Thank you for attending the WFA: Summit 2026
This February, industry leaders from across the global food and agriculture sector gathered in Amsterdam for the Women in Food & Agriculture Summit 2026, a day defined by powerful conversations, inspiring leadership stories, and meaningful connections.
Held at the Okura Hotel, the summit brought together both senior and future leaders to share ideas, challenge perspectives and explore the forces shaping the future of the industry.
Discussions covered leadership, inclusion, career development and the growing role of AI in the sector.
Women in Food & Agriculture is an initiative by Expana.
WFA: AI Poised to Change Agriculture, but Trust and Data Barriers Persist
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WFA: ALDI SÜD Exec Calls Diversity a Performance Driver; Industry Leaders Debate Future of DEI
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Thank you to our 2026 sponsors
Featured 2026 speakers
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Belinda May Ball
Managing Director Global Sourcing
ALDI SUD
Belinda May Ball
ALDI SUD
Originally from Manchester in the United Kingdom, Belinda May Ball serves as the head of Global Sourcing for the ALDI South Group at the global headquarters in Salzburg, Austria.
Prior to working at ALDI, she had experience in the financial and hospitality sectors. After several years at ALDI in both Operations and Buying, Belinda relocated to Europe to establish a new central food procurement department, that operates on behalf of all 11 ALDI countries, pooling buying in a centre of excellence, focused on providing products with appropriate quality, price and sustainable credentials for all ALDI South customers. With a focus on long term secure an sustainable supply partnership, supply chain mapping and understanding is critical to current and future operations. Throughout her career, Belinda has been focused on people, leadership, development and employee engagement and she is keen to promote diversity and inclusion in her expanding team, with over 65 nationalities currently working in the operation.
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Linda Reddy
Group Head Of Supply Chain
Nando's Limited
Linda Reddy
Nando's Limited
Awaiting bio – check back soon!
Awaiting bio – check back soon!
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Hélène Kovalevsky
Head Of HR For Operations
Nestlé Global
Hélène Kovalevsky
Nestlé Global
Awaiting bio – check back soon!
Awaiting bio – check back soon!
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Dr Lilian Weber
Country Manager
Alltech Germany
Dr Lilian Weber
Alltech Germany
Awaiting bio – check back soon!
Van Tran is an accomplished senior leader in the global food and nutrition sector, known for driving business transformation, building high-performing multicultural teams, and delivering sustainable growth. Over her 20-year career at FrieslandCampina, she has held strategic leadership roles across Europe and Asia, including Director Growth Markets and International Marketing Director. She has led large-scale restructurings, spearheaded successful market expansions, and delivered significant commercial turnarounds in diverse regions from China to Nigeria and Southeast Asia. Van holds an MSc in Business Administration from Erasmus University Rotterdam and has trained at IMD, London Business School, and Ashridge Executive Education. She is passionate about developing talent, fostering inclusive leadership, and empowering women to grow bold and fulfilling careers.
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Van Tran
Global Marketing Director
FrieslandCampina
Van Tran
FrieslandCampina
Van Tran is an accomplished senior leader in the global food and nutrition sector, known for driving business transformation, building high-performing multicultural teams, and delivering sustainable growth. Over her 20-year career at FrieslandCampina, she has held strategic leadership roles across Europe and Asia, including Director Growth Markets and International Marketing Director. She has led large-scale restructurings, spearheaded successful market expansions, and delivered significant commercial turnarounds in diverse regions from China to Nigeria and Southeast Asia.
Van holds an MSc in Business Administration from Erasmus University Rotterdam and has trained at IMD, London Business School, and Ashridge Executive Education. She is passionate about developing talent, fostering inclusive leadership, and empowering women to grow bold and fulfilling careers.
Eleonore currently leads procurement & supply chain at Pizza Hut UK & Europe, prior to which she advised numerous organisations in the food industries & beyond as a consultant. Her focus has been on delivering results that combine commercial excellence and sustainability improvement all along the food value chain. – demystifying the perception that sustainability is expensive.
