk worked for EUROCHAMBRES, the European Chamber of Commerce lobby, as a Director of Operations and previously Director of International Trade. Dirk has an economic background and holds a Masters degree from the College of Europe, Bruges.

Yan Yan, the Director of the Office for Social Responsibility at the China National Textile and Apparel Council CNTAC, also serves as the Vice President of the China Textile Information Center. She is currently in charge of sustainable supply chain promotion at CNTAC and trade promotion at China Textile Information Center. She is a senior engineer and also a Board Member of the China Green Carbon Foundation.

Under her leadership, the textile and apparel sector’s commitment to social responsibility has not only witnessed groundbreaking research endeavors and in-depth industrial practices but has also garnered widespread acclaim both domestically and internationally. Corporate Sustainability Compact for Textile and Apparel Industry (CSC9000T) has been continuously improved and developed. She adheres to an innovation-oriented approach and has rich work experience in the field of sustainable public governance in the industry. She leads her team to actively explore responsibility value-added solutions that are suitable for China's socio-economic landscape and industry characteristics in the direction of global sustainable development. She strongly promotes sustainable supply chain initiatives, promotes innovative climate stewardship, and is responsible for the China Textile and Apparel Industry Life Cycle Assessment Working Group and the Accelerated Action on Carbon Neutrality in China's Textile and Apparel Industry (30▪60 Plan).

Nate Herman oversees AAFA’s Policy department, managing the association’s lobbying, policy, and regulatory affairs activities. Nate leads AAFA’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, formulating and implementing CSR policy and representing AAFA and the industry on CSR issues before governments, NGOs, and other key stakeholders. In addition, Nate develops all apparel and footwear industry data and statistics as AAFA's resident economist.

Prior to joining AAFA, Nate worked for six years at the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration assisting U.S. firms in entering the global market. Nate spent the last two years as the Department's industry analyst for the footwear and travel goods industries. Nate received a Masters of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh in 1994 and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Economics from the University of Delaware in 1992.

Christian Lott is a passionate innovation driver in the areas of digitalization, customization and sustainability in the fashion and lifestyle industry.

His track record includes body scanning (human solutions/retailor), AI in smart textiles made in micro factories (DFKI) and disruptive projects for apparel and footwear (i.e. project leader of Adidas Speedfactory, Adidasknitforyou and Biotexfuture), always aiming to turn cutting-edge technologies into competitive advantages.

With DMIx by ColorDigital GmbH, Christian leads the players of the industry in sports goods, textiles, apparel and footwear towards real-time, transparent and fully digital product development processes.

ColorDigital GmbH is the company behind DMIx, a unique ecosystem offering seamless digital interaction between brands and suppliers in the fashion and lifestyle industry. The DMIx platform enables all stakeholders to transform from physical to virtual collection development with real-time digital exchange of designs, using technology that reproduces colors and textures as close to reality as possible. Offering digital twin technology, human avatars and real-time master data, DMIx enables a collaboration with major design software applications and PLM solutions. Not only does this reduce costs and time in the product development process, but it also minimizes environmental footprint by controlling lab dipping and bulk production, thus reducing the vast number of samples and prototypes traditionally used. The innovative DMIx Software-as-a-Service solution creates new digitized levels of interaction and collaboration between brands and suppliers, encouraging full product transparency and quality in a color-and appearance-controlled environment.

The company, based in Cologne, Germany, works with over 300 customers in the textiles, dyeing, printing and plastics markets is devoted to support sustainable development and workflows for a better industry: better for brands, suppliers and the planet.

Thomas Gries, born in Cologne, Germany, in 1964, studied at the RWTH Aachen University, Germany. He holds a diploma degree in mechanical engineering and economics and a doctorate in mechanical engineering. From 1995 to 2001, he worked at Lurgi Zimmer AG, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, at the Department of Technologies for Fibres&Textiles in leading positions.

From April 2001 onwards, he is Director of the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University. The honoris causa Professorship of Lomonossow University is the most distinguished scientific award of Russia given for his achievement of tailored reinforcements.

