Speakers
23. og 24. september 2026
Oslo
Bill Marler
Marler Clark LLP
Featured in the book and Netflix documentary “Poisoned”, Bill Marler is one of the world’s foremost voices and attorneys in the field of foodborne illness and food safety.
As the founder and Managing Partner of Marler Clark, a Seattle-based law firm specializing in representing victims of foodborne illness outbreaks, Bill has been a driving force for change and accountability in the global food industry.
Over the past three decades, he has represented clients in some of the most high-profile foodborne illness cases in U.S. history, including the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak, the 2006 Dole spinach outbreak, the 2011 Jensen Farms Listeria outbreak, and the 2018 romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak.
At the Aquatiq Food Forum, Bill will share key lessons from these landmark cases — and how industry, regulators, and consumers can work together to prevent future outbreaks.
Outside the courtroom, Bill is a passionate advocate for food safety reform, working closely with government agencies and industry leaders to strengthen global standards. His work has earned him numerous honors, including the Seattle University Distinguished Law Graduate and Professional Achievement Awards, as well as the Washington State Public Justice and Outstanding Lawyer Awards.
His story — told through the book and Netflix documentary “Poisoned” — continues to inspire a global movement for a stronger food safety culture.
John A. Donaghy
Nestlé S.A
Dr. John Donaghy is Global Head of Food Safety at Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, operating more than 300 factories across 75 countries.
During his 14 years at Nestlé, he has held key roles in microbiology, allergen management, and global HACCP development. In recent years, his focus has been on how data, digitalization, and new technology can strengthen risk management and enable more dynamic systems for food safety across Nestlé’s global operations.
With a research background from the Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Northern Ireland, where he led government- and EU-funded projects, John combines solid scientific expertise with extensive industrial experience. He is recognized for his professional integrity and his ability to translate science and data into practical solutions for factory operations.
John is also actively engaged in international forums addressing emerging risks, the link between sustainability and food safety, and the need for harmonized standards in global value chains.
At the Aquatiq Food Forum, he will share insights from Nestlé’s factory network – what works, what doesn’t, and how to build robust systems for food safety and continuous improvement.
Madelen Weistrand
McDonald's / Food Folk Nordic
How do you build one shared culture across four countries – each with its own rules, habits, and traditions?
At Aquatiq Food Forum, Madelene Weistrand will share insights from McDonald’s journey toward a unified Nordic structure and culture for food safety.
As Nordic Food Safety & Quality Lead at Food Folk Nordic, Madelene is responsible for ensuring food safety and quality from farm to fork across the company that operates more than 490 McDonald’s restaurants in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.
With a PhD in Chemistry and broad experience in food science and quality systems, she has dedicated her career to advancing food safety and quality within the Nordic food industry. Her previous leadership roles include Quality Manager at Aryzta Nordics, Quality and Environmental Manager at Lantmännen Unibake Sweden, and Lead Auditor at DNV, where she specialised in BRC and FSSC 22000 standards.
Madelene combines deep technical expertise across the entire value chain with a strong commitment to collaboration, culture, and competence – offering a unique perspective on what it takes to deliver safe food, every day, everywhere.
Pellegrino Riccardi
Pellegrino Consulting
Pellegrino Riccardi is an award-winning TEDx speaker and a leading expert on culture, communication, and human relationships. For nearly four decades, he has dedicated his career to exploring what it truly means to be human – and what makes people work well together. Pellegrino first joined the Aquatiq Food Forum in 2018, where his talk “Leadership in a Multicultural World” became one of the event’s highlights. After great success then, he is finally back – this time with a brand-new topic and fresh perspectives. Those looking forward to something extraordinary will not be disappointed! Throughout his career, Pellegrino has delivered talks, workshops, and training for audiences across both the public and private sectors – including some of the world’s most recognized brands. Known for making complex ideas simple and engaging, he avoids jargon and “fluff,” focusing instead on clear, memorable insights that stick. Holding Master’s degrees from the University of Leeds and the University of Oslo, and with additional qualifications in psychology, NLP, and pedagogy, Pellegrino combines strong academic grounding with humor, energy, and genuine human insight. His presentations are a unique blend of humor and depth. With fearless honesty and an engaging style, Pellegrino challenges audiences to reflect on their own communication, culture, and behavior – and to rediscover what it truly means to be human.
Thomas Henschien
Moderator Aquatiq Food Forum 2026
Thomas Henschien is an experienced host and debate moderator with a solid background in Norwegian business, media, and cultural sectors.
As a journalist and former news anchor at TV2 Nyhetene (news), he has covered major international events, including the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and played a key role in developing TV2 Nyhetskanalen (news canal), which he led from 2006 to 2011.
With academic training in both economics and journalism, and professional experience from NBC in the USA, TVNorge, and several leadership roles in Norwegian industry, Henschien combines professional communication skills with strategic insight. He has led major international conferences, panel debates, and webinars for many years.
At Aquatiq Food Forum, he brings precisely this blend of journalistic curiosity, stage confidence, and the ability to create flow and connection throughout the program. Henschien is particularly known for asking the right questions, highlighting the essence of complex topics, and tying together diverse themes in an engaging and professional manner – making him the perfect host for this year’s forum.
Pre-sale – Limited number of tickets
30% off the regular price on the first 100 tickets — available while supplies last or until December 31!