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Eleonore de Montjoye
Supply Chain & Procurement Director
Yum Brands – Pizza Hut UK & Europe
Eleonore de Montjoye
Yum Brands – Pizza Hut UK & Europe
Eleonore currently leads procurement & supply chain at Pizza Hut UK & Europe, prior to which she advised numerous organisations in the food industries & beyond as a consultant. Her focus has been on delivering results that combine commercial excellence and sustainability improvement all along the food value chain. – demystifying the perception that sustainability is expensive.
Eleonore is also a strong advocate of women’s leadership in the supply chain and is dedicated to empowering individuals to build impactful careers, shaping the future of a more resilient and sustainable global food system.
Awaiting bio – check back soon!
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Kunal Mehta
Global Head – Marketing, Communication And Brand
dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition and Health
Kunal Mehta
dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition and Health
Awaiting bio – check back soon!
Christine has over 20 years of experience in Animal Production across various domains. She is graduated in Veterinary Medicine, has an MBA in Business Management and a Master in Animal Science. She began in Brazil, as a Technical Responsible in the field, eventually transitioning to corporate roles where she dedicated more than 8 years. During this time, Christine actively participated in various projects, revamping chain models, and focussing on business sustainability, with high interdependence roles. In 2014, Christine took on leadership responsibilities, traversing through all levels of animal production chains. Her focus extended beyond technical aspects, encompassing management, team dynamics, and strategic planning. Working closely with high-performance teams, she maintained a direct connection to the company board, academic institutions, and industry entities. Christine’s journey continued as a Regional Operations Director in Brazil, overseeing a workforce of over 1500 individuals and activities Animal Production chain and feed business in Poultry and Swine chains. Seeking broader horizons, she relocated to another country, assuming leadership of a larger, multicultural team and expanding her knowledge whereas includes processing. This opportunity allowed her to deepen her knowledge across all facets of the industry while leading more than 5000 people in 3 different countries in Middle East region. In May 2023 Christine joined Cargill as the Global Strategic Marketing and Technology Director in the Poultry Segment and relocated to The Netherlands, changing the perspective of operations to innovation and strategy, serving with her team of high technical skills different markets around the globe.
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Christine Maziero
Global Strategic Marketing And Technology Director – Poultry
Cargill
Christine Maziero
Cargill
Christine has over 20 years of experience in Animal Production across various domains. She is
graduated in Veterinary Medicine, has an MBA in Business Management and a Master in Animal
Science. She began in Brazil, as a Technical Responsible in the field, eventually transitioning to
corporate roles where she dedicated more than 8 years. During this time, Christine actively participated
in various projects, revamping chain models, and focussing on business sustainability, with high interdependence roles.
In 2014, Christine took on leadership responsibilities, traversing through all levels of animal production chains. Her focus extended beyond technical aspects, encompassing management, team dynamics, and strategic planning. Working closely with high-performance teams, she maintained a direct connection to the company board, academic institutions, and industry entities.
Christine’s journey continued as a Regional Operations Director in Brazil, overseeing a workforce of
over 1500 individuals and activities Animal Production chain and feed business in Poultry and Swine
chains. Seeking broader horizons, she relocated to another country, assuming leadership of a larger,
multicultural team and expanding her knowledge whereas includes processing. This opportunity allowed her to deepen her knowledge across all facets of the industry while leading more than 5000 people in 3 different countries in Middle East region.
In May 2023 Christine joined Cargill as the Global Strategic Marketing and Technology Director in the
Poultry Segment and relocated to The Netherlands, changing the perspective of operations to innovation and strategy, serving with her team of high technical skills different markets around the globe.