The ITA was established in 1934 and is one of the world’s leading research establishments. Its fields of research consist in man-made fibre technology, staple fibre processing, fabric production, technical textiles & composites, medical textiles & biomaterials as well as in smart textiles & joining technologies. With a budget of 15 million € and a staff consisting of 110 scientists, 65 technicians and administration staff and more than 200 graduate researchers ITA is leading in the digitalization of the textile sector as well as textile bio-economy.

Thomas Gries presently is

• Member of National Academy of Technological Science and Engineering acatech
• Member of the working group “Industrial Artificial Intelligence” of the National Platform Industrie4.0
• Member of the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Science
• Member of the scientific advisory committee of the “Zukunftsinitiative Textile NRW (ZiTex)” and other instituutions
• Evaluator DFG (German Research Foundation) as well as of other national and international project funding organisations
• Member of editorial board of several highly ranked scientific journals and conferences

Povilas Sugintas is a Senior Consultant (Beauty and Fashion) with Euromonitor, focusing on Central and Northern Europe. He graduated from Vilnius University with degree in Management and Business Administration and is interested in consumer trends and company strategies throughout a broad range of industries such as beauty and personal care, consumer health, luxury goods, apparel and footwear, personal accessories and eyewear. You can reach him on LinkedIn.

Femi Akinrebiyo is the Global Manager for Manufacturing and Trade Supplier Finance (GTSF) at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) based in Washington, DC. Femi has over 20-years’ experience managing teams and resources to design, structure and implement complex transactions that support sustainable development in emerging markets.

In his current role, he leads a team overseeing more than $4.5 billion annual investments in manufacturing and trade supplier finance across a diverse range of industries, including cement, steel, and glass manufacturing. Femi is responsible for the development and implementation of IFC’s Manufacturing interventions focusing on decarbonization solutions, strengthening supply chain and development of regional manufacturing clusters.

Prior to his current role, Femi was IFC’s Global Manager for Upstream in the Manufacturing, Agribusiness & Services Department where he led a core team of about 100 professionals in successfully shaping the vision for operationalizing the upstream business model and played a lead role in the organizational design, strategy, and staffing plan for IFC’s approach to creating markets.

Before joining IFC, Femi worked for ExxonMobil as a Project Engineer, and with other multinational companies, including Philips Projects and Spar Aerospace. Femi holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, Evanston, USA.

Akila Fernando is a professional with over a decade of experience in the apparel industry, currently serving as the Assistant Vice President - Engineering at EPIC Group. Throughout his career, Akila has made significant contributions in the fields of renewable energy, electrical engineering, and environmental sustainability.

As a Professional Engineer, Akila's expertise is fortified by his accreditation as a Chartered Engineer from The Institution of Engineering and Technology UK, Engineers Australia, and the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka. Additionally, he is a certified Project Management Professional from the Project Management Institute and a GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Assessor accredited by the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board.

Akila holds a B.Sc. in Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, an M.Sc. from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Sweden, and a Master of Energy Engineering from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain (2018). Furthermore, he has earned an Executive Master’s in Business Administration from the Quantic School of Business Management.

In addition to his technical expertise, Akila has actively engaged in projects that promote women's empowerment and entrepreneurship. He has collaborated with ENERGIA and SEforALL on initiatives aimed at advancing gender equality and social inclusion in the sustainable energy sector.

Akila is a dedicated member of several prestigious professional organizations, including The Institution of Engineering and Technology UK (IET), the Institute of Engineers Australia, the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka, and the Project Management Institute.

• Félix Poza is Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer (DCSO) of INDITEX SA, a responsibility he has undertaken in 2021. He is also board member of ITX Trading and other major INDITEX operating companies. In the role of DCSO, he is responsible for developing and leading sustainability initiatives along the apparel supply chain and collaborating with different multilateral and private financial institutions leading efforts across the industry to trigger systemic changes. He is founding member of the Fashion Pact, board member of Industry Summit, board member of ReHubs Europe and also representative of Inditex in the Spanish Association for the management of textile and footwear waste, currently acting as Vice President of the same.
• Félix has a 20+ year career with INDITEX including more than 15 years in various leadership positions in a broad range of corporate divisions from financial to sustainability functions. He joined INDITEX SA in 2003 as member of the Risk Management Division which he headed from 2007 through 2010 before being appointed Chief Sustainability Officer of the INDITEX SA in 2010. As Chief Sustainability Officer, with reporting line to the Group President, he set up the Corporate Sustainability Division undertaking the global responsibilities for INDITEX and leading the design and implementation of the first Sustainability Strategy for INDITEX.
• During this period leading different initiatives as:
• Creation and development of The List program by Inditex, a pioneering project in the field of product health and safety, that with the involvement of the chemical sector, seeks to improve the quality of the chemical components used in manufacturing articles of clothing
• Leading Inditex’s commitment to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals.
• Founder member of Canopy’s initiative.
• Pioneer supporter of Changing Markets Foundation (sustainable viscose roadmap)
• Collaboration with Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) to encourage the growth of organic cotton in India
• Joining to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action
• Signature of a PPP with the ILO to promote respect for the fundamental principles and rights at work in the cotton sector organizations as well as start-ups and long-established enterprises.
• Leading and endorsing the Covid-19: Action in the global garment industry initiative, with the objective of protecting workers in the supply chain from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Personal engagement and relations with remarkable members of International Labour Organization (ILO), IndustriALL Global Union, Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC), Global Fashion Agenda, Shift and the CEO Water Mandate, among others.
• Currently, in addition to other activities related to promoting innovation solutions, it also develops activities related to identify and coordinate mainstream collective investment sustainability projects along the textile supply chain, collaborating with IFC, European Investment Bank, Asian Development Bank or European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, among other private financial institutions. Leading efforts across industry to trigger systemic changes along the value chain (Scope 1, 2, 3 & beyond) to achieve real sustainable goals.
• Born in Madrid (Spain) and holder of a BSc degree in Industrial Engineering from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Felix, earlier in his career, worked in the field of occupational hazards and environmental protection having drafted framework plans for different companies and industrial facilities. Likewise, he worked for insurance carriers as Risk Assessment Engineer and underwriter of property, casualty and material damages policies.

Andreas has been serving the textile industry for 15+ years with a focus on the sustainable fiber landscape. He has a global expertise and a wide, trusted network across notable textile retailers and brands. Former Senior Commercial Director of Textiles at Lenzing Group, he is now General Manager of RE&UP.

• Drivers: He has a passion for innovation and circular economy models and for pioneering the transformation of the textile industry toward circularity
• Thought leader and innovator of recycling fibers: First Circular WBCF already in 2017 and multiple fiber innovations and patents
• Likes: Hiking and sailing, continuous learning, listening to classical music, history and traveling
• Married 26 years and father to 2 girls of 22 and 25 years

Dr. Sining Mao, CTO and Co-founder of Sycoretec CAS Co. Ltd. （Zhongke Haishi）, leads the company’s technology development and product strategy. An IEEE Senior Member, Dr. Mao is a distinguished expert in materials physics, with over 170 technical papers and more than 110 patents to his name. His career includes significant leadership roles in the U.S., where he served as Senior Manager/Director at Seagate (1995-2006) and Vice President at Western Digital (2006-2012). At WD, he managed a team of 300, including 90 Ph.D. researchers, contributing to the company’s growth from $4 billion to $12 billion in annual sales. In 2012, Dr. Mao returned to China, where he founded Sinomags and served as CEO until 2016. His work in magnetic materials and sensors at Sinomags has the company on track for an IPO in 2025. Since 2018, he has been focused on thermal insulation materials of Sycoretex.

Dr. Mao earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, USA, specializing in metal and oxide thin films and devices. He also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics from Peking University, China, with a focus on semiconductor materials and processes.

Sycoretec CAS Co. Ltd. is a leader in the R&D of advanced heat management materials, catering to the innovative demands of the textile, apparel, and specialty products industries. The company has achieved significant breakthroughs in high polymer composite phase change temperature-regulating materials, notably developing SYCORE-TEX, a lightweight, temperature-regulating material. SYCORE-TEX is ultra-soft, lightweight, and offers excellent drapability, windproofing, and warmth, while adapting to microenvironmental temperature changes. The material has been commercialized with total sales exceeding $4 million and has garnered multiple prestigious awards, including the Geneva Invention Gold Medal and ISPO Best Product Award. Sycoretec CAS Co. Ltd. has also secured $5 million in Pre-A round venture capital investment.