Meet the WFA: Awards 2026 winners
The Women in Food and Agriculture (WFA) Awards celebrated outstanding individuals and initiatives that are driving innovation, inclusion, and progress within the food and agriculture sector. With five awards (Mentee of the Year, Mentor of the Year, Leader of the Year, Initiative of the Year and Male Ally of the Year) the ceremony spotlighted those who are making a lasting impact on the industry and pushing the boundaries of gender equality and diversity.
Here’s a closer look at the deserving winners who were recognized for their exceptional contributions:
WFA Mentorship Award categories
Ebba Eriksson
Mentee of the year
We’re delighted to announce Ebba Eriksson as the WFA Mentee of the Year
Ebba embraced the WFA mentorship programme with exceptional commitment, turning insight into action. Through her engagement, confidence, and dedication to personal growth, she has not only accelerated her own development but actively championed women in agriculture along the way.
Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!
Manoella Alves
Mentor of the year
We’re proud to celebrate Manoella Alves as the WFA Mentor of the Year
Manoella’s empathetic and empowering mentoring style has made a lasting impact. By guiding, listening, and encouraging rather than solving, she has helped others build confidence, grow professionally, and thrive.
Her approach beautifully demonstrates the difference between managing and truly mentoring and the ripple effect it can have on careers and lives.
Congratulations, Manoella, and thank you for inspiring the next generation.
Applications for the WFA Mentorship Program are now open!
Over 400 people from across the globe joined us in 2026 to support women wanting to grow their careers further within the food and agriculture sector. This year, we are opening our program to even more! From farmers to CEOs, Scientists to AgTech, everyone is welcome to help us shape the future for women.
You can join us by either:
or
Becoming a mentor to support the next generation of female leaders in our industry
By joining us for only one hour a month, you could help grow gender diversity across the food and agriculture industry!
WFA Award categories
Oluwaseyi Kehinde-Peters
Leader of the year
We are thrilled to announce Oluwaseyi Kehinde-Peters as WFA Leader of the Year.
Oluwaseyi has shown powerful, purpose-driven leadership, founding initiatives that equip women in agriculture with vital skills and building digital platforms that strengthen rural communities. Her work consistently puts women first and delivers lasting, systemic change.
She leads with vision, compassion, and unwavering commitment to equity. A truly inspiring leader.
Huge congratulations on this outstanding achievement
Farmstrong Scotland – Let's talk about menopause in Scottish Agriculture
Initiative of the year
We’re delighted to announce Farmstrong Scotland as the WFA Initiative of the Year
Their Let’s Talk About Menopause in Scottish Agriculture initiative has courageously opened up conversations around wellbeing, delivering clear, accessible communication and growing engagement across the country.
With an inclusive and scalable approach, Farmstrong Scotland is driving meaningful change in agriculture and setting an inspiring example for the sector.
Congratulations to the entire team on this powerful achievement.
Gérald Huart
Male Ally of the Year
We’re proud to recognise Gérald Huart as WFA Male Ally of the Year.
Gérald has consistently championed fairness, meritocracy, and inclusion, leading with the One Team principle and advocating for underrepresented groups across the industry. While he couldn’t attend in person, his impact speaks volumes.
This recognition is richly deserved and highlights the vital role of male allies in driving meaningful change.
2026 Venue
Hotel Okura, Amsterdam
The WFA Summit 2026 was held at the Hotel Okura Amsterdam, located in the heart of Amsterdam. Known for its luxury, comfort, and world-class service, the venue offers a perfect setting for meaningful discussions, networking, and innovation in the agri-food sector.
The Hotel Okura is a gateway to exploring Amsterdam’s rich cultural heritage. The hotel features spacious conference facilities, state-of-the-art technology, and award-winning dining experiences, including two Michelin-starred restaurants.
For attendees, this venue offers not only a luxurious environment for our conference but also an excellent location with easy access to the city’s iconic canals, museums, and attractions.
Stay Connected with Women in Food & Agriculture
Be the first to hear about upcoming Women in Food & Agriculture events, new industry content, and opportunities to take part in our mentorship program. Join our community and stay connected with leaders shaping the future of food and agriculture.