Dennis Nobelius, 51 years of age, lives in Gothenburg, Sweden. Dennis has led Syre as CEO since 2023. Before this, Dennis was Chief Operations Officer (COO) for the premium electric car brand Polestar since 2020, and Dennis was also CEO of Zenuity for four years – the software company that develops software for self-driving cars. Prior to Zenuity, Dennis was MD for Volvo Cars in Switzerland, Programme Leader for the all-new XC90 / S90 / V90 and the new SPA platform for Volvo Car Group, and Plant Director for the final assembly shop at Volvo Cars Torslanda. Dennis was also CEO for the start-up company Expoplanet and a Visiting Scholar at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, USA.

Dennis is also a Non-Executive Director for the McLaren Group. He has also previously for three years been an advisory board member at the battery developer StoreDot and a Board Member of the synthetic data AI startup Repli5. He is the initiator and founder of MobilityXlab, a start-up business interface, which sees collaboration between Lindholmen Science Park, big Swedish companies like Ericsson, Zenseact, Volvo Cars and start-ups from all over the world. In addition to this, Dennis is part of the founding team of AI Sweden, a national centre for applied Artificial Intelligence. Dennis is currently leading a new hyperscale venture within the textile circular economy, backed by H&M, TPG Rise Climate, and Vargas (founders behind Northvolt, H2greensteel and more) named Syre.

Dennis holds a PhD in R&D Management, from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. Dennis is passionate about high technology environments, sustainability, and authentic leadership. Finally, Dennis enjoys trail running, MTB, and holds a black belt in judo.

Oliver Shafaat is the founder and CEO of Sci-Lume Labs. Oliver founded the company Sci-Lume Labs, and developed and patented Bylon: the biobased, biodegradable apparel fiber that delivers sustainability at scale, and without compromise. Prior, he worked for Spiber, a biotech making artificial protein fibers for apparel. He led Spiber’s Fiber R&D team, conducting basic research on artificial man-made protein fiber spinning. Oliver earned his PhD from Caltech, where he worked at the crossroads of chemistry, biochemistry and biology.

Carlo Centonze studied Biology and Forest Engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich where he graduated in 2003. Shortly after that, he earned his Executive MBA at the University of St. Gallen in 2007.

After his service as a Swiss army pilot, he started his professional career as co-founder of the ETH Spin-off Myclimate where he took the role of Head of Marketing between 2002 and 2003.

After that first contact with environmental and sustainable organizations, he co-founded the textile innovator company HeiQ along with Dr. Murray Height. As such, since 2004, Carlo Centonze has served HeiQ as CEO, developing the firm from a two-employee company to a 240+ employee company as of today.

Alongside his role as HeiQ’s CEO, Carlo Centonze has been proactive with similar projects. He became a Board Director of C8 Investments Ltd. for three years between 2012 and 2015. And in 2019, he took an active role as a Member of the Board of Directors of scienceindustries, a Swiss-based business association of chemistry and pharma life sciences as well as Chairman of The Board of ECSA Emanuele Centonze SA, the largest Swiss-owned company specializing in the distribution of chemicals.

Dr Matthew Spence is a Research Co-Founder and the Head of Design at Samsara Eco. His work centers on the design of novel enzymes that break down plastics, such as nylon 6,6 and PET, to deliver circular solutions to the plastic economy.

Matthew completed his PhD at the Australian National University in protein evolution and engineering and his research has since formed the basis for enzyme design at Samsara Eco. Outside of his work at the Research School of Chemistry, Matthew is an avid environmentalist with an interest in sustainability and plant sciences.

Dr Vanessa Vongsouthi is the Research Co-Founder and Head of Science Operations at Samsara Eco, a start-up that has recently secured $100 million AUD to scale its innovative technology for enzymatically recycling plastics, including PET and nylon 6,6. Backed by world-leading investors, Samsara Eco has partnered with Lululemon to produce the world’s first garment from enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 and was recognized as one of AFR's Most Innovative Companies in 2023.

Having completed a PhD in Protein Engineering from the Australian National University, Vanessa is passionately committed to addressing the plastic waste crisis by developing solutions that achieve circularity and reduce the plastic industry’s carbon footprint.

Rui WANG, a professor at Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT) and part-time professor and doctoral supervisor at Sichuan University and Tianjin Polytechnic University. She was a visiting scholar at Bunka Women's University (Japan, 2004) and the University of California (USA, 2010). The research interest focuses on the preparation and structural performance of composite functional fibers. In recent years, she has led over 50 scientific research projects funded by government, Natural Science Foundation, and company. She has received two Second Prize of the National Sci-Tech Progress Award, three First Prize of the Sci-Technology Progress Award from CNTAC. She has also been awarded the Special Contribution Award in textile by CNTAC. She has published more than 300 papers, holds over 60 authorized invention patents and six co-authored books.

Mr Edwin Keh is the CEO of The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel. He also teaches supply chain operations in the Operations, Information and Decisions Department of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Until April 2010 Edwin was the SVP COO of Wal-Mart Global Procurement. Prior to Wal-Mart Edwin managed a consulting group that has done work for companies on supply chain, manufacturing, and product design. The practice also did work for non-profit organizations and charities. Edwin co-founded the Consortium for Operational Excellence in Greater China (COER GC) sponsored by the Wharton School and Tsinghua University.

Edwin had a career as senior executive with several international consumer goods and retail companies. He also worked for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Edwin is on the advisory board of multiple social enterprises, research organizations, and NGOs and served on the Board of Whittier College, CA and the Expert Panel of H&M Foundation’s Global Change Award.

Edwin was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2020 by the HKSAR Government for his research work during the pandemic. He was named “Asia’s Most Influential” 2022 by Tatler, the best of Top 50 Innovative Retail Leaders by Inside Retail Hong Kong in 2019 and is on the Debrett’s Hong Kong 100 as one of the most influential people in Technology and Digital sector. Edwin is a recipient of the Production and Operations Management Society’s Excellence in Production and Operations Management Practice Award. Edwin holds over 30 IPs and most have won global invention awards.

Anne Reboux is the cofounder and Director of RBX Créations. With a strong experience in framing and project management, she is in charge of the different aspects of collaborations across the value chain from farmers to textile players as well as project development and supervision. She also co-leads business growth and brings support for technical tasks. Before joining her brother Charles Reboux for the funding of RBX Créations company, she graduated from Institut Mines-Télécom Business School, Paris with a Master 2 in Information Systems, and post-graduated from the University of Technology of Sydney. She has previously worked for more than four years in consulting firms (EY, Epsilon Paris) for different clients on various projects and missions.

In 2020 Anne Reboux got selected in Women4Climate Paris and mentored by VEJA sneakers brand co-founder. In 2021 she was president of Nouvelle Aquitaine Hemp association to develop the local network in relation with regional institutions.

RBX Créations, created in 2016, is a family company based in France and focused on materials mainly for textile. It includes clothing and accessories brand Gorfoo® highlighting various materials such as traditional hemp, ramie, cork or linen. Since 2018 its main activity has become the development of new materials under the trademark Iroony® from agricultural feedstock, especially hemp, with related know-how and patented innovations. It is based on cellulose obtention for spinning into fibers meant for textile, fashion and footwear brands. Other applications include packaging and specific ingredients. The support to agricultural practices benefitting the natural ecosystems is at the core of the approach, with strong connections to farming groups. RBX Créations has joined the Hemp & Organic Flax association since 2017.

Marc Philip Vocht (30), Ph.D., studied chemistry at the University of Stuttgart and graduated with a Ph.D. at the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf. Since 2022 he works as a senior researcher in the Competence Center Biopolymer Materials at DITF, where he is responsible for national and international research projects concerning biopolymer-based fibers and textile, direct air capture technology and cellulose based carbon fibers.

The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) form the largest textile research center in Europe with more than 250 scientific and technical staff. As the world’s only textile research facility and covering an area of more than 25,000 m², the DITF work right across the textile production and value chains. Since 1921, we have been across all the major fields within textiles. We are among the leading research institutions worldwide.